10 one-hit wonders who have found success behind the scenes
10 one-hit wonders who have found success behind the scenes
It's not every day that a song comes out that is so indisputably catchy it somehow manages to defy genre lines, language barriers, and borders. It's the track you can't help but know every lyric to, whether you owned the album or not, simply because the song was everywhere. Of course, that kind of success can be incredibly difficult to replicate, sometimes dooming the artist behind the song to slide down from the top of the charts to the dreaded status of "one-hit wonder."
The one-hit wonders of the world are often overlooked for the contributions they made in the time their songs ruled the pop culture scene. These artists created something that found a place in people's hearts, whether it was because their songs were incredibly danceable or because the artists' heartbreaks were similar to their own. Whatever the reason, they left a lasting impression.
In an industry that's constantly evolving, artists are expected to be able to produce high-ranking hit after hit, and if they can't, they find themselves pushed into obscurity—at least on the surface. However, many artists who may not have achieved comparable commercial achievements in the spotlight have managed to shine their light in other ways, often unknowingly to the public who once adored them.
Behind the scenes, many of your favorite one-hit wonders have been solid success stories: from building robust investment portfolios to writing for acclaimed TV shows to composing hit songs that spent weeks topping the same Billboard charts they weren't able to re-climb themselves.
Wanting to pay homage to the musical artists who have scored the soundtracks to our lives, Stacker has put together a list of iconic one-hit wonders who have gone on to have impressive careers despite not exactly recreating the chart-topping success of their first big hit. The 10 artists on this list were selected not only because of the ranks they reached on the Billboard charts but also the legacy their hit has left behind. Read on to see some of the artists who you might have thought were one and done, but who are actually thriving.
'Ridin'' by Chamillionaire
Chamillionaire had a hit on his hands when he released his single "Ridin'" in 2005. The song, about police officers attempting to pull him over for excessive reasons, proved to be a relevant message that resonated with fans. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June 2006 and stayed on the charts for an impressive 31 weeks. The song also made Chamillionaire a Grammy winner in 2006. In the decade that followed, he continued to release music under his own record label, Chamillitary Entertainment, but he wasn't able to replicate the success of "Ridin'."
Meanwhile, he's built an impressive investment portfolio. He was an early investor in Lyft and Maker Studios, an online video talent agency that Disney later bought, and in 2015, he joined venture capital firm Upfront Ventures. As of June 2025, Chamillionaire's net worth is estimated to be $50 million.
'What's Up?' by 4 Non Blondes
Music in the '90s was known for its grungy garage-band sound and powerful vocals to match. The one-hit wonders 4 Non Blondes followed that trend early and perfectly with their 1992 song "What's Up?" The smash hit peaked at the #14 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Though the band could never reproduce the single's success, lead singer Linda Perry, who wrote the chart-topper, went on to become a renowned songwriter outside of 4 Non Blondes. Working behind the scenes, she was responsible for some of the biggest hits of the early 2000s, including Pink's "Get the Party Started" and Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful," which earned her the first of five Grammy nominations. In June 2024, a documentary chronicling Perry's life premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
2025 has also been a big year for the band. They reunited to perform together for the first time in 30 years and "What's Up?" became a viral hit thanks to a TikTok trend that mashed it up with Nicki Minaj's "Beez in the Trap."
'Rico Suave' by Gerardo
Before the Latin explosion of the late '90s, there was Gerardo, who many consider one of the first successful crossover Latino artists in the U.S. His hit song "Rico Suave," co-written by Gerardo himself, was an ode to his Latin lover persona. The term is still used to this day to refer to a smooth-talking person.
The track peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1991, and was one of the first mainstream hits to feature lyrics in both English and Spanish. "Rico Suave" made Gerardo a household name, but it was nearly impossible to recreate that success, so he took a step out of the spotlight. Instead, Gerardo spent his time focusing on elevating other artists as an A&R executive at Interscope Records. He is credited with bringing Enrique Iglesias to the U.S. and with signing Bubba Sparxxx, of "Ms. New Booty" fame. He's moved around since then, working at Univision Records, Spotify, and UnitedMasters, where he's served as the senior lead of Latin music since November 2024.
'Pump It Up' by Joe Budden
Joe Budden has managed to stay relevant over the years, but not because of his music. His 2003 song "Pump It Up" was a major hit in hip-hop, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Hot Rap charts and #38 on the Hot 100. The song also earned Budden a Grammy nod. While he had a few other songs that found middling success, none of them measured up to "Pump It Up."
Budden made his way back to the limelight in epic fashion with his self-titled podcast in 2015, which became a massive hit. Budden proved to have a quick mouth and a lack of a filter that drew fans and star-studded guests alike. Many consider "The Joe Budden Podcast" to be one of the most influential hip-hop podcasts of all time, and The New York Times reported in July 2025 that Budden's media empire is on track to make more than $20 million in 2025.
'B----' by Meredith Brooks
In addition to grunge, hip-hop, and Latin music, the '90s brought another even more specific genre to the mainstream: the Lilith Fair aesthetic, which was fueled by an influx of women singers such as Alanis Morissette, Sarah McLachlan, and of course, the iconic one-hit wonder Meredith Brooks. Her rage-tinged ballad of empowerment "B----" had a stronghold on the charts in 1997, sticking around for 30 weeks on the Hot 100 and peaking at #2. The song's brash lyrics sent the message that Brooks was more than just a two-dimensional plaything, redirecting the meaning of the insult used in the title; plus, it earned her two Grammy nominations in 1997.
While she's continued to make her own music in the decades since, Brooks has stepped into a behind-the-scenes role acting as a mentor, songwriter, and producer for other artists—like Hilary Duff, Katy Perry, and Bebe Rexha—with her own production company, Kissing Booth Music. Brooks was honored for her work in 2022 with the She Rocks Icon Award from the Women's International Music Network.
'Graduation (Friends Forever)' by Vitamin C
Vitamin C left her mark with one of the most saccharine-sweet send-offs into one-hit wonderland: her 2000 single "Graduation (Friends Forever)." If you know anyone who graduated high school or college or went to prom in the past two decades or so, you're probably intimately familiar with the song, which peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Her slightly earlier single, "Smile" managed to perform even better, hitting #18 in 1999, but it lacked the same level of pop culture fame as "Graduation (Friends Forever)." Nevertheless, it would admittedly be more accurate to call Vitamin C a two-hit wonder. These songs weren't her first foray into the spotlight either; under her real name, Colleen Fitzpatrick, she played Amber von Tussle in John Waters' 1988 cult classic "Hairspray," well before it became a musical on stage and screen.
After making it big in the mainstream, however, Fitzpatrick took a step back from center stage. Not only has she produced songs for artists such as Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus, but she became vice president of music at Nickelodeon in 2012 and then moved on to become an executive at Netflix in 2019.
'If I Could Go' by Angie Martinez
Angie Martinez is a household name in hip-hop for two major reasons: First, she's one of the longest-running radio DJs who's uplifted hip-hop artists through her platform in New York, and secondly, her early '00s hit "If I Could Go." The heavy East Coast influence, combined with the homage to Martinez's Latina roots, primed the single for success, as did the fact that it launched during the aforementioned Latin explosion of the late '90s and early '00s. The track peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in September 2002.
While she never had another single that reached the same success, Martinez's seminal role in hip-hop earned her a spot on the "Ladies Night" remix of Lil' Kim's "Not Tonight," featuring Missy Elliot, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Da Brat. Martinez has also continued to work behind the scenes in the music industry. She currently hosts her own podcast, "In Real Life With Angie Martinez," as well as "The Angie Martinez Show" on iHeartRadio. She also released a Latin cookbook in 2015 and her own memoir in 2017, which became a New York Times Bestseller. The Hollywood Reporter reported in August 2024 that Martinez will soon make her directorial debut, helming a documentary feature about hip-hop DJ Clark Kent.
'Tubthumping' by Chumbawamba
You may have had little to no idea what Chumbawamba was saying in their smash "Tubthumping" in 1997, but chances are you confidently sang along to the "I get knocked down, but I get up again" part if you survived the late '90s. The hit song managed to reach #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The British rock group, which disbanded in 2012, has more than a dozen former members, but the one with perhaps the most interesting post-Chumbawamba career is Alice Nutter. Today, she is in a completely different role in entertainment: penning scripts for acclaimed shows like FX's "Trust" and "The Full Monty" adaptation for Disney+, as well as a number of BBC One series.
'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley
One of the biggest songs of 2006 was Gnarls Barkley's smash single "Crazy," which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held firm on the chart for 29 weeks. The melding of electronic music with funk, hip-hop, and pop earned this genre-bending song both commercial and criminal success—including a Grammy in 2007.
The duo may not have recreated their combined success, but separately, members CeeLo Green and Danger Mouse have flourishing careers both behind and in front of the scenes. Green stayed in the limelight as one of the first coaches of "The Voice," which he'll return to in a new capacity in 2026. His own hit single, "Forget You," also reached #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 charts. Behind the scenes, Green has written songs for artists ranging from T.I. to Pixie Lott.
Danger Mouse, meanwhile, went on to form the ethereal electro group Broken Bells, and he's produced music for Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gorillaz, Beck, and Norah Jones, to name a few. He now has six Grammys to his name.
In April 2025, Green posted a teaser on social media of him and Danger Mouse, indicating a reunion is upcoming.
'Whip It' by Devo
Devo may have only had one smash hit in the '80s, but with their yellow jumpsuits and red plastic helmets, known as energy domes, the band certainly made its mark. The new wave band first formed in 1973, but it took until 1980 for them to break out with "Whip It," which peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Yes, the band did manage to have two other songs that charted—"Working in the Coal Mine" and "Theme From Doctor Detroit" in '81 and '83, respectively—but they didn't crack the top 40, and Devo eventually broke up in 1991.
They've since reunited and celebrated their smash hit with a 50th-anniversary tour in 2023, but in the meantime, lead vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh found a new career: composing for TV, movies, and video games through his production company, Mutato Muzika, which he founded in 1989. If you recall the theme songs to "Pee Wee's Playhouse" or "Rugrats," you know Mothersbaugh's work. He's also teamed up with Wes Anderson through the years, scoring "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "The Life Aquatic." More recently, if you liked what you heard music-wise in "A Minecraft Movie," "The Residence," or "What We Do in the Shadows," you have Mothersbaugh to thank too.
Additional writing and story editing by Jaimie Etkin and Cu Fleshman. Copy editing by Lois Hince. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
