5 One-Hit Wonders That Inspired Entire Subgenres

These one-hit wonders inspired their respective subgenres and became staple entries in best-of lists about those very genres. And most of these songs are still so much fun to listen to today. Let’s take a look!

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1. “Wipe Out” by The Surfaris

When one thinks of surf rock, the first song that comes to mind is often “Wipe Out” by The Surfaris. No matter your age, you’ve probably heard this song at least once. That’s pretty impressive for an instrumental track, especially in a then-small subgenre like surf rock.

This classic tune was released in 1963. The Surfaris released quite a few songs through the years, but “Wipe Out” is still their only memorable hit.

2. “Whip It” by Devo

New wave came to life in the latter half of the 1970s, and bands and musicians across the pond in England were definitely dominating the genre. However, in 1980, Devo released their biggest claim to fame: “Whip It”. The odd little band from Ohio proved that Americans could do new wave right, and “Whip It” catapulted to no. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year.

Despite being such a legendary band, “Whip It” was technically Devo’s only Top 40 hit in the United States.

3. “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Connor

Sinead O’Connor is one of those one-hit wonders who inspired so much more than just the 1990s pop genre. “Nothing Compares 2 U” is now a definitive track of its time, and it’s also one of the greatest cover songs of all time. (In case you didn’t know, “Nothing Compares 2 U” is a cover of a Prince classic.) 

O’Connor had a few other hits through the years, but none were no. 1 hits across the board like this song was.

4. “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley

“Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley has become one of the most memorable neo soul songs of the early 2000s, and for good reason. The debut single was a beautifully genre-blending effort from Danger Mouse and CeeLo Green. “Crazy” hit no. 2 on the Hot 100 chart and also charted well internationally, but the duo never had as big of a hit song again.

5. “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye

This is one of very few one-hit wonders that inspired the whole of the art pop genre in the 2010s. “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye was an inescapable radio-friendly hit for a few years, starting in 2011. It hit no. 1 on multiple charts in multiple countries, and it’s still wild to think that Gotye (and Kimbra) never quite matched the song’s charting power again.

Photo by RB/Redferns

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