Top 10 Musicians Who Saved Their Careers with One Song

Top-10-Musicians-Who-Saved-Their-Careers-with-One-Song

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 musicians who suffered a flop, scandal, or simply bad fortune but singlehandedly revived their careers with one song.

#10: Jonas Brothers

“Sucker” (2019)

Over a decade after they were first burnin’ up the charts, the Jo Bros hit their biggest peak yet. In 2013, the Jonas Brothers disappointed fans when they canceled their tour, announced their split, and pursued solo careers and side projects. This period lasted until 2019, when they finally announced their reunion. Kevin, Joe, and Nick were all on board for “Sucker,” their comeback single, which blew their past success out of the water. While it was unknown if the group’s grown-up fans from their Disney era would still be interested in their music, they came out in droves to support “Sucker.” The song went #1 and five times platinum, with nearly everyone relaminating their Jonas Brothers stan cards.

#9: P!nk

“U + Ur Hand” (2006)

Despite its title, “Try This,” many listeners skipped over P!nk’s third studio album. None of the singles caught on, so she went back to the drawing board for its follow-up, aptly titled “I’m Not Dead.” While the lead single, “Stupid Girls” was a moderate success, second single “Who Knew” didn’t go too far. Thankfully, her next song, “U + Ur Hand” was bold and controversial enough to halt her unlucky streak. With a catchy tune and explicit lyrics about shutting down creepy guys at the club, it had more longevity than P!nk’s other recent songs and set her back on the right track. Following the success of “U + Ur Hand,” she re-released “Who Knew,” which became one of her most enduring hits to date.

#8: Train

“Hey Soul Sister” (2009)

Here’s a song that refuses to leave our left side brains. After “Drops of Jupiter” and some minor hits, many thought Train had left the station for good. The group took a multi-year hiatus in 2006 after their fourth album “For Me, It’s You” underperformed, and it seemed unlikely they’d recapture their early success. But after releasing “Hey Soul Sister” in 2009, it slowly climbed up the Hot 100 until reaching a peak of #3 in 2010. The Jason Mraz-esque ukulele song received mixed reviews for its corny lyrics, but it undeniably sounded like a massive smash. “Hey Soul Sister” even surpassed “Drops of Jupiter” in popularity, becoming Train’s signature song over a decade into their mainstream career.

#7: Aerosmith

“Walk This Way” (1986)

If you thought the Bad Boys from Boston were content to stay a ‘70s band, dream on. After guitarist Joe Perry’s 1979 firing, singer Steven Tyler’s substance issues, and diminishing musical returns, Aerosmith had a rough go in the early-to-mid 1980s. Even when they reconciled with Perry, their 1985 album “Done with Mirrors” wasn’t the comeback the group hoped for. Instead, that would happen a year later in the form of “Walk This Way,” Run-DMC’s remake of Aerosmith’s 1975 hit. The rap group’s version, which included contributions from Tyler and Perry, resurrected Aerosmith’s career out of left field and granted crossover success to both bands. For the rest of the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, Aerosmith fans wouldn’t want to miss a thing.

#6: Marvin Gaye

“Sexual Healing” (1982)

One of Motown’s defining artists, Marvin Gaye is synonymous with the soul music of the 1960s and early ‘70s. Sadly, the next decade was rough for him. Gaye experienced depression, addiction, and tax issues, and one of his unfinished songs was put on his 1981 album, “In Our Lifetime,” by Motown against his wishes. After parting ways with the label, Gaye went back to his roots with “Sexual Healing.” Updating the subject matter of his earlier hit, “Let’s Get It On,” the 1982 song was a sultry slow jam with funk elements. “Sexual Healing” scored Gaye his first two Grammys, nearly 20 years into his career. While Gaye would tragically die less than two years later, “Sexual Healing” allowed him to enjoy a career revival.

#5: Britney Spears

“Womanizer” (2008)

The Princess of Pop has never left the public’s radar, but she’s had periods of staying there for all the wrong reasons. Britney Spears’ music career was doing fine when she saved it with 2008’s “Womanizer” -- her previous album “Blackout” remains a fan-favorite to this day. However, she was just coming out the other side of her tumultuous personal life and it was unknown how it would impact her career. Thankfully, the obnoxiously catchy “Womanizer” showed that Britney’s struggles wouldn’t impact her hit-making abilities. The song became her first #1 since her debut single, “...Baby One More Time,” and included a hit music video that served as the sequel to “Toxic.” Just when people thought she was slipping under, Britney found the perfect antidote.

#4: Cher

“Believe” (1998)

Mariah Carey may be known as the Songbird Supreme, but Cher is more like a phoenix. She’s practically immortal, always rising from the ashes and reinventing herself just when people are close to counting her out. Her most impressive pivot came in the late ‘90s, after health struggles, unsuccessful releases, and the death of Sonny Bono, her ex-husband and former duet partner. Cher’s comeback single, “Believe,” had a whole new sound, and we don’t just mean a change in genre. Besides having a club-ready Eurodance vibe, it became one of the first hit songs to use Auto-Tune. Going #1 and earning Cher a Grammy for Best Dance Recording, “Believe” restored everyone’s faith in the Goddess of Pop.

#3: Santana

“Smooth” (1999)

Man, it’s a hot one…hundred chart-topper! In 1999, Carlos Santana and his eponymous band made one of music’s most random comebacks. Not being anywhere near the top of their game since the early 1980s, Santana stopped releasing new albums altogether following 1992’s “Milagro.” However, after Carlos Santana had a meeting with record exec Clive Davis in the mid-1990s, the band began work on “Supernatural,” their blockbuster return to commercial relevance. The much-memed lead single, “Smooth,” featured vocals from Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty and compared love to a sweltering heat wave. With an updated sound, infectious guitar hook, and a current name in the mix, “Smooth” not only saved Santana’s career and legacy, but gave them some coveted pop crossover appeal.

#2: Tina Turner

“What’s Love Got to Do With It” (1984)

With just one song, the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll went from a secondhand emotion to the first artist on everyone’s minds. Tina Turner first rose to fame in a duo with then-husband Ike Turner in the 1960s, although they stopped working together in 1976 and divorced two years later. While Tina’s first few solo works didn’t take off, that changed when she took a five-year hiatus and returned with the 1984 album “Private Dancer.” One single, “What’s Love Got to Do With It”, was a modern, sexy rebrand that kickstarted her comeback as a free single woman ready to mingle with solo success. At the time, Tina became the oldest woman to top the Billboard Hot 100 at 44 years old.

#1: Mariah Carey

“We Belong Together” (2005)

Most people associate glitter with parties and celebrations, but in Mariah Carey’s case, it majorly derailed her career. The 2001 movie and soundtrack album “Glitter” were poorly-received commercial disappointments, and Carey’s 2003 follow-up album “Charmbracelet” failed to mitigate the damage. Thankfully, she got back on track for her next album, 2005’s “The Emancipation of Mimi” — particularly on the single “We Belong Together.” Interestingly, the R&B ballad lamenting a failed relationship could almost be read as a response to her declining career. Fortunately for Carey, the song totally turned things around. It became one of the longest-running #1 songs in history and spawned a feature-length comeback with “The Emancipation,” showing that Mariah Carey and the top spot truly do belong together.

Which currently struggling artist do you think deserves a comeback? Let us know in the comments.