Love garage rock? Need some solid tracks to pad that garage rock playlist? These four songs aren’t just iconic in the garage rock genre, but they’re also considered by many to be one-hit wonders. Let’s take a look! You may have never heard a few of these iconic garage rock hits from back in the day.
1. “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen
This easily recognizable song was written by Richard Berry in the 1950s. However, it was The Kingsmen’s version from 1963 that really blew up. The Kingsmen are (yup, they’re still together) considered one of the OG proto-punk garage rock bands, and their only major claim to fame was this particular song. “Louie Louie” peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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Though, some would argue that The Kingsmen were actually a two-hit wonder: The 1964 track “The Jolly Green Giant” hit no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it technically didn’t chart as well as “Louie Louie” did.
2. “Liar, Liar” by The Castaways
These garage rock one-hit wonders had some pretty hefty success with the 1965 tune “Liar, Liar”. The proto-punk song hit no. 12 on the Hot 100 chart, and the band never saw the same level of success again.
They were pretty short-lived back in the day, too. The Castaways were only together for a few short years before disbanding, though they did end up getting back together in the 1970s and are technically still together today.
3. “Psychotic Reaction” by The Count Five
The Count Five were an American garage rock outfit known primarily for their chart-topping hit “Psychotic Reaction” from 1966. Like many one-hit wonders from the 1960s, this garage rock band was short-lived and disbanded after just a few years together.
“Psychotic Reaction” reached no. 5 on the Hot 100, and the band only released one album (of the same name) before disbanding in 1969 due to lack of success following their hit release.
4. “Talk Talk” by The Music Machine
Another killer track from 1966, “Talk Talk” by The Music Machine was a Top 20 hit. It managed to sneak its way to no. 15 on the Hot 100 chart, but the garage rock outfit never enjoyed a Top 20 hit again. It’s a real shame, considering how much of a garage rock classic “Talk Talk” still is today.
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