Welcome back to the retro airwaves as we turn back the dial to 1987 to count down twelve massive top-forty hits from artists who ruled American radio exactly once.
Grab your leg warmers and adjust your antenna because we are blasting back to 1987, an unforgettable era of neon windbreakers, cassette decks, and massive radio hits. While mega-stars dominated the charts, a select group of acts managed to capture lightning in a bottle with a single undeniable track before quietly fading from the top forty. Here is our countdown of twelve genuine late-eighties hits by artists widely remembered in America as classic one-hit wonders.
Cutting Crew scored a dramatic chart-topper when (I Just) Died in Your Arms scaled the US Billboard Hot 100 to reach number 1 in May 1987. With its booming power-ballad production and unforgettable chorus, the track encapsulated the slick synth-rock sound that dominated late-eighties radio. It proved to be the band's solitary mega-hit in America, leaving an enduring mark on retro playlists everywhere.
Sources: Wikipedia · Photo: Mattlegg42 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Club Nouveau took the classic Bill Withers soul ballad and gave it a futuristic go-go beat, propelling Lean on Me all the way to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1987. The vibrant remake captured the decade's obsession with dance-pop reinvention while earning a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. Though the group stayed active in the club scene, this infectious cover remains their defining moment on the American pop charts.
Sources: Wikipedia · Photo: TheLabTech / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Originally recorded live in 1981, At This Moment achieved unexpected stardom after being featured on the hit television sitcom Family Ties. Driven by prime-time exposure, Billy Vera and the Beaters watched their blue-eyed soul ballad rise to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1987. The emotional track defined the era's love for TV-driven chart comebacks, giving the band their single taste of top-tier pop success.
Sources: Wikipedia
Georgia Satellites brought raw Southern rock back to top-forty radio with Keep Your Hands to Yourself, which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1987. Featuring a classic three-chord boogie riff and humorous lyrics about marriage demands, the tune provided a gritty contrast to the polished synth-pop of the day. It stands as the ultimate hair-metal-era bar-band anthem, remaining the group's lone top-forty smash in the United States.
Sources: Wikipedia
Irish singer Chris de Burgh delivered the ultimate slow-dance staple with The Lady in Red, which climbed to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1987. Synthesizers and drum machines backed a melodramatic vocal performance that became a staple of high school proms and romantic mix tapes. While de Burgh enjoyed a long international career, this soft-rock ballad served as his sole major hit single in America.
Sources: Wikipedia · Photo: Stefan Brending (2eight) / CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
British new wave outfit T'Pau made a dramatic entry into the American market when Heart and Soul rode a popular jeans commercial all the way to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987. Carol Decker's rhythmic vocal overdubs and catchy synth hooks captured the energetic spirit of peak-eighties MTV broadcasts. The band went on to dominate European charts, but this pulsing track remains their standalone top-forty hit in the States.
Sources: Wikipedia
Synth-pop duo The System crafted a smooth R&B crossover masterpiece with Don't Disturb This Groove, which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1987. The song combined lush electronic textures with soulful vocals, defining the sophisticated late-night sound of late-eighties pop radio. Despite writing and producing hits for other artists, this silky track was the duo's only top-ten pop single under their own name.
Sources: Wikipedia
Swing Out Sister injected pure optimism into the airwaves with Breakout, a sophisticated pop track that reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1987. Corinne Drewery's uplifting vocals paired with bright brass arrangements to showcase the sleek sophisti-pop style booming across radio stations. The track earned a Grammy nomination and remains the group's signature single for American listeners.
Sources: Wikipedia · Photo: CorinneDrewerySOS06.jpg: Carl Lender at https://www.flickr.com/photos/clender/ AndyConnellSOS06.jpg: Carl Lender at https://www.flickr.com/photos/clender/ derivative work: FotoPhest (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
New York dance-pop outfit Breakfast Club rode a funky bassline and bright synths straight to number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1987 with Right on Track. Co-written by former Madonna collaborators Dan Gilroy and Stephen Bray, the song reflected the high-energy club sound taking over pop culture. Though the group featured incredible musical lineage, this infectious dance-pop cut proved to be their lone top-forty success in America.
Sources: Wikipedia
Philadelphia dance group Pretty Poison scored a massive crossover hit with Catch Me (I'm Falling), which climbed to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1987. Featured prominently on the soundtrack for the film Hiding Out, the track fused freestyle beats with heavy MTV rotation. Vocalist Jade Starling delivered an energetic performance that encapsulated the late-eighties dance-pop phenomenon before the group receded from mainstream radio charts.
Sources: Wikipedia
British pop band Living in a Box accomplished the rare feat of sharing their name with both their debut album and their hit single, which reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987. Driven by Richard Darbyshire's soulful vocals and a pounding synth beat, the track captured the punchy production style of mid-eighties UK imports. The group scored additional hits across the Atlantic, but this catchy anthem served as their solo top-forty appearance in the United States.
Sources: Wikipedia
Miami freestyle group Company B brought Latin dance-pop into the mainstream when Fascinated reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1987. Produced by Ish Ledesma, the track topped the club charts before crossing over to pop radio with its hypnotic synth riffs and vocal harmonies. It established the Miami freestyle sound on national airwaves, standing as the trio's solitary entry into the US top forty.
Sources: Wikipedia
Adjust your tracking and tell us which of these 1987 earworms was your ultimate summer jam. Drop a comment with the track that still rules your cassette deck, or pass this neon-soaked nostalgia trip along to your favorite child of the eighties.
The Common Clickbait crew who watch too much so you do not have to. Fueled by nostalgia, cheap snacks, and an unhealthy need to be right about the ending.
Which 1987 one-hit wonder is still stuck in your head? The comments are open.
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