Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

#OneHitWondered

@onehitwondered.bsky.social

5.4K followers 9.4K following 6.7K posts

Celebrating American One-Hit Wonders from the Billboard Hot 100 era... A US #OneHitWonder is a group/performer with just 1 hit single, as measured against the industry-standard US Billboard Top 40, which is #1 through #40 on their Hot 100 chart. 🇺🇦 🇨🇦

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 14m

#QuickSidenote Rush’s 2013 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame felt overdue and yet undeniable… Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, & Neil Peart were honored for decades of fearless musicianship and craft. A win for the band... and the fans who've kept the flame alive. #Rush #OneHitWondered

RUSH - 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. RUSH Performances, Finale and "Backstage"

YouTube video by Barry Gardner

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 15m

#Interestingly Rush built an empire without chasing hits… Just millions of records, legions of fanatics & music that was too weird for pop, but too good to ignore! By Hot 100 math, they’re ‘one-hit wonders.’ In the real world, they’re a band who redefined what a power trio can do. #OneHitWondered

Publicity photo of Rush

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 18m

#Interestingly Why the oddity only 1 US Billboard #Top40 hit? The Billboard Hot 100 chart rewards pop crossover… Rush has always dominated albums & rock airplay instead. They stacked rock-radio hits while filling arenas and selling tons of records… but just the 1 pop crossover. #Rush #OneHitWondered

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 19m

#QuickSidenote On March 1, 1990, US #OneHitWonder honorees Rush were named '80s Artist Of The Decade at the Canadian Juno Awards. #GeddyLee #AlexLifeson #NeilPeart #Rush #JunoAwards #OneHitWondered

Rush R30: 3 - 1990: Juno Awards Artist of the Decade interviews

YouTube video by Trebor TV

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 20m

#Interestingly 1982 brings the album Signals, more synths, and… “New World Man.” It’s lean, catchy, and fits in with US pop radio playlists. Result: Rush’s only entry on the Top 40 of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. #Rush #OneHitWondered

Rush - New World Man (Live)

YouTube video by funkice

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 22m

#QuickSidenote Looking at the US #Billboard #Top40 charts, The Next 5 for Rush: "Closer to the Heart" peaked at No. 76… "Limelight" at No. 55. "The Spirit of Radio" at No. 51. "The Big Money" & “Tom Sawyer” peaked just outside of the US #Top40, No. 45 & 44, respectively. #OneHitWondered

Snippet from the August 1, 1981 Billboard Hot 100 chart listing "Tom Sawyer" by Rush in the #44 spot

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 24m

#Interestingly Rush’s “The Spirit of Radio” & “Freewill” live forever on rock radio, even if the Billboard Hot 100 didn’t play along. “Tom Sawyer” & “Limelight” echo in every guitar store and sports arena. Classics by any measure, but just shy of the #Top40 cut. #Rush #TomSawyer #OneHitWondered

Rush - Tom Sawyer (Live From The Montreal Forum / 1981)

YouTube video by RushVEVO

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 24m

#Interestingly By the late ’70s, with their tighter songs (without losing the odd time signatures), AOR radio starts a romance with Rush that continues to this day… and “Closer to the Heart” becomes a crowd anthem. #Rush #CloserToTheHeart #OneHitWondered

Rush - Closer To The Heart (Live From The Montreal Forum / 1981)

YouTube video by RushVEVO

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 25m

#QuickSidenote Rush just made it official: German drummer Anika Nilles will be behind the drum kit on the 2026 ‘Fifty Something’ tour. The band honors Neil’s legacy while moving forward… Some big shoes for Anika to step into! #Rush #AnikaNilles #OneHitWondered

German drummer Anika Nilles sitting in front of her drum kit

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 27m

#Interestingly Formed in Toronto in 1968. The classic lineup locked in when Neil Peart replaced original drummer John Rutsey in 1974… marking the shift from bluesy hard rock to ambitious prog, with Peart’s sci-fi & philosophy streak front and center. #Rush #FlyByNight #OneHitWondered

Rush - Fly By Night

YouTube video by RushVEVO

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 27m

#OneHitHistory 🇨🇦 The week ending October 9, 1982, the Canadian Titans of precision prog, Rush, entered the US #Billboard #Top40 for the first and only time with “New World Man.” It debuted on the #Top40 at #33… spending 6 weeks on the chart, topping out at #21. #Rush #OneHitWondered 🇨🇦

Rush - New World Man (Visualizer)

YouTube video by RushVEVO

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 49m

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more...

We'll see how much hate I get with this one! 🤣

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 1h

#OneHitHistory Love this post! Mississippi rockabilly singer Jumpin' Gene Simmons earned US #OneHitWonder honors in 1964 when his cover of Johnny Fuller’s 1958 R&B novelty hit “Haunted House” spent 8 weeks on the US #Billboard #Top40, peaking at #11... #OneHitWondered

m0n0cle.bsky.social @m0n0cle.bsky.social · 10h

#MusicChallenge
#Howl-A-Ween

October 9: Spooky

youtu.be/uTiUdZy-4lo?...

YouTube video by Jumpin' Gene Simmons - Topic

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 2h

#Interestingly “Closer to Free” by BoDeans was released in 1993 on the album Go Slow Down, but became iconic as the theme song for the 1994 US TV show ‘Party of Five. The single was re-released in 1996 and became the band’s only US #Billboard #Top40 hit. #BoDeans #CloserToFree #OneHitWondered

Party of Five VHS trailer 1998

YouTube video by VHS Commercials

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 2h

#OneHitHistory Happy birthday to 🇺🇸 singer/songwriter & guitarist Kurt Neumann, #BOTD in 1961. The co-founder of the roots-rock group BoDeans earned US #OneHitWonder honors in 1996 with “Closer To Free.” It spent 15 weeks on the chart, peaking at #16. #BoDeans #OneHitWondered

BoDeans - Closer To Free

YouTube video by OneHitWondered

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

That's for sure...

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#QuickSidenote More Russ? KISS didn’t earn US #OneHitWonder honors… but Ace Frehley did! The Space Ace earned solo US #OneHitWonder honors with his version of the Russ Ballard-penned “New York Groove.” It was the only hit single from their four solo albums produced in 1978. #OneHitWondered

1979 HITS ARCHIVE: New York Groove - Ace Frehley (stereo 45)

YouTube video by AnotherProf

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#QuickSidenote Slidin’ down into the Russ Ballard rabbit hole just a lil’ further reveals that Ballard also wrote “I Know There's Something Going On,” which earned US #OneHitWonder honors for another former ABBA vocalist… #RussBallard #Frida #ABBA #OneHitWondered

Frida - I Know There's Something Going On

YouTube video by FridaVEVO

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#QuickSidenote “Hold Your Head Up” by British rock group Argent peaked at #5 on the US #Billboard #Top40 the week ending August 26, 1972. It spent 11 weeks on the chart and was the band’s only US #Top40 hit, earning them their US #OneHitWonder honors. #Argent #RodArgent #OneHitWondered

Publicity photo af the rock group Argent

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#QuickSidenote “Can’t Shake Loose” was written by one of OneHitWonderland’s most prolific songwriters, Russ Ballard. He wasn’t a random choice. He’d already established an envious track record, handing other artists radio gold… Might be most famous as the singer/guitarist for Argent. #OneHitWondered

Hold Your Head Up - Argent | The Midnight Special

YouTube video by The Midnight Special

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#Interestingly After ABBA paused in 1982, Agnetha Fältskog returned to her solo career with a pop focus and that big studio sheen... In 1983 she released the album “Wrap Your Arms Around Me,” produced by hitmaker Mike Chapman.. “Can’t Shake Loose” was the first single. #OneHitWondered

Cover for Agnetha Fältskog's 1983 album Wrap Your Arms Around Me

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#Interestingly Throughout ABBA’s run, Agnetha’s dramatic voice carried many of the group’s greatest hits: “SOS,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” and the powerhouse “The Winner Takes It All.” #ABBA #AgnethaFaltskog #OneHitWondered

ABBA - The Winner Takes It All (1980)

YouTube video by skv90s

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#QuickSidenote In 1972, the Dutch pop duo Mouth & MacNeal earned US #OneHitWonder honors when their catchy, infectious “How Do You Do?” spent 12 weeks on the US #Billboard #Top40, peaking at #8. #Mouth&MacNeal #OneHitWondered

Mouth & MacNeal - How Do You Do (HQ Official video)

YouTube video by HvHProductionsBV

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#QuickSidenote That same year, Dutch pop duo Mouth & MacNeal represented the Netherlands in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, placing 3rd with “I See a Star.” #Mouth&MacNeal #Eurovision #OneHitWondered

Mouth & MacNeal - I See A Star (Live Eurovision 1974)

YouTube video by Marc Al

www.youtube.com

#OneHitWondered @onehitwondered.bsky.social · 6h

#Interestingly Agnetha Fältskog was a Swedish teen solo star who, in 1972, co-founded the Swedish pop group ABBA with Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They won Eurovision in 1974 with “Waterloo” and became global pop superstars almost overnight. #ABBA #OneHitWondered

ABBA - Waterloo (Eurovision Song Contest 1974 First Performance)

YouTube video by AbbaVEVO

www.youtube.com