3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1980s That Became Cultural Standards

One-hit wonders are amazing. Somehow, against all odds, a songwriter is able to compose a track that, seemingly out of nowhere, rockets up toward or to the tip-top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. And while that artist doesn’t ever see the same success again, they have that evidence of the time when they flew close to the sun.

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Not only can a songwriter earn that type of success, but they can also become musically immortal. Some one-hit wonders not only rise up the charts, but sometimes, they stay in the cultural zeitgeist for decades. Forever. Here below, we wanted to examine three instances of just that from the golden age of the one-hit wonder. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1980s that became cultural standards.

“We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister from ‘Stay Hungry’ (1984)

The song for anyone who wants to stand up for themselves and do it with a snarl on your face. Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider really did the rebellious world a huge favor when he wrote this song, which is the band’s only Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at no. 21. If you’re different, if you’re upset, if you’re bullied, if you’re up against tall odds—Snider tells you that you don’t have to just let the world beat you down. You don’t have to take it! And you can sing and dance along with the band to celebrate that realization, too!

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin from ‘Simple Pleasures’ (1988)

Here, we go from the angry to the calm. This classic from Bobby McFerrin is his only song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but he made it count. The tune, which hit no. 1 and stayed there for two weeks, is all about letting your trials and tribulations go. Let it all melt off your back like water from a duck’s spine. This entry on our list of one-hit wonders that became cultural standards has such a simple but important message. That message might be why it has stayed around since its release in the late 1980s. Still, we should all listen to it a little more. Worry less, be happy more!

“Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang from ‘Sugarhill Gang’ (1980)

Rap music’s first commercial hit is also one of its most indelible songs. With a collection of smooth voices, the New York City-born rap group Sugarhill Gang gave the world a peek into what hip-hop culture was all about with this storytelling song. For those wondering what all the conversation was about around this new style and new form of music, well, audiences could now turn to “Rapper’s Delight”, which was a disco-inspired song that talked about everything from parties in the park to chicken that tasted like wood. If you turn on the radio today, you can probably find the song playing on the dial somewhere.

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