They had one big hit, and then...?
In September 1985, the Norwegian band released a revolutionary music video 'Take on Me', which achieved worldwide success. It ranked first in the charts of 15 countries and won several awards. A few smaller hits came after that (for example, 'Hunting High and Low') but the sensation of that song and video was never equaled.
'You're Beautiful' became immensely famous in the world in 2005. A catchy ballad that made its singer sell over five million records. He still had a few hits afterward, and he's certainly not irrelevant, but a song like 'You're Beautiful'? Nope.
One of the most imitated choreographies of the 1990s was that of the song 'Saturday Night.' However, don't look for any more hits from 'Whigfield', because they're going to be hard to find.
'What is Love?' is a legend of disco music from the 90s. Play it and you'll feel as if it hasn't been that long since it came out.
The year 2012 was the year of 'Gangnam Style.' The PSY phenomenon took K-Pop to every corner of the planet. His music video was the most watched on YouTube at the time. After that, PSY was forgotten and he even lost all his fortune.
A respected composer, he released his first album in 1997, including the single 'Save Tonight.' That song rocked audiences for the next two decades. His career as a singer did not advance and a second success never came.
This band had a French name, sang in English, and they were actually Italian. Their song: 'Blue (Da Ba Dee).' Yes, you will hear that in your head for the next couple of hours. It achieved fame in 1998 and no other Eiffel 65 song could surpass it.
One of the most clearly marketed bands in history was formed by Lena Katina and Yulia Vólokova. Their group t.A.T.u. revolutionized Russia and the rest of the world with 'All the Things She Said' in 2002. Despite stories about the members' romance, they later confessed that they never were a couple.
The appearance of Conchita Wurst broke all the expectations of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest and their song 'Rise Like a Phoenix' also became a deserved number one. You could hear it around the world for months, but then the hype faded.
In 1997, the Australian singer conquered the world with 'Torn.' The star's bright blue eyes, her modern haircut, and the iconic video helped the song thrive. She is still active in music but never managed to repeat that success.
Although the lyrics of 'Mambo Nº 5' would be frowned upon today, Lou Bega burst into the charts when he launched it in 2000. What the artist really did was adapt an old song by Pérez Prado.
The singer's name may not be familiar to many people. On the other hand, if we say 'Don't Worry, Be Happy', everyone will remember who this man is.
Another worldwide success whose sound we'll never forget is 'Ice Ice Baby.' Several versions of this song have been made and Vanilla Ice has been living from those for over three decades.
To talk about this band is to talk about nothing less and nothing more than 'Macarena'. The song triumphed for 14 weeks on the Billboard charts at the time it was released.
'Achy Breaky Heart' was launched in 1992 and has enlightened weddings, graduations, and millions of people's first introductions to country music. Billy Ray Cyrus also made a name for himself in the series 'Hannah Montana', alongside his famous daughter Miley Cyrus.
There was enormous talent in its 1998 album 'Urban Hymns', which included 'Bitter Sweet Symphony.' While the song will last forever, the band fell apart due to internal conflicts.
He rocked 2011 with 'Somebody that I used to know', the hymn of a generation. And then.... what happened to Gotye?
More than 40 years in music, 3 Grammy Awards, 20 million records sold and no one knows any other song from this Cuban musician besides 'Just Another Day' (1992).
'Cheerleader' was one of the most-played songs of 2015, thanks to its promotion by Syco Music, the label of producer Simon Cowell. Omi disappeared from the map after the hit gave way to another hype (which was not his).
The Swedish band played 'Lovefool', one of the themes of the film 'Romeo + Juliet' (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes). It gained instant cult status. The Cardigans made other known songs, like 'My Favorite Game' and 'Erase and Rewind,' but they never had as big an audience as that other song.
"The roof is on fire." Remember? This funny rock band made 'The Bad Touch,' an album full of songs that would be considered inappropriate today. However, in 1999 it sounded in TV shows and series, films, and in the sound systems of thousands of people. The band never managed to repeat this success.
'The Wonders' is the name of a film released in 1995, which tells the story of a band of the same name. Its only success was 'That thing you do!' While the soundtrack made phenomenal sales, the band never really existed.
'Mmmbop' reached the top of 27 countries' charts and was a never-repeated success by this group of brothers.
Kevin Lyttle sang 'Turn Me On' in 2001, but it was not until 2003 that the music started making waves in the UK. Then, within months, his Caribbean rhythm spread to the rest of the world.
Lara Fabian's ballad-turns-dance-song 'I Will Love Again' bombarded the world in 1999. Both her success and her downfall came quickly.
With an aesthetic of the 70s, an incredible voice, and a passionate R&B and neo-soul sound, Macy Gray had everything to succeed in the new century. Her biggest hit was 'I Try', released in 2001, and it was also her first hit.
Just like Macy Gray, Blink 182 is not a one-day-fly, but it has definitely struggled to repeat the success of its biggest hit: 'All the Small Things' in 2000.
Gorillaz is a parallel project of Blur singer Damon Albarn. It's a virtual band and has somewhat of a cult status. The success of its first single, 'Clint Eastwood' in 2001, has never been repeated, but it still has a loyal following of dance and dub-hip-hop fans.