Heartbreaking tales of these fleeting stars
Rumors abound that 'Pass the Dutchie' really meant passing around a joint, although Musical Youth insist it was in fact about a Dutch cooking pot. Whatever was being passed around in 1982, it brought international success for the British schoolboys, hitting the Billboard top 10 and earning them a Grammy nomination. But although they had some chart success on home soil, few could name any Musical Youth tunes other than this one.
Nena was a surprise success in the US with this anti-war pop song sung in her native German. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, but subsequent singles failed to bring success outside Europe.
The title might come as a surprise to some—many people know this song by the chorus refrain: "I would walk 500 miles." Although they've had longstanding success in the UK and are musical heroes in their native Scotland, this 1988 pop stomper was The Proclaimers' only song to chart in the United States.
The American alternative rock group's catchy call-to-arms was all over radio waves in 1993, when 'What's Up?' topped the charts around the world. Taken from their one-and-done album 'Bigger, Better, Faster, More!,' it's still an indie anthem.
Sugarhill Gang made musical history with their first and only hit record, 'Rapper's Delight.' It's widely acknowledged as the world's first rap song, and the game-changing tune reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and scaled the charts internationally.
It's appeared in more than 20 TV films and shows since its release, making 'Wipe Out' a stone cold classic. Originally intended as a B-side, 'Wipe Out' spent four months on the Billboard chart. But the Surfaris never managed to ride the wave of popularity with subsequent releases.
Greenbaum's only success, 'Spirit in the Sky' reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and lingered in the upper reaches of the charts for weeks. It was a major hit internationally, and has spawned several cover versions.
Comic-book quintet the Archies might be seen as the 1960s predecessor to Damon Albarn's 'virtual band' Gorillaz. First appearing in the comic strip 'Life with Archie' and later on the animated TV show of the same name, the fictional band scored a real-life hit with bubblegum-pop classic 'Sugar Sugar,' which topped the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-ups achieved moderate success, but it's 'Sugar Sugar' that lives on.
Europop anthem 'Saturday Night,' and the song's accompanying dance moves, soundtracked many a summer disco in the early 1990s. It was a moderate dancefloor hit in the United States, and a smash hit elsewhere.
Another hit single that spawned a dance craze, Spanish band Los del Río's one-off hit 'Macarena' is one of the biggest Latin pop hits of all time. It was a slow burn sensation: beginning life in 1992, it wasn't until the Bayside Boys remixed the song in 1995 that 'Macarena' began to gain attention. It topped the Billboard charts in 1996, and stayed in pole position for 14 weeks.
Bobby McFerrin's cheerful tune was the first a cappella song to top the Billboard chart. A smash hit worldwide, it was a shift in musical style for McFerrin, who is better known as a jazz composer. He returned to his musical roots shortly after, and didn't release any further hits.
The baby-faced Hanson brothers did have a degree of success with follow-ups, but the uber-catchy 'MMMbop' was their only Billboard number one, and the only Hanson song that lives on in the musical memory banks.
Chumbawamba were little known outside the UK indie-rock scene when they released this uncharacteristically-poppy single. Taken from their 1997 album 'Tubthumper,' it hit number six on the Billboard charts before the band slid into relative obscurity again.
Bucket-hatted front man Gregg Alexander led indie-poppers New Radicals to worldwide success with this single taken from their first, and only, album, 'Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too.' It didn't top the charts, but was a radio and music TV mainstay for much of the late '90s, and has appeared on several film soundtracks, too.
Anybody who watched MTV during the early '90s will recall the music video to Blind Melon's only chart success. It featured a young girl dancing around in a bumble bee suit, and was a classic of its time.
It was impossible to escape Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used to Know' in 2012. The song was everywhere, topping charts in more than 20 countries, including the United States. The video was on constant music TV rotation, but while the subsequent album sold well, future singles failed to set the charts alight.
'Whoomp! (There It Is)' brought multi-platinum mainstream success for Miami bass duo Tag Team, and can still be relied upon to get a party started decades later. Follow-ups failed to have the same impact, however.
Working with fellow rapper Krayzie Bone on 'Ridin'' brought number one Billboard chart success for Chamillionaire. This catchy number from the rapper's debut solo album made waves across the musical world, but he hasn't found major chart success since.
They had quite a few hits in their native UK, but 'Unbelievable' was the only EMF song to make a mark on the Billboard charts. The instant indie classic stormed to number one, and regularly crops up on TV and radio.
Silentó's debut single peaked at number three on the Billboard charts, with dancers the world over copying his slick moves. But the success was short-lived, and things took a sinister turn in February 2021 when the singer was arrested on suspicion of his cousin's murder.
The first music video ever played on MTV in 1981, the Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star' failed to make an impact on the US market when it was released in 1979. Nevertheless, it has become a one-off classic for the British act.
"Alright stop, collaborate and listen," sang Vanilla Ice over the hook from Queen's 'Under Pressure.' And the world did listen, with 'Ice Ice Baby' hurtling to the top of singles charts worldwide. He could perhaps be more accurately considered a 'two-hit wonder,' as 1991's 'Play That Funky Music' had a degree of success, but Vanilla Ice will be forever remembered for 'Ice Ice Baby.'
Sources: (Insider) (Business Insider) (Billboard)
See also: The best debut albums of all time
Under his stage name Lou Bega, German singer David Lubega scored a worldwide smash hit with his jazzy homage to all the ladies he would like a "little bit of." The song was a cover of a 1949 song by Cuban musician Dámaso Pérez Prado, but that early version didn't enjoy success, and nor did Bega's follow-up singles.
The Rembrandts were already making music with low-key success before they soundtracked the theme tune to 'Friends,' but it was the mega-successful show that catapulted them to stardom. It was to be their defining musical moment.
Known as Dexys in the UK, the band have enjoyed long-term success on home turf, but their 1983 banger 'Come On Eileen' was their one-and-only US chart hit, hitting number one on the Billboard chart.
This sassy disco anthem reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and is still a guaranteed floor filler decades after its release.
Mr. Big topped the US Hot 100 with 'To Be with You' in 1991, and was number one in 15 countries. But subsequent singles failed to replicate that success. One later chart attempt saw them reach number 16, but 'To Be with You' is the only song getting airplay to this day.
Norwegian band A-ha were hugely successful in Europe for much of the 1980s, but only managed one hit in the United States. 'Take on Me,' with its memorable music video in which a comic-strip version of heartthrob singer Morten Harket comes to life, helped them top the Billboard Hot 100.
This ode to the curvier female earned rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot a five-week stint at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. He's written and produced quite a few songs since, but has never been able to top this song about bottoms.
Some bands and artists have careers spanning decades, while others create one perfect pop moment and then vanish from the musical radar altogether. Sending radio airwaves into a frenzy, these one-hit-wonders all seemed bound for big things, but never managed to replicate their chart-busting success.
Curious? Get clicking on this gallery to see how many of these one-off hits you can remember.
Do you remember these one-hit wonders?
They set the dancefloor on fire, but then they disappeared...
MUSIC Pop music
Some bands and artists have careers spanning decades, while others create one perfect pop moment and then vanish from the musical radar altogether. Sending radio airwaves into a frenzy, these one-hit-wonders all seemed bound for big things, but never managed to replicate their chart-busting success.
Curious? Get clicking on this gallery to see how many of these one-off hits you can remember.