One Time, Two Times
The one-hit wonder—pop music’s favorite myth. We love to think these artists burned bright and vanished overnight, but that’s not always how the story goes. Some of these “flash-in-the-pan” acts didn’t fade out at all—in fact, a few quietly dropped a second hit while no one was paying attention.
Vanilla Ice
While everyone remembers "Ice Ice Baby" was a hit song, you might not remember how big it really was. "Ice Ice Baby" was the first hip-hop track to ever top the Billboard Hot 100 and his album, To the Extreme, was certified seven times platinum and held the top spot on the Billboard 200 for 16 consecutive weeks—although none of it might've happened had it not been for David Morales.
Vanilla Ice
You see, "Ice Ice Baby" was originally released as the B-side for Ice's song, "Play That Funky Music". However, David Morales was a radio DJ who played "Ice Ice Baby" instead of the A-side track and it was at that point that the song blew up. But what happened to "Play That Funky Music"? Well, we've all forgotten about it because of how huge and one-hit wonderish" Ice Ice Baby" was—but when "Play That Funky Music" was rereleased after the success of the aforementioned "Ice Ice Baby", it became a legit hit in its own right. The song reached platinum status and reached number four on the Hot 100.
The Rembrandts
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear The Rembrandts? Well, unless you were an art history major, we assume it's the hit television show, Friends. Because, as we all know, the Rembrandts song, "I'll Be There for You" was the show's ubiquitous theme song (insert hand claps here).
The Rembrandts
Friends premiered in 1994 and put all six stars, as well as the Rembrandts, on the map. But what gets forgotten is that the band had already had a legit hit four years prior with the song "Just the Way It Is, Baby". In fact, While "I'll Be There for You" reached number 17 on the charts, "Just the Way It Is, Baby" actually topped out even higher at 14 in 1990.
Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch
Before Mark Wahlberg was Hollywood royalty, it was his big brother Donnie who ruled the late '80s—screaming fans, matching outfits, the whole New Kids on the Block phenomenon. But in 1991, little brother stepped out of Donnie’s shadow and straight onto the charts.
With Good Vibrations, the debut single from Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Mark scored a number-one hit of his own—cementing his place in pop history before trading the mic for movie scripts.
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
"Good Vibrations" was such a big hit many of us have forgotten the second single he released that same year—"Wild Side". But while many of us don't remember it today, back in 1991, the Lou Reed-sampled song rose up to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Dream
The girl group Dream lived the pop music dream for a couple years at the turn of the century. After signing with Bad Boy Records, they put out their first album in 2001 and it rose all the way up to number six on the charts—mostly on the back of their catchy debut single, "He Loves U Not". The song was all over the radio and hit number two on the Hot 100. But they weren't done quite yet.
jenniferlinneaphotography, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Dream
The second single off of the album was called "This Is Me"—and while audiences didn't love it as much as the previous single, it did get up to 39 on the Hot 100 and rose all the way up to 13 on the pop charts.
jenniferlinneaphotography, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ugly Kid Joe
California band Ugly Kid Joe had a hit in 1992 with "Everything About You"—listing off everything they hated. But we're pretty sure they didn't hate having a number nine hit on the charts. You know what else they didn't hate?
MrPanyGoff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ugly Kid Joe
Having a number six hit on the charts the following year with their take on the Harry Chapin classic, "Cat's in the Cradle".
Heiner Bach, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Young M.C.
From Raj and Leonard’s karaoke nights to every wedding dance floor in existence, “Bust a Move” refuses to die—and honestly, we’re not mad about it. Back in 1989, Young M.C. turned that funky anthem into a full-blown cultural moment, cruising up to number seven on the charts and straight into pop history.
But—as Young M.C. himself might say—after you “bust a move,” what comes next?
Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Young M.C.
Well, it wasn't another top 10 hit that would engrain itself into our music subconscious. But it was "Principal's Office," which peaked at 33 on the Hot 100 and earned a Best Rap Video nomination at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards.
Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Cutting Crew
If you were around in the '80s, or if you've ever streamed any number of '80s-themed Spotify stations, you will be familiar with Cutting Crew's debut single, "(I Just) Died In Your Arms". It's one of many classics of the power-ballad era and was a number one hit for the British band. It wasn't their only hit though.
Mattlegg42, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Cutting Crew
The second single off of the same album did quite well also. "I've Been In Love Before" didn't reach number one, but it did get into the top 10 at number nine. Also, on the Adult Contemporary charts, it went as high as number two—whereas the previous track had only hit 24 there.
Mattlegg42, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
A-ha
Not only did A-ha score a number one song with "Take on Me" in 1985, they also created one of the most memorable music videos of all time with their live-action and animated creation.
Jamesbond raul, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A-ha
For most of us, “Take On Me” and its groundbreaking video were the entire A-ha experience—synths, sketch animation, and that impossible high note. But here’s what most people forget: the Norwegian trio actually pulled it off again.
Their follow-up single, “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.”, might not have reached the same stratosphere of fame, but it was no flop—it hit number one in the UK and cracked the U.S. Top 20. Still, after that brief encore, A-ha never quite re-entered the American pop conversation… though their legacy never really faded.
User, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Jesus Jones
With their second album, Doubt, Jesus Jones saw themselves breakthrough in North America—helped by the hit single "Right Here, Right Now". American listeners latched on to the track and the band saw it hit number two on the Hot 100. So, were they a one-hit wonder or the real, real, real deal?
Canley, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Jesus Jones
Did you get the joke? Probably not. Which kind of proves the point, really. Because while "Right Here, Right Now" is the song we all remember, their next single "Real, Real, Real" isn't. Although, it did impressively rock its way up to number four on the charts (their only other song to ever even enter the Hot 100).
Constantino14, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Quiet Riot
In 1983, Quiet Riot remade the Slade hit, "Cum on Feel the Noize"—and found even more success with it. Riot's version was the first single off of their album Metal Health and quickly rose up the charts to sit at number five. But while the girls were rocking their boys, Quiet Riot had another hit song that you may have forgotten about.
The Howlin' Wolf, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Quiet Riot
The title track off of the Metal Health album was the next single and with plenty of MTV love, the song got as high as 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 (the last time the band would see the top 40).
Fish123321, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Men Without Hats
Who needs hats when you’ve got “The Safety Dance”? Men Without Hats twirled, kicked, and synth-popped their way into 1983 glory, turning a quirky anthem about freedom and fun into a global sensation. The song hit number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and sent their debut album, Rhythm of Youth, soaring to number eight.
But lightning’s hard to catch twice. Their follow-up album barely cracked the charts at 127, and just like that, the band’s hatless party seemed over—at least, that’s what everyone thought...
Tabercil, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Men Without Hats
But then came album number three, Pop Goes the World, and the title track which landed at 20 on the US Hot 100—as well as number one in Australia and number two in Canada. It's also been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Tommy Tutone
867-5309. It's the most well-known phone number in the history of pop music and one that, should you happen to have said it as your personal phone number, will still get prank calls even to this day. "867-5309/Jenny" hit number four on the Hot 100, was named the 36th-greatest song of the 1980s by VH1. Tommy Tutone has adorned more one-hit wonder lists than we can count—but that's because we all forgot about "Angel Say No".
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
Tommy Tutone
The year before "867-5309/Jenny", the band released the single "Angel Say No," and while it didn't do Jenny business, it did give them their first top 40 hit (peaking at 38).
Falco
What is the only German-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100? It was Austrian singer Falco's 1986 track "Rock Me Amadeus". Which, by the way, also topped the charts in about nine other countries around the world. And for a bunch of us '80s kids, it was the reason we knew some facts about Mozart, including that he was born in Salzburg on January 27 and that he composed The Magic Flute in 1791. But we digress.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
Falco
Yes, that guy—the “Rock Me Amadeus” guy—actually had another hit. Falco wasn’t just a one-trick Mozart impersonator; he was a full-blown pop sensation across Europe. And surprisingly, his follow-up single “Vienna Calling” even made waves in the U.S.—a slick, German-laced ode to his hometown that climbed all the way to number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Kris Kross
Kris Kross jumped into our ears back in 1992 with their double platinum smash hit "Jump", which dominated the pop charts and rocked the number one spot on the Hot 100 for eight weeks. But the Daddy Mac and the Mac Daddy weren't done with chart success just yet.
Kris Kross
Of course, they never had a hit like "Jump" again (few artists ever do). But the rap duo, with their clothes on backwards, actually jumped into the top 20 three more times in their careers. But if we're talking about a second hit, it's probably going to be "Warm It Up". The song hit 13 on the Hot 100, was certified gold, and landed in more charts around the world than any of their singles besides "Jump".
Snow
The Canadian-born rapper with the Jamaican Patois style licky boom boom down'd his way onto the charts with his 1992 single, "Informer"—off of his debut album, 12 Inches of Snow. The song spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Snow
While most of us have forgotten that Snow put out five more albums, the fact that he had another hit song has also escaped most of our '90s music memories. But he did. The rapper followed up "Informer" with "Girl I've Been Hurt", which reached the top 10 in both Finland and Portugal, as well as cracking the top 20 in the US—peaking at 19 on the Hot 100.
Table222, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Spin Doctors
In 1991, the Spin Doctors burst onto the scene with their debut album Pocket Full of Kryptonite. At first, it made a quiet entrance—but once radio stations got a taste of the band’s funky, feel-good sound, things blew up fast.
Everyone remembers “Two Princes”, the earworm that shot up to number seven on the Hot 100 and became a ‘90s anthem. But here’s what most people forget: that wasn’t their only hit. Another track from the same album climbed the charts too… can you guess which one?
Jonathunder, Wikimedia Commons
Spin Doctors
Well, interestingly enough, what many might've forgotten was that "Two Princes" was actually the second single released off of the album, the first being the almost equally-catchy "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong". The latter did well, peaking at 17 on the Hot 100 and number five on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.
Ralf Lotys, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sixpence None The Richer
It took Sixpence None the Richer three albums to really "make it"—but when they did it, was with the first single off of that self-titled album, and it was big. "Kiss Me" was an international hit and smooched its way up to number two on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 3 million copies and being certified three times platinum. For their follow-up single, the band went with a cover song.
prassprasetio, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sixpence None The Richer
"There She Goes" was originally released in 1988 by The La's and did well—eventually working its way up to 42 on the Hot 100, and NME called it the 22nd Greatest Song of All Time. Well, about a decade later, Sixpence None the Richer put their own take on the song and—in case you forgot—their version of "There She Goes" was certified gold and reached 32 on the charts.
prassprasetio, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sisqo
For anyone who was listening to the radio or watching MTV in 2000, there was no escaping "Thong Song". The greatest piece of music dedicated to a women's bathing suite since "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" was everywhere that year and as it rose up to number three on the charts, it made the former Dru Hill lead singer a solo star. But do you remember what happened next?
Jax 0677, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sisqo
"Incomplete" is what happened next! To refresh all of our memories, "Incomplete" was the follow-up single to "Thong Song"—and while the latter is undoubtedly the song that most of us remember, and that made the biggest pop cultural impact, "Incomplete" was actually Sisqo's only number one hit.
Jax 0677, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
