25 one-hit wonders that deserved more hype

Do you remember this banger from the ‘90s? Harvey Danger was an alternative/indie rock band best known for this massive hit. If you like “Flagpole Sitta,” check out some of the band’s other albums and EPs, which sadly never gained much traction.

If it weren’t for my brothers’ high school band covering this track, I likely never would have heard of it. However, “Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)” was a popular song during its time. While nothing compares to the hit, Dramarama has several other catchy tunes worth listening to.

We all know and adore the romantic song “I Melt With You” by Modern English. This iconic track speaks of love during uncertain times. However, the post-punk band itself never seemed to gain popularity outside of this one-hit wonder. 

“Face Down” was a popular rock anthem in the early 2000s. However, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus band has a ton of other tracks that somehow slipped under the radar. If you’re into that traditional post-hardcore/pop-punk sound, you’ll enjoy their other music.

“This is the story of a girl…” is a lyric we can all finish with ease. “Absolutely” was one of the most popular songs of my childhood. However, despite releasing several studio albums, their most recent being in 2023, rock band Nine Days has yet to achieve mainstream success again.

“You Get What You Give” is a certified hit that remains popular to this day. Unfortunately for New Radicals, however, the band broke up shortly after the release and chart success. They’re widely known as a “one-hit wonder” for this very reason.

In the U.S. in particular, Kajagoogoo is known to be a one-hit wonder. Their 1983 single “Too Shy” charted in multiple countries, but their other songs didn’t gain as much traction. However, the English pop band did have a few additional hits in the UK. 

Okay, ‘Til Tuesday is more of a two-hit wonder than a one-hit wonder. The band is infamously known for their songs “Voices Carry” and “What About Love,” both of which charted. However, many people know of the band primarily because of “Voices Carry,” an authentic and captivating ‘80s song. 

Gaining massive popularity in the movie EuroTrip, “Scotty Doesn’t Know” is an iconic pop-punk/rock song. However, rock band Lustra hasn’t followed up with any hits since this popular single.

“Video Killed The Radio Star” is one of the most legendary one-hit wonders of all time. The song was an international success and became the first music video ever released on MTV. The Buggles only have one album called The Plastic Age, and their other songs never came close to the success reached by this hit.

We’ve all sung our hearts out to “Bad Day” by Daniel Powter. However, though this massive hit made a name for the Canadian singer-songwriter, it seemed to be his only memorable mainstream release. Nevertheless, it was so major that it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. That says something. 

“There She Goes” is commonly known due to its inclusion in various pieces of media. It gained the most recognition after its re-release in 1990. While The La’s had other songs, they’re a bit of a one-hit wonder, thanks to this particular catchy track.  

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve likely heard of the popular late ‘90s song “Closing Time.” This beloved track charted as  No. 1 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. However, despite continuing to release music, Semisonic didn’t seem to follow up with anything as groundbreaking.

“Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia is an iconic hit — one many of us have probably scream-sung at some point during a breakup. However, though the British singer and actress continued to release music, none of her singles gained nearly as much recognition. Nevertheless, she’s still making music to this day.

This song is the epitome of "divorced dad rock," as the kids call it. “Lips of an Angel” was quite the hit during its time in the early 2000s, and it’s still popular to this day. However, Hinder didn’t seem to follow up with any substantial releases.  

“Somebody That I Used to Know” is one of the most popular one-hit wonders of modern day. In fact, this song alone is what propelled singer-songwriter Gotye into fame. However, none of his more recent releases have seemed to live up to the hype of the major hit.

If you love that authentic ‘80s sound, you likely have a soft spot for “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell. The massive hit spent 43 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Unfortunately, however, the synth-pop duo’s later singles did not perform as well. 

I’ll never forget the reggae song “Rude” by MAGIC! first came out, as it was pretty much all anyone was talking about (or singing). The massive international hit charted in multiple countries. The Canadian reggae band has since released a few albums and singles, none of which seem to compare to “Rude,” making the band a one-hit wonder in many listeners’ eyes.

“Stacy’s Mom” is a legendary early 2000s hit that many of us still know by heart. Fountains of Wayne hasn’t had any other major hits since their rise to fame. Unfortunately, they’ve seemingly gone down as a one-hit wonder. But hey, at least they gained wild recognition for charting on the Hot 100.

Known as a heartwarming wedding song and reaching No. 1 in multiple countries, “You’re Beautiful” is, well, a beautiful song. James Blunt might’ve gained a wild amount of traction from the epic hit, but he hasn’t released any chart-topping singles in the U.S. since. The English singer, songwriter, and record producer is widely considered a one-hit wonder, but only in the U.S. He’s found more consistent success in the UK. 

“Flavor of the Weak” by American Hi-Fi is an infamous pop-punk anthem. However, the band itself is often considered a one-hit wonder. Despite having an active career, they haven’t released any comparable hits. 

“Collide” is a gorgeous soft rock song that stole the hearts of many in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, singer-songwriter Howie Day didn’t release any other major hits after gaining traction from this song. Because of this, many consider him a one-hit wonder.

Another soft rock song from the 2000s is “Boston” by Augustana. I mean, it’s nearly impossible not to sing-scream the last chorus of the single. However, the band hasn’t made as much of an impression with their other releases. 

Technically, Toploader’s version of “Dancing in the Moonlight” is actually a cover, but many feel it’s the preferred version. The 2000 release was extremely popular in the UK during its time. Since then, the band hasn’t had any major hits.

This song is prime 2000s, and it was a massive hit during its time. “Breathe (2 AM)” was from Anna Nalick’s debut album. However, during the release of her second album, she apparently had a falling out with her record label. Nalick is still making music to this day, but she hasn’t had any mainstream hits like “Breathe.”