Biggest One-Hit Wonders of All-Time

Mimsy

Registered User
Mar 21, 2015
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I don't agree with A-ha being there. They've got ten studio albums to their credit (approaching thirty if you include compilations) and many albums charted in or near the top ten in Europe. The band faded in the US pretty quickly. No question the song and video for "Take on Me" is their most recognizable work.
 

Jumptheshark

Rebooting myself
Oct 12, 2003
99,856
13,840
Somewhere on Uranus
few observations

The big one is A-ha--many hits in Europe and elsewhere

then we have Dexy midnight runners it is Kevin Rowland's band, Under Dexy he had Geno which was a hit in several countries

Soft Cell is a UK band that has had several hits here in the UK and around the world but the USA

Like with Kevin Rowland, Steelers Wheels is Gerry Raferty who had many hits around the world and in the USA

there are others on that list

Surprised the Rick Darrenger is not on that list as he had been a one hit wonder about 6 times under different names or bands
 

slates77

Registered User
Mar 18, 2020
198
100
I don't agree with A-ha being there. They've got ten studio albums to their credit (approaching thirty if you include compilations) and many albums charted in or near the top ten in Europe. The band faded in the US pretty quickly. No question the song and video for "Take on Me" is their most recognizable work.

A-ha is mostly there for scale, they were the second lowest of the list. Also, this is more measuring how much bigger the band's top song was than their top song. It's more of a testament to how big Take on Me was.
 
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Jussi

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
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Mojo Dojo Casa House
I don't agree with A-ha being there. They've got ten studio albums to their credit (approaching thirty if you include compilations) and many albums charted in or near the top ten in Europe. The band faded in the US pretty quickly. No question the song and video for "Take on Me" is their most recognizable work.

"Sun Always Shines On TV" went to number 1 in the UK and Ireland where as Take On Me reached only #2 there. Alos top 10 in several other European countries.
 

slates77

Registered User
Mar 18, 2020
198
100
few observations

The big one is A-ha--many hits in Europe and elsewhere

then we have Dexy midnight runners it is Kevin Rowland's band, Under Dexy he had Geno which was a hit in several countries

Soft Cell is a UK band that has had several hits here in the UK and around the world but the USA

Like with Kevin Rowland, Steelers Wheels is Gerry Raferty who had many hits around the world and in the USA

there are others on that list

Surprised the Rick Darrenger is not on that list as he had been a one hit wonder about 6 times under different names or bands

A-ha is about 50x lower than the top one, it was mostly there for scale.

Interesting point about Dexys Midnight Runners. In that case, I would consider the rest of the band to be the hit wonders. Same with Stealers Wheel.

Another point, this is objectively based on how many more listeners the top song by the artist has than the second-top song. Not an opinion based list.
 

kihei

McEnroe: The older I get, the better I used to be.
Jun 14, 2006
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Toronto


...works well if you change the lyrics to "My Corona."
 

Osprey

Registered User
Feb 18, 2005
27,090
9,352


Tracey Ullman was a pop star in the 80's before she unleashed the Simpsons on us


The first few seconds of the clip indicate that her last 3 singles were all #1 songs in Europe. I'm pointing that out only because you've been quick to disqualify other artists.
 

Mimsy

Registered User
Mar 21, 2015
434
234


Tracey Ullman was a pop star in the 80's before she unleashed the Simpsons on us


I always liked this song and still listen to it semi-regularly, along with the original. When the video first aired, seeing Paul McCartney's cameo appearance at the end was neat.
 

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