4 One-Hit Wonders With Iconic Music Videos From the 1980s

Music videos can often make or break the success of the song, and these four one-hit wonders from the 80s managed to release MVs that were almost more memorable than the songs themselves. Some of these entries are deep cuts that you might not even remember… Unless you were around at the time, of course. Let’s dive into a few one-hit wonders with iconic music videos!

Videos by American Songwriter

1. “I Wanna Be A Cowboy” by Boys Don’t Cry

There have been a surprising number of one-hit wonders from non-American countries that love to put on impressions of Americans. “Cotton Eye Joe” by Swedish outfit Rednex is one example. Likewise, Boys Don’t Cry are an English pop-rock outfit that made it big with a song about wanting to be an American cowboy.

This hit peaked at no. 12 on the Hot 100 chart in 1986, as well as a few international charts. Sadly for Boys Don’t Cry, the band failed to chart internationally again.

2. “I Know What Boys Like” by The Waitresses

Remember this 1982 hit? The Waitresses were one of those one-hit wonders who put out one killer song and subsequent music videos but couldn’t quite make it high on the charts again. “I Know What Boys Like” was an MTV favorite in the early days of the channel, and it made it to no. 62 on the Hot 100 that year.

3. “She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby

This one’s a bit of a deep cut. “She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby was released in 1982 and made even more famous by its campy, creative music video. The song itself made it to no. 5 on the Hot 100 chart in the US, but Dolby struggled to breach the Top 60 on that chart again. 

However, his career was far from unsuccessful. Dolby went on to become an extremely successful mission musician and became a faculty member at the Peabody Institute.

4. “Puttin’ On The Ritz” by Taco

Out of all the one-hit wonders with memorable music videos on this list, this one’s a bit polarizing. If Taco’s unwavering eye contact freaked you out, you’re not alone. Still, “Puttin’ On The Ritz” by Taco is an incredibly catchy one-hit wonder, and that music video is one of the most memorable little pieces of MV magic from the 1980s. Unfortunately for Taco, “Puttin’ On The Ritz” was his only worldwide hit.

Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.