One Hit Wonders of the 80s
75 artists
The 1980s sit at the very heart of one-hit-wonder lore. From the synthesizers of new wave to the blow-dried sheen of hair metal, from italo-disco to the first wave of MTV pop, it was an era built for instantly memorable singles, and a great many of them came from acts who never followed up with anything on the same scale. Streaming has only sharpened that picture. Sort the certified 80s acts by our ratio and the same pattern keeps showing up: one bright, of-its-moment hit, then years of silence on the charts.
a-ha
"Take on Me"
19.6x ratio
new wave · Norway · 1984
ONE HIT WONDERTears For Fears
"Everybody Wants To Rule The World"
5.6x ratio
new wave · United Kingdom · 1985
ONE HIT WONDEREurythmics
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
10.6x ratio
new wave · United Kingdom · 1983
ONE HIT WONDERThe Outfield
"Your Love"
8.1x ratio
United Kingdom · 1986
ONE HIT WONDERSimple Minds
"Don't You (Forget About Me)"
6.4x ratio
new wave · United Kingdom · 1985
ONE HIT WONDERChris Isaak
"Wicked Game"
17.5x ratio
pop rock · United States · Male · 1989
ONE HIT WONDERRick Astley
"Never Gonna Give You Up - 2022 Remaster"
5.5x ratio
blue-eyed soul · United Kingdom · Male · 1987
ONE HIT WONDERSoft Cell
"Tainted Love"
29.3x ratio
synth-pop · United Kingdom · 1981
ONE HIT WONDERThe Proclaimers
"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
9.4x ratio
rock · Scotland · 1987
ONE HIT WONDERCutting Crew
"(I Just) Died In Your Arms"
22.4x ratio
new wave · United Kingdom · 1986
ONE HIT WONDERDexys Midnight Runners
"Come On Eileen"
29.4x ratio
new wave · United Kingdom · 1982
ONE HIT WONDERMichael Sembello
"Maniac - From "Flashdance""
22.2x ratio
pop · United States · Male · 1983
ONE HIT WONDERDon Henley
"The Boys Of Summer"
7.3x ratio
rock · United States · Male · 1984
ONE HIT WONDERBronski Beat
"Smalltown Boy"
12.9x ratio
synth-pop · United Kingdom · 1984
ONE HIT WONDERChris Rea
"Driving Home for Christmas"
12.5x ratio
blues rock · United Kingdom · Male · 1986
ONE HIT WONDERStevie Nicks
"Edge of Seventeen - 2016 Remaster"
5.3x ratio
rock · United States · Female · 1982
ONE HIT WONDERBerlin (band)
"Take My Breath Away - Love Theme from "Top Gun""
5.3x ratio
1986
ONE HIT WONDERChris de Burgh
"The Lady In Red"
17.1x ratio
soft rock · United Kingdom · Male · 1986
ONE HIT WONDERBill Medley
"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life - theme from the motion picture "Dirty Dancing""
18.7x ratio
blue-eyed soul · United States · Male · 1987
ONE HIT WONDERMotörhead
"Ace of Spades"
6.5x ratio
soft rock · United Kingdom · 1980
ONE HIT WONDERPhilip Bailey
"Easy Lover"
80.6x ratio
soul · United States · Male · 1984
ONE HIT WONDERMatthew Wilder
"Break My Stride"
293.9x ratio
United States · Male · 1983
ONE HIT WONDERLipps Inc.
"Funkytown"
16.7x ratio
disco · United States · 1980
ONE HIT WONDERThe Pogues
"Fairytale of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl)"
6.2x ratio
celtic punk · United Kingdom · 1987