Top 20+ legendary one-hit wonders who became super successful doing other jobs

'Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)' by Looking Glass

Thanks to one-hit wonders Looking Glass, Brandys everywhere had their own theme song in the 1970s. In the summer of '72, their hit "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" started climbing up the charts, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August.

Though they did manage another top 40 hit with "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne" in 1973, the band broke up the following year. Original lead singer and guitarist Elliot Lurie, who wrote "Brandy," embarked on a solo career, which also failed to match up to Looking Glass' earlier hits.

Lurie did, however, find success with a new behind-the-scenes career. He continued writing and producing music, but for film and TV, eventually becoming the head of the music department at 20th Century Fox in 1985. He's continued working on music for movies, serving as supervisor for TV shows including "Nash Bridges" and "Lizzie McGuire" and films like "Something's Gotta Give" and "Spanglish," to name a few.

'Rico Suave' by Gerardo

Before the Latin explosion of the late '90s, there was Gerardo, who many consider one of the first successful crossover Latino artists in the U.S. His hit song "Rico Suave," co-written by Gerardo himself, was an ode to his Latin lover persona. The term is still used to this day to refer to a smooth-talking person.

The track peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1991, and was one of the first mainstream hits to feature lyrics in both English and Spanish. "Rico Suave" made Gerardo a household name, but it was nearly impossible to recreate that success, so he took a step out of the spotlight. Instead, Gerardo spent his time focusing on elevating other artists as an A&R executive at Interscope Records. He is credited with bringing Enrique Iglesias to the U.S. and with signing Bubba Sparxxx, of "Ms. New Booty" fame. He's moved around since then, working at Univision Records and Spotify.

'Mickey' by Toni Basil

Walt Disney may have first made Mickey a household name, but Toni Basil and her infectious song gave the name a whole new meaning. The single hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982 and stayed bouncing around the charts for 27 weeks.

"Mickey" was Basil's only top 40 hit, but it left quite an impression and is widely considered one of the most iconic songs of the decade. Basil's music video for the song certainly cemented its legacy for two reasons: The concept of having a music video was still pretty novel in 1982, a year after the launch of MTV; and it featured cheerleader-inspired dance routines choreographed by Basil herself.

After "Mickey," Basil continued flourishing behind the scenes as a choreographer, something she'd been doing for years as a dancer on late-night shows and in movies like "American Graffiti." She's since choreographed tours for David Bowie, Tina Turner, and Bette Midler, and for a variety of major movies from "That Thing You Do!" in the '90s to the Legally Blonde movies in the 2000s to "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" in the 2010s.

'Pump It Up' by Joe Budden

Joe Budden has managed to stay relevant over the years—but not because of his music. His 2003 song "Pump It Up" was a major hit in hip-hop, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Hot Rap charts and #38 on the Hot 100. The song also earned Budden a Grammy nod. While he had a few other songs that found middling success, none of them measured up to "Pump It Up."

Budden made his way back to the limelight in epic fashion with his self-titled podcast in 2015, which became a massive hit. Budden proved to have a quick mouth and a lack of a filter that drew fans and star-studded guests alike. Many consider "The Joe Budden Podcast" to be one of the most influential hip-hop podcasts of all time.

'B----' by Meredith Brooks

In addition to grunge, hip-hop, and Latin music, the '90s brought another even more specific genre to the mainstream: the Lilith Fair aesthetic, which was fueled by an influx of women singers such as Alanis Morissette, Sarah McLachlan, and of course, the iconic one-hit wonder Meredith Brooks. Her rage-tinged ballad of empowerment "B----" had a stronghold on the charts in 1997, sticking around for 30 weeks on the Hot 100 and peaking at #2. The song's brash lyrics sent the message that Brooks was more than just a two-dimensional plaything, redirecting the meaning of the insult used in the title; plus, it earned her two Grammy nominations in 1997.

While she's continued to make her own music in the decades since, Brooks has stepped into a behind-the-scenes role acting as a mentor, songwriter, and producer for other artists—like Hilary Duff, Katy Perry, and Bebe Rexha—with her own production company, Kissing Booth Music. Brooks was honored for her work in 2022 with the She Rocks Icon Award from the Women's International Music Network.

'Graduation (Friends Forever)' by Vitamin C

Vitamin C left her mark with one of the most saccharine-sweet send-offs into one-hit wonderland: her 2000 single "Graduation (Friends Forever)." If you know anyone who graduated high school or college or went to prom in the past two decades or so, you're probably intimately familiar with the song, which peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Her slightly earlier single, "Smile" managed to perform even better, hitting #18 in 1999, but it lacked the same level of pop culture fame as "Graduation (Friends Forever)." Nevertheless, it would admittedly be more accurate to call Vitamin C a two-hit wonder. These songs weren't her first foray into the spotlight either; under her real name, Colleen Fitzpatrick, she played Amber von Tussle in John Waters' 1988 cult classic "Hairspray," well before it became a musical on stage and screen.

After making it big in the mainstream, however, Fitzpatrick took a step back from center stage. Not only has she produced songs for artists such as Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus, but she became vice president of music at Nickelodeon in 2012 and then moved on to become an executive at Netflix in 2019.

'Epic' by Faith No More

Faith No More's single "Epic" hit the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1990, peaking at #9. The alternative metal band did have two other songs that cracked the Hot 100, but neither came close to the success of "Epic."

Though the band didn't have more than one mainstream hit, their influence has been felt for decades since. That's due, in large part, to Mike Patton, Faith No More's lead singer and songwriter. When the band broke up in 1998, Patton continued working in the industry, co-founding his own label, Ipecac Records, in 1999, which focuses on experimental and avant-garde music. He also collaborates with a wide variety of artists spanning genres, from Björk to Dan the Automator to The Melvins.

Eventually, Faith No More reunited in the 2000s and released a new album in 2015—but they still couldn't manage to outdo "Epic."

'Tubthumping' by Chumbawamba

You may have had little to no idea what Chumbawamba was saying in their smash "Tubthumping" in 1997, but chances are you confidently sang along to the "I get knocked down, but I get up again" part if you survived the late '90s. The hit song managed to reach #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The British rock group, which disbanded in 2012, has more than a dozen former members, but the one with perhaps the most interesting post-Chumbawamba career is Alice Nutter. Today, she is in a completely different role in entertainment: penning scripts for acclaimed shows like FX's "Trust" and "The Full Monty" adaptation for Disney+, as well as a number of BBC One series.

'California' by Phantom Planet

The 2000s were a decade when teen dramas were making big waves in the television market. Not only were the shows themselves popular, but the songs on their soundtracks would often make their way up the charts. Such was the case for the indie-rock group Phantom Planet and their song "California," which served as the theme for the smash hit series "The O.C." Phantom Planet had released the song in 2002, a year before "The O.C." premiered, but the show's debut catapulted it into the mainstream.

While the group continued to make music, and had another song make Billboard's Alternative Airways chart, nothing has quite come close to the phenomena that was "California." Many of the band members have gone on to work in entertainment in new ways.

Most well-known is drummer Jason Schwartzman, a member of Wes Anderson's unofficial acting troupe, who's appeared in movies like "Grand Budapest Hotel," "Rushmore," and "The Darjeeling Effect." He also continues to create music, both with his solo act, Coconut Records, and for TV and movies. Meanwhile, Phantom Planet bassist Sam Farrar now plays with Maroon 5.

'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley

One of the biggest songs of 2006 was Gnarls Barkley's smash single "Crazy," which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held firm on the chart for 29 weeks. The melding of electronic music with funk, hip-hop, and pop earned this genre-bending song both commercial and criminal success—including a Grammy in 2007.

The duo may not have recreated their combined success, but separately, members Ceelo Green and Danger Mouse have flourishing careers both behind and in front of the scenes. Green stayed in the limelight as one of the first coaches of "The Voice" and his own hit single, "Forget You," also reached #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 charts. Behind the scenes, Green has written songs for artists ranging from T.I. to Pixie Lott.

Danger Mouse, meanwhile, went on to form the ethereal electro group Broken Bells and he's produced music for Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gorillaz, Beck, and Norah Jones, to name a few. He now has six Grammys to his name, of 22 career nominations.

'Stacy's Mom' by Fountains of Wayne

You might not remember this band's name, but in the 2000s, you couldn't avoid hearing about Stacy's mom even if you wanted to. The 2003 earworm by Fountains of Wayne peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

"Stacy's Mom" also earned the band two Grammy nods, one for Best New Artist and another for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group, but that was the end of their Billboard and Grammy success—at least in that format. Many of the group members continued to perform, either solo or with new acts, but one, Adam Schlesinger, turned his attention to writing music for movies, television, and the stage.

Schlesinger was nominated for a Tony for scoring "Cry-Baby" in 2008, he won three Emmys in the 2010s for The CW musical series "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and for writing the opening and closing numbers for the Tonys, which were performed by Neil Patrick Harris. Though Fountains of Wayne never won that Grammy, Schlesinger earned one for his contributions to a Stephen Colbert Christmas special. Plus, he'd previously been nominated for an Oscar for co-writing the title track of the 1997 movie "That Thing You Do!" Sadly, Schlesinger's life was cut short in April 2020 when he became one of the first known names to die from COVID-19 at 52.

'Whip It' by Devo

Devo may have only had one smash hit in the '80s, but with their yellow jumpsuits and red plastic helmets, known as energy domes, the band certainly made its mark. The new wave band first formed in 1973, but it took until 1980 for them to break out with "Whip It," which peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Yes, the band did manage to have two other songs that charted—"Working in the Coal Mine" and "Theme From Doctor Detroit" in '81 and '83, respectively—but they didn't crack the top 40 and Devo eventually broke up in 1991.

They've since reunited and celebrated their smash hit with a 50th-anniversary tour in 2023, but in the meantime, lead vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh found a new career: composing for TV, movies, and video games through his production company, Mutato Muzika, which he founded in 1989. If you recall the theme songs to "Pee Wee's Playhouse" or "Rugrats," you know Mothersbaugh's work. He's also teamed up with Wes Anderson through the years, scoring "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "The Life Aquatic." More recently, if you liked what you heard music-wise in "Cocaine Bear," "Tiger King," or "Thor: Ragnarok," you have Mothersbaugh to thank, too.