3 One-Hit Wonders That Had the Talent To Be Superstars

In the music industry, the title of a one-hit wonder is ultimately the kiss of death. To an extent, it is pretty much the public’s way of saying, “yea, we liked you, but only for about a minute.” That being so, there have been several musicians who have fallen victim to this paradigm. Though, one could argue that it is rather unfair given that a few of these acts had the potential to be powerhouse acts.

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Some musicians and their music just aren’t meant to last, plain and simple. They don’t age like fine wine, instead, they mold and rot like day old sushi. However, and regarding the prior, there are a handful of one-hit wonders who could have gone the distance. And here are three we think could have done it.

Nena 

The German band, Nena, is famous for their 1983 Cold War political anthem, “99 Luftballons.” Upon its release, “99 Luftballons” peaked at No. 1 in Germany, England, Japan, Australia, Mexico, and Canada. Furthermore, it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 right behind Van Halen’s, “Jump.” Needless to say, “99 Luftballons” was an international bombshell.

Given how Nena seamlessly incorporated politically subversive tropes with a commercial pop sound, they very well could have followed this formula up until the ’90s. After all, the ’80s saw a killing with the bands who utilized this format, as U2 and Midnight Oil dominated the charts of a frequent basis during the decade.

Heartland

The one-hit wonder country band Heartland left the country music scene seemingly as quick as they entered it. However, before they left with little to no trace, they released their No. 1 hit single, “I Loved Her First.” Following its release in 2006, the single debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart at No. 57. Months later, the song peaked at No. 1 on the chart.

Frankly, the single is everything one asks for in a popular country song. It has a story, a country twang, and a catchy chorus primarily defined by four-words. That being so, they surely could have done it more than once. Though, they never did.

Harvey Danger

If it wasn’t for the one-hit wonder Harvey Danger and their 1997 hit single, “Flagpole Sitta,” the ‘2000s pop-punk rock movement would not have gained the notoriety that it did. Following its 1997 release, Harvery Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta” never reached No. 1 on any charts, but it was enormously popular, and still is.

However, in 2001 Harvey Danger was dropped by their label and didn’t extensively participate in the movement they seemingly helped create. Which is a shame, as this band had the talent, image, and appeal to dominate the pop-punk genre they partially started.

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