JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Musician Message Forum Why so many one hit wonders?

Just for fun..in my rough guess-timation...


1) One tenth of the one hit wonders..lacked real staying talent..

These were folks prone to the lone "novelty" hit...Listen to albums by Paper Lace who had the hit "The Night Chicago Died" pitch-y vocals, weak songs..Daddy Dewdrop "Chickaboom," Jimmy Castor Bunch "Troglodyte" and the band that destroyed "Hooked On A Feeling" with ugga chagga, ugga chagga..

2) One tenth were too "niche" a market..

Mungo Jerry's "In The Summertime" was great, but they were basically a jug band and the scope of their popularity inherantly limited, as "jug band" just wasn't gonna catch on in a big way.

3) One tenth of them did go on to have other hits, but under other names or in different bands.

Derek and the Dominoes, Stealer's Wheel (Gerry Rafferty), Free (lead singer went on to front Bad Company)

4) One tenth were "crossovers" when crossovers from that genre were a happening thing..

Like the easy listening brand of Country in the early seventies that gave Ray Price (For the Good Times), Lynn Anderson (Rose Garden), and many others their one hit.

5) 60% are a mystery or never made another hit for various and sundry reasons..

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes "If You Don't Know Me By Now" --one of the greatest vocals and recordings of all time. Made several albums. Same with Billy Paul and "Me and Mrs. Jones." They both had several songs that shoulda been follow up hits, but weren't. Perhaps they were "too soul" for most mainstream pop radio and their one hit could be considered "crossovers" cuz they each had several top ten hits on the Billboard/Cash Box Soul Charts.