Miriam Makeba was one of the most important and beloved artists ever to appear on this list, and her inclusion shows starkly how a streaming-only measure can flatten a monumental career. Known as "Mama Africa", the South African singer was a global ambassador for African music and a fearless campaigner against apartheid, with a vast, celebrated catalogue. Calling her a one-hit wonder is almost absurd, which is exactly why the caveat matters.
Her most-streamed song is "Pata Pata", released in 1967, a joyful, danceable track sung in Xhosa that became an international hit and remains her best-known recording worldwide.
On streaming, "Pata Pata" sits near 54 million plays, while her next most-streamed track trails at around eight million. That puts the ratio above 6, past our 5.0 line.
So by our strict, numbers-only measure, Miriam Makeba registers as a certified one-hit wonder, and we flag the caveat as loudly as we possibly can. This was a towering, historically vital artist with a deep catalogue. It is only that one joyful song has gathered the global streaming crowd far ahead of the rest.