Sometimes, one-hit wonders from movie soundtracks make it big. And sometimes, other one-hit wonders get so big that producers can’t help but toss them onto soundtracks, too. Let’s look at four famous one-hit wonders that made their mark on movie soundtrack history!
1. “Axel F” by Harold Faltermeyer
Depending on your age, you might remember this song from two different scenarios. Kids from the 1980s might remember “Axel F” by Harold Faltermeyer as the theme song for the 1984 Eddie Murphy film Beverly Hills Cop. However, 1990s and 2000s kids might remember a reworking of this song as portrayed by Crazy Frog.
Either way, “Axel F” was a big hit; the OG version made it to the top of the charts in Europe and the Crazy Frog version made it to no. 50 on the US Hot 100.
2. “Maniac” by Michael Sembello
Remember Flashdance from 1983? Even if you don’t, you likely remember one of the most memorable one-hit wonders ever that made it to a movie soundtrack. “Maniac” by Michael Sembello has stood the test of time, long after the hype around Flashdance faded. Unfortunately for Sembello, “Maniac” was his only Top 30 hit (at no. 1) in the US.
3. “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia
This song wasn’t produced for any one film. That being said, it’s been used in so many movies and TV shows that we simply had to add it to this list. It was featured in the film I Want You Back, as well as television series like The Crown, Superstore, Charmed, and many more.
“Torn” topped the charts worldwide and made it to no. 42 on the US Hot 100, but Imbruglia’s career went more or less cold after that big hit.
4. “Closing Time” by Semisonic
Few movie soundtrack one-hit wonders are known for a flashmob scene, but “Closing Time” by Semisonic is known for precisely that. This alt-rock track from 1998 was featured in the 2011 film Friends With Benefits, but it was already a US rock chart hit upon the song’s initial release. “Closing Time” was also featured in an episode of The Office.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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