1981 One Hit Wonders page |
| One Hit Wonders from 1981 at Tunecaster |
Here are the US 1981 one hit wonders. All the one hit wonder songs by the artists you remember, and maybe some one hit wonders you forgot. Find a one hit wonder.
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| red # = rock chartblue # = pop chart |
| 1 | Together | 16 | Jan 1981 |
| Tierra |
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| Together was originally recorded by The Intruders. Tierra also blended in lines from Cowboys To Girls, another The Intruders record. Tierra did not have another top 20 song, making this a top 20 one hit wonder. |
| 2 | Let's Do It | Mar 1981 |
| Convertion |
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| Let's Do It was the most popular song by Convertion. The group received slight airplay with other dance songs too like Sweet Thing. Convertion was also known as the word correctly spelled, Conversion. |
| 3 | Precious To Me | 20 | Mar 1981 |
| Phil Seymour |
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| Precious To Me was the only top 20 hit for Phil Seymour. He followed-up with other songs that received minor airplay. The song was written by Phil Seymour. and from album Phil Seymour. |
| 4 | Just The Two Of Us | 1 | Apr 1981 |
| Grover Washington, Jr. with Bill Withers |
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| Just The Two Of Us was the only top 20 song and a number one hit for 'Mister Magic,' jazz superstar Grover Washington, Jr. |
| 5 | Somebody's Knockin' | 7 | Apr 1981 |
| Terri Gibbs |
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| Although Somebody's Knockin' was the only top 20 hit by Terri Gibbs, she followed it up with a string of country songs that received radio airplay. |
| 6 | Love You Like I Never Loved Before | 22 | May 1981 |
| John O'Banion |
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| John O'Banion was an movie actor and a singer in group Today's Children. This top 20 near-miss was by far his most popular song. |
| 7 | What Are We Doin' In Love | 12 | May 1981 |
| Dottie West With Kenny Rogers |
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| Country superstar Dottie West had a top 20 one hit wonder with What Are We Doin' In Love. Although Dottie was a country superstar, she received very little pop radio play. |
| 8 | Medley | 1 | Jun 1981 |
| Stars On 45 |
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| This only top 20 hit by Stars On 45 was commonly referred to as 'Stars On 45.' The single version of the song was called Medley: Intro - Sugar Sugar - No Reply - I'll Be Back - Drive My Car - Do You Want To Know A Secret - We Can Work It Out - I Should've Known Better - Nowhere Man - You're Going To Lose That Girl - Stars On 45. Most of these songs were originally by The Beatles. The success of this medley kicked off a dance medleys craze. |
| 9 | Shaddap You Face | Jun 1981 |
| Joe Dolce |
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| Shaddap You Face received moderate airplay for Joe Dolce. Later in the year, he received some notice for his Christmas song, The Twelve Days Of Christmas. |
| 10 | Is It You? | 10 | Jun 1981 |
| Lee Ritenour |
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| 11 | Edge Of Sundown | 15 | Jul 1981 |
| Danny Joe Brown And The Danny Joe Brown Band |
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| Danny Joe Brown left group Molly Hatchet and had this one rock top 20 hit song. |
| 12 | Believe It Or Not (Theme From Greatest American Hero) | 1 | Jul 1981 |
| Joey Scarbury |
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| Although number one song Theme From Greatest American Hero was the only top 20 hit by Joey Scarbury, he followed the song with a few very minor hits. The song was from the TV show The Greatest American Hero. |
| 13 | Sweet Baby | 15 | Jul 1981 |
| Stanley Clarke/George Duke |
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| Although Sweet Baby was the only top 20 hit by either Stanley Clarke or George Duke, both had extensive careers in jazz music and session playing. |
| 14 | Seven Year Ache | 25 | Jul 1981 |
| Rosanne Cash |
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| Although Seven Year Ache was the only top 30 song by Rosanne Cash, she was a major country star. |
| 15 | Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through | 10 | 25 | Jul 1981 |
| Jim Steinman |
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| Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through was a one hit wonder for Jim Steinman. Jim Steinman wrote and arranged many popular songs for group Meat Loaf, and for many other artists like Air Supply, Bonnie Tyler, and Celine Dion. Jim Steinman song Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through was from album Bad For Good. This song was written by Jim Steinman. |
| 16 | Double Dutch Bus | Aug 1981 |
| Frankie Smith |
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| Double Dutch Bus was the most popular song for Frankie Smith. He received minor airplay with the song Triple Dutch also. |
| 17 | Main Street U.S.A. | 20 | Aug 1981 |
| Union |
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| Main Street U.S.A. was a rock top 20 one hit wonder for rock and metal group Union. The song was from album On Strike. |
| 18 | It's Now Or Never | 29 | Aug 1981 |
| John Schneider |
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| This remake of the 1960 Elvis Presley number one song It's Now Or Never was by far the most popular song by John Schneider, and has been called a one hit wonder. |
| 19 | Not Fade Away | Sep 1981 |
| Eric Hine |
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| Eric Hine received some international notice with this dance remake of 1958 Buddy Holly classic song. This song was written by Norman Petty and Charles Hardin. |
| 20 | No Time To Lose | Sep 1981 |
| The Tarney/Spencer Band |
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| No Time To Lose had received some rock radio play in 1979. The song became most popular in 1981 when it was one of the early videos presented on new video cable channel, MTV. The song was written by Trevor Spencer and Alan Tarney. and from album Run For Your Life. |
| 21 | General Hospi-Tale | Sep 1981 |
| Afternoon Delights |
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| General Hospi-Tale was a rap about the daytime TV soap opera General Hospital. The Afternoon Delights, a tribute group, did not have any other song out. |
| 22 | Sausalito Summernight | 14 | Nov 1981 |
| Diesel |
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| Although Sausolito Summernight was the only top 20 hit for Diesel, the group followed-up the song with Goin' Back To China, which received minor album rock radio play. Sausalito Summernight was written by Mark Boon and Rob Vunderink. |
| 23 | I Want You, I Need You | 24 | Nov 1981 |
| Chris Christian with Cheryl Ladd |
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| I Want You, I Need You featured guest singer actress Cheryl Ladd. Chris Christian never had another top 30 song. The song was written by: Chris Christian, J.C. Crowley, Shanon Smith. and from album Chris Christian. |
| 24 | My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone) | 14 | 13 | Nov 1981 |
| Chilliwack |
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| This song was from album Wanna Be A Star?. It was written by Bill Henderson and Brian MacLeod. |
| 25 | Let Me Love You Once | 29 | Dec 1981 |
| Greg Lake |
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| This was the only solo top 30 song for Emerson, Lake & Palmer member, Greg Lake. He is probably better known for his Christmas song classic, I Believe In Father Christmas. The song Let Me Love You Once was from album Greg Lake. |
| 26 | Shelly's Boyfriend | 1981 |
| Bonnie Hayes With The Wild Combo |
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| Shelley's Boyfriend was used in the movie Valley Girl. While Bonnie Hayes released other recordings, her only song to receive noticable national radio airplay was Shelly's Boyfriend. She also wrote songs for other artists like like Bonnie Raitt and Bon Jovi. The song Shelly's Boyfriend was from album Good Clean Fun. |
| 27 | I Wanna Be A Lifeguard | 1981 |
| Blotto |
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| I Wanna Be A Lifeguard was a popular alternative song. The song received lots of exposure on television beach programs and segments. Blotto did not receive noticeable airplay with any other song. |