By Iris Goldsztajn
2:28pm PST, Mar 3, 2026
—
The 1980s gave us some of the world's favorite songs of all time, including many from bands and solo artists who were basically never heard of since.
Keep reading for our top picks of the '80s one-hit wonders…
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Bow Wow Wow: "I Want Candy"
"I Want Candy" was originally released by The Strangeloves in 1965,
peaking at No. 11 on the U.S. charts. The band Bow Wow Wow's 1982 cover charted for an impressive seven weeks, though it only reached No. 62 at its best. Bow Wow Wow was fronted by
Annabella Lwin, who was just 13 at the time. They released a few songs between 1981 and 1983, but "I Want Candy" was by far and away their biggest success.
Dexys Midnight Runners: "Come On Eileen"
Some one-hit wonders make musical history like English band Dexys Midnight Runners, whose track "Come On Eileen" is a staple of wedding dance floors the world over to this day. The band had a few other fairly successful songs, but none can hold a candle to their 1982 smash hit.
Toni Basil: "Mickey"
Toni Basil — whose full name, Antonia Basilotta, sounds quite a bit like
Lady Gaga's government name Stefani Germanotta — is the legendary performer behind the super fun song 1981 "Mickey." She was a one-hit wonder in that most of her career was spent as a Hollywood actress, whom
Quentin Tarantino once
dubbed "the goddess of go-go."
The Waitresses: "I Know What Boys Like"
A spiritual predecessor to Charli xcx's "Boys," The Waitresses' 1982 hit "I Know What Boys Like" only made it to No. 62 on the Billboard charts, but it did stay on there for a very respectable six weeks. They were a five-piece band from Akron, Ohio.
Modern English: "I Melt With You"
In some ways, Modern English's "I Melt With You" is a distinctly '80s song, but in others, it sounds like it could have been recorded by Arctic Monkeys in 2005. In other words, it's a little bit timeless — which probably accounts for its incredible success following its 1982 release. Interestingly, the hit
charted not at the time of its release but in 1983 after
appearing in the
Valley Girl movie soundtrack — and again in 1990 as the result of a
re-release.
Nena: "99 Luftballons"
Technically… a two-in-one-hit wonder, if you will. After Nena (a band, not a solo female artist, despite the confusing name)
released "99 Luftballons" in German in 1983, the song was so successful that they felt compelled to
re-record it in English as "99 Red Balloons" the next year. Millennials will remember a cover version best from the iconic
Olsen twin movie
Our Lips Are Sealed circa 2000.
Michael Sembello: "Maniac"
Movie soundtracks are wonderful vehicles for one-hit wonders: So it was with
Michael Sembello's 1983 track "Maniac" from
Flashdance, which
charted at No. 1 for two weeks — and charted, period, for 22.
A-ha: "Take on Me"
Technicallyyy, three of A-ha's songs won themselves a spot on the
Billboard charts in the 1980s. However, only "Take on Me" reached No. 1 and charted for 27 weeks (more than half a year!).
Frankie Goes to Hollywood: "Relax"
We don't know about you, but we absolutely cannot think of this song without picturing Ross Geller in a hilariously tiny shirt featuring the words "FRANKIE SAY RELAX." Turns out, this was
a whole movement in the '80s, which started with promotion for the hit. The bop
peaked at No. 10 on the U.S. charts.
Rockwell: "Somebody's Watching Me"
Motown is typically associated with great hits of the '60s and '70s, but they released some great songs in the '80s, too. Exhibit A: "Somebody's Watching Me" by
Rockwell, which
remained on the Billboard charts in 1984 for a whopping 22 weeks, peaking at No. 2.
Soft Cell: "Tainted Love"
The complete classic "Tainted Love" was actually first released in 1964 by
Gloria Jones, but it was the English synth-pop band Soft Cell who made it a smash hit in '82. The tune remained for an almost impossible 43 weeks on the
Billboard charts that year.
Bruce Willis: "Respect Yourself"
We find ourselves debating whether a musician can truly be a one-hit wonder if that musician is legendary star
Bruce Willis. The
Die Hard actor actually had three songs make the
Billboard charts, with "Respect Yourself" peaking at No. 5 and charting for 14 weeks.
Madness: "Our House"
"Our House" by Madness is one of those songs you immediately start to sing upon hearing (or reading) the title, it's that iconic. The English band released the song in 1983, and it stayed on the
Billboard charts for 19 weeks.
Dead or Alive: "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)"
Before
Flo-Rida, before
Alvin and the Chipmunks, there was Dead or Alive's 1985 bop "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)." Although it never made No. 1, it spent a cool 18 weeks on the
Billboard charts at the time.
Chris de Burgh: "Lady in Red"
With the 1986 song "Lady in Red," the Irish musician
Chris de Burgh peaked on the
Billboard charts at No. 3, spending 26 weeks making the cut. Not bad for a "one-hit wonder."
Robbie Nevil: "C'est La Vie"
The American singer
Robbie Nevil released his hit "C'est La Vie" in 1986, which
peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard charts and spent 23 weeks on there, too. To be fair to Nevil, "one-hit wonder" is a little harsh, given he released quite a few other songs over the course of the '80s, and several of them also charted.
Eddie Murphy, "Party All the Time"
Like
Bruce Willis, actor and comedian
Eddie Murphy once tried his hand at a singing career — and didn't do badly at all. His 1985 single "Party All the Time"
peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard charts throughout its 22 weeks of charting.
The Jeff Healy Band: "Angel Eyes"
There are many songs titled "Angel Eyes," but the 1988 one recorded by The Jeff Healy Band enjoyed a ton of success in the latter part of the decade. In '89, it
spent 22 weeks on the Billboard charts. The band was still releasing albums well into the 2010s, though no single of theirs could beat "Angel Eyes."
Peter Schilling: "Major Tom"
Not to be confused with the song "Space Oddity" by
David Bowie, "Major Tom" by German musician
Peter Schilling is
actually about the same fictional character. The 1983 track
peaked at 14th on the U.S. charts.
