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February 16, 2021 2:22 pm  #1


Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

Newsweek (MSN) published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article last week ( 4 days ago) and although some groups they name, had more than one hit (Macy Gray and Devo to name  few), it is kind of fun to look through this...

What is one 1-hit wonder song you kind of liked or wished they had longer careers and don't say "Seasons in the Sun" or I will hurl on all of you... (smiling and chuckling)

Here is the article, enjoy! 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/30-one-hit-wonder-pop-stars-and-where-they-are-now/ar-BB1dD0DW



My hit is Chick-a-Boom...don't ya just love it












 


The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

February 16, 2021 2:42 pm  #2


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

A fun article, and as you pointed out, not entirely accurate about what qualifies as "One Hit." But I take great umbrage with the description of Del Shannon as a one hit wonder for 1961's "Runaway."

"A follow-up, however, alluded him, especially once the world fell into the grips of Beatlemania." 

That is demonstrably not true (and it should be "eluded," not "alluded," which is a very different thing.) He followed the hit with songs like "Hats Off To Larry," (#5 Billboard) "Little Town Flirt" (#12 Billboard) and "Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow The Sun"), (#9, Billboard) the latter of which hit in 1965, well after the Beatles invasion of North America.

"Runaway" was unquestionably Charles Westover's (his real name) biggest hit. But his only one? No way! 

 

February 16, 2021 3:00 pm  #3


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

From the Newsweek article:

>> As a virtual band (and the world's most successful fictional band until the Gorillaz in the 2000s), The Archies probably minded the least of anyone on this list about being a one-hit wonder.

The performers of the number one 1969 smash, meanwhile, continued to have careers in the music industry. Ron Dante became Barry Manilow's record producer, Jeff Barry wrote some of the most iconic songs of all time like "River Deep, Mountain High," "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," while Toni Wine sang backing vocals on Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind." <<

No mention of Andy Kim, who co-wrote Sugar, Sugar and sang on the record, too. Major miss by the story's author.
And, of course, Kim/Longfellow was much more than a one-hit wonder.

Last edited by mike marshall (February 16, 2021 3:04 pm)

 

February 16, 2021 3:32 pm  #4


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

The Archies had two other moderate hits in addition to "Sugar, Sugar." They were "Jingle, Jangle" (which made the top 10) and "Bang-Shang-A-Lang."

Last edited by Dale Patterson (February 16, 2021 3:32 pm)


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February 16, 2021 3:50 pm  #5


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

Dale Patterson wrote:

The Archies had two other moderate hits in addition to "Sugar, Sugar"

In his 1987 autobiography, Bruce Morrow states . . . "the biggest nongroup of all time, the Archies, an animated amalgamation of recording studio musicians brought together to create the sound of a cartoon show"

 

February 16, 2021 4:37 pm  #6


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

They likely had a few additional hits in the UK, but The Vapors Turning Japanese would qualify as a one hit wonder in North America at least.  A few new wave bands had only one top 40 hit.  A lot of people say The Knack was a one hit wonder with My Sharona.  However their second single Good Girls Don't also reached #1 in Canada and Australia, and their second album...But The Little Girls Understand, also went platinum in Canada. 

Also what exactly is a hit?  Top five, top ten, top 40?  Some songs actually don't chart well initially or at all, but become more popular over time.   It is interesting to see an album or single that never made the charts, years later awarded a platinum or multi-platinum disc.  Other songs sometimes are only hits in a certain region, and don't become popular or sell very much elsewhere. 

 

February 16, 2021 4:53 pm  #7


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

Diesel - Sausalito Summernight (1981)

Re Flex - The Politics of Dancing (1983)

 

February 16, 2021 5:24 pm  #8


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

Devo was a one-hit wonder? News to me.

 

February 17, 2021 10:29 am  #9


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

Probably the biggest one hit wonder was Zager & Evans "In The Year 2525" which topped the Hot 100 for six weeks in July/Aug 1969. The group had a followup single in Oct 69 [Mr. Turnkey]. It was only able to "Bubble Under" for three weeks, then disappear forever.

 

February 17, 2021 12:45 pm  #10


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

to think... verification is as close a google. oh well. 

 

February 17, 2021 1:38 pm  #11


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

the original hank wrote:

to think... verification is as close a google. oh well. 

Or Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles book.

 

February 17, 2021 2:00 pm  #12


Re: Newsweek published a 1 hit wonder, where are they now article

mace wrote:

the original hank wrote:

to think... verification is as close a google. oh well. 

Or Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles book.

Yes the article fails on the basics of one hit wonders in some of the examples cited as already noted. Had they googled or checked out the Whitburn book they would have known that the Archies had a top 25 hit before Sugar Sugar in Bang Shang a Lang and a Top 10 after in Jingle Jangle. 

I guess they can be excused in not noting that Minnie Riperton was the lead singer for Rotary Connection and had more than one album that was regularly played on FM:




 

Last edited by Fitz (February 17, 2021 2:00 pm)


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