Posted August 13, 20195 yr Can you name artists that were either one hit wonders, or maybe had just a few hits in different countries, but with different songs? Whigfield was obviously huge in the UK in 1994 with "Saturday Night". She experienced 2 other top 10 hits in 1994/1995 with Another Day and Think Of You, then gradually disappeared. None of these tracks ever made a dent into the australian charts (Saturday Night peaked at #78, the other 2 didn´t even chart). Then in 1996 she had a huge hit in Australia with "Sexy Eyes" (peaked at #6, certified platinum). That song was also big in a few more countries, but only made it to #68 in UK. Similarly, Natasha Bedingfield was big in the UK in 2004 with "These Words" (a # 1 hit), that made #17 in the USA. By 2008, her career in the UK had already faded, but she experienced a huge US smash with "Pocketful of Sunshine" (#5) which didn´t even chart in UK. Then what about Shaggy... had a #1 in the UK in 1993 with Oh Carolina, then disappeared. Felt like a one hit wonder. Then in 1995 had another #1 smash with Boombastic, then disappeared. Felt like it was one of those rare ocasions when a one hit wonder fights back and has another hit. The in 2000 he had absolute smashes with It Wasn´t Me and Angel. The next album bombed hard. It´s like he experienced 3 one-hit wonder eras, since in between them he had released albums that didn´t even chart of charted very low. Can we expect another one hit wonder from the past to ever comeback and experience sucess again?
August 13, 20195 yr Bay City Rollers had 10 top 10 hits in the UK, yet their only US #1 (Saturday Night) never charted in the UK (Money Honey was their only other top 10 over there). Manhattan Transfer only had 1 top 10 hit in the UK (Chanson D'Amour, which was a #1), and only 1 top 10 hit in the US (The Boy From New York City) - neither track charted in the other country. Ellie Goulding reached #2 in the US with Lights (her only top 40 hit in the US prior to Burn), which only reached #49 in the UK.
August 13, 20195 yr Agnes was huge in Sweden with two No.1 single and many other big hits but Release Me peaked at No.9 there, yet went top three here and was a global hit. Similarly, Robyn's UK No.1 With Every Heartbeat only got to No.23 in Sweden even though she's had countless other top 10 hits in her home country, including a No.1 with Dancing On My Own.
August 14, 20195 yr Can you name artists that were either one hit wonders, or maybe had just a few hits in different countries, but with different songs? Whigfield was obviously huge in the UK in 1994 with "Saturday Night". She experienced 2 other top 10 hits in 1994/1995 with Another Day and Think Of You, then gradually disappeared. None of these tracks ever made a dent into the australian charts (Saturday Night peaked at #78, the other 2 didn´t even chart). Then in 1996 she had a huge hit in Australia with "Sexy Eyes" (peaked at #6, certified platinum). That song was also big in a few more countries, but only made it to #68 in UK. Similarly, Natasha Bedingfield was big in the UK in 2004 with "These Words" (a # 1 hit), that made #17 in the USA. By 2008, her career in the UK had already faded, but she experienced a huge US smash with "Pocketful of Sunshine" (#5) which didn´t even chart in UK. Then what about Shaggy... had a #1 in the UK in 1993 with Oh Carolina, then disappeared. Felt like a one hit wonder. Then in 1995 had another #1 smash with Boombastic, then disappeared. Felt like it was one of those rare ocasions when a one hit wonder fights back and has another hit. The in 2000 he had absolute smashes with It Wasn´t Me and Angel. The next album bombed hard. It´s like he experienced 3 one-hit wonder eras, since in between them he had released albums that didn´t even chart of charted very low. Can we expect another one hit wonder from the past to ever comeback and experience sucess again? Shaggy's career is interesting but not sure how it links in with your original question? Plus he didn't disappear after Boombastic - he had a few top 20 hits in '96 and '97. The only sort-of example I can think of right now is 2 Unlimited - in Europe they are best known for No Limit, but in the States it wasn't a hit. Their Get Ready For This did well there, though of course it was also a hit in Europe too
August 14, 20195 yr Mariah Carey is an example I think too Her highest Uk charting solo single is Without You, which was her first UK #1 and that is one of her few early singles that did not go to #1 in the US yes, Shaggy doesn't fit the example at all, also he had many more hits that you ignore
August 14, 20195 yr Ellie Goulding’s single Lights didn’t even go top 40 here in the UK but went to #2 in the states
August 14, 20195 yr Disclosure's highest charting hit in the UK: White Noise Disclosure's highest charting hit in the US: Latch Disclosure's highest charting hit in Australia: Magnets (unless you count Talk)
August 14, 20195 yr Mariah Carey is an example I think too Her highest Uk charting solo single is Without You, which was her first UK #1 and that is one of her few early singles that did not go to #1 in the US yes, Shaggy doesn't fit the example at all, also he had many more hits that you ignore Celine Dion springs to mind too - she was best known in UK for Think Twice, which bombed in the U.S... but of course then came My Heart Will Go On.
August 14, 20195 yr Glenn Medeiros Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You: #1 UK, #12 US She Ain't Worth It: #12 UK, #1 US
August 14, 20195 yr 3OH!3's biggest hit in the UK was Starstrukk, in the US it was Don't Trust Me Dev's biggest hit in the UK was Bass Down Low, in the US it was In The Dark Lauv's biggest UK hit (so far) is I'm So Tired, in the US it's I Like Me Better Trey Songz is a really weird one, he's had a handful of top 40 hits in the US but his one top 10 single in the UK (Simply Amazing) didn't even make the top 100 in the US
August 14, 20195 yr Ellie Goulding’s single Lights didn’t even go top 40 here in the UK but went to #2 in the states USA brought the taste. The UK did not.
August 14, 20195 yr Author Mariah Carey is an example I think too Her highest Uk charting solo single is Without You, which was her first UK #1 and that is one of her few early singles that did not go to #1 in the US yes, Shaggy doesn't fit the example at all, also he had many more hits that you ignore I always had him as a novelty act, since he was never a big album seller. In the 90´s, this was how we differentiate acts who had serious fanbases and novelty acts: the album sales. Of course, in the streaming era this doesn´t make sense anymore, since any act who has big hits will automatically chart with its album too, since the album chart has basically become a track playlist chart. But in the physical albums era, it was pretty common to enjoy huge sucess with singles and fail miserably with the album. Most novelty acts followed their huge smashes with 1 or 2 moderately sucessful hits anyway. But their largely still considered one hit wonders, since these other hits are largely forgotten and managed to chart off the back of their previous smashes. Shaggy´s 1993 album Pure Pleasure only peaked at #67, despite having a #1 single. His 1994 follow-up didn´t even chart, proving that he was just a novelty act with no actual fanbase. Then in 1995 he enjoyed an even bigger novelty hit with Boombastic, but its parent album only peaked at #37. His 1997 album failed to chart basically anywhere. Proving that his sporadic hits failed to build him any fanbase at all. Then in 2000 it seamed everything had changed. Not only he had 2 smash singles with It Wasn´t Me and Angel, but he had a huge selling album. Hot Shot was a million seller in UK and 6x platinum in USA. It seemed that he was finally being able to move on from novelty act to serious pop star. Then his 2002 follow-up only peaked at #54 in the UK, #24 in USA. Not many acts can follow-up a million selling album with one that fails to even go top 40 in UK, or a 6x platinum album with one that fails to go Top 20 in USA. Then anything else he released failed to achieve any sucess. Well, in 2018 he had another UK top 10 album, but in collaboration with Sting, a household name. I know many popstars go trough flop eras in between some of their smashes, but they still maintain a fanbase enough to sell their albums at least in the debut week. In the case an artists has a huge #1 smash, and then the next album fails to chart or merely scrap at the bottom of the chart, we can definitely say it´s a novelty act.
August 14, 20195 yr Roddy Ricch's highest charting single in the USA (by default): Die Young Roddy Ricch's highest charting single in the UK: How It Is
August 14, 20195 yr I think Medina's success in Denmark is very interesting to say the least. She's a huge danish pop presence and everyone knows her there. She has multiple hits every year. She's so far had: * 13 number one singles * 22 top 10 singles * 31 top 40 singles This is in less than 10 years. Her last hit was just earlier this year. YET when "First Time" with M-22 was released, a rather big hit in the UK, it didn't even chart. Not on the official chart nor in the Spotify Top 200. So weird.
August 14, 20195 yr I always had him as a novelty act, since he was never a big album seller. In the 90´s, this was how we differentiate acts who had serious fanbases and novelty acts: the album sales. Of course, in the streaming era this doesn´t make sense anymore, since any act who has big hits will automatically chart with its album too, since the album chart has basically become a track playlist chart. But in the physical albums era, it was pretty common to enjoy huge sucess with singles and fail miserably with the album. Most novelty acts followed their huge smashes with 1 or 2 moderately sucessful hits anyway. But their largely still considered one hit wonders, since these other hits are largely forgotten and managed to chart off the back of their previous smashes. Shaggy´s 1993 album Pure Pleasure only peaked at #67, despite having a #1 single. His 1994 follow-up didn´t even chart, proving that he was just a novelty act with no actual fanbase. Then in 1995 he enjoyed an even bigger novelty hit with Boombastic, but its parent album only peaked at #37. His 1997 album failed to chart basically anywhere. Proving that his sporadic hits failed to build him any fanbase at all. Then in 2000 it seamed everything had changed. Not only he had 2 smash singles with It Wasn´t Me and Angel, but he had a huge selling album. Hot Shot was a million seller in UK and 6x platinum in USA. It seemed that he was finally being able to move on from novelty act to serious pop star. Then his 2002 follow-up only peaked at #54 in the UK, #24 in USA. Not many acts can follow-up a million selling album with one that fails to even go top 40 in UK, or a 6x platinum album with one that fails to go Top 20 in USA. Then anything else he released failed to achieve any sucess. Well, in 2018 he had another UK top 10 album, but in collaboration with Sting, a household name. I know many popstars go trough flop eras in between some of their smashes, but they still maintain a fanbase enough to sell their albums at least in the debut week. In the case an artists has a huge #1 smash, and then the next album fails to chart or merely scrap at the bottom of the chart, we can definitely say it´s a novelty act. This is all interesting but it has nothing to do with the premise of the thread!
August 14, 20195 yr Roddy Ricch's highest charting single in the USA (by default): Die Young Roddy Ricch's highest charting single in the UK: How It Is Fair to say 'How It Is' was a UK hit mostly due to the other artists on it and I don't think Roddy even promoted the song on his social media at all so it's no surprise that it did nothing in the US, however it's worth noting that 'Die Young' actually charted in the UK before (and higher than) it did in the US which seems pretty unusual for an American trap newcomer! Roddy does have a top 40 in the US though, featuring on Nipsey Hussle's 'Racks In The Middle' (which is his 2nd highest peaking song here).
August 14, 20195 yr Author This is all interesting but it has nothing to do with the premise of the thread! True! Perhaps, I couldn´t find a better phrasing for the thread title. Maybe "novelty acts that came back after being forgotten and became novelty acts again", or "artists who have been one-hit wonders more then once". Most of the times, it´s due to an artists career taking different ways in different countries, but in Shaggy´s example, he had various re-incarnations as a novelty act in the same country. Another example could be Kylie Minogue. Altough she had a consistent career as a popstar in UK/Aus, in USA she was pretty much a one-hit-wonder/novelty act with "The Locomotion" (peak #3) in the 80´s. Then in the 2000´s when nobody remembered her she came back with Can´t Get You Out Of My Head/Fever, getting a top 10 hit and a platinum album. She had 3 other minor chart entries in the Hot 100, and her subsequent albums weren´t sucessful with the big public, altough this time around she seemed able to maintain a small following as some kind of cult diva.
August 15, 20195 yr Britney Spears’s #1 hits in the US didn’t go to #1 here besides her debut and some songs like I Wanna Go done really well there yet didn’t do as well here. Songs like 3 and Hold It Against me as her US #1s seem so crazy when some of her signature hits didn’t even go top 5 there. Then on the other hand she had some songs here that were big hits here that weren’t big hits there. Xtina as well was huge during the Stripped era in the UK an Europe but her debut was a lot bigger in the states than that era but that wasn’t too big in UK (aside from Baby One More Time).
Create an account or sign in to comment