Sometimes one hit is all you need . . .
Today is National One-Hit Wonder Day! Way back in 2018 I wrote an IFOD on all the holidays and observances there are (about six a day). Here’s that IFOD: Happy __________ Day!!!! According to daysoftheyear.com, “One-Hit Wonder Day was established by music journalist Steve Rosen back in 1990 to pay tribute to those who have had their five minutes (or less) of fame and subsequently vanished, leaving us only a catchy (hopefully!) tune to remember them by.”
The Top-Selling One-Hit Wonders
According to Business Insider, the top selling one-hit wonder singles are:
Someone I Used to Know by Gotye (8x Platinum)
Eye of the Tiger by Survivor (8x Platinum):
Let Her Go by Passenger (6x Platinum)
Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) by Silentó (6x Platinum)
Other Huge One-Hit Wonders Include:
Take on Me by Aha (and one of the best music videos of all time with over 1 billion YouTube views!)
I Melt With You by Modern English
Macarena by Los del Rio
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
What I Am by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
Don’t Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
The Middle by Jimmy Eat World
My Sharona by The Knack
Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners
In the Meantime by Spacehog
Mambo No. 5 by Lou Bega
Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice
Baby Got Back by Sir Mix A-Lot
Tubthumping by Chumbawumba
Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover by Sophie B. Hawkins
Big Country by In A Big Country
99 Luftballons by Nena
All Right Now by Free
Torn by Natalie Imbruglia
Bound for the Floor by Local H (this wasn’t a big hit but I LOVED IT!)
What is Love by Haddaway (We have Will Ferrel and SNL to thank for the popularity of this song)
No MacArthur Park?
https://youtu.be/iplpKwxFH2I
The video by AHa – Take me On was incredible.
I’m wondering what Business Insiders criteria are for one hit wonders, considering the band Survivor had several other singles that charted in the top 10.
Now I’m off to listen to the fictional 1964 one hit wonder, “That Thing You Do” by the fictional band The Wonders, which became a real one hit wonder in 1996.
Sort of embarrassing that you know that. LOL
Pretty cool video featuring Bobby McFerrin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo_GMMLULXw
How Long, by Ace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo_GMMLULXw