top 50 one-hit wonders from the 1980s

As I’ve said before, almost nobody is a one-hit wonder everywhere and some of these artists might have a couple other hits depending on where you’re from.

There isn’t really any order to this list.

Top 50 One Hit Wonders from the 1980s

#music #80s #onehitwonders #80smusic #songs #1980s

[ymz]

as an australian, midnight oil was not a one hit wonder!

[slimshady-yskb]

Michael Jackson always felt like someone was watching him but I always feel like Michael Jackson is watching me.

[ErgoKing]

In the USA, John Parr had two Top 40 hits, and Quarterflash had three, as did A Flock of Seagulls. Midnight Oil only had one Top 40 hit, but they had multiple charted songs on the Mainstream Rock charts into the mid-1990s. The Outfield had four Top 40 songs. The Cutting Crew, Berlin, and Dead or Alive each had a pair of Top 40 hits.

[OLDS]

Several of the artists in this video were not one hit wonders and had several hits. They either had more top 40 hits or hot 100 hits or charted in other countries or other music charts . Thank you for the video.

[eclectic]

HOW DID YOU NOT PUT ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK?!?!?!

[mickaelbinos]

Chris Isaak made differents hits songs like "wicked game", "blue hotel" or "baby did a bad bad thing".

[adamclarke]

Limahl is an interesting inclusion because he technically makes this list twice. First as a solo performer, and also as the vocalist with Kajagoogoo. I wonder how many times a musician has achieved that feat. Words is a bit of a nightmare song for me. I was the sound man for a local band in the early '80s and we had several vocalists. One young lady had the sweetest voice you ever heard and did that song justice. The problem was that she completely lacked confidence. She'd sing so softly you could barely hear her. The higher I raised the mike volume, the softer she sang. Nobody could convince her that she had an angelic voice, not even the audience at the gigs we played.

[nathanocalvino]

Absolutely loved the video. I was glad that Take on Me by a-ha was not included as it is commonly mistaken for a one-hit wonder. Keep up the good work. I always look forward to every one of your videos.

[kacperdolega]

3:56 Didnt know eddie murphy even had a musical career 😮

[buddyatiny]

Most of those songs are still legendary ❤

[airshredder]

Midnight oil was by a very long shot, NOT a 1 hit wonder! If you look up their songs. They have a long line of great Australian songs!!!

[nariwashere]

Dead or Alive one Hit Wonder? They were pretty popular in the 80s, maybe not like some others but they were known well.

[saraieverhart]

The Artists that have more than one hit on this list (at least Top 40 or 10 million+ plays on Spotify)
Young MC: Principal's Office, Know How
John Parr: Naughty Naughty
Midnight Oil: Blue Sky Mine, The Dead Heart, Power And The Passion
A Flock Of Seagulls: Space Age Love Song
Chris De Burgh: Missing You, Don't Pay The Ferryman
The Outfield: All the Love in the World, Say It Isn't So
Philip Bailey(Literally a Lead Singer for Earth, Wind and Fire): September, Let's Groove
F.R. David: Sahara Night
Chris Issak: Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing, Blue Hotel, San Francisco Days
The Proclaimers: I'm on My Way, Sunshine on Leith
DEVO: Uncontrollable Urge, Girl U Want, Satisfaction
Matthew Wilder: A Girl Worth Fighting For
Cutting Crew: I've Been In Love Before
Kim Carnes: Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer
Kaoma: Dancado Lambada (Different Song, Trust Me)
Nena: Nur getraumt, Strobo Pop, Leuchtturm
Los Lobos: Come On Let's Go, We Belong Together, Donna
Lipps Inc.: Designer Music
Ray Parker Jr.: You Can't Change That, A Woman Needs Love
Soft Cell: Where Did Our Love Go, Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
Dexy's Midnight Runners: Geno
42% of these artists have more than a hit

[rokrok]

Oof, as an Aussie that hurts seeing midnight oil there, like I fucking love them the got so many good songs. But at the same time I’m happy we getting some representation (other than AC/DC lol)

[fepatter]

Quarterflash always comes up on these lists. Find Another Fool was also a top 20 hit.

[Real_gandalf]

A flock of seagulls are a pretty underrated band. My other 2 favorites excluding i ran is space age love song and wishing (i had a photograph of you)

[fhwolthuis]

Great list! Maybe you could do an Italo Disco top 100 in the future?

[Tohereknowswhen]

Another US based list where some of the artists on here were not necessarily one-hit-wonders elsewhere. Kajagoogoo & Limahl, Musical Youth, A Flock Of Seagulls, Bow Wow Wow, Chris De Burgh, Proclaimers, Dead Or Alive, Soft Cell, Dexy's Midnight Runners all had other hits charting in the UK Singles Charts and were NOT one-hit-wonders.

[kylone]

I'm going to recommend people check out Chris De Burgh's other song "Don't pay the ferryman". I like it much better than lady in red. One of my favorite hidden gems.

[thethousandthhaunt]

For some of these artists I actually like some of their other songs as well, such as: ‘The Lion’s Mouth’ by Kajagoogoo, ‘Nur Geträumt’ and ‘Irgendwie, Irgendwo, Irgendwann’ by Nena, ‘The Metro’ by Berlin, ‘Wishing (If I Had A Photograph of You’) and ‘Space Age Lovesong’ by A Flock of Seagulls and ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’, ‘Torch’ and ‘Bedsitter’ by Soft Cell.