One-hit wonders from the 1980s seem to have stood the test of time more than one-hit wonders from previous decades. And while tons of solitary hits from that decade still make it to listeners’ rotations today, there’s something wild about the fact that the following one-hit wonders from the 1980s are… one-hit wonders. Their music, including releases after their only major hit, is absolutely fantastic. The charts really are fickle, aren’t they? Let’s look at a few one-hit wonders and their artists from the 1980s who should have continued to chart in the US.
“I Melt With You” by Modern English
This new wave classic first dropped in 1982 and was a fast hit on the charts. Though, surprisingly, “I Melt With You” only made it to No. 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That’s strange, considering this song is a major part of 1980s nostalgia and pop culture in retrospect. Yet, it didn’t blow up the Hot 100. And none of Modern English’s follow-up songs would breach the Top 40 on that coveted chart. In fact, the only song that got close peaked at No. 76. And that was a re-recording of “I Melt With You” from 1990. Absolutely wild.
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“Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)” by Enya
This one always boggles my mind. I can’t think of a single new age musician more well-known on a global level, including the United States, than Enya. And yet, she would technically be considered a one-hit wonder in the US… or, depending on how you look at it, a two-hit wonder. Enya, as a lead artist, made it to No. 24 on the Hot 100 with “Orinoco Flow” in 1988, and to No. 10 in 2000 with “Only Time”. Outside of those two songs, she never made it to the Top 40. However, in the UK and Ireland, Enya would definitely not be seen as a one (or two) hit wonder.
“Take My Breath Away” by Berlin
Is there a more power ballad-y power ballad than “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin? I really don’t think so. This song is closely associated with the 1986 movie Top Gun, synth-pop, and 1980s culture as a whole. “Take My Breath Away” would be the American band Berlin’s only Top 20 hit on the Hot 100, and it made it all the way to No. 1. Considering follow-up songs like “Like Flames” and “You Don’t Know” are stellar tunes, I’m surprised they didn’t get more love after their Top Gun era.
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