One hit wonders from the '80s to present day - where are they now?
They had us all singing and swinging at some point in the ‘80s, ‘90s and noughties, then shrank into oblivion come that difficult second single.
We track down some of the greatest one hit wonders in history to see what they’ve been up to since they hung up their microphones...
Getty ImagesPsy - Gangnam Style (#1 in 2012)
Then: In 2012, Psy popped on to the scene with his
annoyingcatchy single, Gangnam Style, and sparked a viral sensation across the globe with people copying the iconic dance. It was a bonafide one hit wonder for the South Korean rapper (internationally, at least).Now: Five years down the line and Psy's still releasing single after single, but none has quite achieved the same success as Gangnam Style.
Rex FeaturesJoe McElderry - The Climb (#1 in 2010)
Then: Joe McElderry stole your grandma's heart when he won The X Factor 2010 singing The Climb for his winner's single.
Now: Since then, Joe's appeared on various TV shows like Popstar to Operastar (which he won) and The Jump. He has also starred in musicals, though hasn't released any more chart-topping music. Joe's also undergone quite a transformation. Hello!
Rex FeaturesShayn Ward - That's My Goal (#1 in 2005)
Then: We promise this isn't an X Factor winner-only gallery. In 2005, Shayne Ward was the only choice for the X Factor crown and it was no surprise that his winner's single, That's My Goal, shot straight to number 1. He achieved some success with his second single, No U Hang Up, but it all went pretty flat for Wardy after that...
Now: In May 2015, Shayne signed a one year contract to star in Coronation Street. He made his on-screen debut in August 2015 and received 2016 National Television Award and 2016 Inside Soap Award for best newcomer. Shayne welcomed a baby girl with girlfriend Sophie Austin in December 2016.
PA Photos3 of a Kind - Baby Cakes (#1 in 2004)
Then: When newly formed band 3 of a Kind released Baby Cakes on the day they met, the single shot straight to number 1 in the UK Singles Chart and number 3 on the Irish Singles Chart.
They never released a follow up single, but what are the members - Liana Caruana (a.k.a. Miz Tipzta), Nicholas Gallante (a.k.a. Devine MC) and Marc Portelli (a.k.a. Marky P) - doing now?Now: Nicholas Gallante appeared on Never Mind The Buzzcocks' in November 2014, as part of the "Identity Parade", a hotbed for one hit wonders, where it was revealed that he's now party planner.
Getty ImagesMario - Let Me Love You (Top 10 in 2004)
Then: We all wanted a "fist full of diamonds and a hand full of rings" when Mario popped onto the r'n'b pop scene with Let Me Love You. It was (and still is) a bonafide noughties BANGER at the time, but we were left feeling disappointed when Mario failed to release any more hits.
Now: Since his 2004 success, Mario released two more albums but hit a musical wall in 2011. For the next five years, Mario cancelled the release of a number of albums stating they didn't feel right for his career plan. So what's the latest? On December 13, 2016, Mario released his single, Let Me Help You - veeeeeery similar to Let Me Love You, no? - but it hasn't shared the same success.
Eamon – F*** It (I Don’t Want You Back) (#1 in 2004)
Then: Musical profanity always makes the public sit up and take notice – and Eamon’s worldwide smash hit was no exception. The Italian-Irish-New Yorker used the word f*** 20 times in his song about a cheating ex, and we just lapped up his angry pain.
Now: His success warranted a comeback single in the form of F*You Right Back by unknown singer Frankee, who claimed to be THE ex (which Eamon strongly denied). His second single didn’t set the world alight and, today, he is no longer signed to JIVE records. He does, however, still hold the Guinness World Record for the most expletives in a #1 song.
Rex Featurest.A.T.u – All The Things She Said (#1 in 2003)
Then: Give us Brits pseudo lesbian schoolgirls from Russia frolicking in the rain and we’ll give them a smash hit #1 single.
Now: After representing their native Russia in the Eurovision song contest and breaking free from their management, the group signed with a different record company in 2005, but their second UK release did little to capture the imagination of audiences. After many a' lawsuit and controversy, the duo disbanded in 2009 to pursue solo careers. Years later, one half of the duo, Julia Volkova, expressed anti-LGBT views in a Russian interview. O..k then.
Rex FeaturesDarius - Colourblind (#1 in 2002)
Then: Scottish singer and Pop Idol runner-up Darius Danesh released his song Colourblind in 2002 after turning down a multi-million dollar record deal from Simon Cowell. The single enjoyed chart-topping success for two weeks before it, and Darius, sunk into the musical abyss.
Now: These day, Darius has been treading the boards and turned to musicals. He's currently playing Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl at the Savoy in April 2016. Darius was married to actress Natasha Henstridge for two years, but they divorced in 2013.
PA PhotosLou Bega – Mambo No. 5 (#1 in 1999)
Then: Any gal who spent the summer of ’99 in the Balearics will remember doing ‘jazz hands’ on the dancefloor to this Latino-love-in track, and hoping to hear their name in the chorus. The song topped the charts throughout Europe, even remaining at #1 in France for 20 consecutive weeks – a feat that has still not been beaten.
Now: Bega’s second single slumped into number 58 in the UK charts and he’s not released another track in Blighty since. He currently works a lyricist for German Euro-Trance act, Groove Coverage.
Rex FeaturesMr Oizo – Flat Beat (#1 in 1999)
Then: Often mistaken for Flat Eric, a small yellow puppet seen pumping to the looped beat on a Levi’s advert in 1999. Flat Eric helped propel the monotonous song to number one that spring.
Now: The puppet was swiftly binned, and Frenchman Monsieur Oizo returned after a long break in 2005. He has since released a number of singles and albums on the über-cool French label Ed Banger, along with label mates Justice, Uffie and SebastiAn to relative critical success among his peers.
New Radicals - You Get What You Give (Top 10 in 1998)
Then: Remember surf hat-wearing frontman Gregg Alexander bounding around a mall in a shopping trolley in the MTV-looped music video? This feel-good track of 1998 attracted a lot of media attention due to its celebrity-slamming closing line, in which the band challenged Beck, Hanson, Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson to “come around, we’ll kick your asses.” Charming.
Now: For reasons still unknown, the group issued a statement announcing their split before the release of their second single. Alexander went on to forge a successful song writing career, penning hits for the likes of Ronan Keating, Santana and Sophie Ellis Bextor.
Rex FeaturesDeep Blue Something – Breakfast At Tiffany’s (#1 in 1996)
Then: “She said ‘I think I remember the film’…”. We were ALL jamming along to with Texan rockers Deep Blue Something’s catchy ditty back in the summer of ’96.
Now: The band never enjoyed similar success with their follow-up records and, without want of trying, split in 2001. They have now reformed and are planning on releasing new material through iTunes.
Rex FeaturesBabylon Zoo - Spaceman (#1 in 1996)
Then: Back in the day when all a song needed to top the charts was a Levi’s advert, a little space-age ditty from these Wolverhampton rockers had us all buying red tag denim. Many thought the song was an electronic-rave track in full - like the clip used in the ad, and were shocked when they heard the decidedly ‘indie’ rock blasting from their stereos. Whatever - Spaceman sold 418,000 copies in its first week; a record at the time.
Now: Their next single slumped into the top 20, and the ones that followed barely scraped the top 50. Babylon Zoo’s reign on the UK charts was over after just one hit and Jas Mann, the Zoo’s enigmatic frontman, reportedly moved to India to work for an aid agency.
Rex FeaturesThe Rembrandts – I’ll Be There For You (#3 in 1995)
Then: The greatest TV theme tune ever? Pretty close we’d say – and with the cult status of Friends behind them, it’s hard to believe that The Rembrandts never enjoyed the sweet taste of success with a follow-up…
Now: Unless you count their 1997 follow-up, I’ll Be There For You. Oh, wait – that’s the same song. Yes, the duo re-released the Friends theme toon a mere two years later and enjoyed another top 5 slot in the charts. But their follow-up singles didn’t chart, and they now pen songs for other artists including Catchpenny and Gin Blossom.
Rex FeaturesEdwyn Collins – A Girl Like You (Top 5 in 1994)
Then: Former member of post-punk band Orange Juice, Edwyn’s too-cool-for-school breakthrough ’94 hit remained in the UK singles chart for a whopping 14 weeks.
Now: In 2005, Collins suffered a near-fatal brain haemorrhage and has undergone a lengthy neurological rehabilitation programme since. Right-side damage affected his hand and arm, preventing him from playing his beloved guitar, but Edwyn didn’t give up and in ‘07 made his critically-acclaimed comeback. He cemented his place in the music hall of fame by winning this year’s Ivors Inspiration Award at the Ivor Novellos.
Rex Features4 Non Blondes – What’s Up? (#2 in 1993)
Then: Lead singer Linda Perry rocked our world back in ’93 with her glass-shattering cries of “hey, hey, hey…” (despite her penchant for silly hats).
Now: Never completing their second album, the band split in ’94 and Linda Perry went solo – she has since produced and written chart-topping tracks for artists such as Pink (Get The Party Started), Gwen Stefani (What You Waiting For? ) and Christina Aguilera (Beautiful).
Rex FeaturesShakespeare's Sister - Stay (#1 in 1992)
Then: The synth-rock-pop duo, merging ex-Bananarama Siobhan Farley and American guitarist Marcella Detroit, released top 10 hit You’re History in 1989, though they failed to make a huge impact on the British charts until Stay in ‘92. Who could forget the controversial video, featuring our two heroines (one looking decidedly witch-like) fighting over a comatose man?
Now: Stay claimed the top spot for 8 weeks and bagged the Sister four Brit nominations and one award. However, they split the following year and reportedly, they’ve not spoken since.
PA PhotosKris Kross – Jump (#2 in 1992)
Then: Chris ‘Mack Daddy’ Kelly and Chris ‘Daddy Mack’ Smith , the barely-teen rap duo who wore their baggy clothes backwards and made us all ‘jump jump’, were set for world domination back in ‘92. Their debut single topped the US Billboard charts for 8 weeks, they landed a spot supporting Michael Jackson and even had their own Sega video game.
Now: Where did it all go wrong? Their follow-up singles barely scraped the top 40 in the UK, whilst their second and third album never saw a release on our fair shores. They disappeared from the public eye altogether in 1996, still only 17-years-old.
PA PhotosSnow – Informer (#2 in 1992)
Then: Touted as the new Vanilla Ice, Canadian rapper Snow unleashed his heavily-accented gibberish on the UK charts upon his release from prison and - what do you know - we Brits just couldn’t get enough of it!
Now: Although Snow’s subsequent releases performed poorly in the charts (except in Japan and Jamaica) he has continued to record and released his latest track Adore You on the Canadian charts this year.
PA PhotosHouse of Pain – Jump Around (Top 10 in 1992)
Then: The Irish-American rap possé made the nation jump up, jump up and get down in the early 90s with this hip-hop anthem - good thing too, because if we hadn’t, they’d have “served up our ass like John McEnroe”.
Now: Da Pain’s follow-up albums failed to set the charts alight and they abruptly split in 1996, although they did a one-off regroup in 2009 for the Rock The Bells hip-hop tour.
Rex FeaturesBilly Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart (#3 in 1992)
Then: Love it or hate it, admit it – you couldn’t resist singing along with mullet-sporting, torn-tank-top-wearing country boy Billy Ray back in ’92.
Now: His heart didn’t blow up and kill him as warned, and Billy Ray has enjoyed huge success as a country music star stateside. In 2005, he co-starred in smash hit Disney Channel show, Hannah Montana, with his daughter Miley and appeared on Dancing With The Stars, which kick-started his music career comeback.
Rex FeaturesChesney Hawkes – I Am The One And Only (#1 in 1991)
Then: Chesney and his mole bought the ‘rock fist’ stage manoeuvre to the world of kiddie pop back in ’91 and spent a cassette-shifting five weeks at the top of the UK charts.
Now: Chezzer’s follow-up single bombed and Chesney never enjoyed another UK top 40 hit. He has however inexplicably, enjoyed a student-based cult following and regularly plays student union and graduation ball gigs throughout the country. Drunk students will sing along to anything.
WENNDivinyls – I Touch Myself (Top 10 in 1991)
Then: Writhing on white sheets in black leathers - we all wanted to be hot red-headed singer Chrissy Amphlett back in 1991.
Now: The song enjoyed a pithy revival in the late 90s thanks to its prominent position on the Austin Powers soundtrack, but by then the group had split and Chrissy was pursuing a stage career in her native Australia. After claiming their spot in the Australian Music Hall of Fame, they briefly reformed in '97 and performed on Australian Idol.
PA PhotosSinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U (#1 in 1990)
Then: This world-over chart-topping song, penned by Prince, catapulted Dubliner Sinead to international fame after a memorable video, largely consisting of her shaved head on a black backdrop, hit MTV.
Now: Sinead moved back to her home town of Dublin in 1992 after her controversial appearance on Saturday Night Live, when she tore up a picture of the Pope and accused the Roman Catholic Church of child abuse. After announcing her retirement from “mainstream pop”, the singer trained as a priest (guess the pope forgave her, then), came out as bisexual, and continues to record music.
PA PhotosDeee-Lite – Groove Is In The Heart (#2 in 1990)
Then: With their covetable accessories and disco moves to rival John Travolta, these kooky New York club kids took the UK by storm in 1990 with their debut single. Singer Lady Miss Kier also single-handedly made cat-suits cool again. Deee-groovy!
Now: Deee-Lite never matched the huge success of Groove… and sadly, their second, third, fourth (you get the idea) singles flopped. The group disbanded in the mid-90s and all members have since enjoyed successful club DJ careers.
Rex FeaturesEMF – Unbelievable (#1 in 1990)
Then: Part of the baggy Madchester scene, this techno-indie tune topped the charts in countries the world over, including America, and still sounds as fresh today as it did almost 20 years ago.
Now: The band never matched the success of their debut (largely due to the emergence of Brit Pop) and disappeared until ’95 when they teamed up with Reeves and Mortimer for their cover of Monkees’ classic I’m A Believer. They staged a series of comeback gigs in ’01, but it was cut short when guitarist Zac Foley died of a drugs overdose. Guitarist/keyboardist Ian Dench is now working as Vice President of Epic Records in NYC and won his first Ivor Novello song writing award in ’08 for Beyoncé’s Beautiful Liar.
Rex FeaturesAlannah Myles - Black Velvet (#2 in 1989)
Then: Was there ever a greater karaoke song than this? Who didn’t want to be Alannah Myles with her huge hair and even bigger voice circa 1989? Hairspray and leathers, if you please.
Now: After winning a Grammy for Best Rock Performance for Black Velvet, Alannah disappeared from the British radar, though her follow up records charted well in her native Canada. She is still in the studio.
PA PhotosVanilla Ice – Ice, Ice, Baby (#1 in 1989)
Then: Robert Matthew Van Winkle began “cooking MCs like a pound of bacon” in '89 when Ice, Ice, Baby took the world by storm. He sold over eleven million copies of his debut album, had an eight-month affair with Madonna and even featured in racy pictures in her now infamous SEX book.
Now: Ice never matched the success of his first single. By ’94, he had disappeared from the spotlight, grown his hair into dreadlocks and spiralled into a hard drugs and tattoo addiction. He got clean in ’08 and signed a record deal, releasing an album of covers including songs by Public Enemy, Bob Marley and Cypress Hill. As you can imagine, it wasn’t well-received. But Ice refuses to quit and tweeted this year that he will be releasing another album soon.
PA PhotosThe Bluebells – Young At Heart (# 1 in 1984)
Then: This jangly guitar based pop classic actually reached #8 in the UK charts in 1984 but enjoyed an unexpected revival in ’93 when it was used in a certain German car advert – at which point The Bluebells had been split for almost ten years. Re-issued as a single, it topped the UK charts for 4 weeks and the band temporarily reformed and released a singles collection.
Now: The band’s mid-‘90s comeback didn’t last and they explored careers in different fields, including journalism and teaching – although they did reform in 2008 for a spell to play support act at Edwyn Collins’ comeback gigs.
Rex FeaturesToni Basil - Mickey (#2 in 1982)
Then: Mickey - about her crush on Micky Dolenz from The Monkees after she worked with the band as a choreographer - was cute-as-a-button but ballsy with it. Who didn’t bound around their bedrooms with pigtails and makeshift pom-poms to this classic bubblegum pop tune in the 80s?
Now: The song was Toni’s only top 40 hit. She soon returned to her true passion, dancing, and has choreographed for some of the music world’s biggest names, including David Bowie and Tina Turner, and for movies like Legally Blonde. Dancing’s gain was our loss - but it’s easy to see where Gwen Stefani got her groove from.
