They are the songs you love. You know the lyrics by heart, but may not be able to name the artist on a bet.
They are the one-hit wonders.
On this National One Hit Wonder Day (September 25), forget whatever playlist you have programmed on your phone and check out this list instead. These are the top 30 one-hit wonders as listed on Ranker, a site that lets the public vote and rank various categories.
While there will always be debate as to which decade was the best for music, the decade that was best for one-hit wonders appears to be the 1980s, which is the most-represented on this list.
- Take On Me - A-Ha
- Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
- Tainted Love - Soft Cell
- My Sharona - The Knack
- Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
- 867-5309 - Tommy Tutone
- Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
- Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum
- (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes
- I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
- Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
- Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
- I Melt With You - Modern English
- You Spin Me 'Round (Like A Record) - Dead Or Alive
- Mickey - Tony Basil
- The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
- Pop Muzik - M
- Stacy's Mom - Fountains Of Wayne
- 99 Luftballoons - Nena
- Closing Time - Semisonic
- Kung-Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
- No Rain - Blind Melon
- Funkytown - Lipps Inc.
- Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
- Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
- Turning Japanese - The Vapors
- I Touch Myself - The Divinyls
- Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks
- Tubthumping - Chumbawumba
- Cars - Gary Numan
Poster Comment:
Out of these 30, I'd have to say that "Brandy" is my favorite.
A couple that should have made the list:
#1: Willie Green To: Deckard (#0)
Willie Green posted on 2019-09-25 09:18:05 Reply Private Reply
#2: Willie Green To: All (#1)
Willie Green posted on 2019-09-25 09:52:32 Reply Private Reply
#3: Liberator To: Deckard (#0)
The 60s and 70s IMO were the better One Hit Wonder decades simply because they were played during the AM days mostly.
As to The List:
1. Take On Me - A-Ha (absolute 80s Top 10)
2. Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners (apparently big in Europe. Meh.)
3. Tainted Love - Soft Cell (Seemed innocent enough at the time...BUT...winds up a Creepy-Pedo tune by a pedo-homo. See the YT video. Wow -- WHO KNEW??)
4. My Sharona - The Knack (Def)
5. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles (Moderately popular. Too way out there at the time and NOT liked by many)
6. 867-5309 - Tommy Tutone (Top 10 All-Time OHW)
7. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry (Hated. Grade F-)
8. Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum (Yup)
9. (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes (Remake from the 60s, see Dionne Warwick, which is much better)
10. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers (Grade: C)
11. Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass (A+)
12. Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy (A+)
13. I Melt With You - Modern English (Sleeper. But not as widely known as other OHWs.)
14. You Spin Me 'Round (Like A Record) - Dead Or Alive (Naah, not really. Maybe because it was too faggy?)
15. Mickey - Tony Basil (def)
16. The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats (True 80s OHW. Became annoying.)
17. Pop Muzik - M (Naah.)
18. Stacy's Mom - Fountains Of Wayne (??)
19. 99 Luftballoons - Nena (Big in Europe, not the US)
20. Closing Time - Semisonic (??)
21. Kung-Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas (Big in 1976. Typical crappy pseudo-disco fare at the time.)
22. No Rain - Blind Melon (??) 23. Funkytown - Lipps Inc. (??)
24. Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe (Yup)
25. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor (Yup)
26. Turning Japanese - The Vapors (Huh??)
27. I Touch Myself - The Divinyls (True 80s OHW. Subversive tune/vid at the time.)
28. Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks (HATED. The kind of mind-less AM radio drivel that ruined both Summers of '73 and '74.)
29. Tubthumping - Chumbawumba (??) 30. Cars - Gary Numan (Depressing, soul-less Industrial Synth. But yes, an 80s OHW.)
Liberator posted on 2019-09-25 09:55:49 Reply Private Reply
#4: Deckard To: Liberator (#3)
Remember that Ides of March song "Vehicle" from the 60's?
That had a creepy vibe, didn't realize it at the time.
I'm a friendly stranger in the black Sedan
Won't you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, got candy
I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star
8. Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum (Yup)
Great song, still holds up over time.
24. Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe (Yup)
Not sure if he can be classified as a OHW, his song "I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock and Roll" made it to # 77, same with Thin Lizzy, they had two, The Knack had more than one, etc.
18. Stacy's Mom - Fountains Of Wayne (??)
They did a pretty good cover IMO of the Kinks "Better Things".
I really like this cover they did of "Bus Stop" by the Hollies.
From the TV show, "American Dreams"
They nailed the harmonies.
Great looking video too.
Deckard posted on 2019-09-25 10:24:00 Reply Private Reply
#5: Liberator To: Deckard (#4)
Spirit in the Sky is a major OHW, and yes I agree -- it still holds up well.
Heh, yeah, of course I recall "Vehicle" -- Right...pretty creepy lyrics. Like many tunes, we couldn't understand them at the time.
"...I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I wants ya gots to have you child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you..."
*eyeball roll*
Liberator posted on 2019-09-25 10:37:36 Reply Private Reply
#6: Liberator To: Deckard (#4)
Not bad but I can see why it lacks universal appeal.
Liked their cover of Bus Stop. REALLY good.
Liberator posted on 2019-09-25 10:39:35 Reply Private Reply
#7: Liberator To: Deckard (#4)
Liberator posted on 2019-09-25 10:42:04 Reply Private Reply
#8: Deckard To: Liberator (#5)
The Knack went to #11 with "Good Girls Don't", but your point is well taken.
Deckard posted on 2019-09-25 10:43:02 Reply Private Reply
#9: Liberator To: Willie Green (#2)
Liberator posted on 2019-09-25 10:43:33 Reply Private Reply
#10: Hank Rearden To: Deckard (#0)
The '60s were it for one-hit wonders. I used to hide under the covers with my old tube radio to stay up late listening to KHJ, KRLA and the other homes of these classics.
Just try to tell me you can beat this clip; it'll crank up your day.
Keep on Dancing - The Gentrys
I've heard that song hundreds of times and still love it.
Not a chance you'd get video clips like that from the 80s either.
The '60s rule, dude. Lurch and Morticia doing The Twist? C'mon. Ya can't beat that. And Barbara Feldon was so cute.
Hank Rearden posted on 2019-09-25 11:22:34 Reply Private Reply
#11: Liberator To: Hank Rearden, Deckard (#10)
Absolutely agree.
I think we all used to just wait for our favorites to come on the radio back then...one good ditty after another. From '65-'67 were glorious One/Two Hit Wonder days.
Loved that Gentrys 'Keep On Dancing' with its TV show clips.
Here's the Syndicate of Sound (still at it, live recently), sounding surprisingly good. (Was 'Little Girl' technically the first "rapping"??)
Liberator posted on 2019-09-25 11:32:19 Reply Private Reply
#12: Hank Rearden To: Liberator (#11)
That SoS performance is indeed pretty good. Gotta be tough to tour when you've got one memorable hit in the repertoire.
White go-go boots still do the job, too.
Hank Rearden posted on 2019-09-25 11:43:30 Reply Private Reply
#13: Willie Green To: Hank Rearden (#10)
Willie Green posted on 2019-09-25 12:38:10 Reply Private Reply
#14: Hank Rearden To: Willie Green (#13)
Word. That's what the Bird is.
Ahh, the days when you could record and release goofy shit just because it was fun.
Hank Rearden posted on 2019-09-25 12:41:07 Reply Private Reply
#15: Willie Green To: Hank Rearden (#14)
Willie Green posted on 2019-09-25 15:04:52 Reply Private Reply