# What musical genres are mainly known by only one song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 4, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248 "2022-04-04T17:02:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2022, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/81 "2022-04-04T23:14:29Z")
OK, here are some suggested essential shoegaze tracks: > **[31 Essential Shoegaze Tracks](https://www.stereogum.com/1945648/31-essential-shoegaze-tracks/lists/ultimate-playlist/)** > > “Shoegaze” was not initially meant as a compliment. Like “impressionists” (used dismissively by an art critic in 1874), “Krautrock,” or more recently “deplorable(s),” the phrase began life as a fairly derogatory signifier for an emerging cultural... I’m cheating by looking it up, but I want to give you a quick answer. And #!1 is “Only Shallow” and #2 is a Ride song. #3 is Cocteau Twins which … I’d put more in the “dream pop” category but there is a blurring of lines between the two genres. #4 is Slowdive. Swervedriver works for me – Jesus and Mary Chain is on there (though I’d put them less shoegaze, more noise pop or something), Lush is on there, Boo Radleys are there. Some I’m not quite as sure about, but work your way down the top 10 songs and that works. Smashing Pumpkins are NOT a shoegaze band. They have strong elements and have clearly been influenced by them in their work (go to their Wikipedia page and search “shoegaze.” I’m one of the bigger Pumpkins fans here around, at least pre-Machina, so I have some idea what I’m talking about. Plus shoegaze is one of my favorite genres.) And Pixies have nothing to do with shoegaze so far as I can tell…maybe a little on Trompe le Monde, but I’m straining to shoehorn that in. Oh, also loud. Shoegaze is fucking LOUD. (usually. see the “Holocaust” section of MBV’s “You Made Me Realise”) It’s a wall of sound , guitar fuzz, phasers, flangers, pick scrapes, chorus, etc., that just wraps around you. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/82 "2022-04-05T00:12:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@griffin1977](#): > > > > Surely the Verve Bittersweet Symphony is the best known example of Shoegaze? > > No. Not even close. > [@pulykamell](#): > > OK, here are some suggested essential shoegaze tracks: But we’re talking **best known** , not best or purest or most essential. FWIW, I didn’t recognize the names of any of the songs on that list, though I certainly recognized some of the bands. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/83 "2022-04-05T00:30:47Z")
While this may not be true in England where it was (bizarrely) a major craze in the 1950s, I’d say skiffle is mainly known for a single song - “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor”. Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O” would have sunk into obscurity except for it being featured in the movie “Beetlejuice”. “Jump In The Line” also wound up in the movie, but that’s not the one you hear at ballparks. \*I see that "Rock Island Line was also a top ten hit for Lonnie Donegan in the U.S., but I don’t remember it. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/84 "2022-04-05T00:32:56Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > \*I see that "Rock Island Line was also a top ten hit for Lonnie Donegan in the U.S., but I don’t remember it. Yeah, that’s THE skiffle song I know, but I’m not from the US. I think it started a whole skiffle craze in Britain, which went with a blues craze that both ignited the whole British pop explosion/invasion. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/85 "2022-04-05T00:34:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > OK, here are some suggested essential shoegaze tracks: I don’t think any of those tracks are remotely as well known as Bitter Sweet Symphony. And the Verve are the quintessential Shoegaze band (possibly second to Spritualized/Spacemen 3). Admittedly Urban Hymns was somewhat their “britpop” period, but thats a bit harsh as they were a big influence on Oasis (the Gallagher brothers were part of the Verve’s posse, prior to Oasis taking off), not the other way round. Its still definitely shoegaze (claiming otherwise is a bit like claiming Dylans post electric stuff is not folk). ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/86 "2022-04-05T00:35:39Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O” would have sunk into obscurity except for it being featured in the movie “Beetlejuice”. He also performed it on the Muppet Show. I expect Beetlejuice had more views, but the Muppet Show was very popular in the late 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/87 "2022-04-05T00:41:54Z")
I suspect the ONLY jug band song most people know is “Bar-B-Que” from _Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas_. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/88 "2022-04-05T00:44:07Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > While this may not be true in England where it was (bizarrely) a major craze in the 1950s, I’d say skiffle is mainly known for a single song - “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor”. There was this one band that did the odd thing or two after their skiffle period… > **[The Beatles were so great because of something called ‘skiffle’](https://nypost.com/2017/08/10/the-beatles-were-so-great-because-of-something-called-skiffle/)** > > Without skiffle music, The Beatles might not have happened. Never heard of it? Popular in Britain in the 1950s, the music craze was heavily influenced by old American blues and jug band music, and … ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/89 "2022-04-05T00:47:29Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > I don’t think any of those tracks are remotely as well known as Bitter Sweet Symphony. They’re not. I just don’t think of “Bittersweet Symphony” as a song that is an example of the genre. To me, that’s closer to Britpop. Maybe The Verve’s other stuff is, but not that track. We may be splitting up our genres a little differently. I also think of Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized (both of whom I like), more towards “space rock,” and Wikipedia agrees. I find dream pop closer allied with shoegaze, but it’s all a continuum. It could just be that I like the dream pop side of shoegaze more. For me, quintessential shoegaze is three bands: Slowdive, Ride, and MBV. Regardless, the point is more that I can’t think of any song that would exemplify shoegaze that a good portion of people would have heard of, and “Bittersweet Symphony” would not be a good example of the genre. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/90 "2022-04-05T00:55:54Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > For me, quintessential shoegaze is three bands: Slowdive, Ride, and MBV. I concur, but I would add The Jesus And Mary Chain. Though they didn’t do shoegaze exclusively, I think they were the founders of the genre, if unintentionally. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/91 "2022-04-05T01:20:53Z")
[Jewish Calypso.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yvtRCWIUWc) ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/92 "2022-04-05T01:45:25Z")
There have been Top 40 hits with a reggae beat but they were few and far between. Going way back to 1969, we have “Israelites” by Desmond Dekker and the Aces. It’s out-and-out reggae with references to the Jamaican Rastafarian movement as it’s basis. It hit #9 in the USA. I’ve always found it to be a fun, funky tune, and it’s probably the biggest single reggae hit. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/93 "2022-04-05T01:51:52Z")
Celt-punk: I’m Shipping Up To Boston by the Dropkick Murphys. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/94 "2022-04-05T02:08:07Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Celt-punk: I’m Shipping Up To Boston by the Dropkick Murphys. Err dude the Pogues. The only Christmas song that does not in fact suck: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/j9jbdgZidu8/maxresdefault.jpg "The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8) Again more of a UK thing, but there are other Pogues hit that are well known here, I’ve seen them on adverts and one was featured on The Wire: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Pc9aWjAQ7SI/hqdefault.jpg "The Body of an American (The Pogues, The Wire)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc9aWjAQ7SI) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/95 "2022-04-05T02:09:38Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > it’s probably the biggest single reggae hit. Yeah but if someone knows only one Reggae song in 2022 it is most like not The Isrealites, it is probably I Shot The Sheriff (or another Bob Marley number) or the theme from COPS ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/96 "2022-04-05T02:15:22Z")
Thanks for the link. I’m surprised someone his age didn’t know about Hocus Pocus. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/97 "2022-04-05T02:55:37Z")
For the US market, I think you are right. I would like to say something by The Pogues, but I suspect _I’m Shipping Off to Boston_ is more well-known than even _Fairytale of New York_ (which I agree is among the best Christmas songs there is.) It’s hard for me to tell, as here in Chicago there’s a reasonable bit of Celtic punk that you can hear around, both home-grown and from without, and it’s hard to know what is known outside my stomping grounds. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/98 "2022-04-05T03:55:08Z")
Have we done industrial yet? I’d nominate Closer by NIN with Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson in a close second place. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/99 "2022-04-05T05:14:54Z")
Until the _Pulp Fiction_ soundtrack hit stores “Wipeout” was the only **surf instrumental** many people were aware of. “Louie, Louie” is the extent of any appreciation the general public has for **garage rock**. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2022, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248/100 "2022-04-05T05:27:00Z")
Leader of the Pack is the best known Tragic Teen death by car crash song. That’s the one most people would remember. There were imitations inspired by Leader of the Pack. Teen Angel is similar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musical-genres-are-mainly-known-by-only-one-song/962248.md?page=6)