One-Hit Wonders That I Only Listen to on Road Trips

If you love one-hit wonders but only find yourself listening to them on special occasions, you’re not alone. When I kick off road trips, my go-tos for the car playlist are often one-hit wonders from back in the day. The following four tunes are just a couple that I personally love to revisit while driving on the wide-open road. Let’s take a look!

1. “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers

Whether you’re travelling just a few miles down the freeway or upwards of 500 miles across the country, nothing hits like The Proclaimers’ hit 1988 tune “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”. This song is just plain fun, and it has aged quite well through the years.

This Scottish alt-rock hit made it to no. 21 on the US Rock charts and ranked even higher in the UK, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. Unfortunately, The Proclaimers never charted in the US with another song again.

2. “Major Tom” by Peter Schilling

Not only is this a pretty underrated one-hit wonder, it’s also a great (and rare) example of a musician penning a sequel to someone else’s tune. Peter Schilling based “Major Tom” on David Bowie’s 1969 hit “Space Oddity”. Schilling kept the theme going, and it translated well despite its release nearly two decades after Bowie’s hit.

The German synth pop icon reached no. 1 in Germany with the original version of this tune, then made it to no. 14 in the US and no. 1 in Canada with the English version. Sadly, he never enjoyed another Top 60 hit in the US again.

3. “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry

This song doesn’t involve travel, but it’s the kind of song that just hits well during road trips. It’s fun to sing, is dripping with positivity, and can help you stay awake if you’ve been driving all night long.

“Play That Funky Music” hit no. 1 in the US and did similarly well in Canada and beyond. Despite their success with the tune in 1976, they failed to release a single that reached the Top 40 in the US following “Play That Funky Music”.

4. “Vehicle” by The Ides Of March

Alright, this entry on our list of one-hit wonders for road trips is a bit hamfisted. Still, “Vehicle” by The Ides Of March is an absolute classic from 1970.

The funk rock tune “Vehicle” peaked at no. 2 in the US and no. 3 in Canada. After that song hit the airwaves, though, the band never reached the Top 60 in the US (or anywhere else) again.

Photo by Ebet Roberts/Getty Images

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