Top 10 One Hit Wonder Songs From American 80’s New Wave and Alternative Artists

In celebration of America’s birthday I have compiled a list of the best “one-hit wonder” songs from American New Wave or 80’s Alternative artists.  These artists burst on the scene like a firework and sparkled brightly for one big song before fading into the night.  This list was based on my opinion as well as analyzing streams on YouTube Music and plays on SiriusXM’s First Wave (channel 33). I remember listening to many of the songs on the World Famous KROQ or rushing home after school to watch their videos on one of Richard Blade’s video shows.

Honorable Mentions

“Belly of the Whale” – Burning Sensations (Los Angeles), “Living in Oblivion” – Anything Box (Patterson, NJ), “Chamber of Hellos” – Wire Train (San Francisco), “AEIOU Sometimes Y” – EBN OZN (New York City), “Party at Ground Zero” – Fishbone (Los Angeles), “Don’t Crash the Car Tonight” – Mary’s Danish (Los Angeles, and one of my favorite live bands of all time!)

#10 – “88 Lines About 44 Women” – The Nails

One of the simplest songs of the 80’s, with a Casio keyboard beat, this song was written about women the band met after moving to New York City from Boulder, CO.  The song was released in 1981 but peaked on the chart in 1985.  Reaching #46 on the dance charts in March, 1985.  The band never produced a video for the song.

#9 “China” – Red Rockers

Released in 1983  “China” made it to #19 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.  The video, shot in the band’s hometown of New Orleans, LA, received heavy play on MTV and is one of the most played songs on First Wave on SiriusXM still.  The song was also included on Rhino Records compilation album series Just Can’t Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80’s.

#8 “I Know What Boys Like” – The Waitresses

Named as the 34th Greatest One Hit Wonder of the 80’s by VH1 in 2009, this song peaked at #62 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May, 1982.  The Waitresses, based in Toledo, OH,  also recorded the theme song for the cult-classic TV series Square Pegs featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, Jaime Gertz and Tracy Nelson.  The godfather of New Wave Music, Richard Blade of KROQ fame, also had a recurring role on the series. The Waitresses are also known for their holiday classic “Christmas Wrapping”.

#7 “A Million Miles Away” – The Plimsouls

Another band hailing from Southern California (Paramount, CA).  The Plimsouls were featured performing “A Million Miles Away” in the cult classic movie Valley Girl, which featured some of the most memorable New Wave songs of the era.  The song reach number 11 on the Billboard Top Tracks Chart in 1982.  “A Million Miles Away” remains one of the most played songs on First Wave, SiriusXM’s New Wave channel, being tied for most plays in the last 60 days.  The song was covered by the GooGoo Dolls in 1990. 

#6 “Anything, Anything” – Dramarama

Hailing from New Jersey, Dramarama later moved to Los Angeles, after “Anything, Anything” became a huge hit on KROQ in Southern California.  Initially championed by Rodney Bingenheimer on his Sunday evening show, the song soon moved into the rotation on KROQ based on call-in requests for that “hundred dollar bill” song.  I was fortunate enough to see Dramarama open up for the Smithereens at the Hollywood Palladium in October of 1988.

#5 “What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)” – Information Society

Coming in at the end of 80’s (1988), Minneapolis based Information Society reached number three on the Billboard charts and spent a total of 25 weeks on the charts with this song.  The song featured several samples from the original Star Trek television series, most notably Leonard as Mr. Speak saying “pure energy” which became the sub-title of the song.

#4 “Voices Carry” – ‘Til Tuesday

This song reached number eight on the Billboard Top 40 in 1985 for this Boston based band.  Although, this song for me is kind of a beating for me, it was hugely popular at the time with the video featuring Aimee Mann in a movie theater was popular on MTV and other video shows.  Recently, in May 2025, the original line-up reunited for the Cruel World Festival, at the world famous Rose Bowl, for the first time in 33 years.

#3 “Mexican Radio” – Wall of Voodoo

I remember loving this video on Richard Blade’s MV3 and Video One.  It featured some bizarre imagery, most notably lead singer, Stan Ridgeway, raising his head out of a pot of beans. Los Angeles based, Wall of Voodoo, reached number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 with this song in 1984 never to be heard from again, although Stan Ridgeway did have some moderate play on KROQ later in the 80’s.

#2 “Genius of Love” – Tom Tom Club

This funky 1981 song from the married rhythm section of the Talking Heads (Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz) reached number one on the Billboard Disco Charts. A live version was featured in the Talking Heads feature movie Stop Making Sense.  “Genius of Love” was named number 26 on Rolling Stone magazines “Top 200 Dance Songs of All Time”

#1 “Obsession” – Animotion

Los Angeles based Animotion took this re-make to the top of the charts in 1984, reaching number six in the United States and number five in the U.K.  The video, featuring lead singers Astrid Plane and Bill Wadhams often dressed like Cleopatra and Marc Antony, was played often on MTV.  “Obsession” is still frequently played on First Wave on SiriusXM being one of the forty most played songs in the last 60 days.