Almost every decade has its fair share of one-hit wonders and this was no different in the 80s since a lot of bands came on the scene trying to make a name for themselves but only succeeded in getting off that one big hit. Some of them have stuck around for a while trying to reach that peak again but not a lot of them have done so, and the one-hit wonders have had the least amount of success in that regard. But to be fair to all of them the 90s became a very tumultuous time when it came to music and the changing landscape was more than enough to discourage the same sound and look of the bands that had been so popular back in the 80s. With Hip Hop and Grunge on the rise, and other genres changing with the times, a lot of these bands just couldn’t keep up and fell by the wayside.
But with that being said, some of the one-it wonders of the 80s did come up with some memorable songs.
10. Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Relax
This song has been featured in so many different films and can still be heard in clubs occasionally since it was one of those tracks that you couldn’t get out of your head so quickly after hearing it. In truth it’s still a great song but it was their only real success.
9. Kajagoogoo – Too Shy
It’s a fair bet that not a lot of people even know the name of this band any longer and to be honest the opening to the song needs to be heard a few times to really get into it and to remember it. Keep in mind that the 80s were kind of crazy and remembering everything is kind of difficult. Plus the idea that the lead singer sounds very feminine while he’s singing might confuse a few people.
8. Bow Wow Wow – I Want Candy
As fun as this song was and still is it’s still one of the only hits that Bow Wow Wow managed to come up with. This is still featured in movies and the occasional TV show, as it bounces and has a lot of good rhythm that makes it easy to get into.
7. Modern English – I Melt With You
You’ve likely heard this song more than once on oldie stations and even on TV since it was used for a Hershey commercial at one point. In movies it was very prevalent for a while and it gave a nice backdrop to a lot of different scenes. It’s a fun song that’s easy to sing along to and quite honestly it’s one of the better ones from the decade.
6. Tony Basil – Mickey
It seems fair to say that a lot of people would remember this song best as being sung on Wayne’s World since he belted out a few lyrics in the car, but once you hear the song in its entirety the chances are good that you won’t forget it for quite a while. They did manage to stick around thanks to this song, but when it was considered to be their only big hit then things didn’t really go anywhere.
5. Soft Cell – Tainted Love
https://youtu.be/7tlCX9SOW5M
This song definitely has the feel of the 80s. It’s vibrant, a little dark in some places, at least in the feeling, and it bounces in ways that are kind of awkward but still manage to work in their own way. One of the greatest uses of it was in the movie version of The Coneheads. The movie was kind of a flop but the use of this song was kind of fun since it capped off a few moments that were pretty funny.
4. Tommy Tutone – 867-5309/ Jenny
It’s kind of a funny but sad moment when you can cite this number to people in this day and age and they’ll think that you’re actually giving up someone’s phone number. In fact Facebook has been host to this gag more than once since it’s one of the many places where you can make such a joke and people will think you’re being serious.
3. A-Ha – Take On Me
This video and the song were kind of a breakthrough for this group and they’ve actually been around for a while. But honestly this is their best song by far and the one that really got them noticed and on the charts.
2. A Flock of Seagulls – I Ran (So Far Away)
Apart from this song the hairstyle was something that the band was given a lot of credit for, but both eventually died out, thankfully when it came to the latter. The song though is still able to heard now and again on the oldies station like the rest of the tracks on this list.
1. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come on Eileen
For some reason the video that goes to this song didn’t want to load, but the point comes through in Tommy Boy just fine when it comes to describing how much fun it is to just belt this song out while driving.
Yes, the 80s were fun times.
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