Sure, it’s better to be a one-hit wonder than a no-name band that never got a song on the radio. But it’s still a bummer for fans of a band when they never found the commercial success they deserved after landing a huge hit one time. Here are ten acts that deserved more success than they ever found.
King Harvest
“Dancing in the Moonlight” is a stone-cold classic, but it’s a shame it was King Harvest’s only real claim to fame. The band has no other notable hits to speak of and struggled mightily to get anything else on the airwaves in the early 70s. Still, they’re fondly remembered for their one major song.
Looking Glass
Another 70s band with a beloved mega-ton hit, Looking Glass sang the iconic “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” in 1972. The lead singer, Elliot Lurie, has such an iconic and awesome voice that it’s genuinely surprising they didn’t become a major band of the 1970s.
Blur
This one is a bit of a regional thing, but the band Blur didn’t achieve much success outside of their short and simple “Song #2” in the late 90s in the US. They were huge in England, though, and the band’s lead singer Damon Albarn went on to found the Gorillaz, a “virtual” band that has scored numerous huge hits globally.
A-Ha
Everyone knows “Take on Me,” but A-Ha had tons of great songs across their discography. They had another hit in the 80s with “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.,” though that one doesn’t get quite as much radio play these days as their more well-known track.
Harvey Danger
Harvey Danger had one major radio hit, the easily-identifiable “Flagpole Sitta.” Interestingly, the song charted roughly a year after its album, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? was released. That whole album is loaded with great tunes, but they never got the recognition they deserved.
Falco
Falco might be best-known for his hit song “Rock Me Amadeus,” but it’s not even the best track on the album Falco 3. His distinctive singing voice and genuine humor make his music very unique, and it’s a shame he was only really known for the one song throughout his career.
Rick James
Rick James actually had a pretty successful career, but most of his creative output is outshined by the absurd performance of “Super Freak.” And, as awesome as that tune is, James had plenty of other great songs in his long career, like “You & I” and “Give It To Me Baby.”
The Verve
You probably know the one Verve track, “Bittersweet Symphony.” Unfortunately, frontman Richard Ashcroft was unable to keep the band together or ever even launch a successful solo career despite his excellent songwriting chops. If anyone deserved to be a huge rock star, it was him.
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Men at Work
Men at Work technically had two huge hits, “Who Can it Be Now?” and “Down Under.” However, “Down Under” looms large over the band’s legacy, which is a shame. Men at Work was one of the coolest rock bands out of Australia, with a really distinctive sound and a genuinely deep selection of top-notch rock tunes.
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The Presidents of the United States of America
You probably know the band The Presidents of the United States of America best through their single “Peaches,” though they also had some success with the song “Lump” off their self-titled debut album. They’re much more than just an odd indie rock band, though, as they had some truly great songs on their albums throughout the 90s.
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