For me, Tainted Love by Soft Cell is the epitome of 80’s one hit wonder pop music.
Off the top of my head, my two favorites would be:
In a Big Country - Big Country
Tenderness - General Public (I -believe- this was on billboard, the video did receive quite a bit of airplay on MTV)
Of course, as soon as I hit submit, I’ll think of many more.
Another vote for *Walking On Sunshine * here. I also love Black Velvet by Alannah Myles too.
Thanks for some of the suggestions folks. Am going to find some of these tunes and definitely give them a listen. 
Nena’s “99 Luftballons.” Love it!
Me too! Even the german version.
I don’t know if who sang this was a one-hit wonder, and if someone could help me out that’d be great.
I think it’s a cover of the Rolling Stones, I’m Free but I’m not a big Stones fan, so I don’t really know.
CFNY always plays it when they have their “retro” night. Sunspace, I’m looking at you for some help here.
I tried googling and all I got was a similiar song by the Soup Dragons. But I got a copy of it and that wasn’t it. Unless what they play on the radio is some kind of crazy club remix thing.
Any help?
Good one.
And yes, I agree with most of what’s been posted and can’t help think of others.
How about:
I’m Gonna Be, by the Proclaimers
Break Out, by Swing Out Sister
Oh dear. Now I’m feeling all nostalgic. sniff
IIRC, it was the Soup Dragons. I seem to remember there was a remix of it, somewhere.
I remember about ten years ago I was in a College Bowl tournament where we received a six-part bonus question about 80’s one-hit wonders. Before I could answer the first part, our captain Doug says “Nominate Duke (to answer) all of these.” I did get all six, the last being “Name the band who sang ‘Waiting For A Star To Fall’.” Boy Meets Girl, of course. Mediocre song, but good memories!
So many choices, so many already listed.
I’m gonna go with “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” by Glass Tiger, although “Someday” was a pretty decent hit and “I Will Be There” was ultra-catchy, “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” gets some props for having Bryan Adams singing backup.
Mexican Radio is by Timbuk3, and is on their Wall of Voodoo album.
“Sausalito Summernight” by Diesel.
Ooh, also “This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide” by The Kings.
“They Don’t Know” by Tracey Ullman. It sounds like it was lifted from a Lesley Gore album…
Several nits to pick. Please pardon the annoyance:
Big Country had at least two hits. (“Fields of Fire” being the other.)
Men at Work had several hits.
“Mexican Radio” (at least its original version) is by a band called Wall of Voodoo.
Some good songs so far. I’ll add a couple:
"Send Me an Angel" by Real Life
"Love Plus One" by Haircut 100
And one I’m not sure about:
"She Blinded Me With Science" by Thomas Dolby
(Seems like he might have had another minor hit. “I Scare Myself” might have barely nudged into the charts.)
I was gonna post “what about ‘Strip’?” … but a quick check of allmusic.com revealed that “Strip” stalled out at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. Funny, though – our local radio stations (and MTV) played the hell out of “Strip”.
However, I found that Adam Ant had two American Top-40 hits in the 90s (!) – “Room at the Top” (#17) and “Someday” (#39). I’ve never heard those songs, so I’ll go with Adam Ant as a one-hit wonder in the U.S.
As far as the American Billboard charts are concernec, Dolby qualifies as a one-hit wonder.
“I Scare Myself” never hit the Hot 100. “Hyperactive!” stalled out at #62. “Airhead” got a lot of MTV play, but also never hit the Hot 100.
My fave…“Tell that Girl to Shut Up” by Transvision Vamp
Thought of another one …
“White Horse” by Laid Back
I’m not sure of the date’s of these, not sure if they’re late seventies or early eighties.
J. Geils Band - Centerfold
**M **- *Pop Musik *
The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star
Especially the German version! The English lyrics are insipid. (I have no knowledge of how good or bad the German lyrics are and I’m happy in my blissful ignorance. So don’t tell me. La la la I can’t hear you la la la.)
I was surprised just yesterday to hear “Hyperactive!” in the supermarket.