Top 10 Greatest One Hit Wonders of All Time

Norman Greenbaum [a]
As soon as that guitar riff starts, you know you're in for a good time. Infusing elements of faith–based lyricism and rock and roll, Norman Greenbaum's “Spirit in the Sky” appeals to everybody, even if they aren't religious. It easily sailed up the charts after nearly not being released at all, peaking at #3. Even other rock legends, such as John Lennon, complimented it. While it seemed like it could've signalled the beginning of a long career in music for Greenbaum, he was never able to replicate the same success. By the 1980s, his star had all but faded, but “Spirit in the Sky” has ensured that he'll live on in the hearts — and speakers — of listeners for years to come.

Dexys Midnight Runners
Sometimes, all it takes is one song to cement your legacy for generations to come. Between the constant fiddle played throughout and the upbeat vibe, “Come On Eileen” quickly differentiated itself from other tracks found on the charts. It became an immediate crowd pleaser, and even prevented Michael Jackson from earning consecutive #1 hit songs. Dexys Midnight Runners were primed to become the next big thing, but their following single failed to reach as many listeners within the United States, quickly leading to them fading from the spotlight. Now, their legacy mostly lives on at sporting events and amongst fans of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”— but for a fleeting moment, they nearly had it all.

Gotye feat. Kimbra
Fame isn't for everybody, but that's hard to know for sure until it happens to you. Gotye got a taste of the high life after the immense success of “Somebody That I Used to Know,” which hit #1 worldwide and even earned him two Grammy awards. Despite the mass acclaim, it soon became clear that it didn't fulfill him. A few years later in 2014, he went on an official solo hiatus, all but confirming his solo retirement. The decision was shocking, as it was clear from both his hit and the rest of his work that he had what it took to succeed. While he's teased other iterations of his biggest hit, his passion seems to lie in performing with his band, The Basics.

Soft Cell
Some songs were just made to be successful. “Tainted Love” first found a bit of love as an R&B inspired track, but it wasn't until Soft Cell infused it with synths that it truly blew up. It even became so popular that it spent forty three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the popularity of the sound, their time in the sun didn't last long. They found some success in the United Kingdom, but elsewhere, they didn't have much luck. Their decline in popularity combined with their personal troubles led to them disbanding in 1984. Although they've reunited a few times since then, nothing they've released has come close to the magic that was “Tainted Love.”

The Knack
For a fleeting moment, they seemed to capture the same magic that The Beatles found early on in their career. When it first dropped, “My Sharona” quickly sold over a million copies, earning it gold status. Inspired by the lead singer's relationship with his actual girlfriend at the time, it ended up resonating with young romantics everywhere. Unlike their British counterparts, they weren't able to maintain their success on the charts. Their following albums failed to make the same waves as their initial release, resulting in them disbanding for the first time in 1986. Now, “My Sharona” is the only remaining proof of their former reign at the top.

Toni Basil
It may be a cover, but she's the reason the song became the hit it is today. Before Toni Basil got her hands on it, “Mickey”— formerly known as “Kitty” by Racey[b] — didn't have half the embellishments it does today. She added the cheerleader aesthetic and sound, morphing it into a smash single that's still beloved to this day. It was clear by her ability to craft hits that she could've become the next main pop girl. Unfortunately, her success began and ended with “Mickey,” with her other attempts ending up on the dance charts but not the main ones. Her final album was released in 1983, and a return to acting signalled the end of her short lived music career soon after.

Dead or Alive
While there are several songs that helped define the sound of the 1980s, few do so quite as well as this one. “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” was a perfect fusion of trends from disco to new wave. It's still regarded as one of the best of its time, but it wasn't enough to ensure a long term career for its creators. Dead or Alive released several other songs, but a combination of label interference and unapologetic lyrics led to them not reaching the same widespread audience they had before. However, their hit has long since outlasted their tenure, with other artists interpolating it decades after first releasing it.

Nena
A political message and a bop all wrapped in one — who could ask for anything more? Fun in both German and English, the former helped “99 Luftballons” reach #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Listeners adored the deceptively cheery production that cleverly masked lyrics calling for the end to war. While it helped them early on in their career, it soon became clear that Nena’s immense success was a double-edged sword. They were unfortunately never able to garner the same love for their other singles, even after they were translated from their original language. Their audience numbers continued to dwindle, with the group unceremoniously breaking up in 1987 without another hit.

The Buggles
With intelligent lyrics and an ever-relevant message that still applies to art today, it's no wonder this track had two separate peaks. While the Buggles found initial success with 1979’s “Video Killed the Radio Star” in the United Kingdom, it wasn't until it helped launch MTV in 1981 that it cemented its lasting reputation. Although it had an immediate impact both with listeners and critics, the band never really toured or made many large-scale appearances. They were also largely considered washed-up by studio executives, making it easy for the members to move on to other projects. Though their time was short lived, the impact they made with just one track cannot be overstated.

a-ha
Given how prevalent it is in pop culture today, it's hard to believe that this barely even grazed the charts when it was first released. It wasn’t until a-ha tried releasing “Take On Me” a second time that it became the phenomenon it is now. The impressively sweeping vocals coupled with the breathtaking music video helped the re-release easily hit #1 in several different countries. Their success was akin to a flame, in that it burned bright and hot, only to peter out shortly afterwards. Though they released their second album shortly after their big song’s success, it struggled to reach the same sales numbers, and as such, their fan base began to dwindle as well.