(STACKER) — The time period “one-hit surprise” is regularly perceived negatively—just like the act used to be a flash within the pan or reaped some great benefits of a well-liked fad or a movie or tv sync—however maximum musicians would give the rest to have only one hit.
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Stacker dug in the course of the annals of rock tune historical past and highlighted 20 one-hit wonders, recognized via rock artists whose handiest unmarried reached gold or platinum standing from the Recording Business Affiliation of The usa.
Attaining any such feat actually is lightning in a bottle. To position issues into viewpoint, for a unmarried to be licensed gold via the RIAA, it has to promote the similar of a minimum of 500,000 copies. For platinum, that quantity springs as much as 1 million, and the tiers of multiplatinum move up via 1 million (for instance, an 8x platinum unmarried would have bought 8 million copies).
Albeit straight away acquainted, artists like Ruin Mouth and Twisted Sister are a number of the extra stunning one-hit wonders in this record, while others are much less so as a result of their hits exceed their recognition. There’s even an access that needed to create a fictitious band when its unmarried turned into successful since the musicians concerned refused to affiliate their names with the track.
Learn on to be informed extra concerning the one-hit wonders each rock tune fan will keep in mind.
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Blues Symbol
“Trip Captain Trip” is Blues Symbol’s greatest hit, and singer Mike Pinera wrote it at the spot when the band wanted yet another track to finish their sophomore album, “Open.” The blues-rock vintage soared up the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart and peaked at #4 on July 18, 1970. It used to be licensed gold on Aug. 4 of the similar yr. Blues Symbol disbanded in a while after the album’s unlock, with Pinera becoming a member of Iron Butterfly and keyboardist Skip Konte becoming a member of 3 Canine Evening.
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The Darkness
When the Darkness launched “I Consider in a Factor Known as Love” in 2003, it gave the look of an ’80s glam rock revival used to be underway. The track’s electrifying guitar riff, frontman Justin Hawkins’ falsetto, and the catchy refrain make it a karaoke jam. A complete style revival by no means got here, and the Darkness has had its ups and downs since then, however the track continues to be so loved that it used to be licensed platinum on Oct. 5, 2023.
(A laugh reality: In 2023, guitarist Dan Hawkins admitted the band used to be making an attempt to “write the stupidest track ever” after they penned “I Consider in a Factor Known as Love.”)
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Eddy Grant
Eddy Grant had already loved 20 years of luck within the U.Okay. as a solo artist and along with his team, the Equals, when he launched “Electrical Road” in 1983. The Guyanese British singer-songwriter is understood for thoughtfully mixing reggae, British rock, funk, and soul sounds, and his political anthem stuck on giant time within the U.S. “Electrical Road” peaked at #2 at the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart and used to be licensed platinum on Dec. 20, 1989. Grant continues to be an lively musician; on the other hand, he hasn’t been in a position to reach any other giant hit.
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Frankie Is going to Hollywood
Frankie Is going to Hollywood hit the bottom operating with their debut unmarried, “Calm down.” The 1983 synth-pop observe used to be a membership remix hit, and its “obscene” content material warranted a ban from BBC, which garnered them much more exposure. “Calm down” crowned the charts within the U.Okay. and reached #10 at the Billboard Sizzling 100. On Jan. 17, 1989, the only reached gold standing. The band endured to achieve Europe however by no means had any other hit within the U.S.
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Gotye
Maximum musicians start their careers with the hope of creating it giant. For Gotye (actual title Wouter De Backer), this used to be now not the case. The Belgium-born, Australia-raised singer-songwriter by no means sought stardom, and when his 2011 unmarried “Someone That I Used to Know” turned into a world hit, it used to be an excessive amount of for him. Gotye received 3 Grammys in 2013, and the son—that includes New Zealand singer Kimbra—used to be licensed 14x platinum in 2021. On the other hand, he knowledgeable lovers by means of publication in 2014 that “there might be no new Gotye tune.”
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The Knack
The Knack is also a one-hit surprise, however their one hit certain made an have an effect on! When the band launched their debut unmarried, “My Sharona,” in 1979, it turned into Capitol Data’ quickest to be licensed gold because the Beatles’ “I Wish to Grasp Your Hand.” The moment vintage used to be now not handiest the largest track of the yr; it used to be the largest track of the last decade. It’s additionally been credited with killing disco and starting the New Wave craze. The Knack couldn’t mirror the luck of “My Sharona” and broke up a couple of years later.
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Lit
The past due ’90s noticed a growth in pop-punk recognition, and Lit used to be a big title within the post-grunge panorama. Their 1999 sophomore album, “A Position within the Solar,” noticed the band take a poppier solution to their tune, and it used to be anchored via the lead unmarried, “My Personal Worst Enemy.” The track a couple of debaucherous night time of consuming continues to be as relatable as ever and went double platinum in 2020. Lit hasn’t had any other hit, however they’re nonetheless going sturdy, making tune and traveling.
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Meredith Brooks
Meredith Brooks’ 1997 unmarried “B—h” went gold, spent 4 weeks at #2 at the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart, and used to be nominated for 2 Grammys—however Capitol Data virtually didn’t let her unlock it as a result of label executives have been weary concerning the derogatory name. The track turned into a feminist anthem, with ladies reclaiming the phrase, which is normally used as an insult. Brooks launched her remaining album in 2007 however nonetheless works within the tune business as a file manufacturer.
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Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry turned into an in a single day luck after they launched their 1970 debut unmarried, “Within the Summertime.” The track’s playful nature and carefree solution to blues tune helped it succeed in #3 at the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart and obtain gold certification earlier than the summer time’s finish. The band by no means reached that roughly luck within the U.S. once more; on the other hand, frontman Ray Dorset has endured to file and excursion below the Mungo Jerry moniker.
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Norman Greenbaum
If you already know “Spirit within the Sky,” chances are high that you heard it in a film—it’s been featured on greater than 100 soundtracks—however it virtually sounded totally other. Norman Greenbaum in the beginning wrote it as a people track, however manufacturer Erik Jacobsen helped him flip it into the straight away recognizable psych-rock vintage it’s identified for lately. The track’s nonetheless well-liked because of syncs; on the other hand, its attraction got here straight away. It used to be licensed gold on April 23, 1970, only some months after its U.S. unlock.
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The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers launched “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” in 1988, however it wasn’t till 1993 that it turned into successful in The usa. The track used to be synched within the iconic romantic comedy “Benny & Joon” and blew up, peaking at #3 at the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart, and used to be licensed gold on Aug. 2, 1993. In a 2015 interview, singer-songwriter Craig Reid divulged that the duo earns 5 instances as a lot cash on that one track than they do on the remainder of their discography blended, however he doesn’t view it as a nasty factor. It allows them to proceed recording and traveling.
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Stunning Blue
When Stunning Blue’s 1969 unmarried “Venus” reached #1 at the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart, it used to be ancient. The psych rockers have been the primary Dutch band to best the U.S. chart. The track used to be a monster hit international, promoting greater than 5 million copies across the world, and went gold on Jan. 28, 1970. Stunning Blue ended up disbanding in 1974, however the track outlived the crowd. In 1986, Bananarama coated “Venus”—and with chart-topping effects. In 2001, the track’s recognition used to be revived when it used to be used for a well-known Gillette business selling its Venus razors.
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Ruin Mouth
Some would possibly argue that Ruin Mouth isn’t a one-hit surprise—their chart-topping unmarried “Walkin’ at the Solar” used to be all over the place in 1997—on the other hand, “All Megastar” is the band’s handiest track to succeed in gold or platinum standing (it went triple platinum in 2020). The track spent 9 weeks atop the charts in 1999 after which won a big resurgence when it used to be used within the opening collection of the 2001 film “Shrek.” (The soundtrack bought kind of 2.5 million copies.) Ruin Mouth couldn’t reproduction the luck of “All Megastar,” and singer Steve Harwell left the band in 2021. Unfortunately, he gave up the ghost from acute liver failure two years later.
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Steam
If you happen to’ve been to a carrying match the place a participant or trainer will get ejected or a staff suffers a brutal loss, chances are high that you’ve heard “Na Na Whats up Whats up Kiss Him Good-bye.” The track is without equal taunt in arenas and stadiums, and its beginning tale is lovely attention-grabbing.
The track used to be recorded via studio musicians Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer, and Paul Leka in 1969. It used to be intended for use as a B-side to DeCarlo’s subsequent unmarried; on the other hand, Mercury Data cherished it such a lot they insisted it stand by itself. The trio refused to place their names at the track, so it used to be launched below the fictional band Steam.
“Na Na Whats up Whats up Kiss Him Good-bye” ended up topping the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart and used to be licensed gold on the finish of 1969. Steam used to be anticipated to excursion after the only hit #1, however the band didn’t exist. Leka ended up curating a traveling band that didn’t function any of the musicians who in fact wrote and recorded the track.
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Survivor
Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” is synonymous with the “Rocky” movie franchise after getting used for an iconic montage in “Rocky III.” The sync led to a Grammy, an Academy Award nomination, and 6 weeks on best of the charts for Survivor—to not point out 3 other track variations receiving gold and platinum certification from the RIAA. Nonetheless, the observe wasn’t even intended to be within the movie. Actor-director Sylvester Stallone sought after Queen’s “Any other One Bites the Mud” to soundtrack the mythical scene, however Queen refused permission.
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Tommy Tutone
When Tommy Tutone launched “867-5309/Jenny” in 1981, it used to be mentioned to be about a real lady’s telephone quantity scrawled on a rest room wall. It wasn’t till 2004 that co-writer Alex Name debunked the parable and confessed Jenny and her tale have been fictional. Regardless of the true inspiration, the track used to be successful and peaked at #4 at the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart. It used to be licensed gold in 1991. Tommy Tutone by no means recorded any other hit, however that didn’t forestall them from making tune. In truth, they’re nonetheless an lively band.
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Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister thrived all the way through the heyday of ’80s hair steel and put out two well-liked songs all the way through that point—”We’re No longer Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock,” each off their 1984 LP, “Keep Hungry”—so why are they in this record? Simplest the previous went gold (and that didn’t occur till 2009). In spite of technically being a one-hit surprise, singer Dee Snider does now not call to mind his band that approach.
“You’ll see phrases like ‘one hit surprise’—it’s in fact two!” he mentioned in an interview on “Oprah: The place Are They Now” in 2015. “‘Or flash within the pan’ or ‘fortunate’ or such things as that carried out to our band, when that couldn’t be the rest farther from the reality.”
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Unpleasant Child Joe
Unpleasant Child Joe is any other act that some argue to be a two-hit surprise. The angsty ’90s band’s debut unmarried “The whole lot About You” broke the highest 10 on Billboard’s Sizzling 100 chart in 1992 because of a sync in “Wayne’s International,” however their quilt of Harry Chapin’s 1974 vintage “Cat’s within the Cradle” is Unpleasant Child Joe’s handiest track to reach gold standing. After failing to supply any other charting unmarried, the band broke up in 1997 however reunited in 2010.
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The Verve
Like its name, the tale in the back of the Verve’s gold-certified hit “Sour Candy Symphony” is bittersweet. The well-known violin riff that makes the 1997 Britpop vintage straight away recognizable used to be sampled from Andrew Loog Oldham’s orchestral model of the Rolling Stones’ “The Ultimate Time.” Lengthy tale brief, the band used to be charged with plagiarism, and the felony aftermath noticed Mick Jagger and Keith Richards receiving songwriting credit and the Stones’ former supervisor Allen Klein keeping the entire track’s royalties. Oldham additionally sued the band for $1.7 million.
The Verve broke up in 1999; on the other hand, the tale ended on a candy be aware. When Klein gave up the ghost in 2009, the band’s frontman, Ashcroft, contacted Klein’s son about reopening negotiations. This time, Ashcroft received, and 100% of the track’s royalties have been returned to him.
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Wild Cherry
It’s exhausting to imagine {that a} band that launched probably the most well-liked funk songs ever in fact began as a difficult rock act, however Wild Cherry spent their early days masking rock tunes. Through the mid-’70s, funk and disco reigned splendid, and singer Rob Parissi idea they will have to observe go well with (to the lament of the remainder of the band).
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All the way through considered one of their units, somebody shouted, “Are you white boys going to play some funky tune?” and “Play That Funky Song” used to be born. It crowned the charts and went platinum in 1976, incomes the band two Grammy nominations. Wild Cherry may now not mirror the luck in their funk megahit and broke up in 1979.
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