Candid Comment - One Hit Wonders

A one hit wonder, there are lots of them and they still get airplay on radio stations because many are great songs, others not so much.  I happen to like the rarer songs out there that chart.  For example a band out of Ottawa in the 80's called Eight Seconds charted with Kiss You When It's Dangerous. The single from Almacantar their second album got them a few awards namely a Juno and CASBY, and was ranked 72 in the U.S.,
and 12 on the charts in Canada.  Blue Peter did very well the most notable song Don't Walk Past.  And, another artist that charted well with a signature song is Black. Wonderful Life charted very well in Europe and the U.K.

What makes a one hit Wonder notable is the quick rise peak and trail off then if the song has legs it hangs around for a long time.  One of the most notable of these is the Knack's My Sharona. The song consistently gets radio play and has been around since 1979.  It's been ranked amongst the top 10 one hit wonders whenever a chart of one hit wonders is compiled or voted on.  Aha's Take On Me also gets play on radio as do other songs like Lou Bega's Mambo No. 5.  

I am no music expert but, I know what I like and sure I like the big hits from bands that produce songs that chart in the top 10 routinely along with artists that do the same.  But, a one hit wonder tends to draw me in a little more because when I listen to the artists other songs I find other really interesting songs that I really like.  Jane Child had a song that charted really well, Don't Want To Fall In Love.  This is a great song, but another is All I Do, which is equally just as good as Don't Want To Fall in Love.  I have even heard songs from bands and artists that produced a one hit wonder that are better than the one hit Wonder.  Gary Numan Charted with Cars in North America and that for him here in the U.S. and Canada at least is a one hit wonder, he was more successful musically in the U.K.  But, he has other really fantastic songs, Are Friends Electric being one of my favorites from him. By the way Gary Numan is still active musically.  His latest effort is called Intruder. So it goes without saying that one hit wonders are a mixed bag of good great and meh.  I would encourage a listen to those one hit wonders for sure, but also you may want to dig a bit deeper into the artists other songs.  I bet you will find some interesting music.  And if you want to dive into rabbit holes just punch up a search for top 10 100 etc lists of one hit wonders.  You'll be busy for quite some time.  Thanks for stopping by and reading.