3 One-Hit Wonders From 1984 That 80s Kids Still Remember Today

One-hit wonders can be found in every decade, but they were really popping up in the 1980s, especially in 1984. There were quite a few solitary hits that made it to the charts that year. But I happen to really love the following three tunes. If you were a kid in the mid-1980s, you’ll definitely remember these hits!

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“Round And Round” by Ratt

Ratt is a bit forgotten among the countless glam metal bands that made it big in the 1980s. Unfortunately for this American heavy metal outfit, “Round And Round” was their only major hit. But that hit is nothing to sneeze at.

While Ratt continued to make it to the US Mainstream Rock chart well into the 1990s, “Round And Round” was the band’s only song to make it to the Top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US. The song peaked at No. 12.

“We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister

This glam metal classic from Twisted Sister was all over the radio upon its release. Both kids and adults couldn’t escape it. Not like they’d want to, though. This song is unbelievably catchy, and I can see why it went on to be a classic among fans of sports anthems as well as 1980s music in general.

“We’re Not Gonna Take It” peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100 chart, and also did quite well in countries like Australia and New Zealand. Sadly, Twisted Sister never made it to the Top 40 of the Hot 100 again.

“99 Luftballoons” by Nena

This one-hit wonder was originally released in West Germany in 1983, but it didn’t reach the United Kingdom (and the rest of the world) until 1984. And once this German-language song made it to other parts of the world, everyone was into the Neue Deutsche Welle movement. Honestly, there’s something about Cold War era pop music that just hits. Oddly enough, an English version of this song was released in 1984 and didn’t chart nearly as well as the German version.

This example of one-hit wonders from 1984 was a No. 1 hit across the board in Europe, and it peaked at No. 2 in the United States. The band enjoyed continual success in their native country for a few years. Sadly, though, they never charted in the US again.

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