It's National One-Hit Wonder Day!

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earendel · #1 Post by **earendel** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:03 am

According to Ranker.com, these are the top 30 one-hit wonders of all time.

1. Take On Me - A-Ha
2. Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
3. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
4. My Sharona - The Knack
5. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
6. 867-5309 - Tommy Tutone
7. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
8. Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum
9. (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes
10. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
11. Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
12. Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
13. I Melt With You - Modern English
14. You Spin Me 'Round (Like A Record) - Dead Or Alive
15. Mickey - Tony Basil
16. The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
17. Pop Muzik - M
18. Stacy's Mom - Fountains Of Wayne
19. 99 Luftballoons - Nena
20. Closing Time - Semisonic
21. Kung-Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
22. No Rain - Blind Melon
23. Funkytown - Lipps Inc.
24. Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
25. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
26. Turning Japanese - The Vapors
27. I Touch Myself - The Divinyls
28. Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks
29. Tubthumping - Chumbawumba
30. Cars - Gary Numan

kroxquo · #2 Post by **kroxquo** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:45 am

What is their definition of "one-hit wonder?" There are several artists like Survivor and Men Without Hats who had other lesser hits than the big one they are best known for. And seriously how can you have a list of one-hit wonders without Zager & Evans? or Katrina & the Waves?

earendel · #3 Post by **earendel** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:56 am

kroxquo wrote:What is their definition of "one-hit wonder?" There are several artists like Survivor and Men Without Hats who had other lesser hits than the big one they are best known for. And seriously how can you have a list of one-hit wonders without Zager & Evans?

I don't know - I didn't make the list. It appears that the list is based on voters' choices. I suppose it depends upon whether "one-hit wonder" is defined as a person or group having just one song, or only one song that was a "hit".

I agree about Zager & Evans.

Ritterskoop · #4 Post by **Ritterskoop** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 8:14 am

I agree with "Take On Me" up high, though my favorite list a while back had Marc Cohn's "Walkin' in Memphis" up there also.

Survivor had some other hits, yeah. Or it felt like it, since I bought a couple of their tapes and played them a lot.

#5 Post by **littlebeast13** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 8:19 am

Men Without Hats, Naked Eyes and Dead Or Alive are absolutely not one hit wonders, and A-ha and The Knack really aren't either.

I have no words for Survivor's inclusion on this list. You have to really know nothing about pop music to think Survivor is even close to a OHW...

This list was also made up by 80's fans. OHW's know no decade...

lb13

SpacemanSpiff · #6 Post by **SpacemanSpiff** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 8:29 am

Yep, I agree - the OHW designation on some of these is a bit specious.

My first reaction (maybe because I listen to too much Canadian radio) is Terry Jacks, who had several hits under "The Poppy Family" heading, along with his then-wife Susan Jacks ("Which Way You Going, Billy").

I'm sure there are others (Zager and Evans also came to mind, as it did to others here) that I am headscratching about.

#7 Post by **Bob78164** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 9:12 am

Seen on the Evil Empire: Did the person who coined the phrase "one-hit wonder" come up with any other memorable phrases? --Bob

BackInTex · #8 Post by **BackInTex** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 9:22 am

Ummm....Spiral Staircase - More Today Than Yesterday

duh!

silverscreenselect · #9 Post by **silverscreenselect** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 9:33 am

This definitely skews to 70s and 80s.

Chantilly Lace?
Monster Mash?
The Lion Sleeps Tonight?
Wipe Out?
Purple People Eater?
Eve of Destruction?
Teen Angel?

Ritterskoop · #10 Post by **Ritterskoop** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 2:05 pm

Going later:

Who Let the Dogs Out?
Macarena

Not saying I liked either of them, but they belong on such a list.

T_Bone0806 · #11 Post by **T_Bone0806** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:19 pm

Ritterskoop wrote:Going later:

Who Let the Dogs Out?
Macarena

Not saying I liked either of them, but they belong on such a list.

TRUE One Hit Wonders...as in "It's a wonder they were ever hits".

A Non E. Muss · #12 Post by **A Non E. Muss** » Fri Sep 27, 2019 5:45 am

earendel wrote:According to Ranker.com, these are the top 30 one-hit wonders of all time.

1. Take On Me - A-Ha
2. Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
3. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
4. My Sharona - The Knack
5. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
6. 867-5309 - Tommy Tutone
7. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
8. Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum
9. (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes
10. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
11. Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
12. Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
13. I Melt With You - Modern English
14. You Spin Me 'Round (Like A Record) - Dead Or Alive
15. Mickey - Tony Basil
16. The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
17. Pop Muzik - M
18. Stacy's Mom - Fountains Of Wayne
19. 99 Luftballoons - Nena
20. Closing Time - Semisonic
21. Kung-Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
22. No Rain - Blind Melon
23. Funkytown - Lipps Inc.
24. Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
25. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
26. Turning Japanese - The Vapors
27. I Touch Myself - The Divinyls
28. Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks
29. Tubthumping - Chumbawumba
30. Cars - Gary Numan

I definitely don't think that Survivor ("High On You", "The Search Is Over", "Is This Love"), Dead Or Alive ("Brand New Lover"), Naked Eyes ("Promises Promises"), & The Knack ("Good Girls Don't") should be on this list.

Thin Lizzy shouldn't be on this list either, even though "Jailbreak" & "Whiskey In The Jar" were not top 40 hits.

I'm fine with A-Ha & Men Without Hats being here. I don't think the average music fan would know "The Sun Always Shines On TV" or "Pop Goes The World".

If you define "one hit wonder" as an act who only hit the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 only once, you could include on this list the Grateful Dead ("Touch Of Grey"), Jimi Hendrix ("All Along The Watchtower"), & Rush ("New World Man").

Bob Juch · #13 Post by **Bob Juch** » Fri Sep 27, 2019 7:40 am

A Non E. Muss wrote:
earendel wrote:According to Ranker.com, these are the top 30 one-hit wonders of all time.

1. Take On Me - A-Ha
2. Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
3. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
4. My Sharona - The Knack
5. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
6. 867-5309 - Tommy Tutone
7. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
8. Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum
9. (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes
10. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
11. Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
12. Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
13. I Melt With You - Modern English
14. You Spin Me 'Round (Like A Record) - Dead Or Alive
15. Mickey - Tony Basil
16. The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
17. Pop Muzik - M
18. Stacy's Mom - Fountains Of Wayne
19. 99 Luftballoons - Nena
20. Closing Time - Semisonic
21. Kung-Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
22. No Rain - Blind Melon
23. Funkytown - Lipps Inc.
24. Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
25. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
26. Turning Japanese - The Vapors
27. I Touch Myself - The Divinyls
28. Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks
29. Tubthumping - Chumbawumba
30. Cars - Gary Numan
I definitely don't think that Survivor ("High On You", "The Search Is Over", "Is This Love"), Dead Or Alive ("Brand New Lover"), Naked Eyes ("Promises Promises"), & The Knack ("Good Girls Don't") should be on this list.

Thin Lizzy shouldn't be on this list either, even though "Jailbreak" & "Whiskey In The Jar" were not top 40 hits.

I'm fine with A-Ha & Men Without Hats being here. I don't think the average music fan would know "The Sun Always Shines On TV" or "Pop Goes The World".

If you define "one hit wonder" as an act who only hit the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 only once, you could include on this list the Grateful Dead ("Touch Of Grey"), Jimi Hendrix ("All Along The Watchtower"), & Rush ("New World Man").

I never knew Thin Lizzy recorded "Whiskey In The Jar". I'm listening to it right now. UGH!

#14 Post by **littlebeast13** » Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:22 am

A Non E. Muss wrote:I'm fine with A-Ha & Men Without Hats being here. I don't think the average music fan would know "The Sun Always Shines On TV" or "Pop Goes The World".

I can overlook a song that peaked in the bottom half of the Top 40 and that went largely forgotten as not counting against a band's OHW status. But "Pop Goes The World" was a Top 20 hit. It's not their fault everyone only remembers them for "Safety Dance."

At least they didn't include Animotion or Robbie Nevil in this crappy list.... two artists who frequently get slapped with the OHW label despite each having multiple Top 10 hits...

lb13

SportsFan68 · #15 Post by **SportsFan68** » Fri Sep 27, 2019 11:13 pm

How about, it's National Worst List in the History of Music Day.

Macarena should be #1.

T_Bone0806 · #16 Post by **T_Bone0806** » Sat Sep 28, 2019 10:07 am

SportsFan68 wrote:How about, it's National Worst List in the History of Music Day.

Macarena should be #1.

It should indeed. Undoubtedly it is playing on endless repeat on stadium-sized loudspeakers in hell.

The very thought of that makes me vow to never sin again.

WWTBAM Bored

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