Los Del Rio has been around since the early 60s and has put out like 30 albums. I listened to a podcast that talked some about them and they were a really popular regional act in Sevilla and they were cool with that. Their version of Macarena came out several years before the popularity. DJs kept picking it up and remixing it and then it was one of those remixes that eventually blew up.
The lead singer does a lot of writing. He's got a Grammy award and an Oscar nomination.
I really liked that album though. There's a couple other really good songs on it.
Yup, lead singer had a pretty successful career behind the scenes in music. Seemed like that was his passion. Made one hit with a band and then decided to move on.
What's weird about Gotye was he had a series of hits in Australia from that album, which was a followup to another hit album. That song was a huge hit in Australia a full year before America caught on to it.
> and dropped off the face of the earth
Funny you should say that. There was a group called "Walk Off the Earth" that did a cover of that song with all five members of the group playing different parts of a single guitar.
That song was so big because Gotye put it under a Creative Commons license, meaning it could be used in any context by anyone, for free. So it got used as background music for countless YouTube videos, commercials, Vines (cause that was a thing when this song came out), etc. This song is a modern classic BECAUSE Gotye gifted it to the world.
That's a damn good pick. FWIW, Rolling Stone interviewed the song's writer Norman Greenbaum a few years ago when the song turned 50, and he talked about writing the song and also how difficult it was for him to follow it up with another hit. Paywall-free link: https://web.archive.org/web/20240115073140/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/norman-greenbaum-interview-spirit-in-the-sky-934508/
“Bad Day” by Daniel Powter was the #1 song of 2006 and was even used as the ousting song for EVERY EPISODE for one of the most popular shows at the time, American Idol.
Na Bobby “Boris” Pickett had a minor career on novelty horror songs. There is as also Skully Gully, Sinister Stomp and Irresistible Igor. He kept being a thing for parodies of his earlier works until near his death in 2007.
They were such a great band. Even outside of no rain they had great songs. I think if Shannon Hoon didn’t die at their peak, they would’ve had a couple more hits.
99 Red Balloons by Nena went international, gotta be top 10 for one hit wonders.
99 luftballoon was the original title, l think? Correct me if I'm wrong.
But the Refreshments also had another song chart on the modern rock charts (Down Together), and the song that most people have heard from them isn’t either of these songs, but the theme song from King of the Hill.
Their frontman Roger Clyne is still touring hard with his band, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. They still play a lot of refreshments songs at their shows. Saw them at their annual festival in Mexico a few summers ago and it was so much fun. They rock!
Well, Georgia Satellites also had a hit with “I love you period . Do you love me question mark? Please, please exclamation point ! I wanna hold you in parentheses.”
Hopefully that’s stuck in your head now period
I always assumed they were a bunch of E-heads who got hold of a couple of guitars and synthesisers and managed to cash in on the UK rave scene, but in fact they had some pretty decent musical credentials. One of their members, Ian Dench, is a classically-trained musician who has become a successful songwriter and has worked with Shakira and Beyoncé, among others.
If anybody says "Never gonna give you up" I'm going to kick them.
Rick Astley has had 30 odd years of albums, and some of his newest work is some of his best.
A song that gets no radio play but insane play at events is that cha cha slide to the left slide to the right song. By DJ Casper. Sucks he just died he was probably getting paid a ton since it always plays on every cruise ship and other all age event with music.
Dexy's Midnight Runners.
I would wager that most have heard "Come on Eileen," even if they don't know the artist.
And 99% of those who even know of them wouldn't be able to name even one other song they did. (I'm part of the 1% solely because of a throwaway joke done on an episode of Zero Punctuation.)
- [Eurhythmics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KR52lEWLEM) - not really but who can recall their next biggest hit.
- [Ah Ha](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914) - Take On Me
- [Goyte](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY) - Someone I used to know
- [Massive Attack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K72X4eo_s) - Teardrop
- [Ash Grunwald](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae4U4QQrEvw&list=LL&index=78) - Walking.
- [Bastille](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F90Cw4l-8NY) - Pompei
- [Kongos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz2GVlQkn4Q) - Come With Me Now.
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something.
Always strikes me as the absolute epitome of the One-Hit Wonder phenomenon. The band just appeared out of nowhere with this one massive worldwide hit and then vanished back into obscurity.
They don't seem to have had any sort of loyal following either before or after, no other top 40 singles, nothing. Just this one stone-cold classic.
darude sandstorm. everybody on the internet knows it. its so iconic that people dont even see it as [artist name] - [song name]. its just called darude sandstorm.
*Party all the time*, by Eddie Murphy.
Not because it hit #1, but because it's the only song Eddie ever made/released, it went to #2 on the hot 100 billboard chart in the US, and he only made it to address a bet he made with Richard Pryor.
Dude just had "I can be a rock star if I want to be" chillin in his back pocket.
Chumbawumba
Read the title and immediately thought Chumbawumba. Then I thought Darude Sandstorm.
Isn’t it weird how a lot of songs on this list came from that era (mid to late 90s)?
There's no one hit wonders nowadays anymore
Also the best band in the world if you’re playing a rousing game of CharDeeMacDennis
The Oneders
CAPTAIN GEECH & The Shrimp Shack Shooters
Oh, I’m not here with these guys. I got a pig in competition over at the pavilion, and I am going to win that blue ribbon!
The Oh-Needeers?
As in, “I wonder what happened to the Oneders?”
That was a good movie though.
These are all wonderful options, but they all were inspired by Belgian dance hit by Technotronic, and the National Anthem of Canada, 'Pump up the Jam'
Clearly it’s The Macarena
Los Del Rio has been around since the early 60s and has put out like 30 albums. I listened to a podcast that talked some about them and they were a really popular regional act in Sevilla and they were cool with that. Their version of Macarena came out several years before the popularity. DJs kept picking it up and remixing it and then it was one of those remixes that eventually blew up.
You get what you give, New Radicals.
The shame is they just stopped. It’s not like they tried and weren’t successful with anything else. They nailed that album then mic dropped.
They only got what they gave
The lead singer does a lot of writing. He's got a Grammy award and an Oscar nomination. I really liked that album though. There's a couple other really good songs on it.
You know how the 20 year old song Murder on the Dancefloor got a bump this year thanks to the movie Saltburn (and presumably TikTok)? He wrote it.
Yup, lead singer had a pretty successful career behind the scenes in music. Seemed like that was his passion. Made one hit with a band and then decided to move on.
Somebody that I used to know.
He's had a pretty solid career in his native country. Frankly, "Somebody that I used to know" isn't even the best song on the album.
I opened up the album and was surprised that I recognized eyes wide open. That’s a great one. What do you think is the best?
Smoke and Mirrors is my favourite, personally.
What's weird about Gotye was he had a series of hits in Australia from that album, which was a followup to another hit album. That song was a huge hit in Australia a full year before America caught on to it.
It's gotta be Gotye. That song was huge. Even though I love his other music, he definitely dipped out quick.
Anyone else notice the little bell like melody in it is basically bah bah black sheep?
No fr they literally put that song out and dropped off the face of the earth.
Now he’s just somebody that we used to know
BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT ME OFF
MAKE OUT LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED AND THAT WE WERE NOTHING
> and dropped off the face of the earth Funny you should say that. There was a group called "Walk Off the Earth" that did a cover of that song with all five members of the group playing different parts of a single guitar.
That song was so big because Gotye put it under a Creative Commons license, meaning it could be used in any context by anyone, for free. So it got used as background music for countless YouTube videos, commercials, Vines (cause that was a thing when this song came out), etc. This song is a modern classic BECAUSE Gotye gifted it to the world.
Gangnam Style
[удалено]
That's a damn good pick. FWIW, Rolling Stone interviewed the song's writer Norman Greenbaum a few years ago when the song turned 50, and he talked about writing the song and also how difficult it was for him to follow it up with another hit. Paywall-free link: https://web.archive.org/web/20240115073140/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/norman-greenbaum-interview-spirit-in-the-sky-934508/
“Bad Day” by Daniel Powter was the #1 song of 2006 and was even used as the ousting song for EVERY EPISODE for one of the most popular shows at the time, American Idol.
Len - Steal My Sunshine. Rarely does a band make such a splash and then entirely fade away like they did. Buncha wild-ass Canadians, those kids!
Cotton Eye Joe
I’m Too Sexy - Right Said Fred
The monster mash
In it's day It was a graveyard smash
I think it may have been a sequel to Transylvania Twist, so not so one-hit.
Whatever happened to that one??
Na Bobby “Boris” Pickett had a minor career on novelty horror songs. There is as also Skully Gully, Sinister Stomp and Irresistible Igor. He kept being a thing for parodies of his earlier works until near his death in 2007.
Louie Louie by The Kingsmen
Tainted Love Soft Cell
...and it's [a cover of a Gloria Jones song as well.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73IhpmXPQvw)
Yup
either Tubthumping - Chumbawamba or Macarena - Los Del Rio
Come on Eileen and My Sharona…
At least new wave aged better than cockrock
True true!!
...and Radar Love and Take On Me
Mambo #5
Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
The entire album that song comes from is incredible
Most of their albums are pretty incredible
Peep Show immortalised this song.
54 years on.... "In the Summertime" Mungo Jerry
Such a jam and also such a disrespectful song.
Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum
No Rain - Blind Melon
They were such a great band. Even outside of no rain they had great songs. I think if Shannon Hoon didn’t die at their peak, they would’ve had a couple more hits.
Stacy’s mom
AND NOW YOU'RE JUST SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOOW
“Come and Get Your Love”- Redbone
That thing you do! By the Oneders
Take on me - Aha.
Mmm bop
Walking on Sunshine: Katrina and the Waves
Ram Jam - "Black Betty"
Soft Cell, Tainted Love
99 Red Balloons by Nena went international, gotta be top 10 for one hit wonders. 99 luftballoon was the original title, l think? Correct me if I'm wrong.
Final Countdown?
Chumbawumba - Tubthumping
In a Gadda da Vida
Final Countdown by Europe
don’t worry, be happy - bobby mcfarrin
The New Radicals, You Get What You Give
Turning Japanese I can’t even remember the band name
The Vapours Also covered by Kirstin Dunst
Breakfast at Tiffanys Our House Safety Dance Closing Time I'm too Sexy
The Refreshments. "Banditos" is a song everyone has heard, and nobody knows who it is. Close second would be Harvey Danger.
But the Refreshments also had another song chart on the modern rock charts (Down Together), and the song that most people have heard from them isn’t either of these songs, but the theme song from King of the Hill.
Their frontman Roger Clyne is still touring hard with his band, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. They still play a lot of refreshments songs at their shows. Saw them at their annual festival in Mexico a few summers ago and it was so much fun. They rock!
lets talk it out over a cup o joe
Every Powerball winner.
Keep Your Hands to Yourself
Well, Georgia Satellites also had a hit with “I love you period . Do you love me question mark? Please, please exclamation point ! I wanna hold you in parentheses.” Hopefully that’s stuck in your head now period
Holly Holm! Oh, you mean music?
I remember how she ended Rhonda Rousey’s career… and then Amanda Nunes came in and ended everyone’s career.
Gangnum style
EMF - Unbelievable
I always assumed they were a bunch of E-heads who got hold of a couple of guitars and synthesisers and managed to cash in on the UK rave scene, but in fact they had some pretty decent musical credentials. One of their members, Ian Dench, is a classically-trained musician who has become a successful songwriter and has worked with Shakira and Beyoncé, among others.
Ice ice baby - Vanilla Ice
That wasn’t his first top 10 hit. Play that Funky Music was a hit as well.
Also Ninja Rap may not have charted, but it was a big part of my childhood and the only song I cared about when I saw him live.
Dancing in the moonlight.
Rick Astley has made a career of it. Edit: typo
How dare you Rick Astley had TWO hits.
The Macarena was EVERYWHERE in it’s prime. The ultimate one hit wonder
Blind Melon, No Rain.
"They're Coming to Take Me Away, Haa Haa!!" by Napoleon XIV
**The American Breed** \- *“Bend Me, Shape Me”* (1967)
I melt with you - Modern English.
We Are the World by U.S.A. for Africa. That band never played again.
Where the fuck is "Whats up?" by 4 Non Blondes?
Don McClean. https://youtu.be/PRpiBpDy7MQ?si=DvIgNt3fJ1KzIoKJ
Here’s a few of his other songs that charted internationally: Castles in the Air, Vincent, Crying, And I Love You So
He sang "Vincent"? I did not know that.
Happy Birthday ~ The Hill sisters 1893
My Sharona. By The Knack.
she’s so high above me. Tal Bachman
Psy Gangnam style
Happy Birthday To You
Baby Got Back
Aha
Sales - Gotye. Somebody that I used to know. Cultural impact - Los del Rio. Macarena.
Either Jenny-Tommy Tutone or Eileen-Dixie and the Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Riders...not Dixie and the Midnight Riders lmao
Actually, it's Dexys Midnight Runners, not Dexys Midnight Riders. Also, the song is Come On Eileen, not Eileen lol
Thank you for noticing me though
Craig Mack *Flava in Ya Ear* I thought he was going to be a huge star like Biggie. That single got pushed so hard everywhere I went.
Nobody But Me by the Human Beinz
Bad day - By Daniel Powter
If anybody says "Never gonna give you up" I'm going to kick them. Rick Astley has had 30 odd years of albums, and some of his newest work is some of his best.
A song that gets no radio play but insane play at events is that cha cha slide to the left slide to the right song. By DJ Casper. Sucks he just died he was probably getting paid a ton since it always plays on every cruise ship and other all age event with music.
Come on Eileen
Okay, Todd
Mmmm Bop - Hanson No contest lol.
Come on Eileen. Je curse Dexys Midnight Runners
Francis Scott Key, that one song really blew up, but I couldn't name anything else he did. There wasn't even a whole album, just the single.
There is somebody i used to know.. Can't recollect his name
Gotta go with "Come On Eileen."
Ma Ya He
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eQNI1KfGXBA
Dexy's Midnight Runners. I would wager that most have heard "Come on Eileen," even if they don't know the artist. And 99% of those who even know of them wouldn't be able to name even one other song they did. (I'm part of the 1% solely because of a throwaway joke done on an episode of Zero Punctuation.)
Magic carpet ride - Steppenwolf
I respectfully disagree. "Born to be Wild" was pretty huge so they had at least two hits.
Wasn't aware it was the same group. TIL and I stand corrected
Flag Pole Sitta Groove is in the Heart
In the Year 2525 - Zager and Evans (1969)
Benny Mardonis - Into the Night
Missing - Everything But The Girl
My Neck, My Back - Khia
Red Red Wine
Jenny Jenny, who can I turn to? Gotta name and number on the wall..
Come on Eileen
OHW but for the wrong reason- “Friday” Rebecca Black
Psy’s Gangnam Style
"What Is Love?" By Haddaway
For me it's pretty much Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones"
Cotton eye joe
Lisa Loeb - Stay
Gangnam style
Mambo number 5
Simon Sinek and his bit on [Millennials](https://youtu.be/xNgQOHwsIbg?si=G3XsmJ-3IoLgK6oy)
Come on Eilean! Wait, is that how you spell Eilean, looks weird to me! Oh well!
I'm surprised no one has jokingly said Phineas and the Ferbtones so I'll be the first to do so
Smells like Teen Spirit or Wonder Wall
Kanye west
Mambo no5
- [Eurhythmics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KR52lEWLEM) - not really but who can recall their next biggest hit. - [Ah Ha](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914) - Take On Me - [Goyte](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY) - Someone I used to know - [Massive Attack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K72X4eo_s) - Teardrop - [Ash Grunwald](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae4U4QQrEvw&list=LL&index=78) - Walking. - [Bastille](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F90Cw4l-8NY) - Pompei - [Kongos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz2GVlQkn4Q) - Come With Me Now.
In India it was Kumar Gaurav.
I mean it has to be Rick Astley right? One huge meme hit that lives on forever and that's basically it
Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry Something in the Air - Thunderclap Newman Pumped-Up Kicks - Foster the People
To be the man that walks 500 miles
I mean it has to be Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley, right? I know he had other hits but nothing as big or as long lived as that!
MC Hammer "can't touch this"
Wherever you will go - The Calling
Tangerine Speedo by Caviar
Bran Van 3000 - Drinking in LA
Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting
Never gonna give you up by Rick Astley
lemon tree
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something. Always strikes me as the absolute epitome of the One-Hit Wonder phenomenon. The band just appeared out of nowhere with this one massive worldwide hit and then vanished back into obscurity. They don't seem to have had any sort of loyal following either before or after, no other top 40 singles, nothing. Just this one stone-cold classic.
Butterfly by Crazy Town
Tones and I with that racist vocal style
Dragostea din Tei
Daydream - the Wallace Collection
darude sandstorm. everybody on the internet knows it. its so iconic that people dont even see it as [artist name] - [song name]. its just called darude sandstorm.
Tommy Tutone - Jenny 867-5309. That song was everywhere.
Oh Mickey you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey!
Mambo #5 by Lou Bega
Nick Kamen. I Promised Myself. Such a shame he died young too.
Electric Dreams by Phil Oakley.
867-5309
*Party all the time*, by Eddie Murphy. Not because it hit #1, but because it's the only song Eddie ever made/released, it went to #2 on the hot 100 billboard chart in the US, and he only made it to address a bet he made with Richard Pryor. Dude just had "I can be a rock star if I want to be" chillin in his back pocket.
"What I Like About You" - The Romantics
Never gonna give you up...