Catchiest One-Hit Wonders Ever Created
Get ready to sing along, because Audio Ink Radio is highlighting some of the catchiest one-hit wonders of all time. – Author: Anne Erickson, Jimmy Eat World photo via Jimi Giannatti
There’s a reason a song usually becomes a one-hit wonder, and that’s because it’s so catchy and memorable that it just sticks in one’s head. If that song ends up, by far, being the biggest hit for that band or artist, then that song may be deemed as a one-hit wonder. There’s lots to love about catchy one-hit wonders in music, and there’s nothing wrong with having one big hit that towers over the rest. Get ready to sing along, because Audio Ink Radio is highlighting some of the catchiest one-hit wonders of all time.
Catchy One-Hit Wonders
Blind Melon, “No Rain”
It’s hard to believe that Blind Melon only released three studio albums as a band, but it didn’t matter, because they scored big with 1993’s
“No Rain.” The song had crossover appeal and charted both on the mainstream charts, plus rock and alternative. It ended up becoming one of the most popular rock songs of the 1990s in an era filled with grunge, which this song was not. Who doesn’t love that mix of alternative pop and psychedelia?
Chumbawamba, “Tubthumping”
Chumbawamba’s 1997 hit “Tubthumping” in undeniably one of the catchiest, cooler songs ever. If you listen to this song and are then able to turn your brain over to another song right away, then something is seriously wrong with you, because this song and its lyrics just stick in one’s head. Chumbawamba soared to the top of the charts with this song in the late 1990s, and it really made a name for them in music. It’s catchy to this day.
Jimmy Eat World, “The Middle”
While many may think of one-hit wonders being in the 1980s or 1990s, there were also some good ones in the 200s. Jimmy Eat World scored a big hit in 2001’s “The Middle,” which hit the top five on the Hot 100 chart that year. Now, before complaining about Jimmy Eat World having more than one hit, know that we realize they did, but none of their other songs went mainstream like “The Middle.” Not many alternative bands made it that high on the Hot 100, but Jimmy Eat World did.
Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
Don’t forget about Simple Minds’ 1985 mega-hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” The song really represents the entire 1980s synth-pop world, and it does it so well. This is a timeless song that’s really one of the catchiest one-hit wonders ever created. Just listening to it will take you back to the ’80s.
Sixpence None the Richer, “Kiss Me”
“Kiss Me,” the 1997 single by Sixpence None the Richer, is a sweet, nostalgic love song simply asking that special someone for a kiss. This was a favorite at middle school and high school dances and is a snapshot of childhood romance and innocence. Simple, direct and melodic, “Kiss Me” plays like a kiss.
Soft Cell, “Tainted Love”
Synth pop got the spotlight with Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love,” a clean, crisp song in the genre that really made people fall in love with that 1980s synth sound. The daring song at the time charted in the top 10 on the Hot 100 and paved out a career for Soft Cell. They never had another hit as big as “Tainted Love,” but that would be a difficult feat, anyway.
Find more one-hit wonders in this Audio Ink Radio feature about one-hit wonders from the 1980s.
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