Which 1998 song by The New Radicals was the group’s only Billboard Hot 100 top-40 hit?

The New Radicals’ 1998 song “You Get What You Give” was the group’s only Billboard Hot 100 top-40 hit.

The song was written and produced by Gregg Alexander, who led the short-lived American band. It was released as the first single from the group’s only album, Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too. The recording combines a polished pop-rock arrangement with lyrics about consumer culture, celebrity, and resisting manipulation.

“You Get What You Give” reached number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while performing much better in several other markets. It reached the top five in the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand. The band broke up in 1999, shortly after its album’s release, leaving the song as its enduring signature.

A frequent misunderstanding is that the title means rewards always match effort. In context, the phrase is part of a broader message about personal resilience and social pressure. The New Radicals also recorded “Someday We’ll Know,” but that song was released after the band had ended and did not become a comparable chart hit.