One-Hit Wonders: Huge in Their Country, Unknown in the U.S.

The United States stands as the world’s largest music market, with Japan and the UK following closely behind. This makes America a prime target for artists worldwide, all vying for that coveted breakthrough. However, cracking the U.S. market can be incredibly challenging, especially for international acts who don’t sing in English. Here are 10 artists who, despite scoring one hit in America, quickly faded from the limelight but achieved lasting success in their home countries.

Dexys Midnight Runners

Now known as Dexys, Dexys Midnight Runners reached the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983 with their Celtic-infused single “Come on Eileen.” Later that year, they charted another song, “The Celtic Soul Brothers,” which peaked at No. 86. After that, they disappeared from the U.S. charts.

In their native UK, the story was much different. Their song “Geno” had already hit No. 1 a couple of years before “Come on Eileen,” and they enjoyed numerous other Top 20 hits throughout their career. Frontman Kevin Rowland told NME he’s “grateful for ‘Eileen,’ and the money means I can live and do other projects.” He also noted, “It can be frustrating that in America we’re seen as a one-hit wonder, but here and in Europe, it’s not like that, especially amongst music fans.”

OMC

OMC (Otara Millionaires Club) dominated the charts in New Zealand with their 1995 hit, “How Bizarre.” It rapidly gained global popularity, reaching the top spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 in 1997. Although it wasn’t eligible for the Hot 100 due to the lack of a commercially available single, the song was still a massive success. Recently, it has experienced a resurgence in popularity on TikTok.

While many consider OMC a one-hit wonder, they had more success in New Zealand. Calum Henderson, deputy editor of The Spinoff, stated, “Any New Zealander who claims OMC were one-hit wonders deserves to be thrown in a skip.” Three of their subsequent singles broke into the Top 40 in New Zealand, with “Land of Plenty” reaching No. 4.

Falco

Falco (Johann Hölzel) became a star in Europe with “Der Kommissar” in 1982. Reflecting on its success, he said, “It just makes me sad because I know that I will never achieve such success ever again.” But in 1985, “Rock Me Amadeus” conquered charts worldwide, spending three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986.

His follow-up, “Vienna Calling,” only reached No. 18, and he never charted again in America. However, his music career thrived in Europe. The 1986 single “Jeanny,” though controversial, topped charts in several European countries, and Falco continued to achieve Top 10 hits in Austria.

S Club 7

S Club 7 was a ubiquitous presence in the UK in the late 1990s and early 2000s, frequently topping the charts with hits like “Bring It All Back,” “S Club Party,” and “Reach.” In America, however, they’re mainly remembered for the ballad “Never Had a Dream Come True,” which peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100 in 2001.

The group tried hard to make a splash in America, releasing four TV shows set in Miami and Los Angeles, and starring in the movie Seeing Double (2003). These efforts resonated with younger audiences in the UK, but failed to leave a mark in the States.

Gary Numan

Gary Numan is largely remembered in America for his 1980 hit, “Cars,” which reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, he has achieved 23 Top 40 songs, including “Complex” and “I Die: You Die,” sustaining a successful career for decades.

In a 2010 interview with Songfacts, Numan addressed his one-hit wonder status in America. “In a way it does,” he admitted, “But you have to be realistic; better to have had one than none.” He also noted, “Luckily for me, there’s been other countries—the UK obviously—where things have gone differently and much better. And it’s enabled me to keep on doing it, to keep on earning a living from it.”

Midnight Oil

In 1988, Australian rock band Midnight Oil reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 with their politically charged song “Beds Are Burning.” They charted two more songs, but at lower positions. While considered one-hit wonders in America, Midnight Oil is regarded as one of Australia’s greatest rock bands.

In 2001, “Beds Are Burning” was ranked No. 3 in the list of the Ten Best Australian Songs by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Diesel and Dust (1987), featuring “Beds Are Burning,” remains their most successful album, and many of their other albums have charted highly in Australia.

Nena

German band Nena, named after their lead singer, achieved global success with “99 Luftballoons.” They released an English version, “99 Red Balloons,” to capitalize on the song’s popularity, but in the States, the German version reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1984.

Nena enjoyed longer-lasting success in Germany and other European countries. Their self-titled 1983 album was a hit across Europe, as was their follow-up. Nena embarked on a successful solo career in 2002, and continues to chart in Germany to this day.

The Proclaimers

After appearing in the film Benny & Joon (1993), “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by Scottish duo The Proclaimers, hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was better than its original 1988 performance in the UK, where it reached No. 11. While their follow-up failed to make the same impact in America, they’ve had a successful career, especially in Scotland.

“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” finally reached No. 1 in the UK as a Comic Relief charity single in 2007. The Proclaimers have released 12 albums and continue to perform. Their songs inspired the musical Sunshine on Leith (2007), adapted into a film in 2013.

a-ha

According to a-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, the animated music video helped propel “Take on Me” to the top of the Hot 100 in October 1985. “The song has a super catchy riff… I don’t think it would’ve been given the time of day without the enormous impact of the video,” Furuholmen told Rolling Stone in 2010.

Their follow-up, “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” only reached No. 20 in the States. Furuholmen believes their lack of further success was because “we were three headstrong Norwegians saying, ‘No, we don’t want to record another ‘Take on Me,’ we’re doing our own thing.’”

This allowed them to achieve multiple Top 10 hits in Norway and across Europe. In 1991, they played to 198,000 fans at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil, setting a record. Despite this, the American press ignored them.

Tom Cochrane

Tom Cochrane gained recognition as the frontman of Red Rider with “Lunatic Fringe” (1981), but his solo effort truly elevated him. In 1991, “Life is a Highway” became a hit in Canada and reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although he didn’t achieve the same success again in America, he remains a household name in Canada.

“I Wish You Well” hit No. 1 in Canada in 1995, and Cochrane had several other Top 10 hits, leading to his induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2016, a section of road was renamed Tom Cochrane’s Life Is a Highway, with the Mayor of Lynn Lake calling Cochrane “our very own national treasure and most famous export.”

These artists remind us that success is viewed differently across the globe. While they may be remembered as one-hit wonders in the U.S., they remain iconic figures in their home countries and beyond, proving that music’s impact isn’t confined by borders.

Which of these one-hit wonders is your favorite? Leave your comment below!