An Analysis of One-Hit Wonders and the Factors That Helped Them Make It to the Top of the Charts
From Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” to Silentó’s “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” one-hit wonders have left a lasting impression on the US and its idea of a successful cultural phenomenon. The goal of this blog is to assess some of the most well-remembered examples of one-hit wonders in order to better understand why they left such a lasting impression.
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#8: My Number Ones
Nothing gold (or even platinum) can stay. This is my last blog post, at least for the time being. Because the goal of this project was to analyze and share music I am passionate about with readers, I’m concluding this phase of my blog by telling you some of my all-time favorite one-hit wonders. There’s…
#7: Sing to the Lord a New Song
What brings out passion in an artist better than their faith (or lack thereof)? The following one-hit wonders tackle the topics of religion, God, and the afterlife with gusto, taking the nation by storm. There are plenty of other gorgeous religious one-hit wonders (and I highly recommend you check out the Singing Nun’s “Dominique”), but…
#6: Shoot for the Moon
It puzzles me relentlessly how guns have become a recurring topic of interest for one-hit wonders. When you imagine the kind of song that inspires you to crank up the volume and sing along, you don’t envision lyrics about violence and murder. However, I’d be lying if I said some of the following songs weren’t…
#5: When Ear Candy Meets Nose Candy
It’s no shock that the eighties brought a plethora of songs about drug usage. Cocaine was in its prime, serving as the drug of choice for Hollywood stars and Wall Street stockbrokers alike. Unfortunately, blow was even responsible for the death of comedy legend John Belushi. Let’s explore how cocaine and other drugs made their…
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