Top 10 TWO-Hit Wonder Artists

Top 10 TWO Hit Wonder Artists

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for those musical artists that are known for not one, but TWO signature tunes.

#10: The Rembrandts

“Just the Way It Is, Baby” (1990) & “I’ll Be There For You” (1995)

It’s nothing new for television shows to seek out certain pop acts to craft a theme tune for their show. “I’ll Be There For You” wasn’t the first flirtation with the Billboard Hot 100 for The Rembrandts, however, since this Los Angeles-based band actually scored a hit with “Just the Way It Is, Baby,” off of their self-titled debut. That song peaked at number fourteen, while the smash follow-up, “I’ll Be There For You,” actually wasn’t taken from any of The Rembrandts albums. Instead, this theme from “Friends” was released as a single, and earned The Rembrandts notoriety not only at home, but abroad, as well.

#9: Extreme

“More Than Words” (1991) & “Hole Hearted” (1991)

“Every bad boy has a soft side.” This was a quote taken from the advertising for “Monster Ballads,” a popular line of power-ballad CDs that compiled hits from the world of pop/rock and hair metal. Extreme were a Boston-based hard rock/metal act that was largely indebted to a style of shredding hard rock in the Van Halen mold. Yet, early singles like “Get the Funk Out” didn’t really do the numbers earned by comparatively mellower songs like “More Than Words” and “Hole Hearted.” Oh, Extreme certainly retained their fair share of heavy rock fans, but the proof of the band’s acoustic prowess seemed undeniable back in the early nineties.

#8: KT Tunstall

“Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” (2006) & "Suddenly I See" (2006)

Just because an artist earned two hits doesn’t necessarily mean that both hits have retained the same level of visibility. It’s more than likely that viewers of a certain age can remember when KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” was plastered all over MTV. That song was notable for its earworm repetition of “woo-hoo” over an arrangement that felt indebted to traditional folk music, blues and bluegrass. Meanwhile, “Suddenly I See” feels a bit more contemporary, but still with that rootsiness that fans gravitated towards within Tunstall’s music. Both songs are honestly pretty great, but KT Tunstall struggled to keep the crossover commercial success going in the wake of these tunes.

#7: Paula Cole

“Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” (1997) & “I Don’t Want to Wait” (1997)

The nineties were a pretty good decade for “girl power” in music. Travelling music festivals like Lilith Fair highlighted both classic and emerging female talent, while the latter part of the decade saw two smash hits from Rockport, Massachusetts’ own, Paula Cole. The singer/songwriter’s career actually never stopped, and Paula Cole still regularly releases new music, and tours to support her art. Most passive fans of the radio would likely be hard pressed to recall Cole’s more recent material. They COULD, however, probably name both of her hits: “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and “I Don’t Want to Wait.” The latter doubled as the theme to the T.V. show “Dawson’s Creek,” while Paula Cole’s impressive resume belies her status as a two-hit wonder.

#6: Men Without Hats

“The Safety Dance” (1982) & “Pop Goes the World” (1987)

It was the MTV revolution that helped Canada’s Men Without Hats crossover BIG time with their 1982 single, “The Safety Dance.” The group’s sound was total synth-pop, but the accompanying video felt like something from a sword and sorcery film, complete with period costumes and sets. This video for “The Safety Dance” would go on to help define those early years of MTV, but it’s something of a misconception that Men Without Hats were a one hit wonder. The group actually charted again in 1987 with “Pop Goes the World,” reaching number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100, number two on Canada’s Top Singles and number ONE over on Austria’s Top 40.

#5: Quiet Riot

“Metal Health (Bang Your Head)” (1982) & “Cum On Feel the Noize” (1983)

This L.A. band made history as the first heavy metal act to top the Billboard Top 200 album charts with their third effort, “Metal Health.” This LP featured both of Quiet Riot’s biggest hits, the title track and their cover of Slade’s “Cum On Feel the Noize.” The former was an anthemic clarion call for heavy metal’s commercial dominance throughout the ‘80s, while the latter was a nice connection to Quiet Riot’s own glam roots alongside former member Randy Rhoads. Frontman Kevin DuBrow’s frustration with following up the success of “Metal Health” spilled over into his interviews within the press, however, with Quiet Riot essentially sealing the roots of their own commercial doom. Not even yet another Slade cover could save them. [1]

#4: The Presidents of the United States of America

“Lump” (1995) & “Peaches” (1996)

It’s perhaps a little unfair to label The Presidents of the United States of America as a “novelty act.” A little unfair, but also impossible to avoid, since both of the band’s hits, “Lump” and “Peaches” were quirky and massively outside the pop music norm. Shades of acts like They Might Be Giants or even Frank Zappa could be found within The Presidents of the United States of America, thanks to their sense of humor. Meanwhile, both “Lump” and “Peaches” had moments of aggro guitar that were surprisingly effective, but the writing seemed to be on the wall. These Presidents were just too good for this world.

#3: Spin Doctors

“Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” (1992) & “Two Princes” (1993)

Jam band culture felt alive and well back in the early nineties, thanks to the chart success of the Spin Doctors. The roots of this New York band can actually be traced back to a group called The Trucking Company, which featured within its ranks future Blues Traveller frontman John Popper. The Spin Doctors’ occupied a similarly retro space with their jangling, hippie-band guitar rock, a sound that first hit charts with 1992’s “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong.” Fans seemed to respond to that tune’s memorable chorus, so they showed up again big time for the band’s second single, “Two Princes.” Both songs allowed for the Spin Doctors’ debut album, “Pocket Full of Kryptonite,” to go an astonishing quintuple platinum.

#2: a-ha

“Take On Me” (1984) & “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” (1985)

We get it: “Take On Me” was such a huge and iconic hit for a-ha, that it’s easy for some fans to forget that this Norwegian band struck again only a year removed from their biggest-selling song. “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” may not have had the same cultural impact as “Take On Me,” but the song is also very melodic, memorable and well-composed. Lead singer Morten Harket doesn’t hit the same sort of stratospheric high notes on this one, but “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” is a nice reminder about how the career of a-ha continued long after their MTV flirtation.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Ugly Kid Joe, “Everything About You” (1991) & “Cats in the Cradle” (1992)

Snotty Hard Rockers Cover the Harry Chapin Classic

Mr. Mister, “Broken Wings” (1985) & “Kyrie” (1985)

Eighties Power-Pop Brilliance

LMFAO, “Party Rock Anthem” (2011) & “Sexy and I Know It” (2011)

Is the World Ready for an LMFAO Revival?

Tesla, “Love Song” (1988) & “Signs” (1990)

Blazing Hard Rockers Take a Rest, Earn Some Hits

Golden Earring, “Radar Love” (1974) & “Twilight Zone” (1982)

Dutch Band Graduates from Prog to Pop

#1: The Romantics

“What I Like About You” (1979) & “Talking in Your Sleep” (1983)

The Detroit power-pop machine known as The Romantics first hit rock radio with their 1979 single “What I Like About You.” That tune continues to be a heritage station staple to this day, but the band definitely bettered their success on album number four, thanks to a little song called “Talking in Your Sleep.” The song is a tour de force of jangling guitar melodies, punctuating bass lines and driving drums. There’s a pre-chorus to die for that leads right into a million dollar chorus. “Talking in Your Sleep” is economically written, with no fat or extraneous jamming to bog down what The Romantics are trying to achieve: another smash hit.

Can you think of any other two hit wonders? Shout out your favorites in the comments!