UK Two Hit/Three Hit Wonders

octophone said:
Yeah - even Babylon Zoo got a follow up into the top 20 (Animal Army) and one more into the 40 (something about X Ray eyes...).
Streaming has more or less killed the dead cat bounce so there may be some interesting ones from the last 10 years or so. But I'm too old and out of touch to know what they are.
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Glass Animals are currently a one hit wonder.
 
The Go-Go’s have the strangest UK chart history. Was their first run of singles just not released or promoted there? Are any of their singles well known despite the chart performance?

Our Lips Are Sealed #47
Cool Jerk #60
The Whole World Lost Its Head #29

Jane Wielden also qualifies

Rush Hour #12
Inside a Dream #64
 
I’m really not understanding some of the calls in this and the career killing album thread

Maybe it’s people thinking a #39 single counts as a second hit? 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
POP! said:
The Go-Go’s have the strangest UK chart history. Was their first run of singles just not released or promoted there? Are any of their singles well known despite the chart performance?

Our Lips Are Sealed #47
Cool Jerk #60
The Whole World Lost Its Head #29
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The Go-Go's were never big in the UK. "Our Lips Are Sealed" was a much bigger hit for The Fun Boy Three. It was only after Belinda Carlisle had real success as a solo artist that a lot of people became aware of them.
 
Diddy said:
I’m really not understanding some of the calls in this and the career killing album thread

Maybe it’s people thinking a #39 single counts as a second hit? 🤷🏻‍♂️
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Don't go all Eileen on us. He was a bugger for "no, the follow-up spent a week at #71 so it's not as one-hit wonder".

O also think there's a difference between an album that sold nowt and an album that ruined a career but that's for the appropriate thread.
 
octophone said:
Don't go all Eileen on us. He was a bugger for "no, the follow-up spent a week at #71 so it's not as one-hit wonder".

O also think there's a difference between an album that sold nowt and an album that ruined a career but that's for the appropriate thread.
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I’m doing the opposite! I think some of these are one hit wonders despite their #47 follow up “hit” (just picking random numbers, didn’t mean any post in particular)

It’s almost like saying a #1 and a #75 are equally viable as a definition
 
Diddy said:
I’m doing the opposite! I think some of these are one hit wonders despite their #47 follow up “hit” (just picking random numbers, didn’t mean any post in particular)

It’s almost like saying a #1 and a #75 are equally viable as a definition
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Oh I realised that - didn;t choose the best example tho'.

I'm struggling to think of artists who genuinely had two or three 'hits' that remain in the public consciousness but were a fanbase job otherwise. Manic Street Orecahers had something like 32 Top 40 hits but how many could the average person name?
 
POP! said:
The Go-Go’s have the strangest UK chart history. Was their first run of singles just not released or promoted there? Are any of their singles well known despite the chart performance?

Our Lips Are Sealed #47
Cool Jerk #60
The Whole World Lost Its Head #29

Jane Wielden also qualifies

Rush Hour #12
Inside a Dream #64
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Inside A Dream was shortchanged, should’ve done better.
 
octophone said:
Oh I realised that - didn;t choose the best example tho'.

I'm struggling to think of artists who genuinely had two or three 'hits' that remain in the public consciousness but were a fanbase job otherwise. Manic Street Orecahers had something like 32 Top 40 hits but how many could the average person name?
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I guess hits are like they say about porn - I can’t define it but I’ll know it when I see it

I’m surprised anyone has hits any more, even top 3 is denounced as a flop these days!
 
Diddy said:
I’m doing the opposite! I think some of these are one hit wonders despite their #47 follow up “hit” (just picking random numbers, didn’t mean any post in particular)

It’s almost like saying a #1 and a #75 are equally viable as a definition
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my initial thought was only posting acts that scored 2-3 top tens, but see the technical side of scoring 2-3 “chart hits” as well which could be anything that makes a dent.

If we are talking the former, Paula Abdul, Tiffany etc. probably fit that category.
 
ZenGiraffe said:
Wouldn't the sensible cut off be top 40?
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Even then, is one week at #36 a "hit"?

This is where the current incarnation of the charts is a bit more useful - a song needs to land to get a good chart run rather than the in-and-out of multiformatted singles in the 90s.
 
David Baddiel:

Three Lions - #1
3 Lions ‘98 - #1
 
Frank Skinner:

Three Lions - #1
3 Lions ‘98 - #1
 
Military Wives:

Wherever You Are - #1
Sing* - #1

(*not entirely clear if they were credited)
 
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left my heart in tokyo (september 6th, 2009) - mini viva #7 .. although they only had one hit in the top 10 out of 3 releases felt they deserved a mention. shame they were dropped


sweet dreams my la ex (september 13th, 2003) - rachel stevens #2 (intended for a britney spears comeback single for her "in the zone" era but she turned it down due to thinking it was too "obvious" that it was a comeback to justin timberlakes "cry me a river"


some girls (july 12th, 2004) - rachel stevens #2


so good (july 4th, 2005) - rachel stevens #10
 
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joeyczen said:
left my heart in tokyo (september 6th, 2009) - mini viva #7 .. although they only had one hit in the top 10 out of 3 releases felt they deserved a mention. shame they were dropped


sweet dreams my la ex (september 13th, 2003) - rachel stevens #2 (intended for a britney spears comeback single for her "in the zone" era but she turned it down due to thinking it was too "obvious" that it was a comeback to justin timberlakes "cry me a river"


some girls (july 12th, 2004) - rachel stevens #2


so good (july 4th, 2005) - rachel stevens #10
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Rachel Stevens had 5 top 10 hits and another 2 top 30 hits.
 
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