What is the best-selling one-hit wonder in history? (2024)

One-hit wonders appear to be a relic of the past. In previous years, a surprise hit was a rare occurrence, emerging a few times annually when a relatively unknown artist soared to the top of global charts with an irresistibly catchy song that resonated with listeners of all ages. However, in today’s age, where many people consume music through meticulously curated artificial intelligence-driven playlists rather than traditional radio broadcasts, it seems that this cultural phenomenon has become less prevalent.

Indeed, there have been numerous one-hit wonders that have left an indelible mark on music history, capturing a moment in time. From the cartoon band The Archies delivering the timeless ‘Sugar, Sugar’ in 1969 to The Buggles with the quirky anthem ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ a decade later. Even Ice-T and Crazy Frog made memorable contributions; the list is extensive and varied.

That’s not forgetting South Korean K-pop maestro Psy’s 2012 leviathan ‘Gangnam Style’, which pierced the global fabric so greatly that even David Cameron attempted it, and in one of the weirder geo-political moments, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon described it as “a force for world peace”.

Psy’s magnum opus is the last truly iconic one-hit wonder. Of course, there have been many more ephemeral ones since then, but the most recent one stands out in the memory and endures via its use in films such asThis Is The End.

Interestingly, though, the song arrived in the early 2010s, a period when there were several notable one-hit wonders, including Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Call Me Maybe’ – released the same year – and The Lumineers’ ‘Ho Hey’. Still, another during this era blew the rest out of the water and was more successful than Psy’s, despite the South Korean hit becoming the most-viewed track on YouTube for a period.

What is the best-selling one-hit wonder of all time?

You might have already guessed it, but the best-selling is the art-pop masterpiece‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ by Gotyefeaturing New Zealander Kimbra. The track is the very essence of a one-hit wonder, and almost overnight, after being released in July 2011, it took the world by storm, capturing hearts and minds with its candid discussion of the songwriter’s experiences in relationships. There is a tangible sense of sadness seldom felt in such tremendous chart success.

When it was at its peak, John Watson, the co-manager of Gotye, noted how a hit had never made such a deep connection with as many listeners. Outlining the extensive impact it had, the musician said himself: “I don’t really feel like it [the song] belongs to me anymore.”

It’s true; the song and its equally as impactful video pulled on something profound, meaning that once it was out there resonating in the ether, it took on a different life from the track that a relatively unknown art-pop artist wrote and recorded at his parent’s house on the Mornington Peninsula, Australia. It became a universal comfort blanket and reassuring tissue forevery breakup and romantic heartache felt at the time, and continues to be so with timeless lyrics such as the opening lines: “Now and then I think of when we were together / Like when you said you felt so happy you could die” and the belting chorus introduction, “But you didn’t have to cut me off / Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing”.

The song was simply enormous. It sold 20 million copies worldwide, going platinum 11 times in Australia and eightfold in the US. It topped the charts in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the US and was on 25 other charts, entering the top ten in over 30 countries. It was also the biggest commercial recording in 2012 in Canada, the UK, the US, and Wallonia, and it dominated the decade in Australia.

It is one of the best-selling digital singles of all time, emerging in a period where streaming services were only really starting to take off. Not only that, it won two Grammys, including ‘Record of the Year’.

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