Everlast is an American musician who has lived two musical lives. He first found fame as the frontman of House of Pain, the group behind the rowdy anthem "Jump Around", before reinventing himself as a solo artist with a weathered, blues-inflected sound. It is that solo turn that defines him here.
"What It's Like", released in 1998, was a gruff, compassionate song about hardship and judgement, blending hip-hop, folk, and blues, and it became a huge crossover hit that introduced his rougher new voice to a wide audience.
On streaming, "What It's Like" sits near 293 million plays, while his next most-streamed solo track, "White Trash Beautiful", trails at around 47 million. That puts the ratio above 6, past our 5.0 line.
By our measure Everlast is a certified one-hit wonder as a solo artist, with the caveat that he also fronted one of the most recognisable party records of the 90s in another act entirely. Under his own name, though, the numbers are clear: one gravelly, big-hearted song has stood far ahead of the rest of his solo catalogue. It is a striking double act of a career: two distinct musical identities, each anchored to a single song most listeners can name.