3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1980s That Found Success Over a Year After They Hit the Airwaves

It’s always fun to be there before the band blows up. Yes, you’re the fan with the early albums, the debut EP, the singles on tape. But then you get to watch your favorite groups grow, and you get to see them take on new ideas and new projects. You see them succeed. That’s just what we wanted to highlight here. We wanted to showcase three groups that took time to get their big hits. But that doesn’t mean the journey was any less valuable. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1980s that found success more than a year after release.

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“Mickey” by Toni Basil from ‘Word Of Mouth’ (1982)

While “Mickey” was originally recorded by the British rock band Racey in 1979, American pop star Toni Basil later covered it for her LP, Word Of Mouth, which was released in May of 1981. Somehow, though, the infectious single from Basil took some time to creep into the ears of music fans. It wasn’t until December 11, 1982, that the cheerleader-esque track topped the Billboard Hot 100. But once it did, it never left our brains.

“Take On Me” by A-Ha from ‘Hunting High And Low’ (1985)

A-Ha might just be one of the biggest one-hit wonders of the 1980s, at least in the US. “Take On Me” is one of those songs that just plays in your head as soon as you read the title. You can hear that heartfelt drone so signature to the 1980s. But strangely, that familiar sound took a while to find its fans. The first version of the track was released in October 1984. But that one never charted. The band released another rendition in the summer of 1985. But it wasn’t until October of that year that “Take On Me” found its peak on the Hot 100, clocking in at No. 1 (thanks to a lot of MTV airplay).

“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers from ‘Sunshine On Leith’ (1988)

This catchy track from the Scottish band The Proclaimers was released in 1988 on their album, Sunshine On Leith. But the group had to wait some five years for it to hit the Billboard Hot 100. It did so in 1993, peaking at No.3. In between, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” found success in countries like Australia, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. But it wasn’t until 1993, when the offering was included as part of the soundtrack for the film Benny & Joon, that it found its large audience in America.

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