'90s Rock Band Ranked Among 'Best Supergoups' of All Time, Despite Never Having a No. 1 Hit
In the 1990s, during the height of the grunge movement, a four-member supergroup became a driving force in music despite not having a chart-topping track.
Mad Season, a grunge supergroup, was formed with members from highly influential groups, with key members Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, Layne Staley from Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees' Barrett Martin and The Walkabouts' John Baker Saunders making waves in the music scene.
Years later, the band further cemented its legacy when Rolling Stone named it one of the "best supergroups" of all time.
Along with nine other notable bands, Mad Season earned recognition after securing the seventh spot.
The "River of Deceit" hitmakers, despite their incredibly short-lived status, were celebrated for their lasting impact on rock music and their unforgettable lineup featuring talented artists.
Formed in 1994 in Seattle, the supergroup only released one album titled Above but achieved major commercial success.
Not only was it considered a timeless classic in the 1990s music scene, but it was also officially certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America after reaching over 500,000 copies sold in the United States alone.
As mentioned, not a single track from the album peaked at No. 1 on the mainstream charts but the band still conquered the radio airwaves with fan-favorite songs that became Mad Season's anthems.
This includes "River of Deceit," which became their most successful radio single.
With the lyrics written by Staley, the song was inspired by the book The Prophet by Khalil Gibran, which the vocalist was reading at the time.
"Layne Staley felt as though he was on a spiritual mission through his music. Not a rock mission, a spiritual mission,'" drummer Barrett Martin shared as mentioned on the band's official Facebook post in 2013.
Besides "River of Deceit," their other notable tracks include "Wake Up," "I Don't Know Anything" and "Long Gone Day," which featured Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees.
Unfortunately, following their massive success in the mid-1990s, Mad Season went on a semi-permanent hiatus in 1996.
Since the majority of the members were from highly influential rock groups, their commitments to their primary bands made scheduling more difficult.
In addition, Mad Season's future was overshadowed by tragedy following the deaths of its members.
Saunders passed away in 1999 due to a drug overdose, while Staley died in 2002.
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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 6:22 PM.