You missed the Italian band: Lydia E Gli Hellua Xenium (ahahah there are tons of acts with only one tracks that you can make 99999999999 hours of videos for 99999999 videos)...
Appreciate that the facts quoted relate to the US ,, but as previously stated by others, both Soft Cell and Dexy's had many more hits including number ones in the UK and Europe
Fact 1: Tainted love was originally sung by Gloria Jones in 1964. Fact 2: DMR had six other top 20 hits. Better search the subject you release the video about the next time.
Those were Dexy's Midnight Runners and the Buggles only hits in the US which is what she is talking about. Come On Eileen went all the way to number one and Video Killed the Radio Star was a minor hit peaking at US number 40.
People tend to use the term One-hit wonder as if it were a criticism. Creating a hit song is a great achievement. In some cases it set them up for life. And places them much higher than 8 billion zero-hit wonders that scorn them.
Okay I'm done with you guys. You don't even realize that Gloria Jones recorded the b-side song, TAINTED LOVE. Is it that hard to look on Wikipedia to see the origin of a song. Apparently it is for you all. Why?
Their goal was for you to click on the video and watch it. Victory for them, with bonus points for people commenting on how poorly researched the information in the video is. They win on all fronts here.
@@I-ONLY-BUILD-MECHS-AND-DUSTERS Yep AI voiced and probably bot generated script (hence all the errors - as bots just accumulate data and don't discern truth from errors)
I once read a quote from Norman "Spirit in the Sky" Greenbaum, where he said he earned six figures from royalties from the song, each year, every year...and he couldn't imagine what The Beatles must get. So if he had any regrets, they weren't financial.
This video was doing well until it got to Dexys. Maybe a one hit wonder in the US, but they had another number one hit in the UK with Geno, which is an absolute masterpiece - as well as many other top 40 hits. I understand you are coming from a US perspective, but they didn't suddenly disappear and are still working to this day.
Have some sympathy for Americans-they have a hard time understanding that British music led the world at this time and like to call it an 'invasion' instead.
Also, the song was written by the producers of Friends (plus the husband of one of them and a "proper" songwriter) and basically forced upon the band against their will because WB didn't have any other artists on hand that were available.
Iron Butterfly was a HUGE band and NO way a one hit wonder. Just listen to "Iron Butterfly Them:, "You Can't Win", "Unconscious Power", "Get Out of My Life Woman". This goes on and on.
The Rembrandts first hit ("That's Just the Way it is, Baby") was actually a bigger hit than the theme from "Friends." It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "I'll Be There For You" only made it to #17.
Why does everything always have to be from an American perspective? Buggles had 4x Top 75 hits, here in their native UK: - Video Killed the Radio Star (#1) - The Plastic Age (#16) - Clean Clean (#38) - Elstree (#55) Dexy's Midnight Runners had 11x Top 75 hits (and "Eileen" wasn't even their first #1): - Dance Stance (#40) - Geno (#1) - There There My Dear (#7) - Plan B (#58) - Show Me (#16) - Celtic Soul Brothers (#45) - Come On Eileen (#1) - Jackie Wilson Said (#5) - Let's Get This Straight (from the Start) (#17) - The Celtic Soul Brothers [1983] (#20) - Because of You (#13) Soft Cell had 14x Top 75 hits: - Tainted Love (#1) [Originally performed by Gloria Jones, former partner of Marc Bolan] - Bedsitter (#4) - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (#3) - Torch (#2) - What (#3) - Where the Heart is (#21) - Numbers (#25) - Soul Inside (#16) - Down in the Subway (#24) - Tainted Love [1986] (#43) - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye '91 (#38) - Tainted Love ft Marc Almond (#5) (1991 Version) - Monoculture (#52) - The Night (#39) Please accept that the Billboard Hot 100 is largely irrelevant to the vast majority of the music-listening public outside of the US, and that each country has their own popular music charts and musical tastes.
"Why does everything always have to be from an American perspective?" Bcs for most of the last 80 years, we've owned & pretty much run the whole world. Sorry. Google "soft power" and "cultural hegemonic imperialism." Course, now that Putin got Trump re-"elected" [sic & sick], that era is likely to be coming to an end: our wealth & power r both going to diminish. But as much harm as we've undeniably visited upon the planet & the rest of its inhabitants, if Putin, Xi, Modi, & the BRICS are gonna b our replacement, I srsly doubt u will consider that an upgrade.
I can still remember exactly where I was (at school walking down the hall) the first time I heard Hold the Line. It literally stopped me in my tracks… Still one of my all time favorites to this day….
They also didn't do the original version of _Where did Our Love Go_ which is tacked onto the end of the extended version of _Tainted Love_ . Also, they had about a dozen top 40 songs, so this whole video's a load of crap.
@@juliansmith4295 Right. TL and WDOLG can be considered "Part 1" and "Part 2" of a sole, long song. There wasn't the one without the other for me at the time.
Thank you for that music history. I have most of those songs on old tapes from the 80s. I still play them at pool parties. I'm glad to rediscover the song "No Rain." I listened to it in the 80s but never knew the title. Thanks for putting this compilation together.
I'm not sure why you would even post videos when you don't do sufficient research on them. I like what you guys have here. But Norman greenbaum has had such success in the last 25 years with SPIRIT IN THE SKY. So much in fact that he has a management and promotions team that exclusively licenses this song for commercials. He makes more money on this song than he has with anything else. So it's true that it disappeared for decades it's back in a big way and just the fact that he can thrive on millions of dollars a year on this one song makes it iconic forever.
ONE HIT ARTISTS ( UNITED STATES ) : (01) @00:47 : "IN THE YEAR TWENTY FIVE TWENTY FIVE" : ZAGER AND EVANS (02) @01:47 : "VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR" : THE BUGGLES (03) @02:42 : "SPIRIT IN THE SKY" : NORMAN GREENBAUM (04) @03:40 : "MY SHARONA" : THE KNACK (05) @04:38 : "FUNKYTOWN" : LIPPS INC (06) @05:28 : "PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC" : WILD CHERRY (07) @06:20 : "TURNING JAPANESE" : THE VAPORS (08) @07:06 : "I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU" : THE REMBRANDTS (09) @07:49 : "DON'T WORRY , BE HAPPY" : BOBBY MCFERRIN (10) @08:36 : "COME ON EILEEN" : DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS (11) @09:25 : "TAINTED LOVE" : SOFT CELL OTHER ONE HIT ARTISTS NOT MENTIONED ( UNITED STATES ) : "IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA" : IRON BUTTERFLY "CHANTILLY LACE" : THE BIG BOPPER "I FOUGHT THE LAW" : THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR "BAREFOOTIN' " : ROBERT PARKER "BRANDY YOU'RE A FINE GIRL" : THE LOOKING GLASS "FEELINGS" : MORRIS ALBERT "D.O.A." : BLOODROCK "HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN" : FRIJID PINK "WE AIN'T GOT NOTHIN' YET " : BLUES MAGOOS "SUMMERTIME BLUES" : BLUE CHEER "CONCTRETE AND CLAY" : UNIT FOUR PLUS TWO "YOU TURN ME ON ( TURN ON SONG )" : IAN WHITCOMB "HAVE I THE RIGHT" : HONEYCOMBS "I STILL LOVE YOU" : VEJTABLES "PSYCHOTIC REACTION" : COUNT FIVE "MOONLIGHT FEELS RIGHT" : STARBUCK "BROTHER LOUIE" : STORIES "WILD FLOWER" : SKYLARK "RIDE CAPTAIN RIDE" : BLUES IMAGE "SLOW RIDE" : FOGHAT "MISSISSIPPI QUEEN" : MOUNTAIN "WALK RIGHT IN" : ROOFTOP SINGERS "ONE TIN SOLDIER" : COVEN "MACARTHUR PARK" : RICHARD HARRIS "NA NA HEY HEY ( KISS HIM GOOD - BYE ) " : STEAM "NAVY BLUE" : DIANE RENAY
Well done ! What a great list of one hit wonders ! Each song Is fabulous. All the songs you listed still sound today, generating income to the songwriters and artists
I remember a 1980 radio spot for the Vapors' debut "New Clear Day". An American announcer suddenly developed a Japanese accent ! No way in HELL today...!!
I love that Robin Williams was in the music video for Don't worry be happy. That said, i leave you with these parting words. Don't worry be happy now!✌️
I always thought that come...... on Eileen was a pornographic reference. Perhaps I was right, perhaps I was wrong, perhaps even the writers of the song didn't know what the hell they were saying. But I like to think of it as a sexual invitation.
@@jamesarnette1394 A few years later, Prince left the following message, spoken at the end of a track: "Hello, how R U? I'm fine, because I know the Lord is coming soon, coming soon....". 😃😃 There was a good deal of speculation about the meaning of "coming" in that one. ;)
Other great one-hit wonders: Ride Captain Ride - Blues Image Venus - Shocking Blue Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder I Love The Nightlife - Alicia Bridges More, More, More - Andrea True Connection
Dexys Midnight Runners had a huge hit, Oh Geno, two years before Come on Eileen. From Wikipedia: Geno" was released (backed with "Breakin' Down the Walls of Heartache") on 15 March 1980. It slowly climbed the charts until it reached number one on 3 May. The song is included in 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die, where it is written that the song was inspired by Washington's "Michael (the Lover)" and subsequently inspired the Specials' "Ghost Town".
* Another Clickbait AI vid. Iron Butterfly had 6 studio albums 5 live albums and 4 compilation album and had lots of good songs just none as popular as In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Which was supposed to be "In The Garden Of Eden".
I remember attending a Bobby McFerrin concert in 1986 or 1987. He had been a critically acclaimed voice artist then, though his commercial success had potential for improvement. His one voice show and his amazing interaction with the audience just blew my mind. I was really happy for him he could cash out by "Don't Worry Be Happy". And I was proud having seen him before he went big.
@@kixigvak Sorry, but what are you talking about? Robin Williams has not even been mentioned as a footnote in the video. And Bobby McFerrin is still enjoying his life and kicking, according to Wikipedia.
@georgejetson1025 during 1999, 1 of the most played songs was '1999' by Prince, which was released in 1982. Some say Prince did it very smartly, securing himself a lot of money from royalties. So, Zager & Evans decided to copy that. Wait to see what a fat payment they'll receive in 2525..
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was a song that, once heard, stayed trapped inside your memory. I've heard several different versions of how this iconic song came about but the one that seems to resonate with many is that one of the band members, while totally smashed on wince one night, blurted out "in a gallon of vino" but his voice so slurred that band members heard it as the song's title. The WORST version of this song was created by ATCO on CD. The sound had so much hissing that it was all but impossible to hear parts pf the drum solo. The best came from vinyl or reel-to-reel tape. While I do have a pristine copy of the album on vinyl, I still prefer the reel-to-reel version.
Why do all of these One Hit Wonder videos leave out Tony Burrows? He is the king of One Hit Wonders. He sang lead on The Pipkins (Gimme Dat Ding #9, 1970) White Plains (My Baby Loves Lovin' #13, 1970) Edison Lighthouse (Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes #6 1970) and First Class (Beach Baby #4 1974). He also sang the male lead on Brotherhood of Man (United We Stand #13 1970) Their other Top 40 (Save Your Kisses For Me #27 1976) was with so many member changes, it could be considered a different band. You could make an argument for this being a One Hit Wonder, too. Ironically his only single to chart under his name (Melanie Makes Me Smile 1970) peaked at #87.
Dexy's also had a number one hit with "Geno" and big hits with both "Jackie Wilson Said" and "There There My Dear" together with two top 10 albums. Buggles was really a side project by two producers - they had several more hits in the UK before swelling the ranks of prog rock band Yes. So I think a bit more research was needed before publishing this rushed content.
It's not rushed, it's just that you think this list is about hits outside the US. Sorry to rain on your parade, but these were all one-hit wonders in the US, so the video is correct.
@@Hayden1969-ws4vy I had kind of surmised it was from a US perspective - but might have been advisable to make that clear. I'm trying to think of examples of US acts that disappeared in the UK. Norman Greenbaum came to mind but I'm not sure whether he did anything more in the US either...and Ram Jam maybe?
@@brianparker663 Yes, I agree, the arrogant yanks never seem to realise there are other countries in the world! I only count tracks that reached the UK Top 20 as hits, so Crosby, Stills & Nash only had one hit, as did Ben E. King, John Denver & the aforementioned Wild Cherry! Although Ram Jam's 'Black Betty' was a hit in the UK charts, it was remixed in 1990 & made No.13, so I'm wondering if it counts as a one-hit wonder (yes in its original form, no if we include the remix)?
@Hayden1969-ws4vy The Knack had two other Top 40 hits: Good Girls Don't (#11) Baby Talks Dirty (#38) And The Rembrandts also had Just The Way It Is Baby, which peaked at #14; three positions higher than I'll Be There For You.
Just one correction. Bobby McFerrin wasn't singing a cappella. That means without accompaniment, and there certainly was accompaniment. And if you meant just as a single vocalist, Norman Greenbaum was also that.
Why is there "Metropolis" imagery included with the "In The Year Twenty-Five-Twenty-Five" song? Did Zager & Evens use clips from the movie to promote it?
Contrary to popular belief, there is also another song that Dexys Midnight Runners is also known for. It's called "Because Of You" which was released in 1986. It also was the theme tune for a TV comedy program in the UK called "Brush Strokes."
Wow so much better than that other youtube top ten maker. Actually enjoyed this and learned from it, still felt a little deprived of hearing the full songs, but I get it that is how fair use works. I would not have put Blind Melon in the One Hit wonder category, actually in any category with Tainted Love.
No Rain was not the only Blind Melon song that charted. "Tones of Home" and "Galaxie" both charted. I have no idea how "Change" didn't chart, as for me, that is by far their best song.
Marc Almond's solo album "The Stars We Are" was popular in the US, with "Tears Run Rings" being his lone Hot 100 hit. The song also appeared to have been a favorite on K Mart Radio, as it seemed to play every time I was in the store.
This video could be endless, one that comes to mind from the 1990's is Space Hog song In the mean time. That song was in heavy rotation and everywhere, but that was about that for them.
The Knack: Good Girls Don't and, Frustrated both got lots of airplay. Dexy's Midnight Runners: Gino and, Jackie Wilson said, both got airplay. The Rembrandts had a song "before" the Friends theme called, "That just the way it is", that had some success. These videos are so maddening to watch, because of the uneducated people that put them together. It's like anytime I see Devo or Thomas Dolby on these, I want to scream.
The Knack had 3 hits in the US, My Sharona #1, Good Girls Don't #11 and Baby Talks Dirty #38. Just a bit of personal musical trivia, Good Girls Don't was the first time I discovered that singles had "radio friendly" edits, with the single version having the naughty bits of the lyrics sanitized. The Rembrandts had 2 hits, Just the Way It Is, Baby #14 and I'll Be There for You #17
It depends what you mean by a one hit wonder but there are a lot of bands that fit this classification. For example, the Blues Magoos had their big hit We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet which went to number 5 in the US according to wikipedia, but they also had some other songs that charted, but not in the top 50. The Syndicate of Sound fits this too, with their hit Little Girl reaching number 8 in the US and no other song getting close to the top 10.
Just to do Bobby McFerrin right. Here his achievements... 1985, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male for "Another Night in Tunisia" with Jon Hendricks from the album Vocalese. 1985, Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, "Another Night in Tunisia" with Cheryl Bentyne. 1986, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male, "Round Midnight" from the soundtrack album Round Midnight. 1987, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male, "What Is This Thing Called Love" from the album The Other Side of Round Midnight with Herbie Hancock. 1987, Best Recording for Children, "The Elephant's Child" with Jack Nicholson. 1988, Song of the Year, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" from the album Simple Pleasures. 1988, Record of the Year, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" from the album Simple Pleasures. 1988, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" from the album Simple Pleasures. 1988, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, "Brothers" from the album Duets by Rob Wasserman. 1992, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, "Round Midnight" from the album Play. 2023, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Katrina And The Waves - Walking On Sunshine Martha And The Muffins - Echo Beach Flock Of Seagulls - And I Ran (So Far Away) Plastic Bertrand - Ca Plane Pour Moi Nina - 99 Luftballons
I would like to draw to your attention that Dexy's Midnight Runners had two hits, not one. You may have overlooked "Geno", their first major hit that made No. 1 on the British chart in 1980 I believe. It was followed up by Come on Eileen. They are not disbanded as they still perform on British and European TV.
@jamescabaniss5857 You are right, I'm a fan too. Saw them 4x, never same line up. Got to be real, the line up with Rhino & Penera(spelling) was the best
I think you're wrong about the band The Knack. I remember the song. Good girls. Don't all over the radno, and to this day as a mobile DJ. With over 38 years experience, I still get that song requested.
43 years after he co-wrote the hit song, Berton Averre says he earns “easily over $100,000 a year” but less than $300,000 in earnings from My Sharona. Norman Greenbaum says he has never had to work since Spirit In The Sky...
Thanks for watching! Let us know below what topics or videos you’d like us to make next. 🔥👇
Can you do one for doo wop genre?
Tainted Love was original by Gloria Jones in 1964. Soft Cell made a great cover.
You missed the Italian band: Lydia E Gli Hellua Xenium (ahahah there are tons of acts with only one tracks that you can make 99999999999 hours of videos for 99999999 videos)...
Appreciate that the facts quoted relate to the US ,, but as previously stated by others, both Soft Cell and Dexy's had many more hits including number ones in the UK and Europe
Exactly!!
Just saw Soft Cell at Cruel World in May and I see Dexy's still playing UK shows. Yeah, neither are a 1 hit wonder.
these AI generated videos need to stop. just terrible.
Came here to say this 😊
Same to the Buggles. They had 4 hits in the Netherlands. My fave is I am a Camera.
Internet killed the video star.
MTV did. Crappy bands with videos for their crappy songs filled the airwaves while good bands just cut albums.
I met Geoff Downes originally in the Buggles in 2007 after an Asia concert and told him exactly what you said above
Digital Killed the Record Cartel
@@lordsoth508 It gave it a hell of a pounding but sadly didn't kill it. It hit back with Taylor Swift!
It actually promoted a lot of them through their songs being on TH-cam.
Fact 1: Tainted love was originally sung by Gloria Jones in 1964. Fact 2: DMR had six other top 20 hits. Better search the subject you release the video about the next time.
👍Exactly the point I made. Sloppy work here - especially with reference to Dexy's and Buggles.
Those were Dexy's Midnight Runners and the Buggles only hits in the US which is what she is talking about. Come On Eileen went all the way to number one and Video Killed the Radio Star was a minor hit peaking at US number 40.
Fact 2: Not in the US they didn't. Better not assume that the video is about the UK charts the next time!
Well said.
@@BrianAper She didn't actually make that clear. The video should come with a disclaimer a bit like tRump really.
The Knack had another song, Good Girls Don’t
Which wasn't a hit - it only got to No.66!
@Hayden1969-ws4vy #66 in the UK. #11 in the USA In heavy rotation in the Chicago area as I recall 😊
Same album, Get the Knack. One of the first vinyls I ever bought.
Bonus: the real life Sharona is a realtor in California!❤
Oops my apologies! I was reading the wrong chart data! Old age & senility setting in! 🤣
@@leonoranicolaysen2784 Yes, I heard that.
I can't tell you how much I hate fake AI voices (especially ones who don't know which words to emphasize in a song title).
You put the emFAsis on the wrong silLAbol ~ Austin Powers
Especially the ones that have fake accents. Of course, if your video has a fake British accent, we will take it more seriously...
Tell us. You know you can.
@6teeth a lot! 😅
I had good laughs haha.
People tend to use the term One-hit wonder as if it were a criticism. Creating a hit song is a great achievement. In some cases it set them up for life. And places them much higher than 8 billion zero-hit wonders that scorn them.
Scott McKenzie “ Flowers in Your Hair “ , the guy who sang “Get Used to It” and how about Golden Ear Ring : Radar Love ?
So true
@@kevinwaters5872 San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)
I came here to say exactly that. Since 92% of bands are zero hit wonders, there should be totally more respect for getting that one hit.
Call them "Bands who only one chart hit in the USA," but they didn't "suddenly disappear."
Zagar and Evans 3 LPs, Buggles 2 LPs, Greenbaum 3+ LPs, The Knack 3+ LPs, Lipps, 4 LPs, Wild Cherry 4 LPs, Vapors 2 LPs, Rembrandts 5+ LPs, Booby McFerran 10+ LPs, Dexy's Midnight Runners 3+ LPs, Soft Cell 3+ LPs, Blind Melon 2+ LPs, Iron Butterfly 5 LPs.
Then do a video yourself.
Good point.
Okay I'm done with you guys. You don't even realize that Gloria Jones recorded the b-side song, TAINTED LOVE.
Is it that hard to look on Wikipedia to see the origin of a song. Apparently it is for you all. Why?
Their goal was for you to click on the video and watch it. Victory for them, with bonus points for people commenting on how poorly researched the information in the video is. They win on all fronts here.
This is AI generated. The voice being unable to pronounce some sentences is a clear giveaway.
tainted driver too, she managed to kill mark bolan
@@I-ONLY-BUILD-MECHS-AND-DUSTERS Yep AI voiced and probably bot generated script (hence all the errors - as bots just accumulate data and don't discern truth from errors)
No one likes smarty pantses.
Iron Butterfly! - It was worth staying till the very end! Fun video
How many people heard Wild Cherry and thought they were black? I did.
Me too, and at first I thought the main lyric was 'play that f**kin' music' !
Me, too. Also thought Lipps, Inc. was black.
I once read a quote from Norman "Spirit in the Sky" Greenbaum, where he said he earned six figures from royalties from the song, each year, every year...and he couldn't imagine what The Beatles must get. So if he had any regrets, they weren't financial.
Norman Greenbaum should he rewarded for writing such a great hit, & not even being Christian.
I'm sure He bred Goats in the countryside!
@@ianmatthews3041 I wonder where he hung his trousers?
@@MikeCee7what? You're aware religion is forty thousand years old
You are talking about the USA because Dexys Midnight Runners and Soft Cell had a number of hits in the UK
Typical, right? These tend to be US Centric even though so much good music is from....ELSEWHERE. I'm talking to you, Zep & Stones.
Didn't you know America is the centre of world ! LOL !
One HIT wonder doesn't mean one SONG wonder.
It means only one song of theirs meaningfully charted.
@@dhenderson1810 Yes, and?
@@FedericoDLP So of course they may have other songs, but only one anyone cared about.
This video was doing well until it got to Dexys. Maybe a one hit wonder in the US, but they had another number one hit in the UK with Geno, which is an absolute masterpiece - as well as many other top 40 hits. I understand you are coming from a US perspective, but they didn't suddenly disappear and are still working to this day.
several of the English bands had multiple hits in the UK. These one hit wonder groups only look at the US chart.
The voiceover and script are AI, I wonder if any of the video isn't.
remember what Jokey Wilson said?
Dexy was on The young ones
Have some sympathy for Americans-they have a hard time understanding that British music led the world at this time and like to call it an 'invasion' instead.
The Rembrandts' first song, That's Just the Way It Is Baby, hit #14 on Billboard.
I love that song more than the Friends theme.
Also, the song was written by the producers of Friends (plus the husband of one of them and a "proper" songwriter) and basically forced upon the band against their will because WB didn't have any other artists on hand that were available.
A much better song than that Friends theme song 💩.
@@PikkaBird The cast also hated it. That is, until they heard a video was being made and then they jumped at the chance to appear on MTV.
Iron Butterfly was a HUGE band and NO way a one hit wonder. Just listen to "Iron Butterfly Them:, "You Can't Win", "Unconscious Power", "Get Out of My Life Woman". This goes on and on.
Tainted Love is NOT a Soft Cell original, that was soul singer Gloria Jones who was driving the car Marc Bolan (T Rex) died in.
The mother of his daughter and Bowie did care for both to easy the tragedy without mention it - til he died 🥰
GET OUT!
All based on the US
The Rembrandts first hit ("That's Just the Way it is, Baby") was actually a bigger hit than the theme from "Friends." It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "I'll Be There For You" only made it to #17.
Thank you for reminding us of ""That's Just the Way it is, Baby." I really liked that song back when--didn't know it was The Rembrandts. 8)
Exactly. It got a lot of airplay on MTV back in 1990.
Postmodern Jukebox has a version of this song with the Rembrandts.
Why does everything always have to be from an American perspective?
Buggles had 4x Top 75 hits, here in their native UK:
- Video Killed the Radio Star (#1)
- The Plastic Age (#16)
- Clean Clean (#38)
- Elstree (#55)
Dexy's Midnight Runners had 11x Top 75 hits (and "Eileen" wasn't even their first #1):
- Dance Stance (#40)
- Geno (#1)
- There There My Dear (#7)
- Plan B (#58)
- Show Me (#16)
- Celtic Soul Brothers (#45)
- Come On Eileen (#1)
- Jackie Wilson Said (#5)
- Let's Get This Straight (from the Start) (#17)
- The Celtic Soul Brothers [1983] (#20)
- Because of You (#13)
Soft Cell had 14x Top 75 hits:
- Tainted Love (#1) [Originally performed by Gloria Jones, former partner of Marc Bolan]
- Bedsitter (#4)
- Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (#3)
- Torch (#2)
- What (#3)
- Where the Heart is (#21)
- Numbers (#25)
- Soul Inside (#16)
- Down in the Subway (#24)
- Tainted Love [1986] (#43)
- Say Hello, Wave Goodbye '91 (#38)
- Tainted Love ft Marc Almond (#5) (1991 Version)
- Monoculture (#52)
- The Night (#39)
Please accept that the Billboard Hot 100 is largely irrelevant to the vast majority of the music-listening public outside of the US, and that each country has their own popular music charts and musical tastes.
If it makes you feel any better, the clip they showed of "Lipps Inc" was Europeans lip-syncing to a track sung by African American Cynthia Johnson.
"Why does everything always have to be from an American perspective?"
Bcs for most of the last 80 years, we've owned & pretty much run the whole world. Sorry. Google "soft power" and "cultural hegemonic imperialism."
Course, now that Putin got Trump re-"elected" [sic & sick], that era is likely to be coming to an end: our wealth & power r both going to diminish. But as much harm as we've undeniably visited upon the planet & the rest of its inhabitants, if Putin, Xi, Modi, & the BRICS are gonna b our replacement, I srsly doubt u will consider that an upgrade.
Maybe it's because in the USA we have freedom of speech which means we can make the video about whatever we want. 😜
@@LudwigSC93 While lying about it
Because the person doing the video is from the USA.
Which country would you like them to do it from?
The girls you are showing for Lipps, Inc. are NOT the band. They are just the models they chose to show in the video.
Some of the footage was actually from the German TV show "Musikladen", featuring their "Go-Go's" dancers ...
@@graemecollin Oh, cool I'm going to look that up. Thanks!
What?
Fake front men (or women)?
NAWWWwwwww the music industry wouldn't do that (Coughs Milli Vanilli)
Was any part of this video not AI?
"Internal conflicts and changing musical tastes" seems to be common theme here for the A.I. voice
I can't believe I was 17 when "My Sharona" came out. I LOVED that song! (That and Toto's "Hold the Line".)
I can still remember exactly where I was (at school walking down the hall) the first time I heard Hold the Line. It literally stopped me in my tracks… Still one of my all time favorites to this day….
@@scottenriquez1930 And so was "My Sharona" for me. A monster of a song...
Toto isn't one hit wonder.
I HATE that song.
@@TP-om8of Yup - too repetitive, and becomes an annoying ear-worm.
Soft Cell is not the original version of Tainted Love.
Yep. Gloria Jones 1965 is.
64?
@@RickMason-yj7pv Recorded in 1964 and released as a B-side in May 1965.
They also didn't do the original version of _Where did Our Love Go_ which is tacked onto the end of the extended version of _Tainted Love_ . Also, they had about a dozen top 40 songs, so this whole video's a load of crap.
@@juliansmith4295 Right. TL and WDOLG can be considered "Part 1" and "Part 2" of a sole, long song. There wasn't the one without the other for me at the time.
I’d leave a comment, but because of the changing musical tastes and internal conflicts I can’t do it.
Those internal conflicts can be a real killer of bands. Happened to the Beatles.
Yes, the commentary was as repetitive as... a stuck record
That Iron Butterfly album is a 9 out of 10. Must have
And a HUGE band at the time, they had MANY hits.
Thank you for that music history. I have most of those songs on old tapes from the 80s. I still play them at pool parties. I'm glad to rediscover the song "No Rain." I listened to it in the 80s but never knew the title. Thanks for putting this compilation together.
No Rain was released in 1993
@@keithgallagher3471 I just looked up the music video on TH-cam. Way cool. Now I have that bright song in my head again.
I'm not sure why you would even post videos when you don't do sufficient research on them. I like what you guys have here. But Norman greenbaum has had such success in the last 25 years with SPIRIT IN THE SKY.
So much in fact that he has a management and promotions team that exclusively licenses this song for commercials. He makes more money on this song than he has with anything else. So it's true that it disappeared for decades it's back in a big way and just the fact that he can thrive on millions of dollars a year on this one song makes it iconic forever.
But was he a one hit Wonder?
Yes.
To quote Homer Simpson:-
"NNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRDDDDDD!"
ONE HIT ARTISTS ( UNITED STATES ) :
(01) @00:47 : "IN THE YEAR TWENTY FIVE TWENTY FIVE" : ZAGER AND EVANS
(02) @01:47 : "VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR" : THE BUGGLES
(03) @02:42 : "SPIRIT IN THE SKY" : NORMAN GREENBAUM
(04) @03:40 : "MY SHARONA" : THE KNACK
(05) @04:38 : "FUNKYTOWN" : LIPPS INC
(06) @05:28 : "PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC" : WILD CHERRY
(07) @06:20 : "TURNING JAPANESE" : THE VAPORS
(08) @07:06 : "I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU" : THE REMBRANDTS
(09) @07:49 : "DON'T WORRY , BE HAPPY" : BOBBY MCFERRIN
(10) @08:36 : "COME ON EILEEN" : DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS
(11) @09:25 : "TAINTED LOVE" : SOFT CELL
OTHER ONE HIT ARTISTS NOT MENTIONED ( UNITED STATES ) :
"IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA" : IRON BUTTERFLY
"CHANTILLY LACE" : THE BIG BOPPER
"I FOUGHT THE LAW" : THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR
"BAREFOOTIN' " : ROBERT PARKER
"BRANDY YOU'RE A FINE GIRL" : THE LOOKING GLASS
"FEELINGS" : MORRIS ALBERT
"D.O.A." : BLOODROCK
"HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN" : FRIJID PINK
"WE AIN'T GOT NOTHIN' YET " : BLUES MAGOOS
"SUMMERTIME BLUES" : BLUE CHEER
"CONCTRETE AND CLAY" : UNIT FOUR PLUS TWO
"YOU TURN ME ON ( TURN ON SONG )" : IAN WHITCOMB
"HAVE I THE RIGHT" : HONEYCOMBS
"I STILL LOVE YOU" : VEJTABLES
"PSYCHOTIC REACTION" : COUNT FIVE
"MOONLIGHT FEELS RIGHT" : STARBUCK
"BROTHER LOUIE" : STORIES
"WILD FLOWER" : SKYLARK
"RIDE CAPTAIN RIDE" : BLUES IMAGE
"SLOW RIDE" : FOGHAT
"MISSISSIPPI QUEEN" : MOUNTAIN
"WALK RIGHT IN" : ROOFTOP SINGERS
"ONE TIN SOLDIER" : COVEN
"MACARTHUR PARK" : RICHARD HARRIS
"NA NA HEY HEY ( KISS HIM GOOD - BYE ) " : STEAM
"NAVY BLUE" : DIANE RENAY
Honorable mentioned:
" SOMETHING IN THE AIR " :
THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN
Well done ! What a great list of one hit wonders ! Each song Is fabulous. All the songs you listed still sound today, generating income to the songwriters and artists
Dexys midnight runners had lots of hits same with soft cell
Oh, Iron Butterfly, and life is not
just flowers and beads...😊😊
Imagine the song Turning Japanese coming out now. Wow, that would be considered racist
I remember a 1980 radio spot for the Vapors' debut "New Clear Day". An American announcer suddenly developed a Japanese accent ! No way in HELL today...!!
@ Make an AI voice do that, lol
It's about "self love." That alone would keep alot of stations from playing it.
The song is not about turning literally into someone Japanese, it's about mastubation and the face you pull during climax.
My Uncle saw them play the song live at Camden Palace before the song became a hit.
I love that Robin Williams was in the music video for Don't worry be happy. That said, i leave you with these parting words. Don't worry be happy now!✌️
Dexys Midnight Runners were far from a one hit wonder
Unfortunately 😂
"Geno" was another number one song in uk
True, but this is an American collection and in the US I think "Come on Aileen" was their one major hit.
I always thought that come...... on Eileen was a pornographic reference. Perhaps I was right, perhaps I was wrong, perhaps even the writers of the song didn't know what the hell they were saying. But I like to think of it as a sexual invitation.
@@jamesarnette1394 A few years later, Prince left the following message, spoken at the end of a track: "Hello, how R U? I'm fine, because I know the Lord is coming soon, coming soon....". 😃😃 There was a good deal of speculation about the meaning of "coming" in that one. ;)
Of course there are others but how could you keep off Steams Na Na Hey Goodbye? Just every arena anthem song. Still played today.
Here here
@@deanvial2037 Hear hear.
Other great one-hit wonders:
Ride Captain Ride - Blues Image
Venus - Shocking Blue
Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder
I Love The Nightlife - Alicia Bridges
More, More, More - Andrea True Connection
Shocking Blue had more hits like
- Never marry a railroad man
- inkpot
- love buzz, which was also covered by Nirvana.
Snoopy vs. Red Baron - Royal Guardsmen Disco Duck - Rick Dees Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
It was awesome. Thanks
I've listened to the song Funkytown over and over thanks to this video! Thanks you
+ Martha and The Muffins - Echo Beach, Cutting Crew - I Just Died In Your Arms and Robert Tepper - No Easy Way Out
Great selection. Maybe they're not all one hit wonders. But they're largely forgotten. The bonus had me laughing.
They arent largely forgotten
Norman Greenbaum is so
memorable with Spirit in
the Sky.
I was 25 and now am 80. 😊
Dexys Midnight Runners had a huge hit, Oh Geno, two years before Come on Eileen. From Wikipedia: Geno" was released (backed with "Breakin' Down the Walls of Heartache") on 15 March 1980. It slowly climbed the charts until it reached number one on 3 May. The song is included in 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die, where it is written that the song was inspired by Washington's "Michael (the Lover)" and subsequently inspired the Specials' "Ghost Town".
* Another Clickbait AI vid. Iron Butterfly had 6 studio albums 5 live albums and 4 compilation album and had lots of good songs just none as popular as In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Which was supposed to be "In The Garden Of Eden".
And Royal Guardsmen got 5 albums out of Snoopy vs. Red Baron song.
Iron Butterfly was a HUGH band with MANY hits in the late 60s and early 70s.
"Get Out of My Life Woman"!!!!
Iron Butterfly was supposed to have sung “In the Garden of Eden.” The singer had sung something else and it hit big!
And they were no "one hit wonder". They tons of hits.
Who else agrees numbers1*2*12 are still giving music pleasure in 2024🎤🎸🎹🕯️👍✌️🤠🦅⭐
I remember attending a Bobby McFerrin concert in 1986 or 1987. He had been a critically acclaimed voice artist then, though his commercial success had potential for improvement. His one voice show and his amazing interaction with the audience just blew my mind.
I was really happy for him he could cash out by "Don't Worry Be Happy". And I was proud having seen him before he went big.
I have a recording before he was famous, he appeared on Channel Four's "The Tube"
The video featured McFerrin and Robin Williams. Ironically, they both committed suicide.
@@kixigvak Sorry, but what are you talking about? Robin Williams has not even been mentioned as a footnote in the video. And Bobby McFerrin is still enjoying his life and kicking, according to Wikipedia.
@@kixigvak you must be trippin'. McFerrin is still alive
@@ralfbodemann1542 Robin WIlliams played in the video for the song mentioned
You can’t say The Buggles were on hit wonders, Trevor & Geoff went on to huge careers. The Buggles was not a band it was a vehicle
Prince: I've just released a song called '1999'. I'm expecting a fat royalty check in that year..
Zager & Evans: Hold our beer...
What
@georgejetson1025 during 1999, 1 of the most played songs was '1999' by Prince, which was released in 1982.
Some say Prince did it very smartly, securing himself a lot of money from royalties.
So, Zager & Evans decided to copy that.
Wait to see what a fat payment they'll receive in 2525..
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was a song that, once heard, stayed trapped inside your memory. I've heard several different versions of how this iconic song came about but the one that seems to resonate with many is that one of the band members, while totally smashed on wince one night, blurted out "in a gallon of vino" but his voice so slurred that band members heard it as the song's title. The WORST version of this song was created by ATCO on CD. The sound had so much hissing that it was all but impossible to hear parts pf the drum solo. The best came from vinyl or reel-to-reel tape. While I do have a pristine copy of the album on vinyl, I still prefer the reel-to-reel version.
Zager & Evans got their start playing in the basement lounge of a hotel in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska.
Fun fact about the Video killed the radio star video. It is Hans Zimmer at the keys!
Why do all of these One Hit Wonder videos leave out Tony Burrows? He is the king of One Hit Wonders. He sang lead on The Pipkins (Gimme Dat Ding #9, 1970) White Plains (My Baby Loves Lovin' #13, 1970) Edison Lighthouse (Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes #6 1970) and First Class (Beach Baby #4 1974). He also sang the male lead on Brotherhood of Man (United We Stand #13 1970) Their other Top 40 (Save Your Kisses For Me #27 1976) was with so many member changes, it could be considered a different band. You could make an argument for this being a One Hit Wonder, too. Ironically his only single to chart under his name (Melanie Makes Me Smile 1970) peaked at #87.
"The Knack" had a 2nd hit off the same album called "Good girls don't" that I still hear on the radio to this day.
The one sung/covered by Natalie Cole a decade later for the "Pretty Woman" soundtrack?
7:07 the Rembrandts had a second hit in the US - "just the way it is baby"
Spirit in the Sky! The best.
By the time it faded away I was so tired of it. Same with In the Year 2525. But the worst one was Debbie Boone's You Light Up My Life. Overplayed!
Dexy's also had a number one hit with "Geno" and big hits with both "Jackie Wilson Said" and "There There My Dear" together with two top 10 albums. Buggles was really a side project by two producers - they had several more hits in the UK before swelling the ranks of prog rock band Yes. So I think a bit more research was needed before publishing this rushed content.
It's not rushed, it's just that you think this list is about hits outside the US. Sorry to rain on your parade, but these were all one-hit wonders in the US, so the video is correct.
@@Hayden1969-ws4vy I had kind of surmised it was from a US perspective - but might have been advisable to make that clear. I'm trying to think of examples of US acts that disappeared in the UK. Norman Greenbaum came to mind but I'm not sure whether he did anything more in the US either...and Ram Jam maybe?
@@brianparker663 Yes, I agree, the arrogant yanks never seem to realise there are other countries in the world!
I only count tracks that reached the UK Top 20 as hits, so Crosby, Stills & Nash only had one hit, as did Ben E. King, John Denver & the aforementioned Wild Cherry!
Although Ram Jam's 'Black Betty' was a hit in the UK charts, it was remixed in 1990 & made No.13, so I'm wondering if it counts as a one-hit wonder (yes in its original form, no if we include the remix)?
Jackie Wilson Said. Great piece as done by Van "The Man" Morrison.
@Hayden1969-ws4vy The Knack had two other Top 40 hits:
Good Girls Don't (#11)
Baby Talks Dirty (#38)
And The Rembrandts also had Just The Way It Is Baby, which peaked at #14; three positions higher than I'll Be There For You.
You could throw in the Lemon pipers Green Tambourine Keith 98.6 Sounds Nice Love at first sight
Flip side was No Help From Me to Green Tambourine.
Just one correction. Bobby McFerrin wasn't singing a cappella. That means without accompaniment, and there certainly was accompaniment. And if you meant just as a single vocalist, Norman Greenbaum was also that.
Fact: Funky Town is not disco. Its High energy.
Why is there "Metropolis" imagery included with the "In The Year Twenty-Five-Twenty-Five" song? Did Zager & Evens use clips from the movie to promote it?
Dexys midnight runners had another hit with geno where did you get your info from
Contrary to popular belief, there is also another song that Dexys Midnight Runners is also known for. It's called "Because Of You" which was released in 1986. It also was the theme tune for a TV comedy program in the UK called "Brush Strokes."
Dexy;s Midnight Runners, had many hits in the UK. My fav is Geno.
@@davidhabert I remember that show! It was quite good. And the theme to it.
Wow so much better than that other youtube top ten maker. Actually enjoyed this and learned from it, still felt a little deprived of hearing the full songs, but I get it that is how fair use works.
I would not have put Blind Melon in the One Hit wonder category, actually in any category with Tainted Love.
#6 - Donnie Iris also had a few solo albums (where he played EVERYTHING just like Aldo Nova) and had a hit with "Ah, Leah!"
Love is like a rock.
@@sludge8506 Yep - that one too! : )
Addicted to the Night by Lipps Inc charted at number 8 on the U.S. dance chart in 1983. It was quite popular in clubs at the time.
No Rain was not the only Blind Melon song that charted. "Tones of Home" and "Galaxie" both charted. I have no idea how "Change" didn't chart, as for me, that is by far their best song.
Marc Almond's solo album "The Stars We Are" was popular in the US, with "Tears Run Rings" being his lone Hot 100 hit. The song also appeared to have been a favorite on K Mart Radio, as it seemed to play every time I was in the store.
This video could be endless, one that comes to mind from the 1990's is Space Hog song In the mean time. That song was in heavy rotation and everywhere, but that was about that for them.
2525 sounds pretty well prophetic.
The Knack: Good Girls Don't and, Frustrated both got lots of airplay. Dexy's Midnight Runners: Gino and, Jackie Wilson said, both got airplay. The Rembrandts had a song "before" the Friends theme called, "That just the way it is", that had some success. These videos are so maddening to watch, because of the uneducated people that put them together. It's like anytime I see Devo or Thomas Dolby on these, I want to scream.
Don’t take it too seriously?, meant to be fun
“Oh Tara” (by the Knack) was a decent song as well.
Better to be a one hit wonder than a none hit wonder. A group or solo artist can build a career around one mega hit , no,doubt about it.
I Remember Funkytown, when some friends and I went to see
the Shining movie. 😊
The Knack had lots of great songs.
Lots? Really? Great ones uh
@@deanvial2037 Yes, the whole album was pretty good.
Round Trip a Banger.
I could play the drum solo on In A Godda Da Vida as a teen. What fun.
Still listen to this track a few times a year.
SCHADENFREUDE is enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others
The Knack had 3 hits in the US, My Sharona #1, Good Girls Don't #11 and Baby Talks Dirty #38. Just a bit of personal musical trivia, Good Girls Don't was the first time I discovered that singles had "radio friendly" edits, with the single version having the naughty bits of the lyrics sanitized.
The Rembrandts had 2 hits, Just the Way It Is, Baby #14 and I'll Be There for You #17
It depends what you mean by a one hit wonder but there are a lot of bands that fit this classification. For example, the Blues Magoos had their big hit We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet which went to number 5 in the US according to wikipedia, but they also had some other songs that charted, but not in the top 50. The Syndicate of Sound fits this too, with their hit Little Girl reaching number 8 in the US and no other song getting close to the top 10.
Just to do Bobby McFerrin right. Here his achievements...
1985, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male for "Another Night in Tunisia" with Jon Hendricks from the album Vocalese.
1985, Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, "Another Night in Tunisia" with Cheryl Bentyne.
1986, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male, "Round Midnight" from the soundtrack album Round Midnight.
1987, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male, "What Is This Thing Called Love" from the album The Other Side of Round Midnight with Herbie Hancock.
1987, Best Recording for Children, "The Elephant's Child" with Jack Nicholson.
1988, Song of the Year, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" from the album Simple Pleasures.
1988, Record of the Year, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" from the album Simple Pleasures.
1988, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" from the album Simple Pleasures.
1988, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, "Brothers" from the album Duets by Rob Wasserman.
1992, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, "Round Midnight" from the album Play.
2023, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Katrina And The Waves - Walking On Sunshine
Martha And The Muffins - Echo Beach
Flock Of Seagulls - And I Ran (So Far Away)
Plastic Bertrand - Ca Plane Pour Moi
Nina - 99 Luftballons
It´s NenA , and you forgot about "any place, anuwhere, anytime", duet with Kim Wilde. Remember ? ;)
The Vapors had a hit in 2020 (Girl From the Factory) from their third album, and will release their fourth album in March, 2025.
Trevor Horn made only 1 hit with the Buggle but had incredible career as producer!!
I would like to draw to your attention that Dexy's Midnight Runners had two hits, not one. You may have overlooked "Geno", their first major hit that made No. 1 on the British chart in 1980 I believe. It was followed up by Come on Eileen. They are not disbanded as they still perform on British and European TV.
Buggles, and the Vapors also had a few top 40 hits
Soft Cell, tainted love is still
popular with me and others. 😊
You would have a solid list if you took out The Kinks and replaced it The Starland Vocal Band "Afternoon Delight."
100 years from now these songs will still be played but not the crap music that is played today
Thr Knack was such an underrated band. They deserved more hits.
The Knack didn't fade. The entie first album is stellar. Also "Good Girls Don't" ?
Bryon Basset of Wild Cherry is currently in Foghat. Coincidental Foghat had a song titled wild cherry before Bryon joined.
Any band trying to breakout would love to have one big hit...Believe me !
Safe to say Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes from The Buggles had far and away the most successful careers of anyone on this list
The original version of "Tainted Love" was recorded in 1964 by Gloria Jones it was covered by Soft Cell
Iron Butterfly had a hit with Easy Rider as well
Actually they had a lot of hits.
@jamescabaniss5857 You are right, I'm a fan too. Saw them 4x, never same line up. Got to be real, the line up with Rhino & Penera(spelling) was the best
Marc Almond from Soft Cell eventually collaborated with Bronski Beat to record a version of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love".
I think you're wrong about the band The Knack.
I remember the song. Good girls. Don't all over the radno, and to this day as a mobile DJ. With over 38 years experience, I still get that song requested.
43 years after he co-wrote the hit song, Berton Averre says he earns “easily over $100,000 a year” but less than $300,000 in earnings from My Sharona. Norman Greenbaum says he has never had to work since Spirit In The Sky...
What about Sheriff & "When I'm With You"? The band broke up a few years before that song hit #1 after being re-released in 1988.
The Buggles weren't even the writers or the original artist for the song, amd The Knack were not a one hit wonder
Soft cell song Tainted Love was a cover of the original by the Americansinger Gloria Jones in 1964.