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Artists you love who are considered one hit wonders?


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Old 15-12-2015, 08:06
thats_racist
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I'm a huge fan of Macy Gray.

People are usually surprised by this as she is only really known for I Try - she's now on album no. 8 and her last, The Way, is among her best.

It's frustrating when someone who has such a large body of work is known primarily for one hit song and having an odd voice.

Which artist do you wish had greater recognition for their work?
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Old 15-12-2015, 08:47
little-monster
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Gavin Degraw
Only really remembered for the One tree hill theme song but i love all his albums and he is an underrated talent.
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Old 15-12-2015, 13:15
walterwhite
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I'm a huge fan of Macy Gray.

People are usually surprised by this as she is only really known for I Try - she's now on album no. 8 and her last, The Way, is among her best.

It's frustrating when someone who has such a large body of work is known primarily for one hit song and having an odd voice.

Which artist do you wish had greater recognition for their work?
I think you need to clarify what you mean by a one hit wonder. Macy Gray has had 5 top 40 singles in the UK.
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Old 15-12-2015, 13:45
Deb Arkle
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I like Bryn Christopher - he's more of a no-hit wonder really! I heard The Quest when on holiday once, and loved it instantly. I jotted down the lyrics and bought the album when I returned home, he has a great soul voice IMO.
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Old 15-12-2015, 14:02
little-monster
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I think you need to clarify what you mean by a one hit wonder. Macy Gray has had 5 top 40 singles in the UK.
and yet only one of them made the top 10. It's also the only song of her career that actually sold well. It's also the only song of hers ever to chart in the US.

So the OP was very much correct in labelling her a one hit wonder. Because she is. Regardless of whether she had four other songs that made the top 40 in the UK, because they were not successful.
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Old 15-12-2015, 14:19
thats_racist
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I think you need to clarify what you mean by a one hit wonder. Macy Gray has had 5 top 40 singles in the UK.
My OP states an artist who is considered as a one hit wonder.

Macy Gray fits it into that category - general opinion would class her as having one hit.
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Old 15-12-2015, 14:20
thats_racist
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and yet only one of them made the top 10. It's also the only song of her career that actually sold well. It's also the only song of hers ever to chart in the US.

So the OP was very much correct in labelling her a one hit wonder. Because she is. Regardless of whether she had four other songs that made the top 40 in the UK, because they were not successful.
Yes, this.
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Old 15-12-2015, 21:23
SweetHeartHolly
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To me the best is my most favorite singer James Otto, Go here for what is currently his only big song.

God bless you and him always!!!

Holly

P.S. And may this status of his change soon!!!
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Old 15-12-2015, 21:34
barbeler
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Marion.
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Old 15-12-2015, 21:44
digichant
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Azealia Banks

It's a shame that people only know her for 212, because she is an extremely talented and creative individual. I have all her mixtapes, EPs, soundcloud covers, early YouTube uploads and her debut album on my phone and I think she is brilliant.

It's a complete shame how she ruined her own career, she had everything going for her and a lot of hype/interest back in 2012.
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Old 15-12-2015, 22:04
Neil_N
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The Hoosiers - remembered only for "Goodbye Mr A" in the public domain, but have released four albums and do tour often!!

Their latest album is very mature sounding, and perhaps their best. I was offered to see them perform, but it was the weekend I was sick
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Old 15-12-2015, 22:14
Hound of Love
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Janelle Monae.

A class act whose albums to date have been superb. Yet she is known mainly (to some) for featuring on that annoying Fun hit "We Are Young".
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Old 15-12-2015, 23:29
crease
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A "one hit wonder" is someone like " Joe Dolce" isn't it , I'm not familiar with Gavin DeGraw, but a man with a ten year career and 4 top 40 US albums hardly fits the category does he?
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Old 15-12-2015, 23:41
CLL Dodge
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Number 1 single and nothing else in the top 75:

Matthews Southern Comfort: "Woodstock":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIHfuihoz70

Tubeway Army: "Are Friends Electric?":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs-eFRbgn6M

(OK, a bit of a cheat as the singer chappie had a few hits).
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Old 15-12-2015, 23:41
Pink Knight
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I would have said Alice Cooper for School's Out, but Poison and Elected occasionally get played on the radio.
Blue Oyster Cult only ever did Don't Fear the Reaper according to radio playlists.
Cheap Trick only ever did I want You to want Me apparently. (Maybe The Flame at a push.)
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Old 16-12-2015, 01:01
Tejas
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Of Monsters & Men - Little Talks is their only UK top 40 hit, and I can never understand why that one song took off and became massive when nothing else of theirs seems to get any credit. Its a fantastic song, but IMO many of their others are just as good or better!
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Old 16-12-2015, 01:12
cardiff boyo
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The Hoosiers - remembered only for "Goodbye Mr A" in the public domain, but have released four albums and do tour often!!

Their latest album is very mature sounding, and perhaps their best. I was offered to see them perform, but it was the weekend I was sick
'Worried about Ray' was also a big song for them and charted at no.5 and their debut album went in at no.1 so I wouldn't say they were one hit wonders
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Old 16-12-2015, 01:45
mgvsmith
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Norman Greenbaum and 'Spirit in the Sky' is often seen as a one-hit wonder but he actually had earlier hits with a different band. America are another artist who have only one hit single in the UK, 'A Horse with no name' but had a string of hits in the US - 'Ventura Highway' and 'Sister Golden Hair' being particularly good.

There are a few others I remember from my youth where I bought the album on the strength of a big hit single and discovered that the artist actually had a few more songs in them.

Orleans - 'Dance With Me' ('Still the One' was a US hit, 'Let There be Music' is a great album)
The Hooters - 'Satellite"
Be Bop Deluxe - 'Ships in the Night' (Two great albums, 'Sunburst Finish' and 'Modern Music')
Sutherland Bros - 'Arms of Mary' ('Secrets' made 35, admittedly, better known as writers of 'Sailing', Rod Stewart)
Danny Wilson ( 2-hit wonders) - 'Mary's Prayer', 'Second summer of Love' ('Bebop Moptop' great album)
Mr Big (UK) - 'Romeo' (I liked 'Feel Like Calling home' as well)

Actually I quite like a lot of one-hit or so wonders from the 70s/80s and listening back, some of this stuff was so brilliant I had almost forgotten.

One other, Ainslie Henderson from Fame Academy had a brilliant single 'Keep me a secret' and that was that more or less.
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Old 16-12-2015, 09:41
barbeler
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Be Bop Deluxe - 'Ships in the Night' (Two great albums, 'Sunburst Finish' and 'Modern Music')
How dare you? Futurama was at least as good as those two, with a production by Roy Thomas-Baker which was his template for later Queen albums. Their debut, Axe Victim, is also well worth a listen.
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Old 16-12-2015, 10:01
ShotDownInFlame
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Europe (The Final Countdown)
Journey (Don't Stop Believin')
Halestorm (Here's To Us)
Psy (Gangnam Style) - Yes I know his more recent songs have millions of views too but EVERYONE compares them to Gangnam Style regardless
KISS (Crazy, Crazy Nights)
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Old 16-12-2015, 11:03
gashead
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A "one hit wonder" is someone like " Joe Dolce" isn't it , I'm not familiar with Gavin DeGraw, but a man with a ten year career and 4 top 40 US albums hardly fits the category does he?
But as you say, you'd never heard of him before this thread, and I'm assuming from that FM that he's only had one record that anyone outside his fanbase might know, and I think that's what the OP is getting at. Artists that have perhaps been around a long time and have a large back catalogue, but are really only known for one thing in the UK, despite possibly having other hits here. (I'm assuming we mean the UK. If you include success and/ or lack of it in any country, that's a whole new ball game.)

Chris Isaak springs to mind for me. Great rock/ blues singer, hugely popular in the States, done loads of albums, plus TV and film work, but if you know him in the UK and you're not a fan, it'll almost certainly be Wicked Game that you know.
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Old 16-12-2015, 18:44
kmusgrave
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My OP states an artist who is considered as a one hit wonder.

Macy Gray fits it into that category - general opinion would class her as having one hit.
No she doesn't a one hit wonder has only had 1 top 40 record.
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Old 16-12-2015, 18:50
thats_racist
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No she doesn't a one hit wonder has only had 1 top 40 record.
Do we really have to be so pedantic?

I'm asking about artists who are GENERALLY CONSIDERED to be a one hit wonder.

To the vast majority, Macy Gray has had one hit.
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Old 16-12-2015, 18:56
dearmrman
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Do we really have to be so pedantic?

I'm asking about artists who are GENERALLY CONSIDERED to be a one hit wonder.

To the vast majority, Macy Gray has had one hit.
Or in other words the ignorant.
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Old 16-12-2015, 19:09
kmusgrave
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Do we really have to be so pedantic?

I'm asking about artists who are GENERALLY CONSIDERED to be a one hit wonder.

To the vast majority, Macy Gray has had one hit.

So 5 (five) is only one now?
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