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Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s

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The 80s inspired quite a lot of one-hit wonders, ranging in quality from brilliant to baffling. Here are the top one-hit wonders from the 80s.

Rated 1 point - posted 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal in category Music.
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1.

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Flock of Seagulls - I Ran (So Far Away) Report Abuse
You may not love the song, but how can you not love the hair? It looked like a flock of seagulls had nested in this band's hair, leaving them with something that looked as though the band members may have put their fingers in an electrical socket.
30 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal - 1 comment
Comments:
Love the song and love the film "The Business" from 2006. The film is packed with 80´s hits, not many silent moments in that film.
Added 8 years ago by guest, 0 points Vote + to improve this comment's ranking Vote - to decrease this comment's ranking

2.

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Dexys Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen Report Abuse
28 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

3.

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Dead or Alive - “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) Report Abuse
22 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

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Twisted Sister - We’re Not Gonna Take It Report Abuse
Growing up in the 80s was definitely enhanced by the rocking anthem just begging to be repeated to your parents.
19 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal - 3 comments
Comments:
they also did leader of the pack
Added 11 years ago by redbarron80, 7 points Vote + to improve this comment's ranking Vote - to decrease this comment's ranking
I Wanna Rock didn't hit the top 40!!
Added 12 years ago by guest, -7 points Vote + to improve this comment's ranking Vote - to decrease this comment's ranking
hello have you ever heard of a song called i wanna rock?
Added 12 years ago by guest, 7 points Vote + to improve this comment's ranking Vote - to decrease this comment's ranking

5.

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Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance Report Abuse
16 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

6.

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Soft Cell - Tainted Love Report Abuse
This is such a great song, it's amazing that this band never even had anything even resembling another hit. What happened to these guys? This is easily one of the greatest pop songs of the 1980s and I doubt there's a person out there who can name one other Soft Cell song.
16 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal - 1 comment
Comments:
Actually say Hello wave Goodbye is an even better song, though not quite as successfull admittedly, and they had a handful of other good songs, so no, I dont think Spoft Cell were a one hit wonder band.
Added 10 years ago by guest, 0 points Vote + to improve this comment's ranking Vote - to decrease this comment's ranking

7.

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Nena - 99 Luft Balloons Report Abuse
13 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

8.

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Visage - Fade to Grey Report Abuse
10 points - added 13 years ago by benji2 -

9.

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Devo - Whip It Report Abuse
Red flowerpot hats? How did these guys never hit the big time?
9 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal - 1 comment
Comments:
This song is from 1980 but it was crazy popular in LA in the summer of 1982. They played it everywhere and all the time. It was the no 1 disco hit there and then. You heard it several times every day (and night).
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10.

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Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax Report Abuse
I'm starting to wonder if there were any hit songs in the 80s that weren't one-hit wonders! Frankie says relax, folks. With such a great marketing campaign you'd think they would've stuck around a bit longer.
5 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal - 1 comment
Comments:
The power of love, Ferry cross the mercy, 2 tribes etc Frankie FTH werent a one hit wonder band. Relax quite probably was their greatest hit, but not their sole chart success. IMo the power of love was a much better song btw.
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11.

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Modern English - I Melt With You Report Abuse
This is another legitimately great song, that leaves you wondering what the heck happened to this band that they never could string together another decent song.
4 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

12.

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Benny Mardones - Into the Night Report Abuse
The amazing thing about this song is that it actually hit the Top 20 chart twice, once in 1980 and again in 1989. When Mardones was long forgotten, a radio station in Arizona, ran a segment titled "Where Are They Now? and played the song. Then a program director in Los Angeles, added "Into the Night" to his playlist, and suddenly radio stations across the country were playing "Into the Night" again.
3 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

13.

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The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star Report Abuse
This was the first video ever played on MTV, and sadly it was probably the only Buggles video ever played on MTV.
1 point - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

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World Party - Ship of Fools Report Abuse
0 points - added 13 years ago by benji2 -

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King - Love and Pride Report Abuse
0 points - added 13 years ago by benji2 -

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Boom Boom - Paul Lekakis Report Abuse
0 points - added 13 years ago by benji2 -

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Madness - Our House Report Abuse
0 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

18.

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The Vapors - Turning Japanese Report Abuse
Possibly offensive, but totally catchy pop music.
0 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

19.

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Toni Basil - Mickey Report Abuse
Is this song good? It certainly is catchy, and if it came on the radio I wouldn't be able to stop myself from singing along, but at the same time it really is rather annoying and obnoxious at the same time. Oh, the 80s were so confusing!
0 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

20.

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A-Ha - Take on Me Report Abuse
Not only was this a great song, with one of the more memorable keyboard solos, but the music video was phenomenal also. A lowly waitress dreams that she is transported into the fantasy world of her comic book where she will be wooed by her comic book dreamboat. But wait! He's real!
-1 point - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal - 1 comment
Comments:
A Ha wasnt a one hit wonder band.
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21.

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Bobby McFerrin - Don’t Worry Be Happy Report Abuse
This simple song reached became immensely popular, with the phrase "Don't Worry Be Happy" printed on just about any neon material that was available. And in the 80s that was a lot of material.
-2 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

22.

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Josie Cotton - Johnny Are You Q***r? Report Abuse
Apparently, q***r is a banned word on this website. While I don't appreciate censorship, I appreciate the hard stance against homophobia. Anyway, totally underrated and under-appreciated, this song asks some hard-hitting questions.
-3 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

23.

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Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science Report Abuse
It's not surprising that Thomas Dolby never had another hit single, because to be perfectly honest this song is just plain weird. But enjoyable all the same.
-3 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

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Gary Numan - Cars Report Abuse
-3 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

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Eddie Murphy - Party All The Time Report Abuse
It seems as though in the 80s they let almost anyone with a heartbeat produce a record.
-5 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

26.

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Peter Schilling - Major Tom Report Abuse
If you can't be David Bowie, you might as well take a character from a David Bowie song and exploit it in your own mediocre pop song.
-5 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -

27.

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Taco - Puttin’ On the Ritz Report Abuse
This is one of those songs that in hindsight it just makes you go, "huh??"
-5 points - added 13 years ago by missdeweydecimal -
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