Top 10 Best 80s One Hit Wonders
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- Опубліковано 10 сер 2021
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Who could forget these classic 80s tracks! For this list, we'll be ranking the most enduring, classic or otherwise awesome hit songs from the 1980s from bands that didn't hit the top 40 a second time. Our countdown includes "We're Not Gonna Take It", "Tainted Love", "Come On Eileen", and more! What's YOUR favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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What's YOUR favorite 80s One Hit Wonder? Let us know in the comments!
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Do best one hit wonders in the 90s,00s and 10s
Do best one hit wonders in the 90s,00s and 10s
My favorite One Hit Wonders from the 1980's are Take on Me by A-ha, Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin and I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers.
“I Run” by Flock of Seagulls
You do realise that "Nena" is the (stage) name of the singer, not the band, right? I had to look up her "real" name to make sense of what you said about the singing 😅
Noone calls her anything but Nena (at least in public, relatives not included) in Germany.
This made me realize how much I enjoy and miss 80s music.
Listening to today's top 40 always makes me miss 80s music. And I'm not old - the new stuff with rare exception is just awful. I mean, WAP being a global hit? Who is going to miss that in 40 years?
Seems like the topic should be "Foreign Bands that Cracked the US Market". That would better describe most of the list.
That's just the way it is and mostly why we don't hear much from them again.
Yeah, midnight oil and spandau ballet had more hits in their home countries.
@@gaelhoward1694 Exactly! Spandau Ballet had 3 top 40 songs: Only When You Leave, True and Gold. Midnight Oil had 6 top 10s.
Than Falco „Rock me Amadeus“ would have been No. 1
Soft Cell were huge in the UK too, they are still touring and have a new album out. Hardly one hit wonders.
A Dutch guy called Taco even got up the charts in the 80's with a cover of the old showtune "Puttin' On The Ritz", that's how strange the 80's were
He was German
HAHAH!! Right ! ? lol
Sideshow Bob loves that version of it, whenever we're listening to the radio at home we dance to it together
Oh geez, Delbert loves that song
The ultimate One hit Wonder Kajagoogoo - Too Shy is missing from the list.
agreed and love that song
Yep.
Limahl was also a OHW as a solo singer with The Neverending Story
I was about to post this lol. One of my favorite songs ever.
There are too many classic 1 hit wonders in the 80s to have a top 10. MTV made many songs/artists 1 hit wonders....
"Rock me Amadeus" should get at least an honorable mention,
Der Komasar was also a top ten hit...
@@deadendkid1968 So was Vienna Calling and Jeannie.
Falco had a musical built around his hits. An amazing artist but not a one hit wonder.
Absolutely
He also had Dr Komisar so technically not one hit wonder, but I do agree with you.
No. His original version of red kommisar should be
okay, for me, there is only a single one-hit-wonder that should have gotten a mention: One Night in Bangkok by Murray Head.
I was waiting for it!!!
This is an either/or situation...
He charted before but in the late 60's in the US with "Superstar" which eventually reached #14 on the Hot 100 - they could have excluded him for that song or left him in because it bad been so many years ago.
Yes!
Its part of the musical Chess. Maybe that's why isn't counted as a single
agreed
Dee Snider of Twisted Sister had to take a day job answering phones only a few years after their big success with 'We're Not Gonna Take It' in 1984, in order to make ends meet. Having a big hit doesn't mean that you've 'made it' in the music industry.
i wonder if you should add that to his wikipedia page
Tragically, it gave him the opinion that everything that comes out of his mouth is music gospel. I would tremendously appreciate it if he would occasionally keep his mouth closed. The song does transport me back to one of the happiest periods of my life BUT 1 big hit does not make someone an expert. The older he gets the more insufferable he is becoming. The idea that other opinions can exist without being wrong seems to be implausible to him.
@@christinacarr8971 I always find it hilarious when Republibots want censorship of celebrities UNLESS it's people like Ted Nugent, Scott Baio, Willie Ames, blah blah blah.
This is America, not Russia. Love it or leave it, comrade.
@@LearnAboutFlow
It isn’t all Republicans, young warrior. Tipper Gore and the Democrats created and ran the Parents Music Resource Center to sensor music. And Democrats are the one who want to sensor video games. Republicans say - If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.
Don’t be lead into a “Us Against Them” kind of a thing because that’s what cults do.
@@artdeco64 Republicans NEVER say if you don't like it, don't buy it. N E V E R. Your claim is just more gaslighting like the idiotic "Insurrection was really just a bunch of tourists"
The republibots want book bannings, censorship of media, and the rest. Hell, some even wanted Barney pulled off the air because they were offended the guy in the suit was black.
And, hey, thanks to Tipper Gore Married . . . With Children became a massive hit.
BTW, old warrior, I am not a Democrat and never have been one.
"One Night In Bangkok" was a top 10 hit in many countries, and reached #1 in almost a dozen other countries., so I'm shocked it wasn't included. Aside from that, the video is fabulous and brought back some great memories!
That’s true!! I love that song!!😩
None of the people associated with ONIB - Murray Head, Tim Rice or the two guys from ABBA - were one-hit wonders, though. Murray Head had a Top 20 single back in the late ‘60s with a song from “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and Rice, Benny and Bjorn’s résumés are pretty well known.
Wasn't that song in a Broadway musical?
And it's from the musical "Chess." I miss this music too
@@tomdepaul1742 I could never remember if it was written for the show. Was it?
Patti Smythe was the most underrated voice of the 80's. Nuff said, stand by it.
oh-the joy of the alternate timeline where she had become lead singer for Van Halen- so many possibilities
She did have a solo hit with Don Henley and you're right, her voice was very unique and very underappreciated.
She was considered for replacing Diamond Dave in Van Halen before they picked Sammy.
Underrated? She’s highly rated by everyone who’s heard of her. I think underexposed is more appropriate, but I get your point
Check out the Professor of Rock's interview with her and the songwriter. Apparently, she hated the video and believes it killed the band's chances for future success since it did not reflect what the band was about.
"Somebody's Watching Me."
Oh, I love that song as well!
He's also the older step brother to Redfoo (1/2 of the duo LMFAO)
It was quite prophetic... When were online half dozen megacorps and whole US alphabet soup, plus China and Russia watches us
MJ is that part of the vocals!
Son of Barry Gordy, totally not a factor in his success. 😂
@@DevilDogMuNky Yep, he did it as a favor to help his childhood friend "Rockwell" who was Berry Gordy's son. Michael didn't even receive credit for his contributions to the chorus, which to me are the most memorable part of the song and reason it was so successful. It would have given Michael another top 10 hit for his collaboration on the song as it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
I always felt Modern English's "I Melt With You" is the best 80s 1 Hit Wonder in my opinion.
Except the song was never a hit - despite appearing on the US Hot 100 singles chart twice, the song never charted higher than #76.
The song was the theme for the movie Valley Girl with Nick Cage.
just had this discussion Sunday with friends. I said Come on Eileen. One said Modern English. We thought those were the best. This list was pretty good. I did not care for Bobby McFerrin. I would drop that from list for Melt with You.
So was "A Million Miles Away" by the Plimsouls. I didn't expect that to make the list, but that song totally rocks.
One of the greatest songs ever and very groundbreaking video in that it featured an interracial couple dancing and being close - at a time when MTV was very racist in only allowing white bands.
Eddy Grant's Electric Avenue is still one of my top five favorites of all time- it should've gotten more than an honorable mention.
Grant's title track to the movie "Romancing The Stone" was also a hit.
This list is so fucked up.
Gimme hope Joannah
@@mtlnascarfan 🤣Yes
@@mtlnascarfan Yeah it peaked at number 26 I believe.
These "One hit wonders" lists are always subjective. Sometimes an artist has more than one hit in a different part of the world, but these lists only consider the American charts.
A personal favourite of my mine is Cutting Crew's 'I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight'.
They had other hits
@@outlawteddy9922
Yeah. They were excluded from the list because they also hit with the song "I've Been In Love Before" which reached #9 in the US Hot 100 charts.
Great song.
Wow--that song is awful.
@@TBaker-xu5is I like this song better than Died In Your Arms
I probably would've added the following:
1. "Mickey" by Toni Basil
2. "Take on Me" by a-ha
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive
a-ha isn't a one-hit wonder. Haven't you heard about "Minor Earth, Major Sky", "Celice", "Lifelines", "Scoundrel Days", "Forever Not Yours", "The Sun Always Shines on TV" and more?
@@Kashya691 true but Take on me is so iconic that 9 times out of 10 when you say a-ha that's likely the first song they say.
I thought Micky would have been number 1. it's the first song that came to mind when I saw title.
The waitress I know what boys like
Eye of the tiger
@@arthurjones3670 Love both of them. A top ten isn't enough for this list.
"The Promise" by When in Rome.
Favorite 80's song.
It was a 90s hit due to its involvement with Napolion Dynamite...but I totally get this...
Great song
That song helped me win tickets to see Tom Petty in 2003 in Memphis
Awesome song i wish i could forget it exist so i can listen to it for the first time
For me, the definite 80s song, which is also a one-hit-wonder, is Melt with You by Modern English. This song just seems to capture that era perfectly and will forever remind me of the amazing decade that was the 80s.
My favorite 80's one-hit wonder is "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & the Waves. Whenever I feel down, that song brightens me up!
They had two follow up top 40 hits.
It always reminds me of Fry's dog from futurama
@@jrich5795 "Walking on Sunshine sucks noodles."
most annoying song of the 80s. makes me want to throw something at anyone dancing to that song
@@bailysbeads2057 Oh, Bender lol. Such a great episode.
Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling is a great foreign one-hit-wonder as well just like 99 Red Balloons.
That was a great one, but did it ever get up to "hit" status in the USA?
@@ZlothZloth It got to #14 on the US billboard hot 100 and #1 on Canadian Singles chart according to wikipedia
@@ELEcomments Wow! Put it on the list!
Peter Shilling's "Error in the System" was the first album I ever bought. I still have it on cassette.
I didn't hear the German version until UA-cam. His English version was big. In the case if 99 Luftbalolons the problem may have been the subject matter. In German, and not being a German speaker, it can be ignored.
“Micky” from Toni Basil should be on this list. An actual one hit wonder unlike some on this list.
Yeah some of these bands had more hits.
This list is wack -- Micky should definitely be on there. Wild Thing by Tone Loc also, and where the hell is Take On Me by Aha?
A personal favorite of mine is "The Captain of Her Heart" by Double. That was adult contemporary and smooth modern jazz at it's finest.
Then we have "Mickey" by Toni Basil, a professional dancer by trade who did a song and it went everywhere.
I also enjoy "I Wanna be a Cowboy" by Boys Don't Cry, mostly because they got Lemmy from Motorhead to portray the head baddie in the video!
And "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco was a fun romp in German. Falco died too young.
God bless Lemmy.
Falco did not qualify because he had other hits.
@@surferdude4487 I agree.
Are we just going to ignore the fact that that was the late and great Robin Williams in the music video Don't Worry Be Happy?
I lived in San Francisco as did both Robin Williams and Bobby McFerrin. Mr. McFerrin's car broke down by where I lived. People recognized him. They started honking, waving and shouting of course "dont worry, be happy."
..
Unfortunately, he couldn't follow the advice in the song. :-(
@@Dfcameron13 😪
AND, The UNBEATABLE, The One and Only Superman, no matter what millennials and Z's say, Christopher Reeves! 😍😍😍😍😍
Yes.
Toni Basil is my favorite:
Oh, Micky you're so fine
You're so fine you blow my mind
Hey, Micky!
Hey, Micky!
💗
Recently found out she was in Five Easy Pieces with Jack Nicholson....so ceazy...
Midnight Oil was amazing. Great songs! Blue Sky Mine, The Dead Heart, Forgotten Years, Truganini, etc
power and the passion as well
Not a one hit wonder because they had 6 Billboard Top 10s!
Midnight Oil are still amazing. I have no idea how they ended up on this list, they are one of the biggest bands ever in Australia.
@@rumblefish9 i think thats on the US alternative chart. This vid , and one hit wonders in general , tend to concern the full singles chart which in this case is the US Hot 100.
@@lynfletcher7744 Great song. That was the first song I heard of theirs.
My Top 10:
Opus - Live is Life
Limahl - Never Ending Story
F.R. David - Words
Suzanne Vega - Luka
Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
The Outfield - Your Love
Crowded House - Don't dream it's over
Simply Minds - Don't you forget about me
The Romantics - Talking in your Sleep
Berlin - Take my Breath away
Berlin had a couple other hits, at least in the dance clubs ...
Simple Minds? You're out of your mind, they're a huge band. They had a number of hits, notably "Alive and Kicking" and "Belfast Child". They have sold 60 million albums worldwide. Back in the 80s, they were probably selling out large venues, even in the US.
Suzanne Vega and Crowded House may have only had one very famous hit but other songs have charted and nearly every single of their albums charted.
The term one hit wonder can't apply to recording artists that have a consistently large and devoted following. Otherwise, Pink Floyd would a one hit wonder with Brick in the Wall and no other hit whatsoever.
@@BlunderCity Nun... Du hast deine Definition von "One Hit Wonder" und ich habe die meine. Und eine "One Hit Wonder" Band oder Künstler hat nur mit dem kommerziellen Erfolg zu tun und nicht mit der musikalischen Qualität der Band. Ergo Du hast Recht, Pink Floyd gehört dazu. 100% Also jetzt habe ich einen Top 11 😉
This could easily have been a top 20 list
Fun Trivia: award winning film composer Hans Zimmer was in The Buggles and can be seen briefly in Video Killed The Radio Star video - keyboards.😂😂
I came here to see if anyone else knew this about The Buggles!
Oh snap!
@@Sick_Boy_Rick74 👌🤝🤜I knew I couldn’t be alone. Thanks for weighing in. Many of his scores are iconic to me, and I ain’t even talking Nolan or the Pirates with Depp which I never saw😂😎
@@jimb.7523 👍🏻
@@batgurrl He's like the next John Williams.
"Into the Night" by Benny Mardones is my favorite one-hit wonder. It charted twice in the Top 20, in 1980 & 1989, but it was the exact same song, so I think it counts. Deserves at least an honorable mention 👍
i was friends with him for 30+ years. he was a pompous little SOB sometimes, but he’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. i miss him 😔
@@nostalgiaprincesshe sounds like he was a nice guy, I wish I could have met him before he passed
I grew up in the 80's and can remember a few more one-hit wonders. "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls, "Take on Me" by A-Ha (great video on that one), "Mickey" by Toni Basil, "Cars" by Gary Numan, "Harden My Heart" by Quarterflash, and "Missing You" by John Waite (good song but he was better when he was with The Babys)
Gary Numan Cars and Missing You by John Waite are classic songs but John Waite isn't a one hit wonder absolutely not at all whatsoever
Will never forget the “Missing You” video! Every time, it would frustrate me…”Haven’t you learned anything since the last time I watched this? TAKE OFF YOUR HEADPHONES!!!”
a-ha had 2 hits break the Top 40's. Take On Me hit #1 and The Sun Always Shines On T.V. hit #20.
Safety Dance, Come on Eileen..
"Top 10 Best 80s One-Hit Wonders IN THE UNITED STATES"
Fixed that for you, WatchMojo
WM is an US based pop culture site. Practically all their lists are going to be based on what a US audience knows. And I say "practically all" only because I haven't watched every one. But when I watch one this seems to be the trend. Namely a predominantly white US audience, and/or ppl below 35.
@@alaly1027 Not even accurate. Spandau Ballet had 3 Billboard top 40 songs: Only When You Leave, True and Gold. Midnight Oil had 6 Billboard Top 10s!
Yes. It's as if nothing else outside the US matters.
@@alaly1027 They're Canadian, actually. They just hide that fact.
@@rumblefish9 Spandau Ballet shouldnt qualify no, but Midnight Oil only reached the Top 40 once on the main chart (US Hot 100). Their top tens were on the rock and alternative charts. The closest they came to a second US top 40 hit was Blue Sky Mine at #47.
So much music, so little time. Love the 80's.
I for sure thought “She Blinded me with Science” by Thomas Dolby was going to be on this list. I saw a interview where a Jerk Interviewer asked him “what is it like being a One Hit Wonder?”.. His reply is my favorite of all time… “That’s one more than everyone else..” Classic Burn 🔥❤️🤘
Dolby had numerous hits in the 80's.
You had to be there.
@@mtlnascarfan i was there hehe 👍
Loved this!! Number one being Safety Dance was awesome! We thought it was Der Kommissar but was super excited when we heard what you picked! Husband and I partied on date night and listened to your video. Good times
Some of these songs have appeared on Todd in the Shadows' "One Hit Wonderland" series. It's fascinating to discover what happened to these acts, and why none of their other works surpassed their greatest hit.
I love todd in the shadows
Love Todd in the shadows. His Trainwreckords series is awesome too
I loved this. I was an 80’s child. Brings back great memories 😊
Definitely "Life in a Northern Town" and "The Safety Dance!" Honorable mention: "Wouldn't it be good!" by Nik Kershaw!!!
I think calling Nik Kershaw a one hit wonder is stretching the definition a little...
@@ToreAHansen cant top The Riddle both in song and video
They reached #36 the same year with “Love Parade”. Check it out. Great song.
Men without hats had numerous hits as well.
@@ToreAHansen You are right. Don't know what I was thinking?? D'oh!!!
Having been born in the 70's, I remember listening to nearly all of these songs receive daily play on the radio. I still listen to all of them regularly
Nena released some good albums. I discovered her music when I was studying German. I got to see the group in Munich in 1985.
What group?
@@DaveMcIroy
The group is call Nena and the singer is Gabriele Susanne Kerner and she is born 12 march 1960 (61 year)
@@Bo_D_Hansen Though she is mostly known and refereed as the Person Nena
You should check her recent work with Kim Wild.
@@Bo_D_Hansen I didn't know that. Thanks for the info 👍
I would have had Tarzan Boy by Baltimora in the honorable mention
glad I'm not the only one.
There are too many classic 1 hit wonders in the 80s to have a top 10. MTV made many songs/artists 1 hit wonders....
Yes
80's was the Best Music Era for me ❤️
Tainted Love was my absolute favorite. However I loved all of the songs on this list and I especially love Spandau Ballets song True.
My favorite one hit wonder is the 80's as a whole. There was nothing like it before and we've been desperate to recreate it ever since.
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. I miss the 80s!!!
It may not have cracked the top 40, but I remember "I Wanna Rock" being just as big for Twisted Sister as "We're Not Gonna Take It."
And I really don't think Quiet Riot's success had anything to do with theirs. There were plenty of metal bands breaking out at the time.
I wanna Rock hit #35. Twisted Sister was most certainly not a one hit wonder.
It’s insane to me that “I Wanna Rock” by TS wasn’t as successful. I spent a lot of energy researching this list trying to prove mojo wrong. Absolutely crazy.
Marketing was very different back in the late 70's and early 80's. I imagine that many more TS songs would have topped the charts if they'd had the visibility that artists enjoy today. TS was like the very definition of underground.
Burn In Hell is my favorite by TS.
I’m 29 and I get so excited and weirdly nostalgic for this type of music. Is that strange?
Not at all… you’re just feeling how awesome it all was!!!
I was surprised to see Nena as a one hit wonder, because she has a decades long career in Europe
She said only US hits. Nena had lots of hits in Germany. She made 1 album in English but she didn't want to pursue the US market. I was stationed in Germany and I like alot of her 80's stuff even though it's in German. I went to see the band in Stuttgart in 1985. I know I was the ONLY American there!! 😂😂😂
To be fair most of that career has been Germany and it's German speaking neighbours. In rest of Europe 99 Luftballons is, like in US, the song they had a hit with..
Yeah, it's the same argument as a-ha... Take on Me being considered a '1 hit wonder' is laughable when considering their everywhere-but-the-US success. It's actually rather irritating.
@@FHL-Devils Yeah same goes with Spandau Ballet.
@Jude Samson We have so much here. I'm embarrassed to say while I was in Germany I booked a flight back to the USA and the nice German lady asked me to where. I said back to the 🌎 world instead of the US. I regret that stupid comment now. Most of the world uses What's App. Not the US. I use it for my friends back in Germany.
The 1980's will always be the grand decade in music especially the MTV's times.
I missed that decade. I hope all kind of today's people should listening this kind of music we missed.
When MTV actually showed music videos .
The Thompson Twins just makes me come back with Hold me now, absolutely brilliant. I just love the tune and the lyrics
Spandau Ballet had three top 40 hits in the US not a one hit wonder
They even mention in the video that Men W.O. Hats had another at #20 too so they broke their own rules.
Yeah, I don’t understand why they’re on this list, even as honorable mentions.
A few of their picks are not one hit wonders
Also Midnight Oil had 6 Top 10s
Excactly My point also!
Some of my favorite 80s one hit wonders.....Two of Hearts by Stacey Q, Sending All My Love by Linnear, and the top spot goes to Flashdance soundtrack juggernaut, Maniac by Michael Sembello.
I actually did think Maniac would be on here too, but i looked and it turned out he did have a second top 40 hit with Automatic Man
Damn. Never commented twice on one post before. “Come on Eileen” and “Safety Dance” are interchangeable. Amazing 80s hits that elicit the exact same response. “Video killed…” HAS to be number 1 because it literally changed music. Being picked as the first video EVER on MTV should automatically secure your 1st place in any Top Whatever List.
I got to have dinner with Geoff Downes when Asia did a meet and greet in a KC bar...He talked my ears off about road stories...he was the Buggles synth player...
Cry, by Godley and Creme.
The melody is so haunting, and the beat so relenting, and the video of morphing faces is so memorable.
This makes me wonder how much wonderful music I might have missed. I know many one hit wonders deserve to be just and only that but...
Many years after I heard Talk Talk's It's my Life nicely redone by No Doubt I was reminded how much I loved the original tune and took a chance and picked up that CD
All the rest followed quickly after that. They suddenly became my favorite band of that era.
Many fans were hoping for a reunion of some sort but sadly Mark Hollis passed away not long after.
My favorite tune of theirs is Living in another World. It has the beauty and power of a freight train rolling down the tracks.
"When I see tenderness before you left
(Forget)
That even breaking up was never meant
(Forget)
But only angels look before they tread
"
(Forget)
Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo. The best and most underrated 80's classic of all time.
My parents played it one day never heard it before that still haven't listened to it again. Great song thanks for reminding me :)
I always liked Celtic Frost's (R.I.P.) version more. . . .
Did the not also chart with "far side of Crazy"?
@@nicolaiwilson9501 frontman stan ridgeway also had a solo hit with Camoflauge. As of now, he composes films and sound effects
The 80s was hands down the best music era around. So much great music. There was so many artists that had more than just one hit in Europe. We really missed out on a lot of great music here although we had a ton of good tunes that charted here too.
One 80s one hit wonder that I love is "One Thing Leads to Another" by The Fixx, it's such a catchy dance rock song!
The Fixx were far from one hit wonders. Red Skies, Deeper and Deeper, Are we ourselves, Stand or Fall. The list goes on.
“I Melt With You’ is THE premiere 80s song. Not even an honorable mention?
that's because it barley crack the top 100 when it came out it reach 78
@@jsmith3946, details!
My God I love you WatchMojo for lists like these. Geez you guys. Thank you.😂❤
The video for "Don't Worry, be Happy" features Robin Williams and Bill Irwin, who were appearing with Steve Martin in a production of "Waiting for Godot" in New York at the time.
(And I know this because I'm old and was living in NYC at the time.)
Top 10 Best 80s One Hit Wonders *in the USA*
It's all about the US to them. Many of these people have hits in other countries. It's honestly so annoying!
@Michael Phillips But don't you think they should focus on other countries too when summaries certain topics such as "One Hit Wonders". If they are going to do this they should put in the title "One Hit Wonders In The US."
@Michael Phillips Yeah. I totally get were your coming from. Just a bit annoyed since every UA-cam channel only covers American Culture.
*DEFINITELY* In A Big Country by BIG COUNTRY. Second & third, We’re Not Gonna Take It & Safety Dance ~ but there are sooooo many more not mentioned in this video ☹️
These are the ones that bring back the best memories for me 😆
Sadly, Big Country’s lead singer,
Stuart Adamson, was discovered dead in a Hawaii hotel room in 2001.
Police said the cause of death was suicide, asphyxia due to hanging.
Wow.... that's horrible :(
@@valzalel5203 ~ Sadly
There are too many classic 1 hit wonders in the 80s to have a top 10. MTV made many songs/artists 1 hit wonders....
@@markcossman200 ~ True
We watched Midnight Oil in Honolulu! Wow what a concert! Many of us jumped down from balconies to floor…what a party! These guys were amazingly good!
They were not a one hit wonder.
I'm gonna have to challenge the inclusion of Eddy Grant being on the list as an "Honorable Mention".
Granted he hit big in the US charts with "Electric Avenue" (#2 on Hot 100) but he also scored in the top 30 with "Romancing The Stone" (meant to be released with the movie of the same name) which charted at #26 on the Hot 100. That second hit excludes him from being a "One-hit Wonder".
Note: The criteria that this video used is the charts in the US and the (Billboard) "Hot 100" was mentioned frequently in the rankings.
DIden't he also have a big hit with "I don't wanna dance" or was that only in my country?
@@nicolaiwilson9501
In the USA (which this video is based on) he did chart with it, but it only got to 53 on the Hot 100 charts - so a minor hit here, but it's not really considered a hit until it "cracks" the Top 40.
Out of the eleven charts I can check on, only in the USA was it that low. It went to 21 in Australia, 18 in Sweden, 15 in Canada, 7 in Germany, 2 in the Netherlands and #1 in Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland and the UK.
Hope this answers your question.
spandau ballet had gold too, hardly a 1 hit wonder.
Could argue that it's even more popular than true.
spandau is great. they have many great songs. "Man In Chains" "To Cut A Long Story Short" "Lifeline" just to name a few
@@juhos30000 "Round and Round" and "I'll Fly For You" are two of my favorites. 😊
I think they had three Top 40 singles in the US, True, Gold and Only When You Leave. True is certainly their only huge hit over there but i wouldnt call them a US one hit wonder.
‘Gold’ is in GTA Vice City and ‘True’ isn’t. That makes it win, in my books.
@@finnwarren1567 True is also in a lot of movies. And the fact that PM Dawn sampled it, brought it back in the 90s.
Still listen to "come on Eileen" to this day still one my favs 🙏🙏🙏
Eileen in the video is played by Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama)'s sister
It's just a really good song with great lyrics (I mean only they could make toora loora toora loo rye ay sound good) I still pump up the volume every time I hear that violin intro. CLASSIC!
I was gonna comment that but it’s here!
I made my teenage daughter listen to it. Now she plays it in the car all the time.
Dexy's Midnight Runners had 9 UK top 40 hits.
Come on Eileen has been a one-hit wonder two times: the first one with Dexy's Midnight Runners in 1982, and the second one with Saveferris, 15 years later, in 1997. I got my name from the original version, but I love more the second one.
Second Version never heard of it and I dont think I want to.
I was born in 1974 and grew up with all these one hit wonders. I loved them all at one point. My absolute favorite was Dexie’s Midnight Runners “Come On Ilene” and I am SO glad it was #1!!!. I alsoI remember watching Video Killed The Radio Star on MTV when it very first aired. It was an iconic moment. I am so happy that you did this video! I am gonna do a set list including all of these songs. Definitely do more of these, I am sure there are a lot more crazy 80’s one hit wonders! Awesome Vid!
What I love about the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" music video is that Robin Williams is in it.
That was cool to see -- that being said, this chart is missing many songs that are more popular than some you see on here -- Take on Me, Wild Thing, Bust a Move, Micky, Round and Round were all bigger chart hits than most of these songs. Their #1 pick was legit though -- Come On Eileen was the song that was number #1 between Billie Jean and Beat It on the pop charts, which says a lot.
I actually found it annoying. He’s too over the top at times.
@@kenm6065 a-ha! And Tone Loc aren’t one hit wonders. In fact, Tone Loc also went to #3 with “Funky Cold Medina”. It’s just hardly ever played
"We're Not Gonna Take It" a one-hit wonder???
I don't think so
Oh, the vocalist on "The Warrior", he last name is pronounced "Smythe", Not Smith
Yes. "I wanna rock" would like to challenge that "in Top 40" claim.
@@martinmurd4495 it was 68 on the top 100 chart in the US
They said at the start they were counting other charts or charts from other countries
@@teoteo3966 I think you wanted to say "They were *not* counting other charts...?
@@martinmurd4495 yes. I did. New phone is smaller and my thumbs are still fat 😅
@@martinmurd4495 I think that same thing could also be said about "I Wanna Rock" and "The Price"
Nice list, In a Big Country and Come on Eileen were two of my favorites then and now.
Oh my gosh, thank you this list for it was a blast from the past for me, being the eighties was such a definining, and fun, time for me.
The title should have been: One hit wonders in the USA
True!
Where it matters
@@blackguyofthesouth2161 lol
This is an American channel go make a top 10 list for your country rather than whining here
Other countries don’t have music
"We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister, one of my personal favorite songs.
In the 90s i worked at a supermarket on long island where he lived. He is without a doubt one of the nicest celebs you could meet and loves talking shop. But he is quite ugly.
@@xokayb7l2
I didn't know that.
Was "i wanna rock" not top 40?
@@freddiejones4680 apparently topped at #68 so I wouldn’t call them a one hit wonder per se
@@justapeacefulmanwhosbornin7291 foodtown in Massapequa. Met a few celebs shopping al lewis, joey bottofuco, stephan baldwin. Danny Aiello, joan jett and jay black. Al lewis was perhaps the funniest person i have ever met. Was just like Arthur on king of queens.
great video! you should do one of this from the 70's as well!
One problem with The Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star" - it was released in 1979. Yes, a couple years later it was used as the first video on MTV, mainly because... well... it was their message to the music world, that MTV was going to kill the radio industry... which, in a sense, they did.
...and *then* MTV started to become so gravitationally influential that it collapsed in upon itself, becoming the black hole of endless suck we know today, not only destroying radio, but television and other media platforms as well.
In the case of Twisted Sister, I guess you chose to not count the songs "Burn in Hell" (used in Pee Wee's Big Adventure) or "I Wanna Rock" (whose video also featured Mark Metcalf as the constantly antagonistic father figure from the "We're Not Gonna Take It" video.)
In the case of Scandal - it is astoundingly half-assed to qualify a song as a "one hit wonder", then immediately admit it wasn't a band's only hit. What is even more astounding is how often you do stupid shit like this at WatchMojo.
Midnight Oil was far more relevant in their home country of Australia, where the song "Beds Are Burning" had some actual meaning - that of repatriating lands to indigenous peoples. Lead singer Peter Garrett later spent some time as a member of Australia's parliament. Also, you chose to ignore the song "Blue Sky Mining", from the album of the same name.
And *then*, you fools tried throwing Eddie Grant in your "didn't quite make our list" section... when Eddie also had the hits "I Don't Wanna Dance" and "Romancing The Stone" (the latter used as the theme song of the Michael Douglass & Kathleen Turner movie of the same name.)
All this reveals WatchMojo's ultimate superpower - half-assing cultural information for future generations.
Midnight Oil was huge in Canada with a number of hits and they toured here. Beds are Burning had resonated high with Canadians as it has the same political meaning with how the Aboriginal people of Canada have been the same treatment of those in Australia.
Big Country & Twisted Sister are 2 hit wonders. Eddy Grant’s a 3 hit wonder & Spandau Ballet have 3 more recognisable songs & Dexys have 3 hit albums & 3 hits. Also Midnight Oil & Soft Cell are still big music icons because of their debut sound rather than one song
I think they mentioned that it was their only song to hit the top 40 in the US, which is why they qualify as one hit wonders.
@@bluebear1985 yup. sadly , we in the US do not recognize enough of each artists great catalog to appreciate them as beyond one-hit wonders. Los Lobos has only one top 40 hit and it went to #1. To this day they are still active and still performing. Kiko and the Lavender Moon is an underrated classic as well as Will The Wolf Survive?
@@JamesDavis-sh9gh Don't Worry Baby by Los Lobos is one of my favorite songs!
If I were running MTV and it was about to end, I'd so play Video Killed the Radio Star as the last thing to ever play on it.
MTV is already dead! It's become just another "reality tv channel". When's the last time they've run hours and hours of nothing but music videos?
@@johnmullholand2044 MTV is not entirely dead, if you live in Europe, that is. MTV may be broadcasting 'reality TV' shows, but in Malta, for example, there are 3 MTV channels broadcasting music and music videos from the 80s, 90s and 2000s.
I think that it is also important to notice that "99 Luftballons" had a political message as well. It is about the Military at the height of the cold war being so eager to launch their bombers and nuclear missiles that they nearly start a war over a bunch of colorfull balloons launched by some children.
Yeah, but being that it was in German that was completely lost in America. And the English translated version didn’t say any of that. And was awful..
And nonetheless i fucking hate that Song. As a German. She. Cant. Sing.
Three that come to mind off the top of my head:
“I Ran” - A Flock of Seagulls
“Melt with you” - Modern English
“Goody Two Shoes” - Adam Ant (solo)
Maybe this should’ve been a top 20, at least
I ran wasn’t as good as Space age love song
Of the top of my head
Flock of seagulls- 4 more hits
Modern English- 2 more hits
Adam Ant- 3 more hits.
Venos Ford A Flock of Seagulls had 4 Billboard Top 40 songs. I Ran, Pedro, Modern Love Is Automatic, and Ageless Prince.
For a 90s kid, It's pretty impressive that I had every song from this list!
Man this is a hard list. In the 80s 90% of the popular songs we're 1 hit wonders lol. It really was a decade of 1 hit wonders.
Omg so much good old music. I grew up listening many of those and they sure were the best. Back in the day when MTV was still good.
I would have added “Oh Micky” by Toni Basil.
Yeah, I’m surprised it wasn’t listed.
Yessss...
Shopping from A to Z was her follow up hit...it charted...
It wasn’t a top 40 hit. She only had one top 40 hit, Mickey.
@@depalma13 What?
I play 1989s "Send Me An Angel" by Real Life probably 10 times a day! I crank it up! Also, Marilyn Manson covers "Tainted Love" better than Soft Cell. Add to that "Orgy" covering "Blue Monday" That`s all I got to say about that. Lol
Some of my favorite 80s one hit wonders
Talk Talk - It's my life
Devo - Whip it
Thomas Dolby - She blinded me with science
Madness - Our house
Peter Schilling - Major Tom (Coming home)
Don Johnson - Heartbeat
Patrick Swayze - She's like the wind
Gary Numan - Cars
Kraftwerk - The model
Falco - Der Kommisar
Toni Basil - Hey Mickey
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
Dennis DeYoung - Desert moon
Men Without Hats - The safety dance
Rocky Burnette - Tired of toein' the line
Tommy Tutone - 867 5309 Jenny
The Buggles - Video killed a radio star
Joe Jackson - Steppin' out
Dennis de young had success with his band Styx, so I don't count him but otherwise good list
Joe Jackson wasn't a one hit wonder.
@@bryantrobinson7597 Steppin' out is the only hit I know from Joe Jackson
@@idk012 With Styx Dennis had a lot of success, but as a solo artist didn't have the same success, only one big hit
Joe Jackson had a song called "Is She Really Going Out With Him" and another called "You Can't Get What You Want (Til You Know What You Want)" which charted at #21 and #15 respectively in the US.
I grew up in the 80s. I knew every song. I MISS THE 80s!!!
Great video and I enjoyed it and have a blessed day
One of my favorite memories is attached to come on Eileen. I was at a dance niece and this song came on. At the end where the tu ra Lu ra tu ra Lu ra loo starts slow and speeds up We all made a huge circle on the dance held hands and started to walk in a circle slow speeding up as the song sped up till we were running. Right near the end I yelled change and started dragging people the opposite way. There was some calamity involved but no injuries.
iHeart80's radio is constantly playing in my car. Easily my favorite music to listen to!
Qualification for this list seems to be wildly inconsistent. Soft cell qualifies as a one hit wonder despite having two top 20 US hits, yet Twisted Sister qualify despite their highest charting single reaching only 21? It's also completely American-centric: I know they were only an honourable mention, but Spandau Ballet had TEN UK top ten hits... hardly a one hit wonder over here!
I was thinking the same for Men Without Hats. They even point out that they had another Top 20 hit with Pop Goes the World.
They should stick to one criteria i agree, id say it should be one Top 40 single on the main pop chart (in this case the US Hot 100), and no Top 40 albums. Although im pretty sure Tainted Love was Soft Cell’s only song to make the Hot 100.
I'm usually disappointed by lists like these, but not this one -- this is a rock-solid list. Well done, WatchMojo!
Other good 80’s one hit wonders:
Lunatic Fringe-Red Rider
I Know There’s Something Going On- Anni-Frid
Der Kommissar-After the Fire
Too Shy-Kajagoogoo
Just Got Paid-Johnny Kemp
Black Coffee In Bed-Squeeze
Squeeze had a real good song called Tempted
If you love this list find Professor of Rock's channel. He does interviews and backgrounds on mostly 80s songs, but others too. I think many of these have been covered...many times with interviews with the artists. He is carrying on the Casey Kasem vibe. Like, I was disappointed Patty Smythe didn't really care for the Warrior video because I thought it was so cool...!
One of my personal favs: the vastly underrated Saga's On The Loose
Synth was a definite earworm.
Starting it off with an absolute Banger! That song is absolutely amazing and the music video is great
A majority of these hits are on my Brish New Wave Solid Gold double album!! And I still listen to my Midnight Oil albums! Love my 80's music.
Should probably have mentioned Midnight Oil's definitely-much-much-more-than-one-hit-wonder status here in Australia.
They also have a couple of other songs here in the US that most people know, but not as big. How many terms did the frontman serve in government?
Correct! They continued to produce quality music well into the 90s and reunited several times since. Their song, “Gadigal Land,” was one of my favorites from last year.
80s music is the best.
Definitely not!
These are all great songs.
I was so happy to see Safety Dance in the list.
I was half expecting to get Rick Rolled.
I LOVE Electric Avenue!!