Need a few one-hit wonders to transport you back to the 80s? If you were a kid during this glorious decade, you probably secretly (or openly) adored the following three songs. I know I definitely would have if I were alive back then. Let’s take a look!
“Never Ending Story” by Limahl (1984)
The grip that the fantasy film The NeverEnding Story had on kids in the 80s should be studied. It’s an absolutely gorgeous and enthralling movie. And the few who didn’t see the film definitely heard its theme song at least a few times. “Never Ending Story” by Limahl is a synth-pop gem that was perfect for that 80s fantasy aesthetic that the movie boasted.
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I’m kind of shocked that Limahl didn’t have more charting success in the US. That 1984 hit made it to No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but Limahl never made it to the chart again.
“Turn Up The Radio” by Autograph (1984)
Glam metal band Autograph hit the airwaves in a big way with the 1984 song “Turn Up The Radio”. This famous song made it all the way to No. 29 on the Hot 100 chart and did even better on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. If you enjoyed the early years of MTV, you’ve definitely seen the music video for this song.
Oddly enough, despite their killer debut single charting so well, Autograph never made it to the Hot 100 chart again. Though, their 1986 song “Blondes In Black Cars” did chart decently on the Mainstream Rock chart.
“(I Just) Died In Your Arms” by Cutting Crew (1986)
This heartwrenching power ballad really encapsulates the feeling of getting back together with an ex when you shouldn’t have. While no child in the 80s would really understand that, “(I Just) Died In Your Arms” by Cutting Crew is bursting at the seams with emotion. I can imagine more than a few 80s kids crying about a breakup to this song on the radio.
This is one of my personal favorite one-hit wonders of the 80s, and I feel like the English outfit Cutting Crew deserved more charting success. “(I Just) Died In Your Arms” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart, but none of the band’s subsequent songs did quite as well stateside. It was also the band’s only Top 20 hit in their native UK.
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