List of 1980s one-hit wonders in the United States
In the music industry, the term one-hit wonder is used to describe an artist primarily known for a sole hit single. While no singular established criterion exists to classify an artist as a one-hit wonder, the frequently-cited technical description of a one-hit wonder in the United States defines a hit single as one which hits the top 40 of the national singles chart, the Billboard Hot 100.[1] Accordingly, Billboard journalist Wayne Jancik defines a United States one-hit wonder as "an act that has won a position on Billboard's national, pop, Top 40 just once."[2] Using this definition, artists are therefore classified as one-hit wonders based solely on Billboard Hot 100 chart performance—other factors such as success in other territories, additional hits on other Billboard genre-specific charts, membership in more prominent bands or musical groups, critical acclaim, and influence are not accounted for.[1]
One-hit wonders
| Contents |
|---|
| ← 1970s • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990s → |
1980
1981
| Artist | Single | Peak | Peak date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Anton | "Killin' Time" | 28 | February 7 | [37] |
| Delbert McClinton | "Giving It Up for Your Love" | 8 | February 21 | [38] |
| Tierra | "Together" | 18 | February 21 | [39] |
| Phil Seymour | "Precious to Me" | 22 | March 28 | [40] |
| Yarbrough and Peoples | "Don't Stop the Music" | 19 | April 11 | [41] |
| Terri Gibbs | "Somebody's Knockin'" | 13 | April 25 | [42] |
| Emmylou Harris | "Mister Sandman" | 37 | April 25 | [43] |
| Grover Washington, Jr. | "Just the Two of Us" | 2 | May 2 | [44] |
| John O'Banion | "Love You Like I Never Loved Before" | 24 | May 16 | [45] |
| T.G. Sheppard | "I Loved 'Em Every One" | 37 | May 16 | [46] |
| Get Wet | "Just So Lonely" | 39 | May 30 | [47] |
| Jesse Winchester | "Say What" | 32 | June 13 | [48] |
| Dottie West | "What Are We Doin' in Love" | 14 | June 27 | [31] |
| Lee Ritenour | "Is It You" | 15 | June 27 | [49] |
| Carole Bayer Sager | "Stronger Than Before" | 30 | July 11 | [50] |
| Rosanne Cash | "Seven Year Ache" | 22 | July 18 | [51] |
| Stanley Clarke and George Duke | "Sweet Baby" | 19 | August 1 | [52] |
| Joey Scarbury | "Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)" | 2 | August 15 | [53] |
| John Schneider | "It's Now or Never" | 14 | August 15 | [53] |
| Frankie Smith | "Double Dutch Bus" | 30 | August 15 | [54] |
| Jim Steinman | "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" | 32 | August 15 | [55] |
| Robbie Patton | "Don't Give It Up" | 26 | August 22 | [56] |
| Rachel Sweet | "Everlasting Love" | 32 | August 22 | [57] |
| Point Blank | "Nicole" | 39 | September 5 | [58] |
| Silver Condor | "You Could Take My Heart Away" | 32 | September 19 | [59] |
| Balance | "Breaking Away" | 22 | September 26 | [60] |
| The Afternoon Delights | "General Hospi-Tale" | 33 | October 3 | [61] |
| Larry Carlton | "The Theme from Hill Street Blues" | 10 | November 14 | [62] |
| Diesel | "Sausalito Summernight" | 25 | November 21 | [63] |
| Chris Christian | "I Want You, I Need You" | 37 | November 21 | [64] |
1982
| Artist | Single | Peak | Peak date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sneaker | "More Than Just the Two of Us" | 34 | January 23 | [65] |
| Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | "Hooked on Classics" | 10 | January 30 | [66] |
| Eddie Schwartz | "All Our Tomorrows" | 28 | February 20 | [53] |
| Skyy | "Call Me" | 26 | March 6 | [67] |
| Prism | "Don't Let Him Know" | 39 | March 13 | [68] |
| Buckner & Garcia | "Pac-Man Fever" | 9 | March 27 | [69] |
| Bob and Doug McKenzie | "Take Off" | 16 | March 27 | [70] |
| Bertie Higgins | "Key Largo" | 8 | April 17 | [71] |
| Le Roux | "Nobody Said It Was Easy (Lookin' for the Lights)" | 18 | April 17 | [72] |
| Junior | "Mama Used to Say" | 30 | April 24 | [73] |
| Tom Tom Club | "Genius of Love" | 31 | April 24 | [74] |
| Greg Guidry | "Goin' Down" | 17 | May 1 | [75] |
| David Lasley | "If I Had My Wish Tonight" | 36 | May 1 | [11] |
| Vangelis | "Chariots of Fire – Titles" | 1 | May 8 | [76] |
| Charlene | "I've Never Been to Me" | 3 | May 22 | [77] |
| Aldo Nova | "Fantasy" | 23 | May 29 | [78] |
| Chéri | "Murphy's Law" | 39 | June 5 | [79] |
| Rainbow | "Stone Cold" | 40 | June 19 | [80] |
| Patrice Rushen | "Forget Me Nots" | 23 | July 3 | [81] |
| Dazz Band | "Let It Whip" | 5 | July 17 | [82] |
| Soft Cell | "Tainted Love" | 8 | July 17 | [83] |
| Larry Elgart and His Manhattan Swing Orchestra | "Hooked on Swing" | 31 | July 24 | [84] |
| Eye to Eye | "Nice Girls" | 37 | July 24 | [85] |
| Haircut One Hundred | "Love Plus One" | 37 | August 7 | [86] |
| Leslie Pearl | "If the Love Fits Wear It" | 28 | August 14 | [87] |
| Jennifer Holliday | "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" | 22 | August 28 | [28] |
| Marshall Crenshaw | "Someday, Someway" | 36 | August 28 | [88] |
| Dweezil Zappa featuring Moon Unit Zappa | "Valley Girl" | 32 | September 11 | [89] |
| Tané Cain | "Holdin' On" | 37 | September 18 | [90] |
| Sylvia | "Nobody" | 15 | November 20 | [91] |
| Donald Fagen | "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)" | 26 | November 27 | [92] |
| Toni Basil | "Mickey" | 1 | December 11 | [93] |
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
| Artist | Single | Peak | Peak date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys Club | "I Remember Holding You" | 8 | January 14 | [156] |
| Sheriff | "When I'm with You" | 1 | February 4 | [46] |
| Edie Brickell & New Bohemians | "What I Am" | 7 | March 4 | [105] |
| Robin Zander | "Surrender to Me" | 6 | March 11 | [209] |
| Kon Kan | "I Beg Your Pardon" | 15 | March 11 | [210] |
| Deon Estus | "Heaven Help Me" | 5 | April 29 | [196] |
| Sa-Fire | "Thinking of You" | 12 | May 6 | [50] |
| The Belle Stars | "Iko Iko" | 14 | May 13 | [211] |
| One 2 Many | "Downtown" | 37 | May 20 | [212] |
| Jimmy Harnen with Synch | "Where Are You Now?" | 10 | June 10 | [91] |
| Roachford | "Cuddly Toy (Feel for Me)" | 25 | June 10 | [204] |
| Waterfront | "Cry" | 10 | June 17 | [44] |
| Love and Rockets | "So Alive" | 3 | August 5 | [213] |
| Eric B. & Rakim | "Friends" | 9 | August 26 | [187] |
| The Jeff Healey Band | "Angel Eyes" | 5 | September 2 | [209] |
| Grayson Hugh | "Talk It Over" | 19 | September 9 | [214] |
| Sharon Bryant | "Let Go" | 34 | October 14 | [95] |
| Sybil | "Don't Make Me Over" | 20 | December 2 | [215] |
| Kix | "Don't Close Your Eyes" | 11 | December 16 | [216] |
Notes
Bibliography
- Jancik, Wayne (1998). The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7622-9.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)
References
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