Pop and Rock Chart Archive
and Music Encyclopedia

One Hit Wonders Home Page

One hit wonders (OHWs) by year with top OHWs per year--and the Top 100 One Hit Wonders of the entire period.

Related features with top OHWs by decade below


What is a one hit wonder?

An artist with exactly one top 20 hit, strictly speaking. Also, an artist with no top 20 songs but with one song far more famous than any other. Click years for one hit wonder lists and top one hit wonders by year.

Dominique was the only big hit for The Singing Nun, and a huge 1963 number one song even though she refused to promote the record. Nun Jeannine Deckers wanted to remain anonymous. In 1974, Sister Janet Mead also had a one hit wonder with a Christian song -- The Lord's Prayer itself, set to music.

Merrilee Rush And The Turnabouts made a 1968 one hit wonder and number 6 hit with Angel Of The Morning. In 1981, Juice Newton took the song to number 2. Reggae star Shaggy later restyled the song, renaming it 'Angel,' and it reached number one.

Vicki Lawrence was a performer on the variety TV series The Carol Burnett Show. She burst onto the music scene with number one song The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia. The song was written by her husband, Bobby Russell.


The First Class song Beach Baby quickly made it to number 2. In fact, this one hit wonder group was led by singer Tony Burrows who made it a career to sing many one hit wonders in various groups. The album cover above was released on the heels of the success.
All other covers here are original single records or album covers.

Lipps, Inc. burst onto the dance scene with number one song Funkytown. Years later in 1987, Pseudo Echo took the same song to number 4. Neither group had another top 20, making the song Funkytown a two-time one hit wonder.

Marcy Playground reached number one rock then crossed-over to make number one pop with Sex And Candy. The band made the Rock Top 20 again, but had no more Pop Top 20 songs.


Related Features for One Hit Wonders Home Page:
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1960s Top One Hit Wonders

1Greenfields
The Brothers Four
2Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)
The Contours
3Dominique
The Singing Nun
4Ode To Billie Joe
Bobbie Gentry
5Expressway (To Your Heart)
The Soul Survivors
6Hey! Baby
Bruce Channel
7Johnny Angel
Shelley Fabares
8Tell Him
The Exciters
9Pretty Little Angel Eyes
Curtis Lee
10Harper Valley P.T.A.
Jeannie C. Riley
11Winchester Cathedral
The New Vaudeville Band
12Bobby's Girl
Marcie Blane
13Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)
John Fred & His Playboy Band
14Alley-Oop
Hollywood Argyles
15Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
Steam

1970s Top One Hit Wonders

1You Light Up My Life
Debby Boone
2Seasons In The Sun
Terry Jacks
3Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)
Looking Glass
4Me And Mrs. Jones
Billy Paul
5Hot Child In The City
Nick Gilder
6Playground In My Mind
Clint Holmes
7Kiss You All Over
Exile
8Rose Garden
Lynn Anderson
9Brother Louie
Stories
10Ring My Bell
Anita Ward
11Put Your Hand In The Hand
Ocean
12The Hustle
Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony
13Play That Funky Music
Wild Cherry
14Feelings
Morris Albert

1980s Top One Hit Wonders

1.We Are The World
USA For Africa
2.When I'm With You
Sheriff
3.Take On Me
A-ha
4.Chariots Of Fire - Titles
Vangelis
5.Talking In Your Sleep
The Romantics
6.Believe It Or Not (Theme From Greatest American Hero)
Joey Scarbury
7.Just The Two Of Us
Grover Washington, Jr.
with Bill Withers
8.Shake You Down
Gregory Abbott
9.Rock Me Amadeus
Falco
10.Don't Worry Be Happy
Bobby McFerrin
11.Come On Eileen
Dexys Midnight Runners
12.The Lady In Red
Chris De Burgh
13.Friends And Lovers
Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson
14.Perfect Way
Scritti Politti

1990s Top One Hit Wonders

1.Nothing Compares 2 U
Sinead O'Connor
2.MacArena (Bayside Boys Mix)
Los Del Rio
3.Here Comes The Hotstepper
Ini Kamoze
4.Lovefool
The Cardigans
5.Whoomp! (There It Is)
Tag Team
6.One More Try
Timmy T
7.Rump Shaker
Wreckx-N-Effect
8.Tubthumping
Chumbawamba
9.Torn
Natalie Imbruglia
10.Missing
Everything But The Girl
11.Crush
Jennifer Paige
12.I Know
Dionne Farris
13.Good Vibrations
Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch Featuring Loleatta Holloway
14.Return Of The Mack
Mark Morrison