I Can’t Believe No One Remembers These 3 Pop One-Hit Wonders From the 1980s

Pop music was quite rich in the 1980s. New wave, electronica, and other new musical elements were wiggling their way into pop music, and some bands and musicians who made such music only got as far as one hit. Let’s take a look at a few pop one-hit wonders that made it big in the 1980s that deserved some more staying power than they were afforded.

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“Invisible” by Alison Moyet

This English singer made it to the mainstream charts with the release of the blue-eyed soul pop tune “Invisible” in 1984. However, she couldn’t be further from being a one-hit wonder in her native UK. There, she made it to the Top 10 of the UK Singles chart on many occasions from the 1980s through the 1990s, and continued to make it to that chart through the 2000s. However, “Invisible” is Moyet’s only song to make it to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it peaked at No. 31.

Fun fact: In 2017, Moyet announced that she would not be performing “Invisible” anymore, as the song did not resonate with her anymore. She also noted that she is “not a nostalgia act.”

“Breakin’… There’s No Stopping Us” by Ollie & Jerry

Remember Ollie & Jerry? This music duo scored quite the freestyle synthpop hit in 1984 with the release of “Breakin’… There’s No Stopping Us”. The deliciously addictive dance song made it to No. 9 on the Hot 100 chart and did even better in the UK. The song was later used in the movie Breakin’, which also featured a young Jean-Claude Van Damme. 

Sadly, this group failed to make it to the Hot 100 chart with their follow-up release, “Electric Boogaloo”. They disbanded just a year after hitting the chart with “Breakin’”.

“True” by Spandau Ballet

Alright, this one’s more of a… three-hit wonder? But if you’re American, I bet you don’t remember this English new wave outfit from the 1980s. And I also bet you only remember one solitary song by them, too. In fact, I bet with just a few opening notes, you’ll remember their hit 1983 song “True” in an instant. Your memory just needs a bit of jogging. This song is a sophisti-pop classic that even non-fans of the genre likely remember, especially if you’ve seen Sixteen Candles, Modern Family, 50 First Dates, The Wedding Singer… and quite a few other films and TV shows.

Spandau Ballet enjoyed ongoing success in the UK and abroad throughout the 1980s. In the US, though, they only had three Top 40 hits. “True” was their only Top 10 hit, while “Gold” and “Only When You Leave” made it to No. 29 and No. 34, respectively.

Photo by Pete Still/Redferns