One Hit Wonders

Geo

What is it about one-hit wonders that make them such an anomaly in the music industry? Look at things like Video Killed the Radio Star or Take on Me? Those songs and/or music videos are considered classics, but what I really wonder is what causes those artist to just fall out of the public eye? Is it the fact they only had one good song they could create, could the band members not connect enough with each other to collaborate, or is there some other reason that just cannot be explained?

Andrew

in b4 rickroll

Geo

in b4 rickroll

I don't understand, I'm really confused?

lackofcheese

Just because "Never Gonna Give You Up" is at the core of an internet phenomenon doesn't mean that it's the only successful song Rick Astley ever sang.

Koholint

How many other Rick Astley songs can you name?

edit: Fine then, but I'm pretty sure that the band behind Take on Me is/was still pretty popular outside of the U.S.

Geo

How many other Rick Astley songs can you name?

None at all.

lackofcheese

It's arguable as to the definition of the term "one-hit wonder", but Wikipedia says Rick Astley has 13 worldwide top 30 hit singles.

Li_Akahi

I believe that a one-hit wonder band doesn't really have any substantial amount of skill and that the song was pure luck.

La Petit Mort

Hey, don't touch A-ha.


That's my jam.

Kate Monster

I believe that a one-hit wonder band doesn't really have any substantial amount of skill and that the song was pure luck.

That really isn't a given. Many bands that only have one hit often play music that doesn't fit with most radio station formatting, is in a less popular genre, or is between multiple genres. The band just happens to write a few "catchy tunes" and one gets picked up for radio play.

Viga

A favorite of mine along with Take On Me and Video Killed the Radio Star.

NOW LET ME GIVE YOU AN EARWORM!

HungryJoe

How many other Rick Astley songs can you name?

"Together Forever" was another one of his that got a lot of air time in the 80s. It sounds very similar to "Never Gonna Give You Up".

Funfetus

Sinead O'Connor

To be fair, she probably would've been more than a one-hit wonder if it weren't for the thing with the photo of the Pope.

Sail

It's because a lot of these bands gain attention because their hit song is based off a novel concept that, for whatever reason, doesn't continue to be popular after the initial novelty has worn off.

Steve Albini once did a really good lecture where he described this phenomenon from a more or less objective perspective. He said that novel concepts are temporarily diverting, but ultimately irrelevant. Today, lots of people cite The Ramones as an influence, but no one cites Wang Chung as an influence, despite the fact that they were way more popular in their day than The Ramones. The music from the 80s that people regard today as being the most important or most influential are, by and large, the more simplistic and the more naturalistic recordings. The most highly produced, popular music is not typically what survives and proves to be significant.

And while we're posting one-hit wonders...

Viga

I get knocked down, but I get again...

Yeah, I'm looking up all the one hit wonders I liked in the 90's. Oh mans! I'm finding stuff I haven't listened to in years. In some cases, it should of stayed that way.

You always get what give.
I smell sex and candy and cherry mmmmmmmmmm....
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, everyone in the car let go ride...
And this? Well it was like my theme song until I was 16 or so.

Nukerjsr

It's hard to think about some one-hit wonders really...but here's my go.



and



It's easiest to fish around the 80s for 1 hit wonders. But I'm not sure why we have a large amount of them. Perhaps many people just catch lightning in a bottle and run with it.

HungryJoe

The Kingsmen. /thread.

Sail

The Kingsmen. /thread.

And The Kingsmen didn't even write that song.

Geo

The Kingsmen. /thread.

HAH! Thread has not been ended.

Viga

EARWORM!

All the things she said! All the things she said! Running through my head...
Oh my god Becky! Look at her butt!

TheWhaleShark

Late middle school and high school was dominated by a bunch of alternative bands with no staying power.

EDIT: One more, for nostalgia's sake. This thread is making me feel old.

Vhdblood

One of my all time favorites:

Churba

All the things she said! All the things she said! Running through my head...

That actually sounds a lot better in russian, because for most of us, you can't understand a goddamned thing they're saying, but it's still a good tune.

Viga

All the things she said! All the things she said! Running through my head...

That actually sounds a lot better in russian, because for most of us, you can't understand a goddamned thing they're saying, but it's still a good tune.

So it's like the Nena situation.

Churba

So it's like the Nena situation.

Exactly, Except the women from Tatu are hot, and Russian sounds more awesome than German.

Sail

All the things she said! All the things she said! Running through my head...

That actually sounds a lot better in russian, because for most of us, you can't understand a goddamned thing they're saying, but it's still a good tune.

So it's like the Nena situation.

No, it's not like the Nena situation.

Funfetus

No, it's not like the Nena situation.

It's not like the Goldfinger situation either.
I know that doesn't make sense, I just wanted to post this version.

Sail

No, it's not like the Nena situation.

It's not like the Goldfinger situation either.
I know that doesn't make sense, I just wanted to post this version.

This is a good version too. But, oh god, related videos. People post this song as being by AFI -_-

Wish I could find the NOFX 99 Red Balloons. The actual NOFX version, because people post the 7 Seconds one as being by NOFX too

Cramit

A true one hit wonder. The original song failed, and the remix was a one time thing.

Tom's Diner

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