1985 Hit Named Greatest One-Hit Wonder of All Time
One-hit wonder is often used as an insult, but that lone hit can have some serious influence. In some cases, such as Rolling Stone's fan-voted winner, the artist can have a string of hits across the world, but struggle to win over American audiences.
Take A-ha, for example, the synth-pop band that took home the "Greatest One-Hit Wonder" reader poll grand prize with their unparalleled new wave triumph, "Take On Me." The Norwegian trio has sold over 100 million records since their debut in 1982, but only the 1984 single, which was a sleeper hit, captured the attention of U.S. audiences. Nonetheless, like lightning, one strike is often all it takes to make a major impact.
“I have no doubt that the video made the song a hit,” A-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen told Rolling Stone, regarding their singular U.S. #1. “The song has a super catchy riff, but it is a song that you have to hear a few times. And I don’t think it would’ve been given the time of day without the enormous impact of the video.”
The music video, released a year after the single debuted in 1985, features a lonesome woman in a sleepy café reading a comic strip and falling — literally and figuratively — into lead singer Morton Harket's hand-drawn animated world, escaping the real world chasing her down, thanks to Harket's heroism. Furhuholman was correct — the song didn't take off commercially in the UK or U.S. until the music video, which became an enticing hook for music channel producers and viewers who weren't part of their usual demographic. In the mid '80s, this blend of real-world footage and animation was a groundbreaking technological marvel, perfectly complementing the synth track's sound.
While synth and new wave were certainly nothing new by 1985, the crisp production technique added to the futuristic feel of the electric instrumentation. Harket's vocal mastery, climbing to new heights with every verse, was a build unique to a male pop record performance at the time, combining his wide vocal range with a new-age structure that made it difficult for other pop singers – or listeners – to imitate. Paired with the then-fresh Yamaha DX7 and the European PPG Wave synth, "Take On Me," like the video, grabbed the listener by the hand and transported them into a new world.