Did you know these four one-hit wonders were actually made famous by one respective person, rather than entire bands? Some of these entries are pretty surprising, considering their names and the overall composition of their one claim to fame. Let’s take a look!
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Rico Suave” by Gerardo
Like many artists from the 90s, this Ecuadorian rapper chose a standalone name for his music project. Some might think Gerardo refers to a whole band, but it’s actually the name of the sole hitmaker behind “Rico Suave” from 1990.
This one-hit wonder hit no. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1991, and it’s still a Latin hip-hop favorite today. Sadly, Gerardo never had a Top 10 hit again.
2. “Pop Muzik” by M
“M” certainly sounds like a new wave band. However, M is actually a solo project that English producer Robin Scott launched in the late 1970s. He’s still going strong today, but his biggest claim to fame is definitely the 1979 synth-pop hit “Pop Muzik”.
A surprising entry on our list of one-hit wonders that were produced by one person, “Pop Muzik” made it to no. 1 on the Hot 100, among other charts internationally. It’s kind of wild that M never charted in the US again.
3. “Rock Me Amadeus” by Falco
“Rock Me Amadeus” sounds like it was produced by an entire band. However, this hit 1985 synth-pop song was actually recorded by a sole Austrian musician named Falco. Though, it is worth noting that the song was written by Falco along with the help of producers Bolland & Bolland.
This legendary song about Mozart was Falco’s only Top 10 hit in the US. He wouldn’t be considered a one-hit wonder in Europe, though. “Der Kommissar” was another one of his hits to make it big across Austria, Germany, and beyond.
4. “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell
No, this song was not by Michael Jackson, though it does feature the King of Pop in the chorus. That being said, “Somebody’s Watching Me” also isn’t the work of an outfit called “Rockwell”. Rather, Rockwell was just one guy: A guy I’d be bold enough to claim deserves a bit more fame than he was afforded with this one hit.
This example of one-hit wonders that were produced by one person should have propelled Rockwell into international fame. Sadly, it was his only major hit, and he more or less quit music by the end of the 80s.
Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images
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.