4 One-Hit Wonders From 1980 That Are Still Just As Good Today

The first year of the 1980s decade saw disco on its way out, synth pop and new wave on its way in, and rock ‘n’ roll growing increasingly heavier (and more glam). Among the full-length albums and industry superstars that came out of 1980, there were also many one-hit wonders that remain just as catchy today. 

Here are four of the best.

“Rapper’s Delight” by Sugarhill Gang

Besides its obvious significance as one of the first-ever rap songs, “Rapper’s Delight” by Sugarhill Gang is, most importantly, an objectively catchy song. It has just the right amount of alliteration and rhythmic rhymes that make singing along a blast, even all these decades later. Indeed, there is something immensely satisfying about singing, “Bang bang, the boogie to the boogie / say up jump the boogie to the bang, bang, boogie / let’s rock, you don’t stop.”

“Funkytown” by Lipps Inc.

A fun fact about me no one asked for: “Funkytown” was one of several funk hits that I had on my karaoke machine when I was little, which meant that my family got many, many renditions of this Lipps Inc. track. So, am I biased? Perhaps. But between the funky bass lines, distinct musical grooves, and Cynthia Johnson’s vocal interjections (“Fuuu-uuunky town,” etcetera), I still think this is one of the best one-hit wonders of the 1980s (and maybe of all time).

“Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” by The Korgis

Although this is certainly the most mellow of these 1980s one-hit wonders, that doesn’t make The Korgis’ “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” any less of a good listen. The lyrical message is just vague enough to be applicable to virtually any situation. And paired with a plodding, reflective instrumental backing, the words become even more poignant. Years later, Beck’s cover of this track would appear in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, imbuing the song with an even greater sense of melancholy.

“Cars” by Gary Numan

Maybe the reason why Gary Numan’s 1980 one-hit wonder, “Cars”, still hits is that the lyrics are just as relevant today as they were back in the 1980s. We’re still sitting in traffic, treating our cars as second homes, and spending our time on the road letting our minds wander and ponder. Sure, this track’s heavy synth production plants it firmly in the 1980s. Nevertheless, the sentiment is timeless.

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