WHERE ARE THEY NOW: One-hit wonders from the past 60 years

Max KalnitzNov 18, 2020, 03:09 IST

A-ha then and now.Getty Images

One-hit wonders have produced some of the most popular music of the last 60 years.
A-ha had one of the greatest pop songs and music videos of all time with "Take On Me." They are still touring.
Nena, who hit it big in the '80s with "99 Luftballons," now appears as a judge on "The Voice" in Germany.
Semisonic's "Closing Time" reached No. 1 in 1998. In the years since, singer Dan Wilson has written hits for Adele, Taylor Swift, and others.

For some musicians, churning out hit songs one album after the next comes naturally. For others, after striking gold with a hit single, more success didn't follow as easily.

We're talking about one-hit wonders, the artists who produced some of the most iconic and popular songs of the past six decades but fell short when trying to replicate their success.

Here's what 15 of your favorite one-hit wonders are up to now.

Norman Greenbaum made a name for himself with "Spirit In The Sky" but couldn't produce another hit of the same caliber.

Norman Greenbaum in 1969. GAB Archive / Contributor / Getty

Half a century later, Greenbaum is playing small shows but has not put out any new music.

Norman Greenbaum. Norman Greenbaum

Looking Glass' 1972 song "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)" was the band's only hit single.

Looking Glass in 1972. Gems/

Elliot Lurie, who wrote and sang "Brandy," went on to become a successful music executive.

Elliot Lurie (left) of Looking Glass in 2019. Bobby Bank/Getty Images

Though it never climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, Cheryl Lynn's "Got to Be Real" is one of the most popular disco songs ever recorded.

Cheryl Lynn in the 1970s. GAB Archive/Getty Images

Cheryl Lynn toured in the 2000s but has remained relatively quiet since then. She is pictured during a performance on "The View" in 2015.

Cheryl Lynn (left) on "The View" in 2015. Lou Rocco/Getty Images

Dexys Midnight Runners are best known in the US for the 1982 hit "Come On Eileen."

Kevin Rowland, the frontman of Dexy's Midnight Runners. Ebet Roberts/Getty Images

More than 30 years later, the band, now known as just Dexys, released a new album.

Kevin Rowland (front) and bandmate Sean Read of Dexys in 2016. Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images

Eddy Grant had three songs reach the Billboard Hot 100, but "Electric Avenue" was his most successful single.

Eddy Grant in 1988. Frans Schellekens/Getty Images

Grant has toured on and off throughout the years. Perhaps most notably, he performed at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday party in 2008.

Eddy Grant performing with The Roots on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in 2019. NBC/Getty Images

German pop group Nena's hit song "99 Luftballons" was so popular it merited an English version.

Nena in 1985. kpa/United Archives/Getty Images

Nena, now a solo artist, has released new music and served as a judge on Germany's "The Voice" shows.

Nena (second from left) on Germany's "The Voice Kids" in 2018. Matthias Nareyek/Getty Images

The Norwegian band A-ha burst into the mainstream thanks to its 1985 single "Take On Me."

A-ha in 1988. Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

The band still tours today and released a new album in 2015.

A-ha in 2017. Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" skyrocketed in popularity thanks to its feature at the end of "The Breakfast Club."

Simple Minds in 1987. Deborah Feingold/Getty Images

Simple Minds plans to tour in 2021.

Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill of Simple Minds in 2019. Roberto Ricciuti/Getty Images

Blind Melon's "No Rain" never reached the top of the charts, but it remains one of the most popular one-hit wonders ever.

Blind Melon in 1992. Ian Dickson/Getty Images

Blind Melon could have a new album and tour on the way.

Blind Melon performing in 2019. Gary Miller/Getty Images

Sir Mix-a-Lot produced one of the most iconic rap songs of the early '90s.

Sir Mix-a-Lot holds a Grammy Award in 1993. Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

Sir Mix-a-Lot hasn't released any new music recently. He says he's finally accepted that "'Baby Got Back' is bigger than Sir Mix-A-Lot."

A screengrab of Sir Mix-a-Lot virtually performing in All In WA: A Concert For COVID-19 Relief in June. Getty Images

4 Non Blondes had one of the biggest hits of the '90s with "What's Up?"

4 Non Blondes. Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Linda Perry and her fellow bandmates went on to have successful solo careers.

Linda Perry in 2019. gotpap/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

The Rembrandts' hit single "I'll Be There For You" helped make "Friends" so iconic.

The Rembrandts and "Friends" cast. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

The Rembrandts still play their mega hit during tours. More recently, they've been sharing socially distanced virtual jams with fans.

Phil Solem and ‎Danny Wilde of The Rembrandts in 2019. Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

In 1997 Chumbawamba gifted the world the timeless banger "Tubthumping."

Chumbawamba. Jill Douglas/Redferns/Getty Images

Chumbawamba's Alice Nutter has had a successful writing career since leaving the band.

Alice Nutter in 2019. Joe Maher/Getty Images

Semisonic's "Closing Time" turned into an end-of-the-night bar staple.

Semisonic in 1996. Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Dan Wilson went on to write huge hits for other artists, including "Someone Like You" for Adele.

Dan Wilson of Semisonic in 2019. Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

Lou Bega's "Mambo No. 5" instantly became a dancehall anthem.

Lou Bega in 1999. Nicky J. Sims/Getty Images

Lou Bega is still going strong more than 20 years later.

Lou Bega performing in 2019. picture alliance/Getty Images

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