One-hit wonders, you’ve gotta love them. It is always a bit sad to see them drift off after the big initial splash. Rather than muse over the hit singles, it might be time to see where some of my favorite one-hit wonders are up to now.
Joan Osborne
Rising to fame thanks to her recording of “One of Us”, Joan Osborne was everywhere in the mid-1990s. Sadly, her run on the Billboard charts turned into her being one of the many one-hit wonders featured today. She’s still quite active as a musician and also does work as a political activist.
New Radicals
Alternative rock was one of the dominant genres to come out of the 1990s. The New Radicals scored a hit with “You Get What You Give” which topped the charts around the world. Wider fame wasn’t meant to be sadly, as is the case with so many one-hit wonders. New Radicals are still touring but it isn’t the original line-up.
Gotye
Australian singer-songwriter Gotye lit up the charts with his hit single “Somebody I Used to Know.” Sadly, as is the case with many one-hit wonders, this didn’t translate to wider international fame. These days, Gotye is still doing music with a planned fourth studio album in the works.
Des’ree
This one is a bit divisive, and that’s alright. Des’ree is best known in the States for her single, “You Gotta Be.” She is still quite popular in the United Kingdom, her home country. Des’ree still works in music but has largely taken it easy from the big hits.
Semisonic
I don’t know what high schools would’ve done without Semisonic’s “Closing Time” to mark high school graduations. The band might be regarded as a one-hit wonder, but Semisonic is still very active. There were a series of shows played after 2020, with most of the band reuniting.
Plain White T’s
“Hey There Delilah” was heard in guitar stores all over during the mid-2000s. You couldn’t escape the chokehold Plain White T’s had on the nation. Like many of the one-hit wonders featured on this list, that didn’t translate to lasting success on the charts. The band is still going strong, but the line-up has gone through some changes.
Edwyn Collins
“A Girl Like You” was a bit of a departure for singer Edwyn Collins, who was more at home with the moody post-punk of the 1980s. That said, as with many one-hit wonders, you’re likely humming the words to yourself right now. Collins is still going strong after a bout with aphasia and months of recovery after two cerebral hemorrhages.
4 Non Blondes
“What’s Up?” is one of those enduring songs of the 1990s, and by a landmark group. 4 Non Blondes was spearheaded by singer and guitarist Linda Perry, who is still quite active in the music scene. The band itself was disbanded in 1994, shortly after Perry’s departure.
Right Said Fred
1991 saw the release of the immediately catchy “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred. As with many one-hit wonders, the buzz around the band was intense and white-hot for a brief period before fizzling out. These days the band is still going strong, despite some controversial viewpoints.
Fountains of Wayne
The band behind “Stacy’s Mom” had a surprisingly long tenure. Fountains of Wayne got their start in 1996, going through until 2011. Sadly, they have a sadder fate than many of the other one-hit wonders featured today. Founding member Adam Schlesinger passed away from complications due to COVID-19 in 2020.
Psy
Chances are a decade ago, you were finding it impossible to escape “Gangnam Style.” South Korean artist Psy never really lost his touch, but his star has certainly faded in the United States. Unlike many one-hit wonders, Psy’s career is still going as strong as ever in his homeland.
James Blunt
“You’re Beautiful” was impossible to avoid if you went to any coffee shop in 2004. Artist James Blunt never really stopped working, despite what you might think. Blunt has had an interesting career, serving as part of the UN Peacekeeping operation in Kosovo before setting his eyes on pop music.
Snow Patrol
I’ll level with you guys and say I love Snow Patrol. The band itself hails from Scotland and went through a few different names before settling on the name that made them famous. As far as one-hit wonders go, I’ll say that Snow Patrol is one of the strongest groups to come out of the 2000s. With well over 20 years under their belts, the band is still going strong today.
House of Pain
I went to around 8 different senior proms, and every single one played a song from one of the most infamous one-hit wonders to come out of the ’90s. House of Pain’s biggest single is “Jump Around” and you can bet you’ll get people moving with it. The group is effectively disbanded these days, but rapper Everlast did have another big hit with “What It’s Like.”
Harvey Danger
The late ’90s were inundated with one-hit wonders trying to fill the void left by Nirvana. The band behind “Flag Pole Sitta,” Harvey Danger, was among a throng of artists like Bush, 3 Doors Down, and Matchbox Twenty. Sadly, Harvey Danger no longer exists, the band broke up for good in 2009.
Jimmy Eat World
Pop-punk was all in the rage in the early 2000s. Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” seemed to speak to the zeitgeist of teens of the era. Interestingly, like many one-hit wonders, Jimmy Eat World has soldiered on, releasing consistent albums for the last 33 years.
Digable Planets
The late ’80s and early ’90s saw no shortage of hip-hop groups come to the fore. For one-hit wonders like Digable Planets, it helped to show there was hip-hop for literally everyone. The cool jazz-infused “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” helped usher in groups like A Tribe Called Quest. 2005 would see the trio reunited, with a live album recorded in 2016.
Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Sometimes, one-hit wonders break out for songs that are completely unlike the rest of their output. Dexy’s Midnight Runners have a heavy soul bent through much of their music, something that surprised me on a deep dive. Dexy’s is still going strong, with their sixth studio album released in 2022.
Soft Cell
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Synthesizers dominated much of the pop music to come out of the 1980s. For British duo Soft Cell, their biggest hit came in the form of “Tainted Love.” Sadly, like with so many one-hit wonders, the group wasn’t able to compete with the giants in the same space like Depeche Mode and Duran Duran. Soft Cell broke up in 1983 and has gone through a few reunions in the decades since.
Toni Basil
I guarantee you that if I start singing the chorus for this one-hit wonder, you’ll join in immediately. Toni Basil never really intended to be a pop star, but her song “Mickey” ignited the charts in 1982. Basil is best known as a choreographer, working with dancers since the 1960s. She’s still active today, having recently worked with Quentin Tarantino on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Nena
German singer Nena reached international fame with the release of her “99 Luftballoons.” The charming song had a darker meaning, covering the fear and anxiety of the late Cold War period. Her star never faded in Germany, where the singer has enjoyed continued success since 2002 with a successful run of albums.
Modern English
“I Melt with You” almost didn’t end up being in the hands of this one-hit wonder. Modern English catapulted to international fame with the single, which featured in the end credits sequence of The Breakfast Club. You’d likely be surprised to hear how dark and moody the rest of their output is, however. Modern English is still touring, having recently completed a North American tour in 2023.
Sinead O’Connor
“Nothing Compares 2 U” may have originally been penned by Prince, but Irish singer Sinead O’Connor elevated it with her haunting rendition. Sadly, her time as one of the many one-hit wonders to come out of the 1990s was short-lived. Her controversial stances on the Catholic Church essentially blacklisted her in the industry. O’Connor passed away in 2023 from natural causes.
The Verve
For a few of you out there, you likely remember The Verve as one of the pioneers of shoegaze. For everyone else, they join the ranks of memorable one-hit wonders that dominated the 90s. Interestingly, the band’s hit single, “Bittersweet Symphony,” didn’t result in a big payday. A lawsuit from the Rolling Stones found them at fault for illegal sampling of a Stones song. Since 2009 the band has been broken up for good.
Spandau Ballet
Rounding out our list is Spandau Ballet, best known for “True.” The band itself was part of the wave of English artists that came out of the 1980s. These days Spandau Ballet is sadly defunct. The band called it quits for good in 2019.
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