Lists :: Best :: VH1 - 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders
FAQs
What is the #1 one-hit wonder of all time? ›
- Gotye: $10 Million. gotyemusic. 2.68M subscribers. ...
- Vanilla Ice: $12 Million. vanillaiceVEVO. Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby (Official Music Video) ...
- Sir Mix-A-Lot: $20 Million. SirMixALotVEVO. ...
- PSY: $60 Million. officialpsy. ...
- Morten Harket: $60 Million. a-ha.
So that's a grand total of 60 one-hit wonders in the roughly 50 or so years under review, or a little more than one per year. It's funny how tightly bunched they can be—there were only two between 1994 and 2006, then three in 2006 alone.
Was Seal a one-hit wonder? ›Seal made five LPs with Horn – one remains unreleased – which turned the rave-era one-hit wonder into a global star.
What is the number one single song of all time? ›According to Guinness World Records, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (1942) as performed by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.
What is the greatest song of all time? ›- 1: Aretha Franklin — “Respect”
- 2: Public Enemy — “Fight The Power”
- 3: Sam Cooke — “A Change is Gonna Come”
- 4: Bob Dylan — “Like A Rolling Stone”
- 5: Nirvana — “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
- 6: Marvin Gaye — “What's Going On”
- 7: The Beatles — “Strawberry Fields Forever”
This song had a estimated earning of $65 million. After 120 years, 'Happy Birthday', is sill the richest and most profitable song of all time. It was written by the Hill Sisters in 1893 because they needed a song that they could sing to their kindergarten class on someone's birthday.
Who was the youngest one-hit wonder? ›His impressive career kicked off when “l*ttle Stevie Wonder,” as he was first known, was only 13 years old. The song “Fingertips” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963 when he was that age—making him, still, the youngest ever to do it (as of this writing).
Who is the best billionaire in music? ›American rapper Jay-Z is the wealthiest music artist in the world, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $2.5 billion in 2024.
What was the longest song to hit number one? ›For nearly 50 years, the longest song to top the Hot 100 was Don McLean's “American Pie (Parts I & II),” which runs 8 minutes and 37 seconds. Finally, in 2021, Taylor Swift scored the new longest No. 1 when the 10-minute-and-13-second “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)” made it to No.
Who has most #1 hits ever? ›
The Beatles have the most No. 1 hits among all acts in the chart's history, with 20.
Do one-hit wonders make money? ›According to a former executive from MCA/Universal Music, a band with just one hit song can still rake in between $10,000 and $50,000 a show. And even better, the band itself keeps between 85 and 95 percent of that, sharing the rest with their manager.
What is the best one-hit wonder of all time? ›"Macarena" by Los del Río (1995)
According to VH1, "Macarena" is the best one-hit wonder of all time — and it's hard to disagree. Los Del Río's original version of the song didn't make any waves, but once the Bayside Boys remix was released, the world was never the same.
It gave him a Top 5 hit on the Hot 100 and officially made him a one-hit wonder for mainstream, non-country fans.
What is the biggest selling one-hit wonder? ›You might have already guessed it, but the best-selling is the art-pop masterpiece 'Somebody That I Used To Know' by Gotye featuring New Zealander Kimbra.
Who has the most #1 hit songs of all time? ›The Beatles have the most No. 1 hits among all acts in the chart's history, with 20.
What song broke the record for longest at #1? ›1 hits have managed to rule the Billboard Hot 100 for double-digit weeks. Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" holds the all-time record with 19 weeks atop the chart. Mariah Carey, Drake, and Boyz II Men have the most songs on this list with three apiece.
Who had five one-hit wonders? ›English musician Tony Burrows sang the lead vocal on five one-hit wonders: Edison Lighthouse's "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" (February 1970); White Plains' "My Baby Loves Lovin'" (March 1970); the Pipkins' "Gimme Dat Ding" (April 1970); the First Class' "Beach Baby" (July 1974); and "United We Stand" (1970) by ...