# Do one hit wonders generally know they're one hit wonders? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [May 6, 2023, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655 "2023-05-06T04:09:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/141 "2023-05-10T19:06:20Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I remember reading an interview with Ted Shackleford back when _Knots Landing_ was on the air. He talked about how some actors on a hit series feel that they should use their fame as a springboard on to bigger things and can’t wait to leave their show. But Shackleford said he figured being one of the leads on _Knots Landing_ was as high as his career was ever going to get and he was going to stay with it as long as he could. He did, in fact, remain on the series for all fourteen seasons. This is known as the Reverse McLean Stevenson. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/142 "2023-05-10T22:05:02Z")
# Building Up Blondie’s Heart of Glass [Building Up Blondie’s Heart of Glass](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA0frtRTRrw&t=142s) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/143 "2023-05-10T22:21:44Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > Not to knock her, as she had a pretty good voice, and would ultimately make a living in the music business, but she seems like someone who, 22 years ago, was about to be a OHW but through the shrugging weirdness of radio didn’t even get a whiff of that. [Barbara Keith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Keith) released 2 solo albums in the late 60’s/early 70’s. She disliked the second one so much she gave back her advance money and quit the business, so the record company didn’t promote it and didn’t ship many copies. Her albums were basically unobtainable until the 2000’s (I know this is true because I went back to the record store in 1973 to buy the album I’d heard while browsing the week before and spent the next 30 years searching on and off for a copy). Many of the songs from that album, written by Keith, have been covered by some high profile artists such as Tanya Tucker, Patty Loveless, Melanie, Delaney and Bonnie, Barbara Streisand, etc. She re-emerged about 25 years later with what was basically a family band, [The Stone Coyotes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stone_Coyotes). Elmore Leonard saw them perform and modeled the band in _Be Cool_ on their band and explicitly refers to their songs in the novel. No-Hit Wonder, Failure, or Secret Success? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/144 "2023-05-10T23:53:37Z")
> [@SwissMan](#): > > This is known as the Reverse McLean Stevenson. Another good example is Vanna White. She started working on _Wheel of Fortune_ in 1982. In the late eighties she had inexplicably become famous. It would have been easy for her to decide that spinning letters on a gameshow was beneath her. But she decided to stick with her day job while pursuing movie offers. Which meant that while her movie career has passed, she is still working. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/145 "2023-05-10T23:55:35Z")
She was in a terrible made for tv movie in the late 80s. Her acting was horrible but so was the script and premise. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/146 "2023-05-11T00:54:11Z")
I don’t know whether Rick Astley really counts, because he sort of decided to be a one-hit wonder. He got a taste of fame and fortune and he hated it. He just wanted to be at home with his wife and child, so that’s how he spent the rest of his days. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/147 "2023-05-11T02:22:42Z")
Well, except his recent resurgence. He’s touring and occasionally putting out new albums again, with all that involves. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/148 "2023-05-11T02:24:43Z")
Astley actually wasn’t a one-hit wonder; “Never Gonna Give You Up” is the most remembered of his songs by a wide margin, but he had several top ten hits in the U.K. and the U.S. What he hated was the image he had been forced to embody by Stock Aitken Waterman, his producers. Astley had started off his career as Van Morrison-esque singer of blue-eyed soul; SAW gave him the “boy next door” image that he became well known for and which he detested. ---
**Author:** ![Masterkiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/49beb7/32.png) [@Masterkiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Masterkiller)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/149 "2023-05-12T15:20:17Z")
I believe bands like Quiet Riot with **Cum On Feel the Noise** and Temper Trap with **Sweet Disposition** - didnt know it immediately but within a few years they knew for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/150 "2023-05-12T18:52:42Z")
A former client of mine was a one hit wonder. He lived a decent life from investments, royalties, and some additional income he brought in producing and continuing to perform. I knew him well after the height of his fame but one thing was clear - he made financial decisions then to pave the way for a happy and comfortable later life without relying on additional hits. If he didn’t know when his hit first broke that he was a one hit wonder, he surely realized quickly enough to avoid irreparable financial mistakes. > [@Masterkiller](#): > > I believe bands like Quiet Riot with **Cum On Feel the Noise** and Temper Trap with **Sweet Disposition** - didnt know it immediately but within a few years they knew for sure. Welcome aboard @Masterkiller I’m surprised to see Quiet Riot on this list. I remember them having the occasional single on the radio and Metal Health immediately came to mind as another hit. Maybe it wasn’t as popular as I thought at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/151 "2023-05-12T18:57:41Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > I’m surprised to see Quiet Riot on this list. I remember them having the occasional single on the radio and Metal Health immediately came to mind as another hit. Maybe it wasn’t as popular as I thought at the time. You are right to be skeptical as “Metal Health” was a top 40 hit in 1983. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/152 "2023-05-12T19:00:24Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > I’m surprised to see Quiet Riot on this list. I remember them having the occasional single on the radio and Metal Health immediately came to mind as another hit. Maybe it wasn’t as popular as I thought at the time. “Metal Health” went to #31 on the U.S. Billboard chart (“Cum On Feel the Noize” went to #5), but their only other song, beyond those two, to chart in the U.S. was “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” (another Slade cover), though that one only made it to #51. So, they weren’t _precisely_ one-hit wonders, but close. > **[Quiet Riot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiet_Riot#Singles/EPs)** > > Quiet Riot is an American heavy metal band founded in Los Angeles in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni. > The original lineup featured Rhoads and Garni with lead vocalist Kevin DuBrow and drummer Drew Forsyth, though that version of the band was mired in turmoil that would eventually see Garni fired for making death threats towards DuBrow. Their most commercially successful lineup consisted of DuBrow alongside guitarist Carlos Cavazo, bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Frankie ... ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/153 "2023-05-12T21:35:12Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > I knew him well after the height of his fame but one thing was clear - he made financial decisions then to pave the way for a happy and comfortable later life without relying on additional hits. And that is just being financially sensible. I’d parallell it with a sports pro: bank the money of that first contract. You don’t know if you’ll get a second one. ---
**Author:** ![Masterkiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/49beb7/32.png) [@Masterkiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Masterkiller)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/154 "2023-05-13T08:43:19Z")
I realize its debatable whether or not Quiet Riot should be on this list and a lot of purists will say, “Oh what about the song Metal Health??” and I get that and understand where they are coming from but if you look at the QR from only memory perspective only and remove what song charted where then its clear that QR was a one hit wonder. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/155 "2023-05-13T11:12:33Z")
Technically trueish, but I can’t place Quiet Riot on the same list as thousands of one-hit-wonders. Metal Health the album sold over 10 000 000 units, putting it into the upper echelons of album sales in any genre, let alone metal. Having one of the biggest selling albums of all time, with 10 songs comprising the album, isn’t the same as scoring a single charts hit one time - money-wise, fame-wise, impact-wise, legacy-wise, you name it. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/156 "2023-05-13T14:34:58Z")
It’s also possible for an artist to be utterly unaware of their success in another country, as is very well documented in the film “Searching for Sugar Man”. Quick summary - two South African fans try to track down Sixto Rodriguez, a US recording artist from the late 60s/early 70s. Rodriguez had quit the music business in 1976, after some success in Australia and New Zealand, and not much success in the US. He had no idea that he was a star in South Africa… Wiki of the film here - [Searching for Sugar Man - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searching_for_Sugar_Man) ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/157 "2023-05-13T15:41:29Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > right to be skeptical > [@SwissMan](#): > > the most remembered of his songs by a wide margin This makes me think there needs to be a different category; perhaps something like bands that are reduced to one hit wonders long after they were hit makers. There seem to be many bands who in their prime had multiple hits, but 35 years later they’re only really remembered for one song. This seems to be a difference from a traditional OHW, where “true fans” know they have a deeper catalog, to something where people who weren’t fans, but just listened to the radio at the time, might know more than one of their songs. Trouble is, even though I was watching MTV and listening to rock and top 40 radio in the 80s, I could only name one Quiet Riot or Rick Astley song. I bet if I heard other songs by them I’d think, “oh yeah, that one!” I don’t really know how to properly interpret Spotify stream count, but they’re easy to find. _Cum on Feel the Noise_ has nearly 318 million plays, but _Metal Health_, their second most played, only has 71 million plays. To stick on 80s metal, Ratt is similar with their most popular song having 3 times the plays of the second most popular. Whitesnake doesn’t follow this, with their top two plays being roughly the same at 250-280 million. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/158 "2023-05-13T16:20:03Z")
“Weird” Al Yankovic is an interesting case because he has had only one song break the Top Ten in the US --“White & Nerdy” in 2006. But his song parodies are widely known and he tours constantly. He is a lot bigger star than just a “One Hit Wonder”. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/159 "2023-05-13T16:34:08Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > You are right to be skeptical as “Metal Health” was a top 40 hit in 1983. Precisely what “one hit wonder” means is open to some interpretation. As I’ve noted, my friend is not technically a one hit wonder, but is still so overwhelmingly remembered for the one huge hit that they are, in that sense, a one hit wonder. I’d argue that subjective legacy is probably more meaningful than the “well, sure, but they had another song that got to number eight.” Contrast that with drovann’s example of Weird Al, who only had one top ten hit (but Eat It hit number twelve, so he may not qualify.) He ISN’T overwhelmingly known for any one song at all. If you asked 100 people what my acquaintance is known for, 100 out of 100 will cite one song and may not remember any other song at all. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655/160 "2023-05-13T16:50:42Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Precisely what “one hit wonder” means is open to some interpretation. As I’ve noted, my friend is not technically a one hit wonder, but is still so overwhelmingly remembered for the one huge hit that they are, in that sense, a one hit wonder. I’d argue that subjective legacy is probably more meaningful than the “well, sure, but they had another song that got to number eight.” I feel it’s a matter of levels. Having a hit is the equivalent of winning a lottery prize; it’s receiving an amount of money that is significantly higher than the amount you normally have via your career. So performing in concerts and releasing records in your post-hit career doesn’t negate being a one-hit wonder. If you’re a professional musician, that’s just going back to your regular job. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-one-hit-wonders-generally-know-theyre-one-hit-wonders/983655.md?page=9)