One-Hit Wonders That Are Perfect for Summer
In honor of the warm season, Audio Ink Radio presents its tally of one-hit wonders that are perfect for summer. – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo via Audio Ink Radio
Summer is pretty much here, and there’s something about the breezy, warm, enticing season that makes it perfect to crank one-hit wonders loud and proud. It seriously doesn’t get any better than turning up the volume on some catchy, nostalgic one-hit wonders while soaking up the sun and staring at sunshine, blue skies and fluffy clouds. While there are plenty of one-hit wonders that fit the season, a few stand above the rest. In honor of the warm season, Audio Ink Radio presents its tally of one-hit wonders that are perfect for summer.
One-Hit Wonders for Summer
The Ataris, “The Boys of Summer”
Pop-punk band the Ataris emerged in the mid-1990s and found a place in the modern rock world sandwiched between bands such as Blink-182 and Simple Plan. They had a super catchy, upbeat sound that made listening to their music just a fun experience. The Ataris’ biggest hit was actually their 2003 cover of the 1984 Don Henley classic “The Boys of Summer.” The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Chart and No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became their biggest hit. They also had success with “In This Diary” and “The Saddest Song,” but nothing really came close to “The Boys of Summer.” This is really the rare situation where a band puts their own spin on a classic and makes it their own. It’s also not a common thing when a band is known for its cover song more than its originals, but this take on the Henley tune is so great that it doesn’t matter.
Mungo Jerry, “In The Summertime”
British rock legends Mungo Jerry formed in 1970 with Ray Dorset at the helm, and while they gained great success in their homeland, they only had one big hit in the U.S. That hit is awesome, though, so it’s OK. We’re talking about “In The Summertime,” a fun, upbeat, feel-good jam that promises to turn any frown upside down. The song radiates summer and is perfect to crank on the beach or driving down the street with your car’s top down. The song also made Rolling Stone’s 2013 tally of summer songs that are really about summer alongside a bevy of other summer hits, because it represents the season so well.
Sir Mix-A-Lot, “Baby Got Back”
Anyone who wants to flash back to the summer of 1992 only needs to crank the song “Baby Got Back” out of an old-fashioned boombox. “Baby Got Back” was seriously the song of the summer and the song of the year, and it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart when it was released back in 1992 and stayed there for weeks. It’s become a seminal track and really helped define the pop-rap movement in the 1990s. Sir Mix-A-Lot also had success with “Posse On Broadway” and “Jump On It,” but neither of those tracks came close to the success of peaked with “Baby Got Back.”
For more one-hit wonder bliss, check out Audio Ink Radio’s tally of one-hit wonders that should have been bigger.
- One-Hit Wonders That Are Perfect for Summer - May 2, 2025
- 3 Influential Symphonic Metal Albums That Shaped the Genre - May 1, 2025
- Shinedown Bassist Eric Bass Talks ‘Therapeutic’ New Album – Interview - April 24, 2025
