A blog post from danboe.net

VH1's Top 100 One-Hit Wonders

Posted Jun 22, 2006 at 01:58 PM

I’ve always identified myself as being a part of the MTV generation, if there is in fact such a thing. I remember the launch of MTV in 1981, and though we didn’t have cable yet, I remember seeing “Video Killed the Radio Star” that summer of my sophomore year in high school at Dave Dietrich’s house, and not really getting it at first. Of course, my friends and I watched MTV quite a lot back then, and last night’s new videos were often the subject of debates and opinions in my high school hallways. Oh, and for the record, I had a big-time crush on Martha Quinn, one of MTV’s first VJ’s, so that kept me watching too.

The early 1980’s were my formative years in music appreciation, and MTV was there every step of the way. Surfing channels one weekend a few months ago, I stumbled across a 5-hour program on VH1 called “VH1’s Greatest One-Hit Wonders”, and before I realized it, I spent the whole afternoon in front of the TV, completely engrossed, and keeping track of the countdown, intending to blog about it one day.

I’ve always enjoyed learning the stories behind the artists and their music, and in a way, this show was essentially a way for VH1 to do very short “Behind the Music” type pieces for artists that frankly didn’t achieve enough to fill an hour. I don’t know if my my top 100 one-hit list would match theirs, but I do notice that many of the tracks on their list (about 25% roughly) were big during high school days. So I’ve kept track of the list, in the hope that one day I might assemble a playlist of them, which would be fun to have, if only for the nostalgia of remembering back to the days that MTV played music videos.

VH1’s Top 100 One-Hit Wonders

  1. “The Macarena” by Los Del Rio (1996)
  2. “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell (1982)
  3. “Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners (1983)
  4. “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred (1992)
  5. “Mickey” by Toni Basil (1982)
  6. “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men (2000)
  7. “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice (1991)
  8. “Take On Me” by A-Ha (1985)
  9. “Rico Suave” by Gerardo (1991)
  10. “99 Luftballoons” by Nena (1984)
  11. “You Light Up My Life” by Debby Boone (1977)
  12. “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot (1994)
  13. “The Hustle” by Van McCoy (1975)
  14. “Groove Is In The Heart” by Deee-Lite (1990)
  15. “96 Tears” by ? And The Mysterians (1966)
  16. “Rapper’s Delight” by Sugarhill Gang (1980)
  17. “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister (1984)
  18. “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinéad O’Connor (1990)
  19. “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly (1968)
  20. “She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby (1983)
  21. “Cars” by Gary Numan (1980)
  22. “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry (1976)
  23. “Tubthumping” by Chumbawumba (1997)
  24. “Whip It” by Devo (1980)
  25. “Too Shy” by Kajagoogoo (1983)
  26. “Stumblin’ In” by Suzi Quatro (1979)
  27. “Pop Musik” by M (1979)
  28. “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock (1988)
  29. “Pass The Dutchie” by Musical Youth (1983)
  30. “Seasons In The Sun” by Terry Jacks (1974)
  31. “Unbelievable” by EMF (1983)
  32. “Hot Hot Hot” by Buster Poindexter (1987)
  33. “Got To Be Real” by Cheryl Lynn (1979)
  34. “Afternoon Delight” by Starland Vocal Band (1976)
  35. “Bitch” by Meredith Brooks (1997)
  36. “Turning Japanese” by The Vapors (1980)
  37. “I Melt With You” by Modern English (1982)
  38. “Me & Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul (1972)
  39. “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve (1998)
  40. “In A Big Country” by Big Country (1983)
  41. “Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1985)
  42. “Hot Child In The City” by Nick Gilder (1978)
  43. “How Do You Talk To An Angel” by The Heights (1992)
  44. “Rock Me Amadeus” by Falco (1986)
  45. “Lovefool” by The Cardigans (1996)
  46. “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin (1988)
  47. “Rock & Roll, Pt. 2” by Gary Glitter (1972)
  48. “True” by Spandau Ballet (1983)
  49. “Turn The Beat Around” by Vicki Sue Robinson (1976)
  50. “I Touch Myself” by The Divinyls (1991)
  51. “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers (1995)
  52. “Genius Of Love” by Tom Tom Club (1982)
  53. “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell (1984)
  54. “Makin’ It” by David Naughton (1977)
  55. “It’s Raining Men” by Weather Girls (1982)
  56. “Lovin’ You” by Minnie Riperton (1975)
  57. “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” by Brownsville Station (1973)
  58. “What Is Love?” by Haddaway (1993)
  59. “867-5309/Jenny” by Tommy Tutone (1982)
  60. “More, More, More” by Andrea True Connection (1976)
  61. “Round And Round” by Ratt (1984)
  62. “Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” by Timbuk 3 (1986)
  63. “Jump Around” by House Of Pain (1992)
  64. “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals (1998)
  65. “In My House” by The Mary Jane Girls (1985)
  66. “Mambo No. 5” by Lou Bega (1999)
  67. “Epic” by Faith No More (1990)
  68. “A Girl Like You” by Edwyn Collins (1995)
  69. “Funkytown” by Lipps, Inc. (1980)
  70. “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” by Vicki Lawrence (1973)
  71. “How Bizarre” by OMC (1997)
  72. “Maniac” by Michael Sembello (1983)
  73. “Convoy” by C.W. McCall (1975)
  74. “Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” by Digable Planets (1993)
  75. “I’ve Never Been To Me” by Charlene (1982)
  76. “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off” by Jermaine Stewart (1986)
  77. “What I Am” by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians (1989)
  78. “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” by Crash Test Dummies (1994)
  79. “Puttin’ On The Ritz” by Taco (1983)
  80. “Cum On Feel The Noize” by Quiet Riot (1983)
  81. “Just A Friend” by Biz Markie (1990)
  82. “I Know What Boys Like” by The Waitresses (1982)
  83. “The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats (1983)
  84. “You Gotta Be” by Des’ree (1994)
  85. “Spirit In The Sky” by Norman Greenbaum (1970)
  86. “Bust A Move” by Young MC (1989)
  87. “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Thelma Houston (1977)
  88. “Barbie Girl” by Aqua (1987)
  89. “Achy, Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus (1992)
  90. “Don’t Want To Fall In Love” by Jane Child (1990)
  91. “Electric Avenue” by Eddie Grant (1983)
  92. “Heart & Soul” by T’Pau (1987)
  93. “Don’t Give Up On Us Baby” by David Soul (1977)
  94. “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes (1993)
  95. “Harper Valley P.T.A.” by Jeannie C. Riley (1968)
  96. “I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow (1982)
  97. “Whoomp! There It Is” by Tag Team (1993)
  98. “Two Of Hearts” by Stacey Q (1986)
  99. “No Rain” by Blind Melon (1993)
  100. “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas (1974)

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