It’s the very nature of one-hit wonders to make it big and then disappear from the face of the planet. In the 1980s, specifically, quite a few one-hit wonders hit the charts… and you probably have never heard of them, or at least don’t remember them. Let’s revisit a few chart-toppers from that era that deserve some love, shall we?
“Rock On” by Michael Damian
“Rock On” by Michael Damian is a glam rock one-hit wonder that hit the airwaves back in 1989. This chart-topper is actually a cover of a David Essex tune from 1973, and the original version was also a hit. However, Damian’s cover topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which is saying a lot, because this song has been covered about a million times by other artists. Damian’s cover just stuck. Sadly, it was his only tune to reach the Top 20 on the Hot 100.
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“Tuff Enuff” by The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Who doesn’t love a little blues rock? “Tuff Enuff” by The Fabulous Thunderbirds was quite the bluesy Southern rock hit back in 1986. It peaked at no. 10 on the Hot 100 and even higher on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and also did well outside of the US. It was the band’s very first single and has since become their signature song. Unfortunately, though, none of their follow-up singles broke the Top 50.
“Far From Over” by Frank Stallone
Remember Frank Stallone? Part of the famous Hollywood Stallone family, Frank is better known for his work in music than acting. His one major hit, “Far From Over”, came from the soundtrack to a 1983 film called Staying Alive, which his brother Sylvester Stallone wrote and directed. “Far From Over” was a no. 10 hit on the Hot 100, but none of Stallone’s subsequent releases would make it to the Top 60.
“Love Plus One” by Haircut 100
We can’t have a list of amazing 1980s one-hit wonders you may have never heard of without mentioning at least one new wave track. “Love Plus One” by Haircut 100 is a college rock and new wave pop delight, and it makes sense why it peaked at no. 3 on the UK Singles chart and at no. 37 on the US Hot 100 chart. Haircut 100 could have gone further, honestly. They continued to chart very well in the UK until the mid-1980s. Sadly, though, they never charted in the United States again after “Love Plus One”.
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