The Biggest One Hit Wonders
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1. “Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinead O’Connor (1990)
One of the most famous love ballads of all time, this Prince penned song put the hairless Sinead and her political and religious antics on the map. It’s a beautiful and compelling song that echoes with palpable heartbreak and sorrow. Sinead should’ve made peace with the Pope while she still had the chance. Oh well, I guess we know where she’s going after death.
“Who Let the Dogs Out?” is a song written and originally recorded by Anslem Douglas (titled “Doggie”) for Trinidad and Tobago‘s Carnival season of 1998.[1] It was heard and taped on a float by hairdresser Keith from the London salon Smile, who played it to Jonathan King, who recorded it and released it[2] under the name Fatt Jakk and his Pack of Pets.[3][4] It then came to the attention of King’s friend Steve Greenberg, who produced it with a group he was promoting called The Baha Men. The Baha Men, (also featuring the rapper Pitbull), covered the song and placed it in the movie Rugrats in Paris: The Movie and on its soundtrack album and then released it as a single in 2000, when it became the band’s first hit in the US and the UK. It reached #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and #2 on the UK Singles Chart in the United Kingdom. It was the 4th biggest-selling single of 2000 in the UK, and went on to become the highest-selling single of the 2000s not to reach #1.[5] It was also a big hit in Australia, where it reached #1. The track went on to win the Grammy for Best Dance Recording on the 2001 Grammy Awards.
10. “Torn” – Natalie Imbruglia (1998)
She was the “It Girl” of 1998 after “Torn” sold millions of copies. For a while, there was a new pop princess in town, but as Andy Warhol always said, everyone has 15 minutes of fame and hers ran out around 1999. She released another album to a less than stellar response. Did the industry really think an ex-Australian soap opera star could have legs? Still, “Torn” remains a great pop song with its universal lyrics on love.
8. Take On MeA-ha, 1985
The single reached number-one in 36 countries and is one of the world’s best-selling singles of all time with 8-9 million copies sold, hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. It also hit number two in the UK and number one in a-ha’s native Norway.
12. “I’m Too Sexy” – Right Said Fred (1992)
It was 1992 when these Germans broke onto the scene eschewing shirt and hair and releasing a song about, well, being sexy. These guys were too sexy for their car, their shirt, their cat, and so on. They live on in infamy with the prolific use of the track in car commercials. I guess in the end they were too sexy for their mortgage. Drum roll, please.
Oleta Adams, “Get Here.” Adams was 28 when her soulful version of this elegant Brenda Russell song reached #5 (for one week) in March 1991. The ballad was a hit at the time of the Gulf War, which gave it added resonance. The song had been the title track of a 1988 Russell album. Adams had been a backing vocalist on Tears of Fears’ 1989 albumThe Seeds Of Love.
Joan Osborne, “One Of Us.” Osborne was 33 when this song reached #4 (for two weeks) in February 1996. Eric Bazilian ofthe Hooters wrote the song, which climbed higher on the chart than any of that band’s hits (“And We Danced,” “Day By Day”) had.
7. Ice Ice BabyVanilla Ice, 1990
“Ice Ice Baby” is rapper Vanilla Ice’s most famous and popular song, released from his second album To The Extreme. The song samples Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure”. “Ice Ice Baby” was the second rap single ever to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, after Blondie’s 1981 single “Rapture.”
Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t Worry Be Happy.” McFerrin was 38 when this philosophical pep talk spent two weeks at #1 in September and October 1988. The song, which he wrote, was featured in the Tom Cruise movie Cocktail. The left-field hit won Grammys for Record and Song of the Year. Robin Williams appears in the video.
It’s Raining MenThe Weather Girls, 1982
The members were Martha Wash and Izora Armstead. They are best known for their 1982 #1 club and major pop hit, as well as subsequent dance anthem “It’s Raining Men”. Although the group is considered a one hit wonder by the mainstream pop market, they were previously known as Two Tons O’ Fun, under which name they recorded two number 2 ranking songs.
“Mickey” is a 1982 U.S. new wave song recorded by singer and choreographer Toni Basil. Written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn as “Kitty”, it was first recorded by UK popular music group Racey during 1979. Toni Basil changed the name from Kitty to Mickey to make the song about a man, and because she was fond of The Monkees‘ lead singer Micky Dolenz after meeting him on the set of their movie Head as a choreographer. A music video for the song, featuring costuming and choreography inspired by cheerleader dance routines, was played heavily on MTV.
The single scored number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for 1 week and number two in the UK singles chart. The song was Basil’s only Top 40 success, making her a “one-hit wonder“.[1] It is named #5 on VH1’s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of all time, #16 on 20 to 1′s Top 20 One Hit Wonders Countdown and #7 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the ’80s. It has also appeared on countless Greatest or Best lists and countdowns. San Francisco Giants infielder Miguel Tejada uses this as his walk up music.
Groove is in the HeartDee Lite, 1990
An immediate smash in nightclubs, the song crossed over to pop radio and after going to number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart, it eventually hit number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It managed to peak at number-one for one week in Australia in November 1991.
“Macarena” is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. The “Bayside Boys Mix” became the best known version of the song, as it had English lyrics, sung by an uncredited artist. It was ranked the “#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time” by VH1 in 2002.
The song uses a type of clave rhythm. The song ranks at #5 on Billboard’s All Time Top 100. It also ranks at #1 on Billboard’s All Time Latin Songs.[1][2] It is also Billboard’s #1 dance song and one of five foreign language songs to hit #1 since 1955’s modern rock era began.
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Truly Rich and Blessed 