Top 10 Artists Who Got Overlooked Because of ONE Song

A Thousand Miles (2002)
Back in 2002, you couldnt turn on the radio without hearing those urgent, cascading piano riffs. It then got a second wind thanks to White Chicks in 2004, where Latrells over-the-top love for the song became an instant classic. Funny enough, Vanessa Carlton was never that into the track herself. If shed had more creative control early on, it mightve never even been released. As she matured in the industry, her music followed suither third through fifth albums didnt make waves commercially, but critics loved them. And in 2025, Billboard named her one of the best female artists of the century. Proof shes so much more than just that one song.

Africa (1982)
If you remember this song dominating the airwaves in the early 80s, you mightve felt a serious case of déjà vu in 2018. Thanks to a fan campaign, Weezer covered Totos Africabut not before cheekily trolling fans by dropping another Toto hit first. Naturally, memes exploded across the internet, and even Toto seemed to enjoy the joke. The thing is, Africa keeps coming back because it slaps, but its only one piece of the puzzle. Toto is a genre-hopping powerhouse with multiple Grammys, numerous nominations, and a spot in the Musicians Hall of Fame since 2009. Africa may be the moment, but Totos legacy goes way beyond the memes.

Take On Me (1984)
We know, we knowthe second you hear their name, youre already trying to match pitch with Morten Harket (and if you cracked any glass doing so, please let us know!). But with 11 albums, a stack of awards, and the title of Norways biggest pop export, its wild how underrated A-has discography has become. Theyve always been grateful for what Take On Me did for their career, but instead of chasing a carbon copy, they chose to make music that resonated with them. Sure, that meant fading from the North American spotlight, but their European fanbase never left. Take On Me is iconic, but their catalog is full of shapeshifting pop gems youve probably missed.

Don't Worry, Be Happy (1988)
McFerrins been dodging this song for decades, mostly because he didnt want it to be the song people remembered him for. Yeah that ship kinda sailed. To be fair, we all need a little mood boost sometimes, and Dont Worry, Be Happy is ridiculously catchy. It scored him a Grammy and made history as Billboards first a cappella chart-topper. But McFerrins never been one to coast on a single hit. Hes spent his career pushing boundaries, experimenting with sound and genre, and wowing jazz lovers with a discography that goes way beyond whistling and good vibes. If you truly want to understand his far-reaching talents, its time for a deep dive into his full discography!

Gangnam Style (2012)
Gangnam Style galloped onto the global stage in 2012 with its ridiculously catchy beat and PSYs now-iconic horse-riding dance. The numbera cheeky satire of Seouls high-society flashwent full viral, smashing YouTube records and spawning parodies faster than you could say Oppa. Sure, it felt like a novelty hit, but it cracked the door wide open for K-pop on the global stage. The thing is, PSY wasnt exactly some random viral fluke. Back home, he was already famous for his cheeky lyrics, bold performances, and the kind of dance moves that saw him dubbed The Bizarre Singer. While we were lassoing the air, PSY was quietly stacking awards and proving hes no one-hit pony.

Never Gonna Give You Up (1987)
Nope, youre not being Rickrolledpromise. But for a whole generation, Never Gonna Give You Up is the only Rick Astley song they know. Thanks to that cheeky late-2000s gag, his blue-eyed soul catalog from the late 80s and early 90s basically got buried under a pile of prank links. The song became a pop culture blip, not the prelude to a legit music career. That said, irony can work wonders: the joke actually reignited his fame. Astley leaned in with a grin, took the stage again, and dropped new music that found an audience. Still, for many, hes more Gotcha! than Grammy-level pop-rock, which is a shame, because the mans still got pipes.

Barbie Girl (1997)
You cant hear the name Aqua without instantly picturing Barbie and Ken in all their plastic-fantastic glory. Barbie Girl is a late-90s earworm that took over the worldand never really let go. While the band scored multiple hits in Europe and their debut album Aquarium was a global success, Barbie Girl was so inescapable that it basically became their entire identity in North America. Although with those cheeky lyrics, not everyone was such a big fan. Still, tracks like Doctor Jones and Turn Back Time were solid follow-ups, but nothing matched the seismic splash of that one song. Thats practically an injustice, because Aquas catalog is so much more real than life in plastic and Barbies Dreamhouse.

Friday (2011)
Were not here to fight for Friday. How can we? It felt more like a one-off vanity project (because, well, it kinda was). And yet, in the early days of viral fame, Rebecca Black became the internets favorite punchline. The song was an easy target; the video didnt help, but come onshe was just a teenager! Like were all proud of every decision we ever made at that age!? Still, the internet can be ruthless, and Black took the brunt of it. But did you know she stuck with music? Yes, in adulthood, she found her voice, and her newer tracks are actually cool, thoughtful, and miles away from that infamous front-seat, backseat debate.

Milkshake (2003)
Kelis Milkshake really did bring all the attentionand then some. It was a massive hit, landed her a Grammy nod, and eventually got the Mean Girls seal of immortality. But it also kind of boxed her in. For a lot of people, thats where their knowledge of her begins and ends, which is wild considering how varied and experimental her career has been. Long before Milkshake, she was making noise with tracks like Caught Out There and Trick Me, and since then, shes dabbled in everything from electronic to neo-soul. Theres a lot more to Kelis than that one trip to the yard, and damn right, its better than she gets credit for.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Shes a Triple-Threat Talent, but the Second You Hear Her Name, That Song Instantly Hijacks Your Brain and Sets Up Camp for the Day

QuickHow Many Darude Tracks Can You Actually Name? Aside from That One That Stormed into Internet Fame

Band Member Chris Collingwood Knew Theyd End Up Synonymous with Stacys Mom & Tried to Pump the Brakes Before It Took Over. Spoiler Alert: He Failed.

Call Me Maybe (2011)
Remember when Call Me Maybe was everywhere? Catchy, polished, and boosted into the stratosphere by a Justin Bieber tweet, Carly Rae Jepsen became an instant star. But it also painted her into a corner. Her label tried to ride the wave with more from her album Kiss, while it did well, the public had already filed her away as a one-hit wonder. And honestly, thats a total disservice because once she left the bubblegum pop behind and leaned into emotional, dance/synth-heavy pop with Emotion, she created some of the most adored cult pop of recent years. But to most, shes still just the Call Me Maybe girland not even Tom Hanks could change that.


Which artist do you wish would get more love? Let us know in the comments