1980 One Hit Wonders page |
| One Hit Wonders from 1980 at Tunecaster |
Here are the US 1980 one hit wonders. All the one hit wonder songs by the artists you remember, and maybe some one hit wonders you forgot. Find a one hit wonder.
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| red # = rock chartblue # = pop chart |
| 1 | Savannah Nights | 26 | Jan 1980 |
| Tom Johnston |
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| Savannah Nights was the most popular solo song for Tom Johnston. He received minor radio airplay with the song Madmen too. Tom Johnston was a lead singer of The Doobie Brothers in the late 1970s. The song Savannah Nights was from album Everything You've Heard Is True. |
| 2 | Money | 19 | Jan 1980 |
| The Flying Lizards |
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| In 1960, Barrett Strong took this song, as then titled, Money (That's What I Want), to number 7. Many groups remade the song, including The Kingsmen whose 1966 version hit number 15. Money was the most popular song by The Flying Lizards. The group followed up with TV, which received slight radio airplay. The Flying Lizards song Money was from album The Flying Lizards. |
| 3 | Looks Like Love Again | Feb 1980 |
| Dann Rogers |
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| Looks Like Love Again was a moderately popular song for Dann Rogers. He was not known for any other song. The song was from album Hearts Under Fire. |
| 4 | Romeo's Tune | 6 | 4 | Feb 1980 |
| Steve Forbert |
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| Romeo's Tune was a pop number 4 and rock number 7 hit. Steve Forbert did not reach the pop or rock top 20 again, but got slight airplay with other songs in both formats. This song was from album Jackrabbit Slim. This song was written by Steve Forbert. |
| 5 | I Don't Like Mondays | 2 | Feb 1980 |
| The Boomtown Rats |
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| I Don't Like Mondays was by far the most popular song and a rock top 20 near miss for The Boomtown Rats. The group had a string of popular alternative songs, including 1978 song Rat Trap. The song I Don't Like Mondays was from album The Fine Art Of Surfacing. |
| 6 | Don't Cry For Me Argentina | Mar 1980 |
| Festival |
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| Festival recorded a dance album of the musical Evita. Don't Cry For Me Argentina was the most popular song from the album, but other tracks received some dance airplay too. In 1997, Madonna starred in the move Evita, and her dance version of Don't Cry For Me Argentina became a number 3 song. |
| 7 | Only A Lonely Heart Sees | 28 | Apr 1980 |
| Felix Cavaliere |
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| Felix Cavalieri was the singer in The Rascals. |
| 8 | Set Me Free | 17 | 17 | Apr 1980 |
| Utopia |
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| Set Me Free was a top 20 one hit wonder for Utopia. On the rock side, Set Me Free reached number 16, and followed-up bigger rock hit, The Road To Utopia, which reached number 11. Utopia was one of many groups led by Todd Rundgren, who had a few top 20 songs solo. The song Set Me Free was from album Adventures In Utopia. |
| 9 | Let Me Be | Apr 1980 |
| Korona |
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| Korona had one popular song with Let Me Be. The writer and group leader, Bruce Blackman, was also with Starbuck and Eternity's Children. |
| 10 | Pilot Of The Airwaves | 6 | May 1980 |
| Charlie Dore |
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| Pilot Of The Airwaves, the only top 20 hit for Charlie Dore, was the follow-up to Fear Of Flying, which received slight radio airplay. The song Pilot Of The Airwaves was from album Where To Now. |
| 11 | Cars | 16 | 4 | May 1980 |
| Gary Numan |
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| Although Cars was the only top 20 hit for Gary Numan, he had a string of alternative hits. Gary Numan also appeared on the 1998 rock number 14 hit remake of Cars by Fear Factory. Gary Numan song Cars was from album The Pleasure Principle. |
| 12 | The Seduction (Love Theme) | 23 | May 1980 |
| James Last Band |
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| Instrumental song The Seduction was a top 20 near miss and the most popular song for James Last. In the early 1970s, James Last received some airplay with other songs like Music From Across The Way. The Seduction (Love Theme) was from the movie American Gigolo. This song was written by Giorgio Moroder. |
| 13 | Funkytown | 1 | Jun 1980 |
| Lipps, Inc. |
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| Cynthia Johnson and a synthesizer were the lead singers on Funkytown. Although number one song Funkytown became a one hit wonder for Lipps, Inc., the group had a few popular dance and soul music songs too. Also, in 1987, Pseudo Echo remade Funkytown and it became a number 4 song and that group's only top 20 song too. This Lipps, Inc. song was from album Mouth To Mouth. |
| 14 | Wondering Where The Lions Are | 21 | Jun 1980 |
| Bruce Cockburn |
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| Wondering Where The Lions Are was the most popular song and a near top 20 miss for Bruce Cockburn. In 1985, he hit number 11 on the rock chart with If I Had A Rocket Launcher. Also, Bruce Cockburn was the original singer of Lovers In A Dangerous Time, which became most popular in 1991 by Barenaked Ladies. The song Wondering Where The Lions Are was from album Dancing In The Dragon's Jaws. |
| 15 | Tired Of Toein' The Line | 3 | Jul 1980 |
| Rocky Burnette |
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| Although Tired Of Toein' The Line was the only top 20 hit for Rocky Burnette, he had a few other songs that received some radio airplay. Rocky Burnette was the son of early rock era singer Johnny Burnette, whose greatest hit was the 1960 top 20 song You're Sixteen. The song Tired Of Toein' The Line was from album The Son Of Rock And Roll. |
| 16 | Stand By Me | 16 | Aug 1980 |
| Mickey Gilley |
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| This remake of classic Stand By Me was the only top 20 song for country star Mickey Gilley. Mickey Gilley song was from the movie Urban Cowboy. |
| 17 | Take A Little Rhythm | 8 | Aug 1980 |
| Ali Thomson |
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| Take A Little Rhythm was a top 20 one hit wonder for Ali Thomson. His brother, Dougie Thomson was in Supertramp. The song Take A Little Rhythm was from album Take A Little Rhythm. This song was written by Ali Thomson. |
| 18 | Why Not Me | 20 | Aug 1980 |
| Fred Knoblock |
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| Why Not Me was the only top 20 song for Fred Knoblock. His second most popular tune, Killin' Time, a duet with Susan Anton, reached number 27. This song was from album Why Not Me. |
| 19 | Into The Night | 12 | 5 | Aug 1980 |
| Benny Mardones |
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| Into The Night was the only top 20 song for Benny Mardones. This song also reached rock number 12, and was followed-up with American Bandstand, another rock top 20. In 1989, this same recording hit number 9 on the top 20, making this a twice-charted one hit wonder. The song Into The Night was from album Never Run Never Hide. This song was written by Benny Mardones and Robert Tepper. |
| 20 | First... Be A Woman | 30 | Aug 1980 |
| Lenore O'Malley |
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| First Be A Woman was the only top 30 song and the only mentionable song played on the radio for Lenore O'Malley. The song was from album First Be A Woman. |
| 21 | Lookin' For Love | 6 | Sep 1980 |
| Johnny Lee |
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| This song was from movie Urban Cowboy. |
| 22 | One In A Million You | 15 | Sep 1980 |
| Larry Graham |
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| One In A Million You was the only top 20 hit for Larry Graham, but he and his group Graham Central Station had a long string of popular soul songs, many of which received pop airplay too. This song was from album One In A Million You. |
| 23 | Who'll Be The Fool Tonight | 17 | Oct 1980 |
| Larsen-Feiten Band |
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| Who'll Be The Fool Tonight was the only top 20 hit for Larsen-Feiten Band. The duo followed-up with She's Not In Love which received slight radio airplay. Guitarist Buzz Feiten was a member of The Rascals. Neil Larsen and Buzz Feiten also recorded under the name Full Moon. Buzz Feiten went on to become a member of Mr. Mister. This song was from album Larsen-Feiten Band. |
| 24 | How Do I Survive | 13 | Oct 1980 |
| Amy Holland |
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| How Do I Survive was the only top 20 hit for Amy Holland. She received some radio airplay with other songs, including a duet with her husband Michael McDonald. This song was from album Amy Holland. |
| 25 | Eugene | Oct 1980 |
| Crazy Joe And The Variable Speed Band |
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| Eugene was the most popular song by Crazy Joe, receiving slight airplay. Ace Frehley from Kiss was in the group. In 1981, the song Ice Cream received very slight airplay. This song was written by Joe Renda and Ace Frehley. |
| 26 | Who Were You Thinkin' Of | Nov 1980 |
| The Doolittle Band |
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| The Doolittle Band was known only for this moderately popular song. |
| 27 | Whip It | 3 | 11 | Nov 1980 |
| Devo |
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| Popular punk, dance, alternative and video band Devo had a top 20 one hit wonder with song Whip It. The song was from album Freedom Of Choice. |
| 28 | I'm Happy That Love Has Found You | 14 | Nov 1980 |
| Jimmy Hall |
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| 29 | Let Me Be Your Angel | 18 | Nov 1980 |
| Stacy Lattisaw |
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| Stacy Lattisaw was 13 years old when she sang Let Me Be Your Angel. It became her only top 20 hit. She had a few near-miss songs after. This song was from album Let Me Be Your Angel. |
| 30 | Turning Japanese | 20 | Nov 1980 |
| The Vapors |
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| Turning Japanese was a rock top 20 one hit wonder, just reaching number 20. The song also received moderate pop music and video play. The group soon followed with Jimmie Jones which got little play. The song Turning Japanese was from album New Clear Days. |
| 31 | Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime | 11 | Dec 1980 |
| The Korgis |
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| Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime was the only top 20 hit by The Korgis. However, The Korgis had a number of minor alternative hits in the United States and elsewhere. This song was later redone in 1994 by Baby D, and in 2004 by Beck. The Korgis song Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime was from album Dumb Waiters. This song was written by James Warren. |