3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1980s That Deserve a Second Chance at Fame Today

These one-hit wonders from the 1980s were all over the radio back in the day. Their success was certainly deserved, as these are some of the best songs of the era. However, I feel like their makers deserve another chance at substantial fame today, whether they’re still making music or not. The charts just did not reflect how talented they were.

Videos by American Songwriter

“Funkytown” by Lipps Inc. from ‘Mouth To Mouth’ (1980)

It’s wild to me that after the massive success of “Funkytown”, coupled with how legendary the song is in disco funk history, Lipps Inc. really didn’t become substantially bigger as a group. “Funkytown” hit No. 1 across the board globally on charts like the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and charts in Australia, Canada, and beyond. “Funkytown” also topped the European Hot 100 chart. And yet, after the success of this song, the group never made it to the Top 40 on the US Hot 100 again. Follow-up songs like “Rock It” and “How Long” definitely deserved way more love. They would later officially disband in 1985.

“Don’t Stop The Music” by Yarbrough And Peoples from ‘The Two Of Us’ (1980)

Urban contemporary duo Yarbrough And Peoples had quite a hit on their hands with the 1980 song “Don’t Stop The Music”. The R&B boogie tune peaked at No. 19 on the Hot 100 and topped the R&B Singles chart upon its release. That puppet-themed music video is also super memorable, and the song itself has been sampled by countless musicians like Common, Beyoncé, and TLC. Yarbrough And Peoples somehow never made it to the Top 40 on the Hot 100 again, and they would later disband in 1986. Tracks like “Don’t Waste Your Time” and “I Wouldn’t Lie” should have been way bigger hits.

“I Melt With You” by Modern English from ‘After The Snow’ (1982)

Modern English’s “I Melt With You” certainly deserved all the love it got from new wave and post-punk fans in 1982. The song wasn’t quite a hit on the US Hot 100, but it did make it all the way to No. 7 on the Rock Albums & Top Tracks chart. They were more popular in their native UK with songs like “Smiles And Laughter” from 1981 and “Chapter 12” in 1984. I think those songs should have been hits in the US, and it’s a shame this entry on our list of one-hit wonders from the 1980s didn’t get more love from the masses on our side of the pond.

Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images