Some one-hit wonders get big out of sheer luck. Others become well-known through their inclusion on movie soundtracks. Let's take a dive into the past and revisit four one-hit wonders that were famously used in movies!
This is probably the most famous example of one-hit wonders that made it to a movie soundtrack. Only, this particular song was penned with the intention of using it as the theme song for the 1984 fantasy film The NeverEnding Story.
Performed by English synth-pop artist Limahl, the song itself is as memorable as the film. It was an international hit and even peaked at no. 17 on the US Hot 100 chart. Sadly, Limahl never got as lucky again. Several follow-up singles failed to chart in the US.
Remember M2M? No? Well, you're not alone. This Norwegian pop duo made it big on Radio Disney at the turn of the millennium with their hit "Don't Say You Love Me". The song charted well internationally and even hit no. 21 on the US Hot 100. You might remember that melody from its inclusion in the first Pokémon movie in 1999.
The band's follow-up single "Mirror Mirror" managed to make it to no. 62 on the US charts, but they never had an international hit in the Top 30 again. Though, they did continue to have success in Norway for a couple of years before disbanding in 2002.
If you were into Russian pop music in the early 2000s, you probably remember this hit and the somewhat controversial duo who sang it. "All The Things She Said" by T.A.T.u. Hit no. 1 all over Europe and made it to no. 20 on the US Hot 100 as well. This one-hit wonder got a bit of a resurgence through its inclusion in the Sean Baker film Anora from 2024.
T.A.T.u. charted well with singles through the early 2000s, but they failed to chart as well in the US (or elsewhere, really) again. Though, the 2004 song "Not Gonna Get Us" did pretty well across the board, though not nearly as well as "All The Things She Said".
One-hit wonders usually just make it to one or two movie soundtracks if they're lucky. "Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer made it to a movie soundtrack and has also been brought back to life numerous times through the years via covers.
Best known as the theme song for the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop, "Axel F" has also been covered and sampled by Techno Cop, Clock, Psy, Murphy Brown and Captain Hollywood, and Crazy Frog.
Photo by Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images