Dexy tops list of '80s one-hit wonders

VH1 has aired its special on the 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s, so we now have the final, complete list.

Anyone bet on Dexy's Midnight Runners? "Well, we haven't heard the last from them," Homer Simpson once said when his barbershop quartet -- the B Sharps -- beat out Dexy for a Grammy.

Here's the full list of 100 songs (click the link below for Nos. 21-100). And you can still catch VH1's special on reruns. Check your local listings for time and channel. Click the song links to see the music video from VH1 or YouTube. And drop a comment giving your take on what VH1 whiffed on.

100 GREATEST ONE-HIT WONDERS OF THE '80s:

1. Dexy's Midnight Runners: “Come on Eileen”

2. Flock of Seagulls: “I Ran (So Far Away)”

3. A-Ha: “Take On Me”

4. Tommy Tutone: “867-5309 / Jenny”

5. Soft Cell: “Tainted Love”

6. Toni Basil: “Mickey”

7. Modern English: “I Melt With You”

8. Bow Wow Wow: “I Want Candy”

9. Kajagoogoo: “Too Shy”

10. Frankie Goes to Hollywood: “Relax”

11. Gary Numan: “Cars”

12. Animotion: “Obsession”

13. Thomas Dolby: “She Blinded Me With Science”

14. Big Country: “In A Big Country”

15. Devo: “Whip It”

16. Nena: “99 Luft Balloons”

17. Men Without Hats: “The Safety Dance”

18. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock: “It Takes Two”

19. Dead or Alive: “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”

20. Rockwell: “Somebody’s Watching Me”

21. Twisted Sister: “We’re Not Gonna Take It”

22. Michael Sembello: “Maniac”

23. Eddy Grant: “Electric Avenue”

24. Edie Brickell & New Bohemians: “What I Am”

25. Musical Youth: “Pass the Dutchie”

26. Cutting Crew: “I Just Died In Your Arms”

27. Stacey Q: “Two of Hearts”

28. John Parr: “St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)”

29. Madness: “Our House”

30. The Vapors: “Turning Japanese”

31. Bobby McFerrin: “Don’t Worry Be Happy”

32. Quarterflash: “Harden My Heart”

33. John Waite: “Missing You”

34. The Waitresses: “I Know What Boys Like”

35. Tom Tom Club: “Genius of Love”

36. Weather Girls: “It’s Raining Men”

37. Lipps, Inc.: “Funkytown”

38. Bruce Willis: “Respect Yourself”

39. Matthew Wilder: “Break My Stride”

40. The Buggles: “Video Killed the Radio Star”

41. Billy Vera: “At This Moment”

42. Timbuk 3: “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”

43. Shannon: “Let the Music Play”

44. Wall of Voodoo: “Mexican Radio”

45. Robbie Nevil: “C’est La Vie”

46. Georgia Satellites: “Keep Your Hands To Yourself”

47. Pretty Poison: “Catch Me I’m Falling”

48. Yello: “Oh Yeah”

49. Philip Bailey (w/ Phil Collins): “Easy Lover”

50. Neneh Cherry: “Buffalo Stance”

51. After the Fire: “Der Kommissar”

52. Mary Jane Girls: “In My House”

53. Taco: “Puttin’ On the Ritz”

54. Chris De Burgh: “Lady in Red”

55. Johnny Kemp: “Just Got Paid”

56. Til Tuesday: “Voices Carry”

57. Jermaine Stewart: “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off”

58. Don Johnson: “Heartbeat”

59. The Outfield: “Your Love”

60. Nu Shooz: “I Can’t Wait”

61. E.U.: “Da Butt”

62. XTC: “Dear God”

63. Oran “Juice” Jones: “The Rain”

64. Robbie Dupree: “Steal Away”

65. Boomtown Rats: “I Don’t Like Mondays”

66. The Jeff Healy Band: “Angel Eyes”

67. Martika: “Toy Soldiers”

68. Peter Schilling: “Major Tom”

69. T’Pau: “Heart And Soul”

70. Harold Faltermeyer: “Axel F”

71. Jack Wagner: “All I Need”

72. Swing Out Sister: “Breakout”

73. Paul Hardcastle: “19″

74. Information Society: “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)”

75. Bertie Higgins: “Key Largo”

76. J.J. Fad: “Supersonic”

77. General Public: “Tenderness”

78. Aldo Nova: “Fantasy”

79. Alannah Myles: “Black Velvet”

80. Eddie Murphy: “Party All The Time”

81. Josie Cotton: “Johnny Are You Queer?”

82. Red Rider: “Lunatic Fringe”

83. Paul Lekakis: “Boom Boom Boom Let’s Go Back to My Room”

84. The Church: “Under The Milky Way”

85. Ziggy Marley And The Melody Makers: “Tomorrow People”

86. Patrice Rushen: “Forget Me Nots”

87. Vixen: “Edge Of A Broken Heart”

88. Nik Kershaw: “Wouldn’t it Be Good”

89. Rodney Dangerfield: “Rappin’ Rodney”

90. Haircut 100: “Love Plus One”

91. Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson: “Friends And Lovers”

92. Frank Stallone: “Far From Over”

93. L.A. Guns: “The Ballad of Jayne”

94. Club Nouveau: “Lean On Me”

95. Midnight Oil: “Beds are Burning”

96. The Fabulous Thunderbirds: “Tuff Enuff”

97. Will To Power: “Baby I Love Your Way / Freebird”

98. Buckner & Garcia: “Pac-Man Fever”

99. Michael Damian: “Rock On”

100. Clarence Clemons (and Jackson Browne): “You’re A Friend Of Mine”

Comments

[TheEdgeOfLlanview]

I can't stand it when I see these "One Hit Wonder" lists because most of the time it is blatantly inaccurate.

The one that really sticks out here is Animotion. Yes, everyone knows "Obsession" but four years later they had another hit with "Room To Move", which I think made the Top 10. Obviously it's one of those songs you'll never hear on radio today, even on 80's shows.

And to the poster who mentioned Katrina & The Waves, they had a Top 30 song about four years later with "That's The Way".

A-Ha had a Top 20 hit with "The Sun Always Shines On TV" in early 1986. Again, another long-forgotten song you won't hear on 80's music shows.

[crazy_eighty_eddie]

oh boy, i downloaded them so they dont disappear
that wont help you
try these
http://tunecaster.com/chart8.html
http://tunecaster.com/rock8.html

[crazy_eighty_eddie]

here's 80's pop year ends, weekly charts, one hit wonders, artist lists, etc
file:///E:/WWW/tunecaster/chart8.html
and heres all the same things for album rock
file:///E:/WWW/tunecaster/rock8.html

[yetanotheronehitwonderslist]

yea, sure, one hit wonders, uh-huh

check this
http://tunecaster.com/one-hit-wonder.html
to see if these songs really are one hit wonders

[Depeche Modem]

One of my friends is the morning drivetime guy for a Southern California radio station. He had on his staff one of the gals from JJ FAD. Being a dorky white guy I of course know the rap from "Well the S is for Super and The U is for Unique." He had me call in and rap it one day. They recorded it for broadcast and the gal actually dropped in her backup vocals before they aired it. . . . Life doesn't get much better than that!

[Doug in Georgia]

What I hate about OHW lists is that three of my all time favorite bands are always included. On my iPod I have 100 songs by Nena, 180 by Big Country and 45 by Timbuk 3. The songs those bands are known for are far from their best work.

[Jeff in Cuba]

Isn't this when the A-Hafia normally swoops in from their black helicopters with hyperbolic tales of Nordic domination?

[Bassnote]

Dr. Dim, I will NEVER consider XTC to be a one-hit wonder because their entire catalogue is fantastic. Besides, "Generals And Majors" was a charting hit for them long before "Dear God."

[John Hays]

I realize many of you will jump in to say they're not a one hit wonder, but any 80's top 10 list is not complete without Simple Minds Don't You Forget About Me! That screams 80's!

[Dr. Dim]

Correction! I just looked through my mp3 player playlist. I have two of the VH1 OHW songs.

Mexican Radio & Major Tom

Anyway...

[Mark in East Texas]

Is this the same VH1 that named Bon Jovi's "Livin on a Prayer" as the #1 song of the eighties? 'Nuff said.

[Dr. Dim]

Hmmm. I think I have six of these songs on my mp3 player (not an iPod).

I'm both glad and sad to see XTC on the list. They were such a great band that it's unfortunate that they didn't make it bigger than they did. The masses have really missed out.

[Brett]

And, just for good measure, here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmevO2V2JxA

[Brett]

How did the Red Rockers' lone hit "China" not make this list? The song and especially the video are pure 80s!

but, I do like the selections of The Vapors "Turning Japanese" from the album New Clear Days (still in my collection) and The Boomtown Rats "I don't like Mondays" on the list. The Boomtown Rats song took it's name from a school shooting. When asked, the student with the gun said they did it because they don't like Mondays.

Too much information, I'm sure, but there it is....

[Mr. Paul]

Not a bad shot a making a list, with a few notable exceptions. A Flock of Seagulls... really? Mike Score's "bird wave" hairdo graced "Space Age Love Song" and "Wishing" and "The More You Live, The More You Love" to only mention a few of their other hits. And the Outfield... w-h-a-a-a-a-a-t??? They're a freakin' hit machine. An overdue topic for a podcast if ever I heard one.

[Gary in Gilroy]

Am I the only one who had a thing for the waitress in the Kajagoogoo "Too Shy" video?

[Mick in Sydney]

I do like looking at these lists as there are songs that you do forget about. One I can't stand is tainted love by soft cell. If it's on the list it should be #100. If it has to be on the list then it should be the Coneheads version, much better imo.

[don in tulsa]

since vh1 is an american network it stands to reason that any list they compile means how they did on american charts. not to take anything away from artists but like dave said, there would be plenty of american bands that would be considered one hit wonders in australia that were big in the u.s. it doesn't matter if you had 2 or 200 hits in the u.k. because the list is from the american charts, not the u.k.s etc.

with that said i agree that there are plenty of groups on the list that had more than 1 u.s. hit.

[Thomas]

Thomas Dolby also did "One of our submarines" which was a hit.

[DerekT]

everytime the name "One Hit Wonder" comes up, someone is upset. I do like several songs on the list.

[Dave in Sydney]

Have to agree with most comments - 85% of the list would be accurately referred to as OHWs. I guess when VH1 Australia does a similar list, there would be some American bands listed that would have had substantially greater success in the States than over here. The usual suspects are all accounted for though. Dexy's Midnight Runners is still my guilty pleasure. Does anyone remember Geno (actually better than Eileen)?

[Bassnote]

Holy #$@^, I have 85 of the 100 songs on my iPod.

[Captain from CDU]

Agree with Swordy, Midnight Oil would have had other minor hits in the states (Blue Sky Mining) so dont think it fits there! But great list. We will have to perform all these now (or it gives us ideas anyway!)

[Marissa]

There's definitely a lot of discrepancies. I vote that Bassnote submit his resume' to VH1 as their music historian.

[Marissa]

With the exception of "Pac-Man Fever" you and VH1 just listed my iPod contents.

[Swordy in Australia]

Gotta laugh, as an Aussie. There at #95 is Midnight Oil. Probably as big as AC/DC in Australia, longest running album in the Australian charts of all time. Off the top of my head would have more than a dozen number one hits. That would be the equivalent of having Guns'N Roses as a one hit wonder. There are some other dodgy ones, but mostly good memories.

My biggest problem is explaining some of these to my two young daughters. Between their constant laughing as I play them a snippet of each song. Some I cant even explain myself 25 years later! Love the 80's!

[CHAD]

well i have 44 of the 100.

[Spears]

Thomas Dolby rocks the house, Neil, but "She Blinded Me With Science" is definitely a contender for the most overplayed song of the '80s (neck and neck with "Melt With You" by Modern English.)

[Rebecca]

Where's Katrina and the Waves and "Walkin' on Sunshine"? Now, that's a true one hit wonder!

[Crockett]

Yeah Spears,

I;ve got a ton of these on my ipod,
And Rubix Cubed plays like 1/4 of the songs listed here.

[Greg]

First of all, I'm embarassed to admit I have 37 of these songs.
Secondly, and complaining to the wrong people, but doesn't anybody remember "Don't Pay The Ferryman"?

[Bassnote]

I voiced my disgust at the #1 spot on another post the night they aired the final episode. "Come On Eileen" is an abomination. I invested a lot of time watching the shows, just to get hit with the worst song ever written as their #1. I now loathe VH1. As many other people pointed out, at least a third of the one-hit wonders had more than one hit.

[Neil]

Is it just me or is there anyone else who could never stand the song "She Blinded Me With Science"? I could never stand this song!! The only list this song should be on is for worst song ever!!!!!

[Spears]

I love reading lists like these. Totally subjective, of course, but it does help you remember a ton of songs you've long forgotten.

I guarantee I have 18 of the top 20 on my iPod. But only 28 of the following 80 songs are on my iPod. Go figure.

[Crockett]

Thank you Tim and Melissa.

Flock had 3 hits.

And props to VH1.
they left out the apostrophe instead of putting in the wrong place on the abbreviation: '80s

Maybe they're wising up

[chase]

btw, pac man fever and rappin' rodney .. those are just novelty songs, don't belong on this list, what, no curley shuffle?

And Twisted Sister had two clear hits, "I wanna rock" as well as "we're not gonna take it" ... and Don Johnson, a "hit," more like the butt of a cruel joke.

[chase]

hahahahah, AHA, let the debate begin!

[Tom]

Another show from VH1 that's waaay off the mark. Since this was a list compiled by "voters", it makes you wonder who these people are. I'd imagine it's people who were not even alive in our beloved decade that are casting the artists and positions of the songs.

[Ian from Baltimore]

Just one more list for people to crap on and argue about. I don't read these kinds of she-ite lists anymore.

[CHAD]

the sun always shines on tv was also a big hit for aha.

[CHAD]

how did i miss the inclusion of the outfield. they had numerous hits, everytime you cry, all the love, since you've been gone, voices of babylon. they definetely weren't one hit wonders.

[Tim Robertson]

Flock had three hits, and a few more that broke the top 100. They are not a one hit wonder band. then again, this list IS from VH1, so...

[Melissa]

I agree with you Chad. One of my favorites is Flock of Seagulls "Space Age Love Song". It might have not been a #1 hit but it was on the charts. I think VH1 should have done better research.

[Dr. Dim]

It is a pet peeve of mine whenever a top 10 or 100 or whatever list is presented starting at number 1. Such lists should ALWAYS start at 10 or 100 or whatever and go to number 1. Always!

I'm just sayin'.

[# 101]

diode, cathode, electrode, overload, generator, oscillator

MAKE A CIRCUT WITH ME

the POLECATS

just plug in and go-go-go
i'll be your human dynamo

[Valdimar]

Say what you will about A-Ha, but how on earth can Madness be considered one-hit wonder? I don't know about U.S.A. but they had 17 top ten singles in the UK. This is madness!

[CHAD]

it's a good list, but i have a few problems with it. animotion had a later hit with cynthia rhodes singing. didn't flock have another top 40 single? john parr had naughty naughty, john waite had tears, and if anybody had a heart, and nu shooz had another hit with point of know return.