One-hit wonders is a label that few artists want to be associated with. A famous song early in one’s career can either be the beginning of lifelong fame or a benchmark that’s impossible to surpass. And to keep the momentum after a global hit can be far more difficult than many realize. That’s why, in this article, we will explore the 10 biggest one-hit wonders of all time.
What is a one-hit wonder?
A one-hit wonder is an artist or band that achieves major success with a single song, while their other releases receive far less attention. These songs often become global hits, even if the artist never reaches the same level of success again.
For this list, a “one-hit wonder” does not always mean that the artist had no other big succesful songs. Instead , it refers to artists that is mostly associated with one major hit song.
Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know
You probably know it from the ridiculously DIY-esque music video including body paint which allegedly took 23 hours to paint. Gotye’s 2011 breakup anthem has managed to rack up over 2.3 billion streams on Spotify and averages just under one million streams per day. Aside from remixes, his second biggest song has just over 55 million streams. The song, including remixes, makes up almost 89% of his total streams. He has since formed a political party and started a record label.
Wheatus – Teenage Dirtbag
The song of the early 2000s is undoubtedly Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag.” Maybe you know it from the impressive falsetto bridge sung by the lead singer Brendan B. Brown. In an interview with Ticketmaster he said “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. I try to get a lot of sleep. I warm up sometimes over an hour before we go on stage. There are times when I’m sick or tired where that voice is almost not available to me, and I have to really figure something out”. The debut single accounts for over 95% of the band’s total Spotify streams.
Icona Pop – I Love It
Originally written by Charli XCX in 20 minutes in a Swedish hotel room, the song came to be a wild success under the name “I Love It” performed by the Swedish pop duo Icona Pop. The breakup anthem has managed to get a five-time RIAA platinum certification and over 2 billion streams. Icona Pop are not a traditional one-hit wonder, but “I Love It” remains by far their most internationally recognized song.
a-ha – Take On Me
After being released three times and constantly flopping, the 1980s hit song Take On Me finally took off after being released with an animated music video created by Michael Patterson. It took the Norwegian band three years to record but ultimately paid off after spending 27 weeks at the Billboard Hot 100. Although Nena had more success in German-speaking countries, “99 Luftballons” remains the song most international listeners associate with the band.
Caramella Girls – Caramelldansen
Originally performed by the Swedish pop group Caramell, Caramelldansen started gaining serious traction first when a nightcore version was released in 2006. A DJ by the name of speedycake accidentally played the track almost 20% faster than its original tempo, but to his surprise people seemed to like it a lot. The song was then rebranded and released under “Caramella Girls”, a virtual group consisting of the three members Nadine, Vera and Mindy. The song was translated to over 20 different languages and accounts for almost 90% of the group’s total streams.
Nena – 99 Luftballons
The anti-war song, 99 Luftballons, was released during the height of the Cold War by the West German band Nena. The song tells a story about how 99 air balloons get released into the air and get mistaken for UFOs from outer space resulting in a war. The lead singer told the Guardian “The word career didn’t even exist in our vocabulary” and was thankful that the song even charted internationally.
House of Pain – Jump Around
The hip hop group House of Pain released “Jump Around” in 1992, built around a sample from the jazz recording “Harlem Shuffle”. The instrumental was produced by DJ Muggs who initially offered it to Cypress Hill and Ice Cube who both rejected it. The music video was filmed in rowdy bars during New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day in 1992.
Rednex – Cotton Eye Joe
Many think that the famous song Cotton Eye Joe is as rural American as it gets, but the fact is that it’s written and performed by a Swedish group. The song is a rework of the old country song “Cotton Eyed-Joe” from the 1800s. The producers named the group Rednex and recruited five performers to represent the band in interviews. Dressed as stereotypical hillbillies, they adopted fake names like Bobby Sue, Billy Ray, and Ken Tacky. The song remains the band’s only major international hit.
MAGIC! – Rude
The song Rude is based on a real-life argument between the lead singer Nasri Atweh and his girlfriend at the time. The song discusses the theme of getting a future father-in-law’s approval. The song received backlash for being sexist and Vice famously called the band “evil Canadian Reggae Robots”. The song spent six weeks at the number one spot in the Billboard Hot 100.
Ylvis – The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)
In 2012 and 2013, internet trends helped songs become international mega hits. Gangnam Style, Harlem Shake and the ridiculous Norwegian song “The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?). The song was born out of a skit on a talk show hosted by the Norwegian comedians, Vegard and Bard Ylvisåker (who also are brothers). The concept was to make the worst song imaginable then have it produced by Stargate in New York. After making a cheap music video with costumes borrowed from the Norwegian Film Institute, they uploaded the video to YouTube.
Within a week, it had garnered over 10 million views. Within a month, the brother duo had signed with Warner Music Group. Unfortunately, the song remains the band’s only one to chart anywhere. The duo seems to have since been dropped by Warner and released their latest single independently. Despite their continued work, the duo remains primarily known as a viral one-hit wonder.
Conclusion
One-hit wonders may only have one major hit, but their impact on music history is undeniable. Many artists go on to have long and fruitful careers, while others quit music while still earning good money from royalties. Some of these songs became unexpected global hits, and in many cases, that one song is enough to leave a permanent mark on popular culture.