Two-Hit Wonders Where Lightning Struck Twice
Often times, a band may rise to mainstream success not once by twice. In honor, here are Audio Ink Radio’s best two-hit wonders. – Author: Cat Badra, Hinder promo image via Hinder and Webster Public Relations
Everyone loves a good one-hit wonder, but there’s something to be said for two-hit wonders. Often times, a band may rise to mainstream success not once by twice and have two great mainstream hits. Of course, many bands and artists who are considered one-hit wonders or two-hit wonders are able to go on and have a long, successful careers with plenty of followers. But, what makes them different is that they had that one big, mainstream hit or, in this case, too.
They say lightning doesn’t strike twice, but it did with these groups and musicians. As part of our ongoing series on one-hit wonders, Audio Ink Radio presents the best two-hit wonders ever created.
Best Two-Hit Wonders of All Time
Blue Oyster Cult, “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” and “Burnin’ for You”
Blue Oyster Cult is a very successful band, and they’ve had plenty of rock hits but only a handful of mainstream hits. One, of course, is the cowbell song, “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper,” because one can never have too much cowbell. It reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. But, they also rocked the Billboard 100 chart with “Burnin’ for You” in 1981. Both songs are classics.
Hinder, “Lips of an Angel” and “Better Than Me”
In 2016, Hinder hit the big time with “Lips of an Angel,” a ballad that sounds so beautiful and heartfelt that it’s easy to overlook that the song is actually about wanting to cheat on your partner. It was a song that showed off the softer side of this hard rock band, so they did it again with 2017’s “Better Than Me,” a ballad about feeling like your partner deserves better. While “Lips of an Angel” hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Better Than Me” reached No. 31, so both did well. The success of these two songs makes Hinder one of the greatest two-hit wonder bands ever, even though they have plenty of other solid tracks.
KT Tunstall, “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See”
Those who listened to top 40 radio in 2006 could not escape the omnipresent KT Tunstall hit, “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” the “woo-hoo” song. The catchy pop song was literally everywhere, and it peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 100 chart. It really helped that “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee performed it on the show in 2006. Tunstall is a talented performer, and she struck gold again that same year with “Suddenly I See,” which hit No. 21.
Golden Earring, “Radar Love” and “Twilight Zone”
Rockers Golden Earring reached No. 13 on the Billboard chart in 1973 with “Radar Love,” a catchy rock song with great guitars and drums. Then, they also made magic, this time going higher at No. 10 on the chart, in 1982 with “Twilight Zone.” This is the rare case when the more popular hit actually came after that first big chart-topper.
So, there are a handful of the best two-hit wonders ever created. For a look at some great one-hit wonders from each decade, check out this Audio Ink Radio feature.
- Two-Hit Wonders Where Lightning Struck Twice - April 30, 2025
- Metallica Turns Heads With Big Announcement - April 29, 2025
- The Most Memorable Ballads of the 1970s - April 26, 2025
