Imperial Teen first gained notice with its debut album, Seasick, in 1996, which was produced by Steve McDonald (Redd Kross).
[3] "You're One" was the album's breakout single, receiving heavy radio play on alternative stations; a promotional video was also produced for the song.
A Rolling Stone review of the album said that "Imperial Teen still have this turf all to themselves, and they blast through the bubblegum riffs of 'Birthday Girl', 'Year of the Tan' and 'Lipstick'".
To add authenticity to a parody scene in Not Another Teen Movie, "Yoo Hoo" is heard briefly during Jaime Pressly's slow-motion entrance.
The band toured throughout these years, and its success led to opening several dates in 1998 for Hole, fronted by Courtney Love, a friend and (briefly) former Faith No More bandmate of Roddy Bottum.
Jone Stebbins said in a 2017 interview that the band was preparing material for a sixth studio album, although the process is slowed down by their living far apart from one another.