One-hit wonders have come and gone through the years, and many of them, realistically, deserved their short 15 minutes of fame. Other one-hit wonders, though, deserved more of a chance at superstardom. Some were so much more talented than their sole claim to fame showcased to the world. Let’s look at just a few one-hit wonders that I think deserve another chance at superstardom in the 2020s!
Videos by American Songwriter
Toni Basil
Toni Basil was a huge deal in the early 1980s following the release of her sole hit, “Mickey”. And at 81 years old today, she’s still active as a dancer. I’m in my 30s and can’t bust a move without something popping loud enough to break the sound barrier. I don’t know how Basil does it.
She’s a legendary talent, “Mickey” has significantly impacted pop music well into the 21st century, and I just don’t think she got as famous as she should have. Basil deserves a chance at superstardom more than most.
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia made it big with “Torn” in the 90s and then disappeared almost completely. That has never sat right with me. She had everything one would want in a 1990s or 2000s pop star. She has an incredible voice, her songs have consistently been great outside of “Torn”, she’s gorgeous, and she has an excellent stage presence. I’m not sure what happened there. Fortunately, Imbruglia is still performing today. If she decides to release a new album soon, I hope it blows up.
Travie McCoy
Remember Travie McCoy? He was a pretty big deal in the early aughts as part of the alternative hip-hop group Gym Class Heroes. He’s enjoyed a pretty successful solo career through the years, but it’s weird to me that he never quite became a superstar. Plenty of other alt-hip-hop and rap-rock groups from his heyday got big. I’m not sure what happened there. McCoy has since gone on to form his own record label that boosted the career of fellow rapper Tyga. I’d love to see McCoy make a comeback himself.
It’s worth noting that McCoy enjoyed two impressive hits in the 2000s as part of Gym Class Heroes. As a soloist, though, his only major hit in the US was “Billionaire” in 2010.
Rebecca Black
Rebecca Black got far more hate than she deserved after she released the song “Friday” in 2011 when she was just a child. Despite the song being a huge hit, Black became the target of incessant online bullying for years. Most would have given up.
Thankfully, though, Black could very well become one of those one-hit wonders who make it to superstardom. She’s since made a move toward hyperpop, and her career seems to be steadily growing in the 2020s.
Photo by Angela Weiss/WireImage
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.