What goes wrong with "one hit wonders?"

[Dan South]

Why do they disappear immediately after getting the break of their lives?

[KenElevenShadows]

A lot of times, it's about novelty. Sometimes, one can transcend that. Beck managed to, after having a big hit with "Loser", which could have led to one-hit wonder status. This is largely because of his marketing smarts, extreme talent, and so forth. Radiohead transcended "Creep" with some stunning work. Both had an opportunity to be one-hit wonders but really were able to work around that by creating interesting, compelling, vibrant work that was slightly left-of-center instead of regurgitating the same mess again. I won't deny the threepeat -- Lakers fan. I have a gig tonight at Hear Music in Santa Monica, or else I'd be watching them this evening!

[rickpowell]

Here's a true story about a friend. Finally gets a break, joins band with recording contract. They do a record produced by big name LA producer. Just as the record starts going, label president passes away. Still manages to have a minor hit single which was also a movie title track, but label folds and so does the band. Gets a second break years later. New label pours money into new band. Just as their new record starts to break, the music scene goes into an abrupt change. Single still got a good bit of airplay, but 2nd record is shelved because it doesn't fit in with the times. Gets yet another break. Supergroup has plans to replace a member who doesn't want to tour. Just as they are about to make the move, the original member wants back in. Of course, they take the old member back and proceed to make a fairly successful record. My explanation? Sometimes, it's all about the timing. RP

[Tedster]

Funny, I think there probably are about as many reasons as there are one-hit-wonders. Rick Powell hit on a lot of them. I've heard of bands that are fighting so frequently they've broken up before their song hits. If you can find the Bubble Puppy site, there's an anatomy of the record company induced downward spiral of a one-hit wonder ("Hot Smoke and Sassafras"...circa '69. Try [url=http://bubblepuppy.com]bubblepuppy.com[/url] )Often, the band just doesn't have that much accessible material. I like Tom Hanks' movie "That Thing You Do" as a very plausible story about the demise of a fictional one hit wonder group.

[Franknputer]

Leave out the www - [url=http://bubblepuppy.com]you must see these guys\' hair! [/url] :D

[Tedster]

Yeah, read Rod Prince's "The Tale of the Puppy". Hair. Ahhh..the good ol' days! :D :D :D

[coyote]

I don't think *anything* goes wrong with them - they all have one more hit than I ever had

[fantasticsound]

I think it's easy to make a hypothesis about the demise of one hit wonders, but in the end there are almost as many reasons as one hit wonders. Some groups have one hit. Some groups have label/management problems. Some groups can't get along when fame hits. Some groups make poor decisions regarding their future. Some groups don't translate well live, which can turn off the audience before the next song hits. Audiences can be fickle. They like the first song, but hate or are indifferent to the next one. We tend to forget the adage; Money doesn't make life's problems go away. When life gets in the way of a group of people (musicians or otherwise), it rarely helps that the members have success, fame, and fortune. Achieving that level of fame often [i]causes[/i] more problems than it solves.

[suWeW]

sgurd

[LiveMusic]

I don't know why but about a year ago, I asked the same question and there were many responses. You might find the thread in a search.

[InsightPro]

Here's another reason to go along with the list we have already... Most bands have to work for years before making it big. This gives them plenty of time to write new songs and come up with new material. When they get their break and get into the studio to record their first album, they have years worth of songs to choose from. The best songs get chosen to make the first album as good as possible. If the album is a hit, they go into the studio again to record a follow-up shortly after, and it flops because because they either (a) don't have any good songs left, or (b) the record company wants the new album to be finished before the artist can write any new material for the album. I'll bet that there's alot of pressure involved in that situation too. Not only from the record company and fans, but also from yourself to strive to do better than before. --Matt

[rickpowell]

[quote]Originally posted by InsightPro: [b]Here's another reason to go along with the list we have already... Most bands have to work for years before making it big. This gives them plenty of time to write new songs and come up with new material. When they get their break and get into the studio to record their first album, they have years worth of songs to choose from. The best songs get chosen to make the first album as good as possible. If the album is a hit, they go into the studio again to record a follow-up shortly after, and it flops because because they either (a) don't have any good songs left, or (b) the record company wants the new album to be finished before the artist can write any new material for the album. I'll bet that there's alot of pressure involved in that situation too. Not only from the record company and fans, but also from yourself to strive to do better than before. --Matt[/b][/quote]Aaaahhh... The dreaded "Sophomore Slump". You've got your whole life to do your first record, and 6 months to do the follow-up. I recall another true story about another "artist" I worked with... It was a project that cost well over a quarter million dollars when all was said & done...and it took 6 years to complete. They had 11 songs, I think. Anyway, they did a showcase in LA in front of 30 or 40 label execs. The general response was, "It's OK, but do you have more material?" Ummm...if it took 6 years to do 11 songs, it was obvious the well was dry for "more material". And the project, and all the finances that had been poured into it, vanished into thin air. RP RP

[Anderton]

Actually, I think you have it backward! The question is more like "What goes right to make a one-hit wonder?" In other words, I think the average group is not successful, then for one brief moment, connects (timing, luck, skill, whatever) and gets a hit. So when they don't get another hit, they're basically returning to their natural state. It's like everyone is flipped out in the record biz because sales are down. Perhaps it's more the case that sales have been unnaturally high the past decade, and things are returning to normal.

[Skip_dup1]

commercial music has saturated everything. I turn on the television thinking it`s MTV, and it`s a freakin orange juice commercial. It`s a lot harder to rise above sea level and stay there. all media have the problem of rising production costs these days. To market a huge hit costs so much, that to make the money back you need a second or even third album just as huge.

[Tedster]

Yeah, Craig and Coyote have it right. For some inexplicable reason, the stars line up in a favorable order, and the band has a hit. They then return to their natural state. Tedster... No hits..no runs...uh...a lot of errors. Hey, there's my new signature.

[strat0124]

Must be kinda of like getting married at 18, then realizing at 25 how much you thought you missed or lost. Dunno....all I know I could tell you at least fifteen or twenty stories locally of bad bizness being done TO bands in the midst of a deal.....all asking the same question...WHERE DID THE MONEY GO? Take the money and run....fo sho.