3 One-Hit Wonders From the 80s That Should Have Been Huge

If you were to look at a list of one-hit wonders, you would see pretty quickly why many of them never quite became household names. Perhaps their one big hit was especially quirky, and they couldn’t find that same groove again. Maybe the bands weren’t around for very long, or they were the product of shrewd financial calculation and not a love of songwriting.

But other times, it’s a wonder why some one-hit wonders never made it in a more significant way. Case in point: these three acts below. We wanted to dive into three groups from the 1980s, which is perhaps the best decade there is for one-hit wonders, and examine three groups that should have been bigger. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 80s that should have been huge.

Tom Tom Club

The husband and wife duo that formed out of the rock band The Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, provided spunk, energy, and a smile whenever they took the stage. While the Talking Heads were one of the biggest groups of the 70s and 80s, it’s strange that Tom Tom Club never quite had parallel success. Sure, they’re song “Genius of Love” hit No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, but couple Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth should have got more love for their genius!

Bobby McFerrin

With a voice like Bobby McFerrin’s, it’s wild that he wasn’t more of a household name. He’s had a great career, working with the likes of Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, and his song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” is the only a cappella tune to ever hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. But why McFerrin didn’t have a platinum Christmas album or a hit LP from a Broadway show is not just a surprise, it’s a missed opportunity!

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s song “Relax” is outstanding. It’s a vibe, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a way of seeing the world. The sound, tone, and touch of the track are so unique. And yet, the group never followed the success of that song up with anything else. The group, which included some of the first openly gay pop singers, offered something special for fans. But they could only stick together for a short time, releasing their second and final LP in 1986. Sad!

Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images