These four one-hit wonders made it to the top of the charts, only to fade away into obscurity shortly after. That doesn’t mean they aren’t amazing musicians; rather, the ebb and flow of chart popularity is hard to work with, and it’s not exactly shocking that talented artists only make it big in one short burst. Still, many of these artists are still making music today, even though they haven’t enjoyed as much chart success with subsequent releases. Wondering where these one-hit wonders are now? Let’s take a look!
Daniel Powter
“Bad Day” by Canadian singer Daniel Powter hit No. 7 in Canada and No. 1 in the US back in 2005. The song was everywhere. Sadly, though, Powter never breached the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart again.
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After getting quite a bit of fame for “Bad Day” in 2005, Powter continued to have more success in, surprisingly, Japan. He also made headlines for bravely opening up about his history of being abused as a child, and the subsequent drug and alcohol problems he dealt with as an adult. In 2024, Powter auditioned for Canada’s Got Talent, and he released a stripped-down version of “Bad Day” in 2024 as well. His last studio album release was Giants from 2018.
Falco
Remember Falco? If the name doesn’t ring a bell, then “Rock Me Amadeus” might jog your memory. This Austrian singer hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart in the US with that 1985 tune, but never breached the Top 10 again on that specific chart. However, he continued to enjoy a long and successful career in Austria. Tragically, Falco passed away in a car crash in 1998. He was only 40 years old.
La Roux
“Bulletproof” is one of my favorite 2000s synth-pop tunes. Produced by synth-pop-duo-turned-single-member La Roux, the song peaked at No. 8 in the US and ranked even higher elsewhere. However, La Roux never made it to the Hot 100 again.
Today, La Roux is only made up of singer Elly Jackson. Her last release was in 2023, an unreleased track titled “Malibu Barbie”. Her last album was Supervision, released in 2020.
Right Said Fred
If you love some good camp, you probably love “I’m Too Sexy” by English Europop outfit Right Said Fred. It was a No. 1 hit in the US, but the group never breached the Top 70 in the US again. Though, they continued to chart very well in Europe and the UK for a number of years.
If you’re wondering where these one-hit wonders are now, you might be pleased to hear that Right Said Fred is still together today, decades after “I’m Too Sexy” hit the airwaves in 1991. However, you might not be pleased to hear that in recent years, they’ve been the subject of controversy, notably for a series of anti-vaccine and climate change-denying comments. Yikes.
Photo by David Partridge/Shutterstock
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Kyu Sakamoto. (1941-1985) Japanese singer, best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Aruko" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. (Photo by Sjöberg Bildbyrå/ullstein bild via Getty Images) -
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