4 One-Hit Wonders Who Switched to Very Different Careers

These four one-hit wonders ended up pursuing very different careers outside of being in a band. And some of them are pretty surprising.

1. Oliver Anthony

You might remember this sweet-hearted one-hit wonder by his no. 1 Hot 100 charting hit “Rich Men North Of Richmond” from back in 2023. That track became a viral sensation on social media, and Anthony became the very first artist to debut at the top of that particular chart without any previous charting history.

It looked like things were going great for the country singer/songwriter. However, in a recent turn of events, Anthony said in a YouTube video in October 2024 that he is “in the process of getting out of the music industry” and that he plans to “eventually change [his] entire focus to traveling ministry work”. Anthony did say that he would continue to release music, but his professional and personal focus will be on ministry.

2. Kenickie

You might remember these one-hit wonders by their pop-punk track “In Your Car” from 1997. Despite some encouraging praise from Hole’s Courtney Love, the band never quite made it big after they got their one hit. 

Sadly, these one-hit wonders broke up in 1998 and each member kicked off their own respective careers outside of the band, ranging from sociology to novel-writing to other music ventures.

3. Gregg Alexander (New Radicals)

This powerhouse musician was once the frontman and lead singer of New Radicals. That power pop outfit is best known for their one high-charting claim to fame, “You Get What You Give”. It’s been decades since that song was released, and we still can’t believe that New Radicals didn’t get more famous on an international level. The band broke up in 1999.

Thankfully, that wasn’t the end of Gregg Alexander’s musical talents. The former frontman went on to become a very successful songwriter and producer for artists like Santana, Rod Stewart, Hanson, Geri Halliwell, and more. He’s since scored a Grammy Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for his soundtrack work on Begin Again.

4. The Vapors

This is probably the most recognizable of the one-hit wonders on this list. The Vapors are known for the new wave contribution “Turning Japanese” from back in 1980. It was their biggest international hit, though the band failed to release another platinum-level hit in its wake and broke up in 1981. Though, they have since gotten back together and are still together today.

David Fenton, the lead vocalist and rhythm guitar player for the band, went on to join the legal professional with a focus on the legal elements of the music industry. Since 1999, he has worked as an in-house solicitor in England for the Musicians’ Union. 

Former member Edward Bazalgette went on to become a TV director. Another former member, Howard Smith, got into entrepreneurship and ran a record store for a while. Several other members of The Vapors went on to join other bands.

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc

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