One-hit wonders tend to be cheesy, especially the tunes that came out around the 1990s or early 2000s. There’s nothing wrong with that, though. Clearly, those songs were hits for a reason. Their cheesiness just adds a bit more charm. Let’s explore four iconic (and cheesy) one-hit wonders that we still love today!
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Mambo No. 5” by Lou Bega
It’s a cheesy turn-of-the-millenium song about all the women Lou Bega wants to flirt with. It’s your standard name-dropping rhyme scheme with an addictive beat that will get stuck in your head after just one listen. Decades after its release, “Mambo No. 5” is still memorable and usually makes itself known at weddings and clubs alike.
2. “Axel F” by Crazy Frog
A lot of great and very cheesy one-hit wonders came out in the mid-2000s, but the 2005 hit “Axel F” by Crazy Frog was on another level of brain rot. Still, we can’t stop listening to it.
“Axel F” was a huge hit across Europe and took the no. 1 spot in most countries, though it only made it to no. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the US. Still, this Crazy Frog hit (technically a cover of a Harold Faltermeyer song for Beverly Hills Cop) is quite charming, even if it is very silly as well.
3. “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus
This country hit was originally a Don Von Tress song. Billy Ray Cyrus’ version, complete with that iconic mullet, became an enormous hit in 1992.
The music video for this one-hit wonder was almost more famous than the song itself. The video influenced the popularity of line dancing at the time, and many country-themed events today will still feature a group dance or two to “Achy Breaky Heart”. Some hate this song, some love it, but one can’t deny that it soared to the top of the charts.
4. “Barbie Girl” by Aqua
This delightful bubblegum pop hit from Aqua is certainly cheesy, but its cheesiness is part of what makes it such a fun song. “Barbie Girl” was released in 1997 and became an enormous hit worldwide. It made it to no. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 as well. Today, it’s still one of the best pop songs of all time.
Fun fact: When this song was first released, Mattel sued Aqua’s label over “diluting” Barbie’s image in the song. Decades later, Mattel licensed the song for the 2023 film Barbie.
Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns
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