3 Two-Hit Wonder Groups from the 1980s

In the 1980s there were a lot of big-name acts. From Prince and Bruce Springsteen to Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. But among those marquee names were also some groups that perhaps didn’t have quite the name recognition but produced multiple hit tracks—which itself is a darn-near impossible feat.

Here below, we wanted to explore three such groups. Three acts that put out multiple hit songs despite the odds. Indeed, these are three two-hit wonder bands from the 1980s.

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A-ha: “Take on Me” and “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” from Hunting High and Low (1985)

The Norway-born group released two hits in the 1980s. Both from their 1985 album Hunting High and Low, “Take on Me” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” made it to No. 20. The former remain a classic song today and can often be heard on radio stations, television shows and commercials. The latter is a synth-driven tune that recalls the 1980s as much as any other song. Eerie and rhythmic, you can put on your leggings and dance the night away listening to it.

Men Without Hats: “The Safety Dance” from Rhythm of Youth (1982) and “Pop Goes the World” from Pop Goes the World (1987)

The Canadian-born group is known for their 1982 track “The Safety Dance,” which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. That song boasts a heavy beat and new wave, almost-droning vocal delivery. It’s catchy and sticky like a popcorn ball. Men Without Hats also released another hit during the decade, “Pop Goes the World,” from the 1987 album of the same name. And that tune hit No. 20 on the Hot 100 and has garnered millions of streams on YouTube today. Sounding almost like a kids-song melody, the offering is a bit of a relic of a decade long ago, as silly as it is memorable.

Tone Loc: “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina” from Lōc-ed After Dark (1989)

With one of the most distinct voices in the history of music, Los Angeles-born rapper Tone Loc released two hit songs in the 1980s that have stood the test of time since. Both from his 1989 LP Lōc-ed After Dark, “Wild Thing” hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “Funky Cold Medina” No. 3. The latter earned him two Grammy nominations as well. Using his gravelly, low-vocal range, Loc was a staple of the 1980s and he parlayed that into some acting roles, too, including one in the hit comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective in 1994.

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