More Hits Than Hats

Hey Rolling Stone!  What’s with the lists of twenty all of a sudden?  The lists were always ten, right?  Or, like if it was epic, 100.  Now we’ve got this rash of twenty? 

Anyway, Rolling Stone’s list of 20 Greatest Two-Hit Wonders is curious because, really, most of us probably only remember one song.  Maybe that’s just age and memory.  Maybe it’s corporate playlist rendering.  I mean, RS does tell you the chart position, so facts are on their side.

Before you look on the link, though, test yourself.  Do you know of a second hit by Quiet Riot, Janis Ian, Golden Earring, ? and the Mysterians, A-ha, Animotion?

Me neither.

There were a couple of exceptions for me:   I did remember both Tone Loc songs, and (when prompted) both Left Banke tunes.  And, if I’m honest, both Men without Hats songs.

Too bad some of these acts disappeared so fast.  After calling One-Hit-Wonder a derisive term, the article introduces the list by saying here are some acts “who managed to stick around a little longer.”  Faint praise, and a lot of these bands deserved better.

Success is a fickle mistress.