3. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider took years to write the lyrics, which he envisioned as a rock anthem for the downtrodden in the spirit of Alice Cooper. Regardless, while Blind Melon may technically be considered a one-hit wonder, theyre one thateverybody remembers, and not with irony. The Andrews Sisters, Blues Stay Away From Me 12. 4 on the chart and was a hit in the early days of MTV. #18 of 136. That was rapidly followed by Stand by Me (from the film of the same name) and Nothings Gonna Stop us Now by Starship, in 1987, from Mannequin. Unusual (fiddles/banjos in an early '80s pop song?) Gene Woods, There's A Big Wheel 11 on the Hot 100. If you're gonna score just one hit, then you might as well make it a good one. Billboard Hot 100 Peak:No. By the time we reached the year 2000, I was 26 and my interest in new music was already waning. One hit wonders only account for the first billed artist. The Best Songs About Roses. 8 Attendees rushed the field by the thousands, overwhelming security forces and forcing the White Sox to forfeit the following game. The song broke through to U.S. audiences, hitting the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100. The song's success, largely generated by its frequent airing on MTV, was a first for British new wave group A Flock of Seagulls. Who knew they made so much chart history? Did this register with the people who made this a hit? The song became a global hit but surged to the top of the U.S. charts after it was used in the 1993 Johnny Depp film "Benny & Joon." Sex and Candy is a weird song, and it had a weird music video to boot. Something of a Scottish anthem, The Proclaimers Im Gonna Be (500 miles) peaked just outside the top 10 at number 11 in 1988. Money by The Flying Lizards #65 - Rock. Do you not see your favorite one-hit dance song on the list? John Fogerty, Got the All Overs for You (All Over Me) What the heck is tubthumping? Year: 1992 one hit wonder He ended up settling out of court and giving both Bowie and members of Queen songwriting credits on the track. Billboard U.S. Rock Peak: No. Chart appearances and counts span from 1900-2016 only, so artists who charted from 2016-2022 may be falsely classified as a one hit wonder if they had another hit during this period. But the song's snappy catchiness (and utter ubiquity) quickly rubbed many the wrong way, transforming the title from a cheerful message into a Pollyanna irritation. Wait, dont stop reading! The British band had odd aesthetics, both visually and musically, for its time: while the charts were mostly dominated by groups sporting sparkling glam rock outfits and playing synth-heavy dance hits, Dexys Midnight Runners brought Celtic sensibilitiescomplete with overalls, fiddles, and accordionsto the forefront of American pop music. Aqua and its record label held their ground in an aggressive copyright infringement lawsuit brought by Mattel, who claimed that the lyrics "associate sexual and other unsavory themes with Mattel's Barbie products." Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. Billboard Hot 100 Peak:No. 1. List of one-hit wonders in the United States - Wikipedia Go ahead and vote for your favorite rap songs and artists as well, and they will get raised higher on the list. Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes: '(I've Had) The Time of My Life', Twisted Sister: 'We're Not Gonna Take It', The Buggles: 'Video Killed the Radio Star', A Flock of Seagulls: 'I Ran (So Far Away)', Dead or Alive: 'You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)', Cutting Crew: '(I Just) Died in Your Arms', The Proclaimers: 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)', 22 metros with the highest concentration of musicians and singers, Most-nominated artists who have never won a Grammy, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1. It enjoyed 5 weeks in the spotlight, before The Flying Pickets sank into oblivion. A-ha: 'Take on Me'. Matthew Wilder will forever be associated with a song that made it all the way to No. 4. 5 years after, Band Aid II managed 3 weeks at the peak. The song's fame was cemented by its legendary music video, which used then-new rotoscoping technology to create a hand-drawn form of animation. Most of them came and went quite quickly. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Hey. Hey, we told you we were going to factor our own personal tastes into this list, hence L7s one hit appearing here at No. Thats probably because its a really good song, good enough to get people thinking, Am I going to become the kind of person who listens to ska? Unfortunately, a lot of those people eventually decided on no, and that was the end of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones popular success. The song reached as high as 29th on the Hot 100 and managed to stand out for a bit within a genre that would quickly become over-saturated with bands and songs of a cookie-cutter mold. 1950s Ronald & Ruby - "Lollipop" (1958) [16] [17] The Crows - "Gee" (1953) [18] [19] After four years of club gigging with no major label interest, Kajagoogoo's lead singer Limahl met Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, who got them signed to EMI and co-produced their debut single, "Too Shy," which reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart (ironically, before any Duran Duran songs did). The reggae song was a hit, both in the U.S. and in Musical Youth's native U.K., and the band was one of the first Black groups to be regularly aired on MTV. by It also topped the BillboardDance/Club Play Songs Chart in America. The 100 Best One-Hit-Wonders Of The 70s - Reads-It.com The 1990s were the pinnacle for alternative rock. Emailed daily. Of course, were sure youll tell us where we went wrong in the comments. Carson Robison, Tender Hearted Sue The song, a nostalgic celebration of mundane, middle-class life, contrasted with the economically depressed time. Another science fiction-inspired song of the early '80s, "I Ran (So Far Away)" was written about a hypothetical alien invasion and had an eccentric music video to match. 5. Then Right Said Fred said 'I'm Too Sexy' in the early 1990s, before 1997 brought us both the 'Teletubbies' ditty and 'Barbie Girl'. The 1980s were the decade that arguably kickstarted the consistent run of hit singles off movie soundtracks. It wasnt a huge hit here, reaching number 8 in 1992, although it fared better across the pond, achieving 3rd place. These artists had only one top 10 hit which charted during 1980-1989. Inspired by science fiction, "Video Killed the Radio Star" was released at the end of 1979 and has been seen as a prophetic view of the decade to come: an era defined by the emergence of the music video as a maker or breaker of the success of a song. Billboard U.S. Rock Peak: No. Wonder if he still has that $3,700 lynx coat? Elle King, Forever Country Show me Heaven- from another Tom Cruise film, Days of Thunder scored 4 weeks at the top in the first year of the the 1990s. by And yet, Pepper was a hit, perhaps the most inexplicable on this list. Eddie Kirk, Temptation (Tim-Tayshun) Ex-cheerleader, choreographer, and singer Toni Basil reinterpreted the 1979 Racey song "Kitty" as "Mickey" and created an iconic cheerleading music video to match. Unfortunately, Marcy Playground couldnt find that kind of accessible weirdness with any future songs. With such great dance music like the dance fest of the 80s to enjoy, whether you are a fan of 80s, 90s are even the nostalgic dance music of the 50s, you are sure to find a song that you enjoy from this list of the greatest dance songs by one-hit wonders. It was just the tune needed to enjoy a fun-filled, 1983 summer. 6. Many seemed to disappear without a trace, but others kept at it for years (in some cases, to this day) and a few, as the classic music biz joke goes, made it "big in Europe" (talking about you, a-ha). Even then, we made a couple of exceptions for bands that never had a top-100 hit, and for bands that hadanother song barely crack the Hot 100 if that song has since become a cultural afterthought. Some surprised me; songs that I was sure were one-off hits for certain acts were actually just one of several. In fact, 1985 seems to have been THE year full of one-hit wonders, with Jennifer Rush and Feargal Sharkey scoring number ones with The Power of Love and A Good Heart respectively. by Despite their gruff exterior and brusque actions, Pretend Were Dead, while very much a grunge song, is poppy, and one could even say pretty, at times. While Local H was never able to reach this level of success again, they did continue to do important work, like asking a pressing question with the album title Whatever Happened to P.J. peaked at #20 in the U.S., A-ha didn't have much more mainstream success on this side of the Atlantic, though they continued to chart in Europe. 62), though we did like its theme to the popular '80s sitcom Square Pegs. Sadly, Chris Kelly died of an apparent drug overdose in 2013. 1, While Dishwalla is a pretty distinct name for a band, Counting Blue Cars is not necessarily the most grabbing song title, which can be problematic when trying to remember which one-hit wonder somebody is talking about. Greatthis one-hit wonder music quiz gives you plenty of opportunity to prove your stuff. The Celtic pop-rockers had been around since the late 1970s and enjoyed some modest success before breaking out with this massive hit that truly took off when MTV started popping up on living-room television sets in America. 1. Shockingly, a band with an album called Locust Abortion Technician did not find sustained success. Hart has since remixed and rerecorded the song and released new music. 11. Still,The Nixons were the least impactful band on this list. A list of VH1's countdown of the 40 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 1990s Refine See titles to watch instantly, titles you haven't rated, etc Sort by: View: 40 titles 1. by Year: 1996 Theres no-one quite like Grandma wasnt especially festive, either, but it was a massive surprise hit for Christmas 1980 presumably because everyone had to buy it for their Nan. Some real decade-defining tracks were but one hit wonders. Billboard U.S. Rock Peak: No. 29 Red Ingle and the Natural Seven, (Oh Why, Oh Why, Did I Ever Leave) Wyoming All rights reserved. Note As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Freddie McGregor, When A Man Loves A Woman (The Way That I Love You) Its hard, now, to believe that this song, still heard so often now, didnt even make the top ten. The term may also be applied to an artist who is remembered for only one hit despite other successes. from the Playback.fm charts. Many memorable bands and artists are worth celebrating for their only true hits. A list of VH1's countdown of the 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 1980s . It was a weird time; you look back at some of the songs that became hits, and realize that the mainstream is probably never going to be that idiosyncratic again. 5" singer Lou Bega in 2001. The list uses the strict The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles definition of "one-hit wonder", a term also commonly used more loosely to refer to any act known primarily for one major hit. It worked, though; given the success of Pearl Jam, many bands found success vaguely approximating Pearl Jams sound. The world had not yet had quite enough of cheesy pop after all, it seems. The ditty raised money in the wake of the Zeebrugge disaster, when the Herald of Free Enterprise capsized. by Thus, the 1980s arrived in America clothed in leg warmers and blaring the sound of the new decade: synth-based dance tracks and the resurgence of rock 'n' roll, revitalized and hardened by the emergence of punk and metal. The special notably included artists who do not meet the one-hit wonder criteria in the United States (scoring one top forty hit on the U.S. The Proclaimers, made up of the Scottish twins Craig and Charlie Reid, wrote "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" in a 45-minute burst while waiting to play a gig. by Many '70s one-hit wonders, however, seem to have been written for the ages. Bob Walsh, The Gods Were Angry With Me In addition to winning eight MTV VMAs and an eternal spot in the network's heavy rotation, the "Take On Me" video was added to the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. 46 To publish, simply grab the HTML code or text to the left and paste into In 1985, the newly formed Parents Music Resource Center, a group of political insiders led by Tipper Gore who wanted warning labels attached to music with strong language, came after Twisted Sister's song, leading to a showdown in Congress between Snider and the group. Methodology A hit is attributed to the main artist given credit. Basil has dismissed both rumors as untrue. Television sets across the country broadcast MTV, heralding the cultural supremacy of the music video. Charles Mitchell, When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again Examples of these artists included artists who had scored two or more top forty hits on the Billboard Hot 100. 1 in three countries. The popular music videowas also notable for featuring Motorhead legend Lemmy Kilmister. Hot 100. The 1980s were big for fund-raising records USA for Africa scored a number 1 for 2 weeks with We are the World, right in the middle of the decade. Yes, we all remember Unchained Melody (whether we want to or not), which was at number one for 7 weeks from May 1985, but did you know that the Soldier, Soldier stars also had 2 other number ones? Many of these groups and singers only had one song that made it big, but that doesn't mean the song wasn't great. Shed completely slipped my mind, until I saw a sign advertising her performance at my local holiday park a short while ago. 4 on the Billboard . Chart success, it seems, isnt always any indicator of endurance. Once we got our 20, we used a loose formula of chart and sales success, cultural influence, lasting impact and our own personal tastes to come up with the rankings you see below. At the dawn of the new millenium, one question was on everyone's mind: "Who Let the Dogs Out?" In 2022, "Pass the Dutchie" was featured in the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things," exposing the song to a new generation of listeners. Billboard U.S. Rock Peak: No. And the truth is there are some real gems in the one-hit canon! Despite the persistent urban myth, the Dutchie was always just a reference to a type of West Indian crockery, and not any other kind of pot. 1 hit its lone successful single, to be honest with "Funkytown." While New Radicals didnt last, frontman Gregg Alexander has had himself a fine career as a songwriter, winning a Grammy for co-writing The Game of Love by Santana and Michelle Branch, and being nominatedfor an Oscar for his music work on the film Begin Again. 4 Non Blondes - What's Up (UK #2, US #14, no other top 40 hit)2. Queensryche is different from a lot of bands on this list. A list of the Greatest Dance Songs by One-Hit Wonders. One good song is still a good song, and the rich tapestry of music history may well be somewhat less colourful without those one-off hits and misses. Celebs of all types? . 2 years later, in 1987, Ferry Aid managed 3 weeks at the charts pinnacle. 40 In November 1985 for 4 weeks, no less. Boys Don't Cry hailed from England, but the pop band's biggest international hit and only one, for that matter actually did not play well in its home country (peaked at No. 8. by Bet you didn't know they've released six albums since those dang dogs got out. Queensryche, though, has been around since 1982 and is still active. pop music Billboard U.S. Rock Peak: No. The song topped the U.S. charts in 1984 and spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Based on a teenage romance Dexys Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland had with a girl named Eileen, "Come On Eileen" knocked Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" from its reigning spot on the U.S. charts upon its release in 1982. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Although this claim has been denied by several former band members, Lee Mavers, the band's legendary guitarist, did, in fact, suffer from addiction to the substance in the '90s. After briefly disbanding in the early '90s, Devo reunited in 1996 and has been performing since. Originally written for Donna Summer by songwriters Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer, the song was eventually rejected by the Queen of Disco because she was a newly born-again Christian and found the lyrics "blasphemous." After the song's release, speculation swirled about whether the titular Mickey was referencing Micky Dolenz of the Monkees, whom Basil met while working on a music video for the band. Yeah, thanks 1997. Although it made number 3 in the US and number 1 in New Zealand. Some artists listed here have reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 more than once. Disco was near its mainstream death, and new wave's moment was here. Hallelujah by Milk and Honey #73 - Pop. 30 Best One-Hit Wonders of the '90s (Favorite Picks) - MidderMusic Cindy Walker, When A Man Loves A Woman (The Way That I Love You), I'm Bitin' My Fingernails and Thinking of You, Peepin' Thru the Keyhole (Watching Jole Blon), (Oh Why, Oh Why, Did I Ever Leave) Wyoming. Billboard U.S. Rock Peak: No. From Kung Fu Fighting, released in the mid-1970s, via theSpitting Image Chicken Song of 1986. Best One-Hit Wonders of All Time - Insider That would be one Oren "Juice" Jones. One-Hit Wonders - Best Of The 80s By Matthew Rudd | January 31, 2022 One-hit wonders are like love affairs - intense, but alas, all-too-brief.