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List of 1980s one-hit wonders in the United States

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This is a list of one-hit wonders in the United States whose one hit came out in the 1980s.

For the purpose of this list, a one-hit wonder is defined as a recording artist who reached the Top 40 of the U.S. pop chart (the Billboard Hot 100) with just one single, and had one or no albums in the top 40 of the U.S. album chart (the Billboard 200).

Most songs are listed with their peak position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The peak positions are taken from the band's and/or song's entries on Billboard and All Music Guide. If no peak chart position is listed for a song, that means it has yet to be confirmed.

Archetypal 1980s one-hit wonders

These are recording artists who fit the classic archetype of a one-hit wonder (i.e. a musician or band that comes out of nowhere to have one big hit, then just as suddenly either quits, breaks up or fades back into obscurity).

Some one-hit wonders are actually collaborations with artists who have had other chart hits:

One-hit wonders that don't fit the rule

More than one hit

Some artists are considered one-hit wonders despite having more than one Top 40 hit. This is when a band or artist has only one song that becomes hugely popular and/or generate massive media coverage.

Below Top 40

Some artists' one popular song missed the Top 40.

Special cases

Benny Mardones's one hit, "Into the Night", actually charted twice during the decade, reaching #11 in 1980 and #20 in 1989.

The Romantics had two Top 40 hits in the 1980s, "Talking In Your Sleep" (#3) and "One In A Million" (#37), but are now probably best known for a third song, "What I Like About You", which was released before the other two singles and never made the Top 40, but has since found new life as a frequently used advertising jingle and as "arena music" at sporting events.

Frank Zappa's 1982 song "Valley Girl" featured extended monologues by his daughter Moon Unit Zappa. It reached #32 and was the only Top 40 hit for either Zappa; however, given Frank's long and prolific musical career, only Moon Unit is generally considered a one-hit wonder for this song.

Non-archetypal 1980s one-hit wonders

Artists with one hit that are not necessarily considered one-hit wonders

Some artists with only one Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 are not generally considered one-hit wonders because of their distinguished careers within their own respective musical genres long before and/or after their one hit:

Solo or side-project one-hit wonders

A number of members of successful bands became one-hit wonders when they went solo, or made other career moves without their bands:

One-hit wonders from other media

Some one-hit wonders are actually celebrities from fields other than music:

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