Over 2000 One Hit Wonder Songs!!
Last Update 01/10/16
Novelty One Hit Wonders
Since the term was introduced in the late 1970s, this pop-influenced, artistic punk music had grown into one of the most popular music style in the first half of the 1980s. Lots of artists began to experiment with sounds like never before. Many new techniques and instruments, especially electronics, were introduced in order to create the artists’ new original style. Its close associated with pop art and avant-garde music videos made it one of the most colorful period in music history, and the perfect companion for the newly emerged media - Music Television or MTV. Now popular music does not limit to just the paper chart, but also through the airplay. Here are the samples of those artists whose experiments could not grant them more than one lone hit.
- Artist
- Kraftwerk
- Year
- 1975
- Song
- Autobahn
- Chart
- 25
Known as the granddaddy of all electronic bands, this German instrumental group has been experimenting with synthesizer since early 70s. Their break through came in 1974 with an album 'Autobahn'. The 22-minute long title track (later edited to mere 3-minute) became a hit in several countries and finally broke into US Billboard chart the following year. It was their only US hit so far.
- Artist
- The Rods
- Year
- 1977
- Song
- Do Anything You Wanna Do
- Chart
- UK 7
Eddie & the Hot Rods was a pub rock group the emerged during the early day of punk rock in UK. Their biggest score was "Do Anything You Wann Do", which was credited to simply 'The Rods' and roared up to no.7 hit on UK chart in 1977. However, the band could not continue their popularity and eventually disbanded in 1980.
- Artist
- Plastic Bertrand
- Year
- 1978
- Song
- Ça Plane Pour Moi
- Chart
- 47
In 1977, a Belgium musician Roger Jouret (AKA Plastic Bertrand) created a song, which was probably one of the first new wave record ever to enter an American chart. This punk-alike, novelty record became no.47 hit on Billboard chart and no.8 hit on UK chart the following year. It was the only international success for this Belgium musician.
- Artist
- Jilted John
- Year
- 1978
- Song
- Jilted John
- Chart
- UK 4
Jilted John was an alter ego of a British comedian Graham David Fellows. He was known for his debut singles "Jilted John". The novelty pop record with punk-influence became a national chart in 1978. However, his next two singles could not catch public attention, and Fellows stopped being Jilted John soon after.
- Artist
- Tubeway Army
- Year
- 1979
- Song
- Are 'Friends' Electric?
- Chart
- UK 1
Tubeway Army was a punk group formed in the late 1970s by Gary Numan, Paul Gardiner and Jess Lidyard. Their moment came with the release of their second LP, Replica, in 1979. The synthesized song "Are Friends Electric?" topped the UK chart the same year and established Numan as an electro-punk leader. Numan left to release his own solo debut two months later.
- Artist
- Nick Lowe
- Year
- 1979
- Song
- Cruel To Be Kind
- Chart
- 12
An English musician and producer Nick Lowe was well-known for his works with Elvis Costello. He produced Costello's first five albums and wrote some of Costello's hits. He had a couple of his own hits on UK chart in late 1970s. But only his 1979 "Cruel to be Kind", a co-written with Ian Gomm, became a hit in US, which landed at no.12 that summer. It remains his only US hit to date.
- Artist
- Bram Tchaikovsky
- Year
- 1979
- Song
- Girl of My Dreams
- Chart
- 37
Bram Tchaikovsky was the name of a British power pop band and its lead singer, who actived for only a few years near the end of the 1970s. The band scored their only hit in 1979 with "Girl of My Dreams". The singles became a Top40 hit on US Billboard chart. After released their third album in 1981, they disbanded.
- Artist
- Dr. Feelgood
- Year
- 1979
- Song
- Milk and Alcohol
- Chart
- UK 9
Dr. Feelgood is a pub rock group that has been active in the music scene ever since their formation in the mid 1970s. Just like other punk groups, they rarely appear on the mainstream chart. Their best effort was the punk record "Milk and Alcohol" which climbed to Top10 spot on UK chart in 1979. They produced a few more small hits before vanish from the chart in 1981.
- Artist
- M
- Year
- 1979
- Song
- Pop Muzik
- Chart
- 1
This simple, yet strange, song about pop music itself was the brainchild of a British singer Robin Scott, widely known as M. It became an instant pop classic and top the Billboard chart in 1979. Its popularity sparked the new wave trend in America music. Although Scott continued to released singles for the next couple years, he was never heard in US again.
- Artist
- The Buggles
- Year
- 1979
- Song
- Video Killed The Radio Star
- Chart
- 40
The British musician duo, Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes, formed the The Buggles in late 70s. In 1979, they released their debut singles "Video Killed the Radio Star" about how video technology would replace radio as music medium. This synthetic pop song became a hit in 1979. It was later chosen to be the first music video to be aired on MTV in 1981 - a very fitting for the start of music television era.
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