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[edit]

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1980[edit]

Steve Forbert

Gary Numan

Bruce Cockburn

Devo

Artist	Single	Peak	Peak date	Ref.
Tom Johnston	"Savannah Nights"	34	January 12	[3]
The Sugarhill Gang	"Rapper's Delight"	36	January 12	[4]
Steve Forbert	"Romeo's Tune"	11	February 23	[5]
Teri DeSario	"Yes I'm Ready"	2	March 1	[6]
Syreeta	"With You I'm Born Again"	4	April 19	[7]
Utopia	"Set Me Free"	27	April 19	[8]
Felix Cavaliere	"Only a Lonely Heart Sees"	36	April 19	[9]
Charlie Dore	"Pilot of the Airwaves"	13	May 3	[10]
James Last Band	"The Seduction (Love Theme from American Gigolo)"	28	May 24	[11]
Lipps Inc.	"Funkytown"	1	May 31	[12]
Bernadette Peters	"Gee Whiz"	31	May 31	[13]
Gary Numan	"Cars"	9	June 7	[14]
Bruce Cockburn	"Wondering Where the Lions Are"	21	June 7	[15]
Spider	"New Romance (It's a Mystery)"	39	June 7	[16]
Dara Sedaka	"Should've Never Let You Go"	19	June 28	[17]
Rodney Crowell	"Ashes by Now"	37	July 5	[18]
Rick Pinette and Oak	"King of the Hill"	36	July 19	[19]
Change	"A Lover's Holiday"	40	July 19	[20]
Rocky Burnette	"Tired of Toein' the Line"	8	July 26	[21]
Mickey Gilley	"Stand by Me"	22	August 2	[22]
The S.O.S. Band	"Take Your Time (Do It Right)"	3	August 16	[23]
Ali Thomson	"Take a Little Rhythm"	15	August 23	[24]
Benny Mardones	"Into the Night"A	11	September 6	[25]
Johnny Lee	"Lookin' for Love"	5	September 20	[26]
Larry Graham	"One in a Million You"	9	September 20	[27]
Amy Holland	"How Do I Survive"	22	October 11	[28]
The Larsen-Feiten Band	"Who'll Be the Fool Tonight"	29	October 11	[29]
Devo	"Whip It"	14	November 15	[30]
Jimmy Hall	"I'm Happy That Love Has Found You"	27	November 22	[31]
Nielsen/Pearson	"If You Should Sail"	38	November 22	[32]
Roger Daltrey	"Without Your Love"	20	November 29	[33]
The Vapors	"Turning Japanese"	36	November 29	[34]
Don Williams	"I Believe in You"	24	December 20	[35]
The Korgis	"Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime"	18	December 27	[36]

1981[edit]

Phil Seymour

Emmylou Harris

Point Blank

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[edit]

Vangelis

Haircut One Hundred

Marshall Crenshaw

Frank Zappa

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]
Karla Bonoff	"Personally"	19	August 7	[86]
Haircut One Hundred	"Love Plus One"	37	August 7	[87]
Leslie Pearl	"If the Love Fits Wear It"	28	August 14	[88]
Jennifer Holliday	"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"	22	August 28	[28]
Marshall Crenshaw	"Someday, Someway"	36	August 28	[89]
Frank Zappa featuring Moon Unit Zappa	"Valley Girl"	32	September 11	[90]
Tané Cain	"Holdin' On"	37	September 18	[91]
Rush	"New World Man"	21	October 30	[81]
Sylvia	"Nobody"	15	November 20	[92]
Donald Fagen	"I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)"	26	November 27	[93]
Toni Basil	"Mickey"	1	December 11	[94]

1983[edit]

Patti Austin

Dexys Midnight Runners

Thomas Dolby

Artist	Single	Peak	Peak date	Ref.
Moving Pictures	"What About Me"	29	February 12	[95]
Patti Austin	"Baby, Come to Me"	1	February 19	[96]
Pia Zadora	"The Clapping Song"	36	February 19	[90]
Musical Youth	"Pass the Dutchie"	10	February 26	[97]
Saga	"On the Loose"	26	February 26	[50]
Vandenberg	"Burning Heart"	39	March 12	[98]
Frida	"I Know There's Something Going On"	13	March 26	[99]
Dexys Midnight Runners	"Come On Eileen"	1	April 23	[100]
Oxo	"Whirly Girl"	28	April 23	[101]
After the Fire	"Der Kommissar"	5	April 30	[61]
Patrick Simmons	"So Wrong"	30	May 7	[3]
Thomas Dolby	"She Blinded Me with Science"	5	May 14	[102]
Robert Ellis Orrall and Carlene Carter	"I Couldn't Say No"	32	May 21	[103]
Jim Capaldi	"That's Love"	28	June 18	[104]
Kajagoogoo	"Too Shy"	5	July 9	[105]
Martin Briley	"The Salt in My Tears"	36	July 30	[106]
Charlie	"It's Inevitable"	38	August 13	[107]
Taco	"Puttin' on the Ritz"	4	September 3	[74]
Frank Stallone	"Far from Over"	10	October 1	[108]
Agnetha Fältskog	"Can't Shake Loose"	29	November 5	[99]
JoBoxers	"Just Got Lucky"	36	November 19	[109]
Big Country	"In a Big Country"	17	December 3	[110]
Peter Schilling	"Major Tom (Coming Home)"	14	December 24	[53]

1984[edit]

Nena

Twisted Sister

Dennis DeYoung

Artist	Single	Peak	Peak date	Ref.
Jump 'N the Saddle Band	"The Curly Shuffle"	15	January 21	[73]
Deborah Allen	"Baby I Lied"	26	January 21	[111]
Shannon	"Let the Music Play"	8	February 25	[112]
Nena	"99 Luftballons"	2	March 3	[113]
Re-Flex	"The Politics of Dancing"	24	March 17	[114]
Tracey Ullman	"They Don't Know"	8	April 28	[115]
Laid Back	"White Horse"	26	May 12	[116]
Talk Talk	"It's My Life"	31	May 19	[74]
The Style Council	"My Ever Changing Moods"	29	June 9	[117]
The Icicle Works	"Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)"	37	June 9	[118]
Van Stephenson	"Modern Day Delilah"	22	June 30	[55]
Mike Reno	"Almost Paradise... Love Theme from Footloose"	7	July 14	[119]
Face to Face	"10-9-8"	38	July 21	[93]
Ollie & Jerry	"Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us"	9	August 4	[120]
Scandal	"The Warrior"	7	September 22	[121]
Twisted Sister	"We're Not Gonna Take It"	21	September 22	[122]
Joyce Kennedy	"The Last Time I Made Love"	40	October 6	[123]
Romeo Void	"A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)"	35	October 27	[124]
Dennis DeYoung	"Desert Moon"	10	November 10	[100]
Sam Harris	"Sugar Don't Bite"	36	November 10	[125]
Tommy Shaw	"Girls with Guns"	33	November 17	[126]
Rebbie Jackson	"Centipede"	24	December 22	[127]

1985[edit]

Jack Wagner

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Kate Bush

Artist	Single	Peak	Peak date	Ref.
Jack Wagner	"All I Need"	2	January 12	[128]
Band Aid	"Do They Know It's Christmas?"	13	January 19	[129]
Philip Bailey	"Easy Lover"	2	February 2	[130]
Giuffria	"Call to the Heart"	15	February 2	[131]
Midnight Star	"Operator"	18	February 2	[132]
John Hunter	"Tragedy"	39	February 16	[133]
Frankie Goes to Hollywood	"Relax"	10	March 16	[134]
Autograph	"Turn Up the Radio"	29	March 16	[135]
Pat Metheny Group	"This Is Not America"	32	March 23	[136]
USA for Africa	"We Are the World"	1	April 13	[8]
The Firm	"Radioactive"	28	April 13	[137]
Harold Faltermeyer	"Axel F"	3	June 1	[138]
Alison Moyet	"Invisible"	31	June 1	[139]
Mary Jane Girls	"In My House"	7	June 8	[140]
Limahl	"The NeverEnding Story"	17	June 15	[141]
Graham Parker and the Shot	"Wake Up (Next to You)"	39	June 22	[142]
Paul Hardcastle	"19"	15	July 20	[143]
Cock Robin	"When Your Heart Is Weak"	35	August 31	[144]
Chrissie Hynde	"I Got You Babe"	28	September 21	[145]
Godley & Creme	"Cry"	16	October 5	[146]
Jan Hammer	"Miami Vice Theme"	1	November 9	[143]
David Foster	"Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire"	15	November 16	[147]
Kate Bush	"Running Up That Hill"	30	November 30	[148]
Starpoint	"Object of My Desire"	25	December 14	[149]
Artists United Against Apartheid	"Sun City"	38	December 14	[150]
Scritti Politti	"Perfect Way"	11	December 21	[151]

1986[edit]

Clarence Clemons

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Ric Ocasek

Artist	Single	Peak	Peak date	Ref.
Clarence Clemons	"You're a Friend of Mine"	18	January 18	[152]
Ta Mara and the Seen	"Everybody Dance"	24	January 18	[74]
Baltimora	"Tarzan Boy"	13	March 1	[129]
Robert Tepper	"No Easy Way Out"	22	March 29	[153]
Opus	"Live Is Life"	32	March 29	[154]
Sly Fox	"Let's Go All the Way"	7	April 12	[155]
Force MDs	"Tender Love"	10	April 12	[5]
John Taylor	"I Do What I Do (Theme for 9½ Weeks)"	23	April 26	[156]
Honeymoon Suite	"Feel It Again"	34	May 10	[157]
Boys Don't Cry	"I Wanna Be a Cowboy"	12	June 21	[158]
Models	"Out of Mind, Out of Sight"	37	June 21	[159]
The Fabulous Thunderbirds	"Tuff Enuff"	10	July 12	[93]
GTR	"When the Heart Rules the Mind"	14	July 12	[75]
The Blow Monkeys	"Digging Your Scene"	14	August 2	[160]
Andy Taylor	"Take It Easy"	24	August 2	[156]
Device	"Hanging on a Heart Attack"	35	August 9	[30]
Timex Social Club	"Rumors"	8	August 16	[161]
Gavin Christopher	"One Step Closer to You"	22	August 16	[162]
Regina	"Baby Love"	10	September 13	[114]
Double	"The Captain of Her Heart"	16	September 13	[163]
Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson	"Friends and Lovers"	2	September 27	[164]
Max Headroom	"Paranoimia"	34	October 4	[150]
Oran "Juice" Jones	"The Rain"	9	November 15	[165]
Ric Ocasek	"Emotion in Motion"	15	November 15	[166]
David and David	"Welcome to the Boomtown"	37	November 29	[167]
Timbuk 3	"The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades"	19	December 27	[161]
Nancy Martinez	"For Tonight"	32	December 27	[168]

1987[edit]

Bruce Willis

The Psychedelic Furs

T'Pau

Grateful Dead

Artist	Single	Peak	Peak date	Ref.
Gregory Abbott	"Shake You Down"	1	January 17	[99]
Benjamin Orr	"Stay the Night"	24	February 14	[169]
The Georgia Satellites	"Keep Your Hands to Yourself"	2	February 21	[47]
Chico DeBarge	"Talk to Me"	21	February 21	[170]
Jeff Lorber	"Facts of Love"	27	February 21	[171]
Bruce Willis	"Respect Yourself"	5	March 7	[172]
The Communards	"Don't Leave Me This Way"	40	March 7	[173]
Shirley Murdock	"As We Lay"	23	March 28	[139]
Hipsway	"The Honeythief"	19	April 4	[174]
The Barbusters	"Light of Day"	33	April 4	[175]
Robert Cray Band	"Smoking Gun"	22	April 18	[176]
World Party	"Ship of Fools (Save Me from Tomorrow)"	27	April 25	[177]
Donna Allen	"Serious"	21	May 9	[178]
The Psychedelic Furs	"Heartbreak Beat"	26	May 23	[179]
Breakfast Club	"Right on Track"	7	May 30	[180]
Company B	"Fascinated"	21	June 13	[181]
Partland Brothers	"Soul City"	27	June 27	[182]
Jennifer Rush	"The Flames of Paradise"	36	July 11	[81]
The System	"Don't Disturb This Groove"	4	July 18	[92]
Pseudo Echo	"Funky Town"	6	July 18	[179]
The Nylons	"Kiss Him Goodbye"	12	August 1	[19]
T'Pau	"Heart and Soul"	4	August 8	[183]
Living in a Box	"Living in a Box"	17	August 22	[184]
Jonathan Butler	"Lies"	27	August 29	[185]
Danny Wilson	"Mary's Prayer"	23	September 5	[186]
Grateful Dead	"Touch of Grey"	9	September 26	[187]
The Other Ones	"Holiday"	29	October 17	[188]
LeVert	"Casanova"	5	October 31	[72]
Timothy B. Schmit	"Boys Night Out"	25	November 7	[53]
Wa Wa Nee	"Sugar Free"	35	November 14	[189]
Bill Medley	"(I've Had) The Time of My Life"	1	November 28	[190]
Bourgeois Tagg	"I Don't Mind at All"	38	December 5	[136]
Kane Gang	"Motortown"	36	December 19	[191]

1988[edit]

Stryper

Midnight Oil

Bobby McFerrin

Artist	Single	Peak	Peak date	Ref.
Stryper	"Honestly"	23	January 30	[117]
MARRS	"Pump Up the Volume"	13	February 20	[192]
Patrick Swayze featuring Wendy Fraser	"She's Like the Wind"	3	February 27	[193]
Scarlett and Black	"You Don't Know"	20	April 16	[53]
Morris Day	"Fishnet"	23	April 23	[161]
Bryan Ferry	"Kiss and Tell"	31	April 30	[194]
Dan Reed Network	"Ritual"	38	May 7	[195]
Suave	"My Girl"	20	May 14	[196]
The Deele	"Two Occasions"	10	May 21	[197]
Times Two	"Strange but True"	21	May 21	[161]
E.U.	"Da Butt"	35	May 21	[198]
Bardeux	"When We Kiss"	36	June 4	[199]
The Church	"Under the Milky Way"	24	June 18	[162]
J. J. Fad	"Supersonic"	30	June 18	[200]
Midnight Oil	"Beds Are Burning"	17	July 2	[132]
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers	"Tomorrow People"	39	July 9	[201]
Jane Wiedlin	"Rush Hour"	9	July 30	[202]
Climie Fisher	"Love Changes (Everything)"	23	July 30	[203]
Denise Lopez	"Sayin' Sorry (Don't Make It Right)"	31	August 20	[204]
Bobby McFerrin	"Don't Worry, Be Happy"	1	September 24	[205]
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock	"It Takes Two"	36	October 29	[206]
Giant Steps	"Another Lover"	13	November 12	[207]
When in Rome	"The Promise"	11	December 10	[31]
Ivan Neville	"Not Just Another Girl"	26	December 10	[208]
Judson Spence	"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah"	32	December 10	[209]
Cheryl Pepsii Riley	"Thanks for My Child"	32	December 24	[210]

1989[edit]

Edie Brickell & New Bohemians

Roachford

Artist	Single	Peak	Peak date	Ref.
Boys Club	"I Remember Holding You"	8	January 14	[158]
Sheriff	"When I'm with You"	1	February 4	[46]
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians	"What I Am"	7	March 4	[106]
Robin Zander	"Surrender to Me"	6	March 11	[211]
Kon Kan	"I Beg Your Pardon"	15	March 11	[212]
Deon Estus	"Heaven Help Me"	5	April 29	[198]
Sa-Fire	"Thinking of You"	12	May 6	[50]
The Belle Stars	"Iko Iko"	14	May 13	[213]
One 2 Many	"Downtown"	37	May 20	[214]
Jimmy Harnen with Synch	"Where Are You Now?"	10	June 10	[92]
Roachford	"Cuddly Toy (Feel for Me)"	25	June 10	[206]
Waterfront	"Cry"	10	June 17	[44]
Love and Rockets	"So Alive"	3	August 5	[215]
Eric B. & Rakim	"Friends"	9	August 26	[189]
The Jeff Healey Band	"Angel Eyes"	5	September 2	[211]
Grayson Hugh	"Talk It Over"	19	September 9	[216]
Sharon Bryant	"Let Go"	34	October 14	[96]
Sybil	"Don't Make Me Over"	20	December 2	[217]
Kix	"Don't Close Your Eyes"	11	December 16	[218]