3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1980s That Had Enough “It” Factor To Become Superstars

Some people definitely deserve to be one-hit wonders. Others, especially one-hit wonders from the 1980s, deserved way more for their talents and had the makings of superstars. Sometimes, the charts and the music industry as a whole can be quite cruel. Let’s look at a few one-hit wonders from the 1980s that should have become superstars.

Videos by American Songwriter

Toni Basil

Toni Basil would have been the perfect 1980s pop superstar. And yet, for some reason, people vibed with just one of her songs. That song was the 1982 smash new wave hit, “Mickey”.

Basil released just two studio albums during her career in the early 1980s. Her debut, Word Of Mouth, yielded the smash hit “Mickey”. Released in 1982, “Mickey” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the Canadian and Australian charts. Sadly, after scoring that major hit, Basil never made it to the Top 40 of the Hot 100 again. A travesty!

Autograph

This glam metal outfit came up during a great era for the genre. I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that Autograph never really blew up. They had all the makings of a big glam metal band: the look, the sound, the energy. And yet, they only scored one major hit during their time in the spotlight.

“Turn Up The Radio”, released in 1984, was a substantial debut single from the band that peaked at No. 29 on the Hot 100. Somehow, over a dozen singles later, not a single one made it to the Hot 100. The band would break up in 1989, but would reunite several times through the 2020s.

Bobby McFerrin

Here’s an entry on our list of one-hit wonders from the 1980s who could have been superstars who, in retrospect, is a superstar. However, the charts just didn’t reflect that, at least in the US. Bobby McFerrin is a successful musician today and a well-known icon in the world of jazz, but he only technically has one major hit.

Bobby McFerrin is best known for his song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”, a No. 1 hit across the board. Not only did the song earn McFerrin several Grammy awards, but it is also the only capella song in music history to hit No. 1 in the US.

Photo by Ron Wolfson/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images