DIGGING DEEPER INTO DISCOGRAPHIES: “ONE HIT WONDERS”

Many artists experience a rapid rise to fame when one of their songs captures the public’s attention. These “one hit wonders” dominate the charts and airwaves for a brief period before seemingly vanishing from the spotlight. Some people think these artists should remain one-hit wonders because their new music isn’t good, while others believe they’re still creating quality music but not receiving the attention they deserve.

What is a “One Hit Wonder?”

According to Merriam Webster, the term “one hit wonder” is used to describe an artist or band that achieves massive success with a single song but fails to replicate that level of fame with subsequent releases. This doesn’t necessarily mean these artists’ careers come to a complete end, but rather they lose a lot of their previous fame they made from their one song that blew up. Some artists continue to create and perform music, albeit without the same level of mainstream recognition.

Virality of Music 

The industry prioritizes what’s trending, and once the hype fades, it’s hard for these artists to get back in the spotlight. A lot of people assume they were only capable of one good song, but that’s far from the truth. The problem is that most people aren’t willing to do the work to find these good songs. When a song like a one-hit wonder is handed to them, they’ll listen to it and nothing else from the artist, dismissing them as only having one good song without ever digging deeper.

From Gotye to Carly Rae Jepsen 

Take Gotye, for example. “Somebody That I Used to Know” was everywhere in 2011, but his other music is just as interesting and creative. He chose to step away from the mainstream rather than chase another hit, but that doesn’t mean his work isn’t worth listening to. Carly Rae Jepsen is another example. After “Call Me Maybe,” people dismissed her as a one-hit wonder, but her later albums, like Emotion, proved she’s a solid pop artist with a devoted fan base.

Digging Deeper into Discographies 

The problem is that once an artist is labeled a one-hit wonder, it’s hard to get rid of that title. The media and industry often write them off, making it even harder for them to get airplay or recognition for their later work. But if you take the time to dig into their discographies, you’ll find plenty of great songs that didn’t get to see the limelight.