One hit wonders? Not exactly. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for tracks by one-hit wonders that may not have received the same amount of attention as their claim to fame but are still good.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for tracks by one hit wonders
00:09that may not have received the same amount of attention as their claim to fame, but are
00:13still good.
00:20Number 10.
00:21Mike Oldfield's single, Tubular Bells.
00:23Mike Oldfield.
00:25Mike Oldfield's Moonlight Shadow was one of his most digestible tunes, hitting number
00:30one across several European countries.
00:40Although his debut single, Mike Oldfield's single, Tubular Bells, was a hit in the United
00:45States and is known for its use in the film The Exorcist, it didn't have the level of
00:50international success as Moonlight Shadow.
01:02The full-length experimental piece features several different sections with various instruments
01:07from pianos to electric guitars.
01:10It transcends both genre and mood, creating a genuinely unique experience that takes the
01:15listener on an audio journey.
01:28The album containing this piece was a big hit in the UK, but the full song unfortunately
01:33still remains largely unknown to the public.
01:45Number 9.
01:46Drop Dead Gorgeous, Republica.
01:48Striking the perfect intersection between rock and roll and club music, Republica quickly
01:53carved out a niche for themselves.
02:01Their first single, Ready To Go, became internationally known after being remixed in 1996, becoming
02:07an anthem for young women everywhere.
02:10They put the band on the map, but the rest of their releases didn't make the same impact.
02:22Drop Dead Gorgeous had all the makings of another hit, with brighter production and
02:26an undeniably catchy hook that's nearly impossible not to sing along to.
02:37Although it performed very well in the UK, elsewhere it struggled commercially compared
02:42to their initial release.
02:44While it may not be widely recognized, it still perfectly encapsulates the era, making
02:49it well worth a listen now.
02:58Number 8.
02:59Most people I know think that I'm crazy, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs.
03:04He may be a one-hit wonder to the United States, but in Australia, he's a rock legend.
03:09In the 1970s, Billy Thorpe found success with Children of the Sun.
03:20The epic number was well-received in the United States, making it to number 41 on the Billboard
03:25Hot 100, and that's pretty much all Americans know about him.
03:29But his band, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, dominated Down Under, with Most People I Know
03:35Think That I'm Crazy becoming successful domestically.
03:46It wasn't able to find an international audience, causing his eventual solo work to take center
03:51stage.
04:00While it may not have broken records, it's still a timeless release, and between the
04:04heartfelt lyrics and classic sound, it's clear to see why.
04:16Number 7.
04:17Ziploc – Lit For an instant, it captured the voice of
04:21a generation.
04:22Lit's My Own Worst Enemy became a near-instant classic following its release in 1999.
04:33Its punk elements and relatable message caused it to resonate with millions.
04:37The song's reach was so immense that it completely overshadowed every other release of theirs,
04:43including their follow-up single, Ziploc.
04:54Like their debut, it had a guitar-driven instrumental and deep lyrics.
05:05Despite following a similar formula, it only saw a fraction of the success.
05:10Still, its infectious refrain has made it an anthem in its own right, even if it's
05:14only to a few people.
05:16While it may have faded to the background, it's still a quintessential piece within
05:20their discography and pop-punk as a whole.
05:29Number 6.
05:30Someday We'll Know – New Radicals Many one-hit wonders of the 1990s helped to
05:35define the sound of the decade.
05:37New Radicals is the ultimate example with You Get What You Give, becoming a generational
05:43bop that's still recognized as one of the best of its era.
05:52While they were on track to having a booming career, the group broke up just before the
05:57release of their second single, giving it essentially no chance of seeing similar success.
06:09Someday We'll Know was the opposite of their initial release both lyrically and sonically.
06:20It shows how versatile they were as a group with the ability to pull off both anthems
06:25and ballads.
06:26While it unfortunately came and went without much fanfare, it's still a reminder of what
06:30could have been.
06:38Number 5.
06:39Breakaway – Toni Baszle Most people today know her for her infectiously
06:44cheery cover of The Races' Mickey, which became a vital part of pop culture that's
06:49still referenced to this day.
06:58However that wasn't Toni Baszle's only contribution to the arts.
07:09Her first release, Breakaway, is credited as being one of the precursors to the modern
07:14day music video, despite it not making any waves upon release.
07:18It was featured in a short film of the same name, consisting of her performance alongside
07:22various groundbreaking editing techniques.
07:32The song itself is vastly different from her follow-up hit, showing off her impressive
07:36vocals over a classic 60's sound.
07:46It shows that a track doesn't have to go number one to still have a cultural impact.
07:52Number 4.
07:53Living in the Plastic Age – The Buggles The Buggles' video-killed-the-radio star
07:59helped put MTV on the map.
08:07It had the perfect combination of pristine production and timely lyrics, creating a piece
08:12that helped usher in a more visual era of music.
08:16But it wasn't their only number to comment on the state of society at the time.
08:25Their following release, Living in the Plastic Age, was biting commentary on the culture
08:30of the 70's, calling out how business-oriented and artificial it was.
08:42Unfortunately, it didn't have the same reach as their debut, causing it to fade to
08:46the background.
08:48Despite the message still being eerily applicable to today's day and age, it remains criminally
08:52underrated.
09:01Number 3.
09:02Slide Away – The Verve Bittersweet Symphony was more than just a hit,
09:07it was a cultural phenomenon.
09:18The orchestra-sampled instrumental and emotional lyrics helped it stand out in the best way
09:23possible, creating a bop that's still appreciated today.
09:26It quickly became The Verve's signature piece, causing other releases to be overshadowed
09:31as a result.
09:39While not reaching the same level of regard, Slide Away is the perfect representation of
09:44their original vibe.
09:52It has a more traditionally grunge instrumental, capturing the sonic landscape of the early
09:571990's and laying the foundation for their eventual success.
10:02The two songs demonstrate their evolution as a group both musically and commercially,
10:06serving as proof that an act can completely switch up their sound and still reach unprecedented
10:11levels of success.
10:22Number 2.
10:23Eyes Wide Open – Godier His mainstream career came and went in the
10:27blink of an eye, but that doesn't make the rest of his discography any less impressive.
10:40Somebody That I Used To Know helped define the early 2010's despite sounding unlike
10:45other bestsellers at the time.
10:47The sheer success of the piece eventually caused Godier to pull away from the music
10:51industry entirely, leaving the rest of his catalogue severely underappreciated.
11:01Eyes Wide Open is merely a glimpse into his musical genius, it's essentially the opposite
11:06of his biggest hits, with much brighter production and higher, more ambitious vocals.
11:19It exemplifies his versatility as an artist and had the potential to be big, but unlike
11:24its more melancholy follow-up, barely touched the charts.
11:44Number 1.
11:45Movies – Alien Ant Farm Their biggest release may have been a cover
11:49of an already legendary song, but they still managed to make it their own.
11:57Alien Ant Farm's hard rock rendition of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal went on
12:01to become their signature piece, eclipsing their own original works.
12:06Movies was the band's first single, detailing the struggle of moving on from a break-up.
12:17It was a solid debut and it made some noise, but not as much as it deserved.
12:22They even tried releasing it again following their sudden rise with Smooth Criminal, but
12:26even then, its success was modest.
12:33Had they not released the cover, then it might have stood on its own.
12:37But unfortunately, it remains as forgotten as the rest of their original discography.
12:47Which overlooked song by a one-hit wonder do you think deserved to be a hit?
12:51Let us know in the comments below.