3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1960s That Made Us Start a Band

Who doesn’t want to start a band? Of course, being in a band is very difficult. The ups and downs of working together with others for years on end can truly be daunting. But starting a band? Now, that’s one of the most fun things in the world. There’s so much potential!

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Well, that’s just what we wanted to dive into here. We wanted to highlight three moments of inspiration that may just get you to join a new group. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1960s that made us start a band.

“Wipe Out” by The Surfaris from ‘Wipe Out’ (1963)

Starting a band is all about having a good time. And there are few songs on the planet that get listeners to have a better time than the instrumental “Wipe Out” by The Surfaris. The track is an instant party. There is just something about surf rock as a genre that pleases the ear and The Surfaris nailed it here. The rhythms, the guitar sounds, the dance moves! It’s all about having that good time. And your new band can do just that, too!

“Batman Theme” by Neal Hefti from ‘Batman Theme And 11 Other Bat Songs’ (1966)

There are many reasons to start a band. One could be to go on tour and play for people in city after city. But another could be so that you and your compatriots can go to a recording studio to write music to try and sell it. That’s just what Neal Hefti did here. He wasn’t necessarily trying to write a record that would inspire the masses to buy tickets to come out to a show. No, what he wanted was to write a theme song for a TV show. Mission accomplished—and then some! The “Batman Theme” is iconic, even many decades later.

“Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies from ‘Everything’s Archie’ (1969)

While you’re starting your own band, why not turn it into a cartoon, too? Then you can be like The Archies, a fictional cartoon band with one of the sweetest songs of the 1960s. Indeed, “Sugar, Sugar” is a standout from the end of the decade. At a time when so much was happening in the world, you could turn to The Archies for a little bit of a break. A sweet confection of a break. Isn’t that just what you want to offer your potential fans as well?

Photo by RB/Redferns