4 On-Hit Wonder Bands That Disappeared After Their Hit Song

The music industry isn’t very forgiving of one-hit wonders who try to get another taste of stardom. Many vanish nearly as fast as they came, leaving only their one major hit as their legacy, though some can stay. Have you ever wondered what happened to those artists after their brief fame? Let’s examine some noteworthy instances to find out what happened to them after their little moment in the spotlight!

1. The Buggles
The famous song that launched MTV in 1981, “Video Killed The Radio Star,” is likely familiar to everyone who grew up watching the network. This 1979 synth-pop success, however, was The Buggles’ lone Top 10 single and their only entry on the U.S. list, despite its enormous effect. Following the success of the video, the band’s prominence swiftly diminished. After their second album failed, Trevor Horn turned his attention to producing, and they played their final show on a Dutch TV show in 1982. Horn and Geoff Downes have periodically reteamed for special performances as The Buggles, despite their decline in popularity.

2. Zager And Evans
With their number-one single, “In The Year 2525,” Zager and Evans soared to stardom in the late 1960s. Although they appeared to be headed for more success, the psych-pop and folk-rock duo failed to sustain their commercial momentum and parted in 1971. Denny Zager started building handcrafted guitars in Nebraska after the breakup. Sadly, Rick Evans died in 2018. Their legendary single from the late 1960s ensures that their legacy endures despite their limited period of fame.

3. Richie Valens
The exuberant rendition of a traditional Mexican folk song, “La Bamba,” which Richie Valens made popular in 1958, is what made him most famous. “La Bamba” was Valens’ lone Top 20 song, though he had a few additional charting hits, including in the US and Australia. Tragic events in 1959 put Valens on course for even more. He perished in a plane crash with pilot Roger Peterson, Buddy Holly, and J.P. Richardson when he was only 17. Known as “The Day the Music Died,” the incident later served as the inspiration for Don McLean’s well-known song “American Pie,” which was released in 1971.

4. Bobby Fuller
Bobby Fuller is most known for his band, The Bobby Fuller Four, and their 1964 cover of The Crickets’ “I Fought The Law,” which went on to become a Top 10 success. Unfortunately, Fuller passed just a few months later from unexplained causes. The cause of death was unknown, however, his body was found in a car parked outside his residence. Both “accident” and “suicide” were noted by the medical examiner as potential explanations, but the actual cause is still unknown. The terrible mystery of Fuller’s narrative has been further compounded by speculation regarding his death and possible participation from the mafia or Charles Manson.