Speaking of One Hit Wonders . . . . . . . . .

ONE HIT WONDERS 1980-1989 | BUTTERBOY

Well in the USA anyway! Madness? Don’t think so . . . . . but yer pays yer money and ya take yer choice! Costeth you NUFFINK!

So this will cause arguments no doubt but its really interesting and well worth the download if you ask me (nobody asked you! - ED) 

Ten CDs of the stuff!

Butterboy says:

A “One Hit Wonder” is a term typically used in the music industry to describe an artist who gains widespread recognition and success with a single work, but finds it challenging to duplicate that success with their following creations. This phrase is often applied to singers or bands who have one song that achieves immense popularity, but are unable to produce another hit of the same level. Despite their fleeting time in the limelight, these one-hit wonders frequently leave a lasting legacy, and their songs continue to be acknowledged and appreciated by listeners. It’s crucial to understand that being a one-hit wonder does not necessarily indicate an artist’s overall talent or potential, but rather it reflects the capricious nature of audience preferences and the music industry.

The 1980s, a decade of musical vibrancy and diversity, was particularly marked by the phenomenon of one-hit wonders. These artists, who soared to fame with a single chart-topping hit before fading into obscurity, became a defining feature of the era. The allure and popularity of one-hit wonders are intriguing and can be traced back to several key factors.

The 1980s heralded significant technological advancements in the music industry, most notably the rise of music television, with MTV at the forefront. This revolutionized the consumption of music, allowing artists to reach a global audience. A catchy tune, paired with a visually captivating music video, could rapidly become a sensation. This often resulted in a surge of popularity, culminating in a single hit song. However, the challenge lay in replicating this success, a hurdle many artists could not overcome.

The music scene of the 1980s was characterized by its rich diversity, spanning genres from pop and rock to hip-hop and electronic music. This eclectic mix created a constant demand for novelty, a void often filled by one-hit wonders. They introduced a unique sound or style that momentarily captured the public’s attention, even if their fame was fleeting.

The structure of the music industry during this period also played a significant role in the emergence of one-hit wonders. Record companies, more willing to gamble on unknown artists, hoped to strike gold with a hit single. This led to an influx of new artists and songs, some of whom became one-hit wonders.

The cultural context of the 1980s, a decade of change and experimentation, was mirrored in its music. One-hit wonders encapsulated the zeitgeist of the era, resonating with listeners and leaving a lasting impression.

The popularity of one-hit wonders in the 1980s can be attributed to a confluence of factors: technological advancements, the diversity of the music scene, the structure of the music industry, and the cultural context of the decade. Despite their ephemeral success, these artists have etched an indelible mark on the annals of music history, and their songs continue to be savored by listeners today.

This series of 10 sets of One Hit Wonders, one set for each year from 1980 to 1989 may offer some surprises and some head scratching moments. For these One Hit Wonders I have referenced the Tunecaster Music Encyclopedia and Chart Archive to identify songs which are the most popular by an artist.

https://tunecaster.com/one-hit-wonder.html

These One Hit Wonders are included if the artist had exactly one song that made the pop or rock top 20. No artist can be considered a One Hit Wonder who made the top 20 twice. 

This strict definition may create some strange results where superstar side projects with temporary or transient names, may be technical One Hit Wonders. Some songs count for the year when they first hit their peaks and occasionally a track counts as a one hit wonder under the rule that number one songs count for the next year if they remain at number one across years, Talking In Your Sleep by The Romantics is such an example for 1984. Enjoy!

I was going to publish the track listing here as it is amazing but it is massive so go check it out and on a cursory glance I made the following observation about One Hit Wonders and Ear worms that crossed the pond as it was very different (but not SO very eh? -ED)

Crossover One Hit Wonders UK

Flying Lizards - Money (That's What I Want) 2:32

The Boomtown Rats - Don't Like Mondays 3:45

Korgis - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime 4:12

Joe Dolce - Shaddap You Face 3:13

Waitresses - I Know What Boys Like 3:14

Bow Wow Wow - I Want Candy 2:45

Toni Basil - Mickey 4:14

Trio - Da Da Da (I Don't Love You, You Don't Love Me, Aha Aha Aha) 3:19

Kajagoogoo - Too Shy 3:44

Haysi Fantayzee - Shiny Shiny 3:43

Nena - 99 Luftballons 3:53

Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas 3:51

Katrina And The Waves - Walking On Sunshine 2:49

Harold Faltemeyer - Axel F. 2:58

Limahl - Never Ending Story 3:28

Paul Hardcastle - 19 3:32

Falco - Rock Me Amadeus 3:14

Blow Monkeys - Digging Your Scene 4:14

Doctor And The Medics - Spirit In The Sky 3:28

Timbuk 3 - The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades 3:22

Psychedelic Furs - Heartbreak Beat 5:11

Danny Wilson - Mary's Prayer 3:49

Swing Out Sister - Breakout 3:45

Bobby Mcferrin - Don't Worry Be Happy 4:49

Tanita Tikaram - Twist In My Sobriety 4:50

Belle Stars - Iko Iko 2:59

Marcia Griffiths - Electric Boogie 4:02

Jive Bunny And The Mastermixers - Swing The Mood 4:47

NOT One Hit wonders in the UK 

Madness - Our House 3:22

Gary Numan - Cars 3:55

Squeeze - Hourglass 3:19

Devo - Whip It 2:39

Greg Lake - Let Me Love You Once 4:21

Vangelis - Chariots Of Fire (Titles) 3:31

Soft Cell - Tainted Love 2:42

Tom Tom Club - Genius Of Love 5:35

Haircut 100 - Love Plus One 3:33

Heaven 17 - Let Me Go

Dexys Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen 4:44

Ultravox - Reap The Wild Wind 3:49

Joan Armstrong - Drop The Pilot 3:34

Big Country - In A Big Country 3:51

Tracey Ullman - They Don't Know 3:00 Breakaway

Style Council - My Ever Changing Moods 3:39

Ashford & Simpson - Solid 5:07

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax 3:56

Alison Moyet - Invisible 4:01

A-Ha - Take On Me 3:49

Scritti Politti - Perfect Way 4:06

World Party - Ship Of Fools (Save Me From Tomorrow) 4:31

T'pau - Heart And Soul 4:16

Deacon Blue - Dignity 4:01

Climie Fisher - Love Changes (Everything) 4:28?

Now I haven’t really checked and need someone to double check like my ole pal Phil M who knows better than me so this is just a cursory stab at what was going on in the Eighties!

Phil??