The Greatest One-Hit Wonder of All Time
After extensive research and listening to song after song, Audio Ink Radio presents its pick for the greatest one-hit wonder of all time. – Author: Anne Erickson, Soft Cell’s debut album cover via Mercury-EMI UMR 2
Throughout the years, the music world has brought listeners hordes or great one-hit wonders, but only one can be crowed the greatest one-hit wonder of all time. Now, that title might seem negative at first. But, there’s nothing wrong with being a band that has a fantastic one-hit wonder. Even if that’s the only song a band is known for over the years, at least they made an impact on the music world with that track, and chances are, it picked up some hardcore fans that listen to that band’s other music, too. The other great thing about a one-hit wonder is that it’s something everyone knows and loves. After extensive research and listening to song after song, Audio Ink Radio presents its pick for the greatest one-hit wonder of all time.
Best One-Hit Wonder Ever Released
To pick a best one-hit wonder of all time, we opted for something super catchy, well crafted and a song that really put their band on the world’s stage. That band is Soft Cell, bringing together Marc Almond on vocals and David Ball on instruments, and the song is “Tainted Love.” The track arrived on the English synth-pop duo’s 1981 debut studio album and made them superstars overnight.
While Soft Cell’s version of “Tainted Love” is totally ’80s, with all the synths and vibes to prove it, the original song was actually composed by Ed Cobb of the Four Preps and recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964. When Soft Cell took this song and made it their own, it really blew up, and it’s been covered by numerous artists since, including Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and even sampled by Rhianna.
Soft Cell’s take on “Tainted Love” features a bevy of electronic instruments and synths, which was big in the ’80s, as well as piano, hand-held synth-drums and more. It’s like a little party in your ears. The song is about being in a toxic relationship, with the vocalist singing that he loves his partner but also feels like he has to move on. It’s a very relatable them for anyone who has been in a bad relationship. “Sometimes I feel I’ve got to run away,” the singer expresses at the opening of the tune.
“Tainted Love” peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and really made Soft Cell a household name in the U.S. and around the globe. It was their only Billboard Hot 100 hit, according to Billboard, but that’s okay, because “Tainted Love” is so epic, that it’s like having numerous little hits.
Just because “Tainted Love” is Soft Cell’s biggest song, that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped making music. The synthpop duo released a brand new album, “*Happiness Not Included,” in February 2022. Speaking with Vulture magazine that same year, Almond talked about his current music and poked fun at his age. He’s currently 67 but was 65 at the time. “There’s not a lot to look forward to, as opposed to what there is to look back on,” he told the publication. “Everything I write at this point is a retrospective.”
So, congratulations to Soft Cell and “Tainted Love” for being crowned our greatest one-hit wonder of all time. Find some other great one-hit wonders in this Audio Ink Radio feature.
- The Greatest One-Hit Wonder of All Time - March 1, 2025
- Rock Songs That Helped Change the World - February 28, 2025
- Best Heavy Metal One-Hit Wonders - February 26, 2025
