Pick a Day

Music History Events: One-Hit Wonders

August 15, 1995 Spanish pop duo Los del Rio release the single "Macarena" in the US. Inspired by a beautiful flamenco dancer, the song lights a fire in Miami beach clubs and spreads across the country, igniting the '90s hottest dance craze.More

July 4, 1992 The king of all booty songs, Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby Got Back," hits #1 in America.More

September 19, 1987 The Grateful Dead hit #10 on the US Hot 100 with "Touch Of Grey," the only hit song for the band.More

September 11, 1982 Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl" reaches its chart peak of #32 on the Hot 100. It's the only Top 40 hit for the eccentric singer, who releases over 60 albums in his lifetime. His daughter, Moon Unit Zappa, plays the Valley Girl in the song.

September 5, 1981 Soft Cell hit #1 in the UK with an electronic cover of "Tainted Love," a song originally released by the American soul singer Gloria Jones in 1964. The song also charts in America, reaching #8 in July 1982. It's the only hit for the duo in the States, but they have many more in their native UK.

March 10, 1979 Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" hits #1 on the Hot 100. It becomes a female-empowerment anthem, but the song was written by two men.More

October 29, 1966 Powered by a captivating Vox Continental organ riff and a lead singer who always wears sunglasses and goes by the name of "?", "96 Tears" by ? & the Mysterians hits #1 in America.More

December 7, 1963 The Singing Nun's "Dominique" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.More

October 31, 1962 The "Monster Mash" rules the airwaves, becoming the most popular Halloween song of all time.More

September 24, 1997 One-hit-wonder Larry Hall, known for the 1959 hit "Sandy," dies of cancer at age 57.

April 23, 1983 "Come On Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners goes to #1 in the US. It's the only American hit for the English group, but they are far more successful in the UK, where among their hits is the #1 "Geno."

July 31, 1977 The Starland Vocal Band Show, a variety series hosted by the group famous for the hit "Afternoon Delight," debuts on CBS. It lasts just six episodes.

April 23, 1977 Thelma Houston's disco plea "Don't Leave Me This Way," originally recorded by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes in 1975, hits #1 in America.

November 13, 1975 Morris Albert's tearjerker "Feelings" is certified Gold. The song never rises higher than #6 on the Hot 100, but stays on the chart for an amazing eight months, driving some to madness with repeated listens.

September 23, 1967 One-hit wonders The Strawberry Alarm Clock perform "Incense And Peppermints" on American Bandstand.

April 1, 1961 Rock and roll singer Troy Shondell releases his sole hit, "This Time."

September 7, 1949 Disco queen Gloria Gaynor is born Gloria Fowles in Newark, New Jersey.

December 9, 2014 Sting joins the Broadway cast of his musical The Last Ship, which is based on the shipbuilding community where he grew up.

March 13, 1993 "Informer," a reggae-rap song with inscrutable verses by the Canadian artist Snow (named for his whiteness), hits #1 in America and stays on top for seven weeks. Snow enjoys it all from a prison cell in Toronto, where he's serving an eight-month sentence for assault.