Remember Hanson? The trio of long-haired siblings who sang "MMMBop" in 1997 and basically ruined every middle school dance for a solid year? Well, they're back in the news, and no, it's not because they're touring with the Backstreet Boys on some cursed nostalgia package. It's because they're doing something that's either genius or completely unhinged, depending on how much you've had to drink.
The brothers—Isaac, Taylor, and Zac—have been quietly running their own independent label, 3CG Records, for two decades now. That's right. While the rest of the music industry was collapsing under streaming and TikTok, these guys were just… doing their own thing. No major label, no drama, no desperate comeback single featuring a rapper who peaked in 2011. Just three dudes from Tulsa who decided they'd rather be their own bosses than get screwed over by executives again.
But here's where it gets weird. Their latest project isn't an album or a tour. It's a beer.
Yes, a beer. Called "MMMHop." Because of course it is. It's an IPA, naturally, because every aging celebrity has to have an IPA now. It's like a law. You turn 40, you either launch a tequila brand or a craft beer, and if you don't, the government revokes your famous person card. Hanson chose beer, and honestly, I respect the hustle.
The beer is being brewed in collaboration with a Tulsa-based brewery, and the marketing copy describes it as having "notes of citrus and nostalgia." Which is a nice way of saying it tastes like every other IPA but comes with a side of childhood trauma from that one time you tried to grow your hair out like Taylor and your mom made you cut it before school pictures.
Now, before you roll your eyes and mutter "sellouts" under your breath, consider this: Hanson has been a functioning band for over 30 years. They've sold millions of records, they've toured the world, and they've managed to avoid the typical child-star meltdown trajectory. No rehab, no public feuds, no bizarre religious cults. Just three brothers who play their own instruments, write their own songs, and apparently brew their own beer. That's more than most bands from the 90s can say. Remember the guy from Smash Mouth? Exactly.
The beer isn't the only thing they're doing, either. They're still touring, still releasing music, still showing up at county fairs and casino ballrooms across the Midwest. And their fans—the "Fanson" army—are still showing up too. These are grown adults now, with mortgages and 401(k)s, but they'll still drive six hours to see Zac Hanson play the drums. That's loyalty you can't buy.
Is the beer a cynical cash grab? Probably. Is it also kind of brilliant? Also probably. The Hanson brothers have figured out something most artists never do: you don't have to be on top of the charts to make a living. You just have to keep showing up, keep making stuff, and keep your fans happy. And if you can sell them a $12 six-pack while you're at it, even better.
So go ahead and laugh. Make your "MMMBop" jokes. But at the end of the day, Hanson is still here, still working, and still getting paid. That's more than you can say for most of the bands you listened to in middle school.
**Closing Opinion:** Hanson brewing a beer called MMMHop is the most 2020s thing I've ever heard, and I'm not even mad about it. It's dumb, it's on-brand, and it's probably pretty good with a burger. If you're still mad about "MMMBop" after 27 years, the problem isn't Hanson—it's you.