Trivia: Artists only known for one song

[61653 HTAFC]

This thread seems to be exposing people's ignorance, more than highlighting actual "one hit wonder" artists...

Those whose biggest hits are Christmas songs seem more prone to being unfairly branded as "one hit wonders". I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Jona Lewie's "Stop The Cavalry", though Lewie also had a hit with "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties".

Fun fact, a quick google tells me that Lewie occasionally performed the latter song live with backing vocals provided by none other than Kirstie McColl! What's the music equivalent of "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon", I wonder?

 

[Peterthegreat]

This thread seems to be exposing people's ignorance, more than highlighting actual "one hit wonder" artists...

Those whose biggest hits are Christmas songs seem more prone to being unfairly branded as "one hit wonders". I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Jona Lewie's "Stop The Cavalry", though Lewie also had a hit with "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties".

Fun fact, a quick google tells me that Lewie occasionally performed the latter song live with backing vocals provided by none other than Kirstie McColl! What's the music equivalent of "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon", I wonder?

It depends upon the definition of a "hit".
"Stop the Cavalry" reached number 3 in the UK charts whilst "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" only reached number 16. Both in 1980.
I wouldn't call anyone who can't remember the latter ignorant!

 

[Amos]

Fun fact, a quick google tells me that Lewie occasionally performed the latter song live with backing vocals provided by none other than Kirstie McColl! What's the music equivalent of "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon", I wonder?

She also did backing vocals on hallelujah by the Happy Mondays.

 

[GusB]

Chris Rea's Road to Hell is more well known to me than Driving Home for Christmas, although they're much the same thing in my book!

 

[TheSmiths82]

She also did backing vocals on hallelujah by the Happy Mondays.

She also sang with the Smiths quite a few times, most famously she did the backing vocals for Ask.

 

[Bevan Price]

Me neither - you learn something new every day! Here it is, although this can't be the original video as it features some latter day footage (the EWS wagons and the modern digital station clock give it away. I suppose it might be the original video with more recent clips added, though):

A lot of the videos (and tracks) are uploaded by fans, not the original musicians, and not always with permission of those musicians. If you check the original youtube source, it shows this track was only uploaded 6 years ago, and not by Chris Rea or his record label. Great track, however, which I had never heard before.

 

[AY1975]

This thread seems to be exposing people's ignorance, more than highlighting actual "one hit wonder" artists...

I didn't think the question was specifically about artists who only had one song, but also artists who are only particularly well known for one song.

This thread seems to be exposing people's ignorance, more than highlighting actual "one hit wonder" artists...

Those whose biggest hits are Christmas songs seem more prone to being unfairly branded as "one hit wonders". I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Jona Lewie's "Stop The Cavalry", though Lewie also had a hit with "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties".

I mentioned "Stop the Cavalry" in entry #147 this thread.

And another 1980s Christmas number (also in #147): Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas

 

[DustyBin]

Chris Rea's Road to Hell is more well known to me than Driving Home for Christmas, although they're much the same thing in my book!

Very good!

Have we had Glorious by Andreas Johnson yet? A song (and artist) I’d completely forgotten until I heard it in a shop on Saturday!

 

[gg1]

This thread seems to be exposing people's ignorance, more than highlighting actual "one hit wonder" artists...

Those whose biggest hits are Christmas songs seem more prone to being unfairly branded as "one hit wonders". I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Jona Lewie's "Stop The Cavalry", though Lewie also had a hit with "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties".

The title and opening post doesn't specify they necessarily have to be one hit wonders, I think artists with an extensive back catalogue but for whom one song completely dwarfs all the others in popularity would qualify.

In addition to the aforementioned Pogues, one example of a band in this category is Europe who have released 12 albums but if asked I doubt more than 1-2% of people could name a song of theirs other than The Final Countdown.

 

[Typhoon]

The title and opening post doesn't specify they necessarily have to be one hit wonders, I think artists with an extensive back catalogue but for whom one song completely dwarfs all the others in popularity would qualify.

In addition to the aforementioned Pogues, one example of a band in this category is Europe who have released 12 albums but if asked I doubt more than 1-2% of people could name a song of theirs other than The Final Countdown.

I would say that there is a need to be a fair degree of flexibility. I can only list that track from 'Europe' but I have a relative who can probably list a whole lot more. It is his type of music. But for the vast majority, you are absolutely right. I don't know whether Joy Division have been mentioned with 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' but I don't think it is in the same league as 'Atmosphere' and most people who listened to the Festive Fifty will have heard that, and I can come up with quite a few more. Some people reading this won't know what I am writing about (it is worth a listen - unless you are very depressed, it won't cheer you up).

There will also be film soundtracks - if you've seen the film, there might be a stand out track (I don't know whether this has come up, 'Take My Breath Away' by Berlin), sometimes they get a lot of radio plays, sometimes not, and it depends on what radio you listen to - I have only heard two of the current top ten, the obvious two, the perennial two.