One-hit wonder#Music industry

In The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, music journalist Wayne Jancik defines a one-hit wonder as "an act that has won a position on [the] national, pop, Top 40 record chart just once."{{cite book |last=Jancik |first=Wayne |date=1998 |title=The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders |location=New York |publisher=Billboard Books |page=IX |isbn=9780823076222}} Billboard magazine defines a U.S. one-hit wonder as an "artist that cracks the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and never makes it back to that position."{{cite magazine |last=Leight |first=Elias |date=2023-03-28 |title=Is TikTok Actually Creating More One-Hit Wonders? |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/music-on-tiktok-more-one-hit-wonders/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=2023-07-31}}

This formal definition can include acts with greater success outside their lone pop hit and who are not typically considered one-hit wonders,{{cite magazine |ref={{harvid|Melis|2016}} |last=Melis |first=Matt |author2=Consequence of Sound staff |title=The 100 Best One-Hit Wonder Songs |magazine=Consequence of Sound |date=20 September 2016 |url=https://consequence.net/2016/09/the-100-best-one-hit-wonder-songs |access-date=6 March 2019 |archive-date=5 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190305161213/https://consequence.net/2016/09/the-100-best-one-hit-wonder-songs/ |url-status=live }} while at the same time excluding acts who have multiple hits which have been overshadowed by one signature song,{{cite book |last=Mann |first=Brent |title=99 Red Balloons ...and 100 Other All-Time Great One-Hit Wonders |publisher=Citadel Press |date=2003 |isbn=9780806525167}} or those performers who never hit the top 40, but had exactly one song achieve mainstream popularity in some other fashion (that is, a "turntable hit" or a song that was ineligible for the top-40 charts).{{cite web |last=Rahsheeda |first=Ali |date=2 May 2013 |title=100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s |publisher=VH1 |url=https://www.vh1.com/news/58qjan/100-greatest-one-hit-wonders-of-the-80s |access-date=6 March 2019 |archive-date=30 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730134511/http://www.vh1.com/news/1243/100-greatest-one-hit-wonders-of-the-80s/ |url-status=live }}

{{unreferenced section|date=September 2020}}

In 2006, the Australian series 20 to 1 aired the episode "20 to 1: One Hit Wonders", a list of songs that had been the only one by that artist to have success in Australia.

{{See also|List of one-hit wonders in Ireland}}

In September 2006, New Zealand's terrestrial music channel, C4, aired an episode dedicated to "One Hit Wonders" on the weekly theme-based chart show, UChoose40, where the chart was ranked entirely by viewer's votes from the website.{{cite web|url=http://onehittwonders.blogspot.com/|title=One Hit Wonders|last=Life|date=14 November 2009|website=onehittwonders.blogspot.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160212232305/http://onehittwonders.blogspot.com/|archive-date=12 February 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web |url=http://www.australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=42379 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-03-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407200017/http://www.australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=42379 |archive-date=7 April 2016 |df=dmy-all }}

The top ten songs were ranked as follows:

{{main|List of one-hit wonders on the UK Singles Chart}}

The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles contains a list of ‘one hit wonders’ from 1979 to 2001 which comprises acts with their only Top 75 charting record being a number one hit.

Classic Pop magazine's list{{Cite web|url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2019/02/top-40-80s-one-hit-wonders/|title=Top 40 80s One-Hit Wonders|date=19 February 2019|access-date=9 February 2021|archive-date=20 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120165645/https://www.classicpopmag.com/2019/02/top-40-80s-one-hit-wonders/|url-status=live}} only includes acts who made the UK's Top 40 (as compiled by Gallup) once only in their careers and does not include acts which feature members from other successful bands from the 1980s. The top ten is as follows:

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

1. "The First Picture of You" – The Lotus Eaters
2. "Twilight Café" – Susan Fassbender
3. "Big in Japan" – Alphaville
4. "Broken Land" – The Adventures
5. "Waiting for a Train" – Flash And The Pan
6. "Waiting for a Star to Fall" – Boy Meets Girl
7. "99 Red Balloons" – Nena
8. "Let My People Go-Go" – The Rainmakers
9. "The Captain of Her Heart" – Double
10. "Kissing with Confidence" – Will Powers

}}

In 2020, Absolute Radio 90s compiled a list of 'the 20 greatest one-hit wonders of the 1990s' as part of their 10th birthday celebrations; the list was as follows (listed in alphabetical order by artist):{{Cite web|url=https://planetradio.co.uk/absolute-radio/music/news/greatest-one-hit-wonders-90s/|title=The 20 greatest one-hit wonders of the 1990s|website=Absolute Radio|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204034534/https://planetradio.co.uk/absolute-radio/music/news/greatest-one-hit-wonders-90s/|url-status=live}}

• "Spaceman" – Babylon Zoo (1996)
• "Wake Up Boo!" – The Boo Radleys (1995)
• "Drinking in L.A." – Bran Van 3000 (1997)
• "Bitch" – Meredith Brooks (1997)
• "Would I Lie To You?" – Charles & Eddie (1992)
• "Brimful of Asha" (Norman Cook Remix) – Cornershop (1997)
• "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" – Crash Test Dummies (1993)
• "What's Up?" – 4 Non Blondes (1993)
• "There She Goes" – The La's (1990)
• "Steal My Sunshine" – Len (1999)
• "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" – Baz Luhrmann (1999)
• "The Impression That I Get" – The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (1997)
• "Flat Beat" – Mr. Oizo (1999)
• "You Get What You Give" – New Radicals (1998)
• "You’re Not Alone" – Olive (1997)
• "How Bizarre" – OMC (1995)
• "In The Meantime" – Spacehog (1996)
• "Two Princes" – Spin Doctors (1993)
• "Inside" – Stiltskin (1994)
• "Your Woman" – White Town (1997)

In addition to these one-hit wonders, the NME also recognised the following hits in their one-hit wonders feature from 2014:{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/photos/90s-one-hit-wonders-that-ll-make-you-feel-nostalgic-where-are-they-now-1404773|title=90s One-Hit Wonders That'll Make You Feel Nostalgic - Where Are They Now?|website=NME|date=10 December 2014|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=11 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511185822/https://www.nme.com/photos/90s-one-hit-wonders-that-ll-make-you-feel-nostalgic-where-are-they-now-1404773|url-status=live}}

• "Sleeping Satellite" – Tasmin Archer (1992)
• "No Rain" – Blind Melon (1993)
• "Tubthumping" – Chumbawamba (1997)
• "Save Tonight" – Eagle-Eye Cherry (1997)
• "Groove Is in the Heart" – Deee-Lite (1990)
• "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" – Deep Blue Something (1995)
• "I Touch Myself" – Divinyls (1990)
• "To Earth with Love" – Gay Dad (1999)
• "Three Little Pigs" – Green Jellÿ (1992)
• "Glorious" – Andreas Johnson (1999)
• "Here Comes the Hotstepper" – Ini Kamoze (1994)
• "Jump" – Kris Kross (1992)
• "Stay" – Lisa Loeb (1994)
• "Can You Dig It?" – The Mock Turtles (1991)
• "One Of Us" – Joan Osborne (1995)
• "I’ll Be There For You" – The Rembrandts (1995)
• "Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)" – Rozalla (1991)
• "Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)" – Scatman John (1994)
• "Closing Time" – Semisonic (1998)
• "Baby Got Back" – Sir Mix-a-Lot (1992)
• "Runaway Train" – Soul Asylum (1993)
• "Connected" – Stereo MC's (1992)
• "Cotton Eye Joe" – Rednex (1994)
• "One Headlight" – The Wallflowers (1997)

From the BBC in March 2017 (based on a combination of chart position and sales):{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/62308e54-dd47-4972-aec4-7e6ad55cb50f|title=What happened to the one-hit wonders of the noughties? - BBC Music|date=27 March 2017|website=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=15 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115161817/https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/62308e54-dd47-4972-aec4-7e6ad55cb50f|url-status=live}}

• Afroman – "Because I Got High" (2001)
• The Bravery – "An Honest Mistake" (2005)
• DJ Pied Piper and the Masters of Ceremonies – "Do You Really Like It?" (2001)
• Duffy – "Mercy" (2008)
• Gnarls Barkley – "Crazy" (2006)
• Junior Senior – "Move Your Feet" (2002)
• Las Ketchup – "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" (2002)
• Spiller (featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor) – "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" (2000)

From the BBC Radio 2 show One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg which started on 2 November 2020...{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p148|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=21 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321232510/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p148|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p148/episodes/guide|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg - Episode guide|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206182844/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p148/episodes/guide|url-status=live}}(in alphabetical order):

• Bodyrockers – "I Like the Way" (2005){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q34g|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg, Music from Bodyrockers, OPM and we ask what makes a One Hit Wonder?|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=7 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207073203/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q34g|url-status=live}}
• Caesars – "Jerk It Out" (2002){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000r40w|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg, Music from Caesars, Divinyls and we chat to the producer behind Bellini|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206182915/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000r40w|url-status=live}}
• Kevin Lyttle (feat. Spraga Benz) – "Turn Me On" (2003){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p147|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg, Music from House of Pain, Kevin Lyttle, plus a chat with Vanilla Ice|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=2 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102101045/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p147|url-status=live}}
• Nizlopi – "The JCB Song" (2005){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q9vn|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg, Christmas Special with music from Renée & Renato, Nizlopi and our guest Aled Jones|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=14 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214081856/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q9vn|url-status=live}}
• Planet Funk – "Chase the Sun" (2001){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rcgp|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg, Music from Planet Funk, Dawn Penn and a chat with Deep Blue Something|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=6 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206182841/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rcgp|url-status=live}}
• Sweet Female Attitude – "Flowers" (2000){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p6tl|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg, Music from Deee-Lite, OMC, plus a chat with Sweet Female Attitude's Leanne Brown|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109131433/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p6tl|url-status=live}}
• The Temper Trap – "Sweet Disposition" (2008){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qj0v|title=BBC Radio 2 - One Hit Wonders with OJ Borg, Music from Cornershop, Temper Trap and we chat to Russ Abbot|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=21 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221170815/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qj0v|url-status=live}}

The Official Charts Company's list{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-top-40-one-hit-wonders-of-the-decade__27967/|title=The Top 40 biggest one-hit wonders of the decade|website=www.officialcharts.com|access-date=9 February 2021|archive-date=27 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127002219/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-top-40-one-hit-wonders-of-the-decade__27967/|url-status=live}} of the biggest one-hit wonder releases of the 2010s, is based on sales and streams. Like the Classic Pop list it uses the UK singles Top 40 chart as the cut-off point. The top ten is as follows:

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

1. Passenger - "Let Her Go" (2012)
2. Lukas Graham - "7 Years" (2015)
3. Mr. Probz - "Waves" (2013)
4. Gotye featuring Kimbra - "Somebody That I Used to Know" (2011)
5. Walk the Moon - "Shut Up and Dance" (2014)
6. Calum Scott - "Dancing on My Own" (2016)
7. Vance Joy - "Riptide" (2013)
8. Portugal. The Man - "Feel It Still" (2017)
9. The Lumineers - "Ho Hey" (2012)
10. Kungs vs. Cookin' on 3 Burners - "This Girl" (2016)

}}

{{Main article|List of one-hit wonders in the United States}}

• 15 minutes of fame
• Homo unius libri – Latin phrase meaning "man of one book".
• Signature song
• Summer hit
• "One-Hit Wonder" by Blair Packham, a 2004 song about the classic one-hit wonder "Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett.
• That Thing You Do! – a 1996 American comedy film about the rise and fall of a fictional 1960s one-hit wonder pop band.
• List of one-hit wonders on the UK Albums Chart – artists who have had a number one hit album and charted one Top 40 hit album in the OCC chart
• List of one-hit wonders on the UK Singles Downloads Chart – including separate lists for featured artists and ensemble groups
• List of one-hit wonders on the UK Singles Chart – artists who have had a number one hit single and no other charting Top 75 hit singles in the OCC chart

{{Reflist}}

• Mordden, Ethan (1980) A Guide to Orchestral Music. New York: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-504041-4}}
• Jancik, Wayne (1998). The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders. New York: Billboard Books. {{ISBN|0-8230-7622-9}}
• One Hit Wonders, 2003, Dg Deutsche Grammophon, catalog number 472700. The composers DG includes in this compilation are: Richard Addinsell, Tomaso Albinoni, Hugo Alfvén, Samuel Barber, Luigi Boccherini, Joseph Canteloube, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Jeremiah Clarke, Léo Delibes, Paul Dukas, Reinhold Glière, Ferde Grofé, Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov, Dmitri Kabalevsky, Aram Khachaturian, Edward MacDowell, Pietro Mascagni, Jules Massenet, Jean-Joseph Mouret, Carl Orff, Johann Pachelbel, Amilcare Ponchielli, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Emil Waldteufel, Peter Warlock, and Charles-Marie Widor.

• [http://www.11points.com/Music/11_Music_Superstars_Who_are_Technically_One-Hit_Wonders 11 Music Superstars Who are Technically One-Hit Wonders]

Category:20th century in music

Category:21st century in music

Category:Music fandom

Category:Record charts

Category:Musical terminology