10 One-Hit Wonder Musicians Who Were Poorer Than You Know

Being a one-hit wonder sounds like a dream come true—until you realize how complicated it actually is. Imagine pouring your heart into music, finally striking gold with a chart-topping hit, only to never land another one. That single song might define your career, but it also becomes a heavy shadow when success doesn’t strike twice.

Sure, that one track may still get radio play or pop up in a movie soundtrack, bringing in a bit of cash here and there. But while we don’t expect one-hit wonders to be millionaires, it’s easy to assume they’re at least comfortable from the success of that song.

In reality, many of these artists saw surprisingly little money from their big moment. From bad contracts to unexpected costs, here are the stories behind some of the most famous one-hit wonders—and how that massive hit didn’t always lead to a massive payday.

Norman Greenbaum
In 1969, Norman Greenbaum struck gold with “Spirit in the Sky,” a fuzzed-out, bluesy rock anthem with gospel-inspired lyrics that sounded like nothing else on the radio. The song shot to No. 1 in the U.K. and hit No. 3 in the U.S., making it his only real chart success—either solo or with his earlier group, Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band, best known for the quirky tune “The Eggplant That Ate Chicago.”

But “Spirit in the Sky” had serious staying power. Since the ’80s, it’s popped up in over 100 movies, shows, and commercials. Greenbaum, who originally held the song’s publishing rights, earned well from its popularity—about $10,000 every time it’s used on-screen, even after selling the rights.

By the mid-2000s, he was living modestly in Santa Rosa, California, telling The New York Times, “It’s not like it’s made me rich, as you can see. But because of ‘Spirit in the Sky,’ I don’t have to work. So in that sense, it’s a comfortable living.”

Toni Basil
Toni Basil’s “Mickey” is pure 1980s magic—one of the first songs to blow up with the help of a flashy music video. Released in 1982, the song’s cheerleader-style chant, paired with Basil’s choreography and direction, turned it into a No. 1 hit in the U.S. A former cheerleader and well-established choreographer, Basil knew how to create a visual moment. Unfortunately, her chart-topping success didn’t repeat, and she never landed another song in the Top 40.

But even with “Mickey” everywhere—from movies to commercials—Basil didn’t see much of the cash. The track was originally recorded as “Kitty” by British band Racey, and since Basil didn’t write the original, the royalties went to Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn. On top of that, Basil claimed she was shorted on what she was owed and filed a lawsuit in 2017 to get her rights back. She finally won her case in 2022, reclaiming control of the hit that made her a pop culture icon.

Sugarhill Gang
Back in 1979, rap was still underground—mostly buzzing around New York clubs—when Sylvia Robinson, co-owner of Sugar Hill Records, saw Lovebug Starski rapping over the beat from Chic’s “Good Times.” Sensing something huge, she quickly formed the Sugarhill Gang and brought them into the studio. The result? “Rapper’s Delight”—a fun, freestyle mix of rhymes that launched hip-hop into the mainstream. It became the first rap hit single, hitting No. 36 on the pop chart and No. 4 on the R&B chart.

But while the song changed music forever, the group didn’t see much cash from it. Chic’s Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards successfully demanded co-writing credit for the borrowed beat, and Robinson gave herself a writing credit too—snagging a big share of the royalties. Meanwhile, Wonder Mike and Master Gee were locked into restrictive contracts, earning just $250,000 combined over three decades from the massive hit that helped define a genre.

3rd Bass
During the ’80s, 3rd Bass came up strong in New York’s early hip-hop scene. The trio built street cred with three solid albums before scoring their biggest hit in 1991 with “Pop Goes the Weasel.” The track—a sharp diss aimed at Vanilla Ice—climbed into the Top 30 across Billboard’s pop, R&B, and dance charts, riding high on its bold message and clever wordplay.

When the group split, MC Serch went solo, while Pete Nice (aka Peter J. Nash) took his passion for baseball in a surprising direction. He spent seven years researching and writing Baseball Legends of Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, spotlighting forgotten heroes buried in the historic site. He also published Boston’s Royal Rooters and ran a memorabilia shop near the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

But things didn’t end on a high note—Nash was hit with lawsuits over fake memorabilia and tax fraud charges, clouding his second act off the mic.

Willa Ford
Willa Ford hit the scene in the early 2000s during the tail end of the TRL era. She was riding the pop wave built by stars like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Her 2001 debut album, Willa Was Here, gave her one major hit—“I Wanna Be Bad,” which climbed to No. 22 on the charts. But just as her career was gaining steam, fate stepped in.

“A lot of people don’t realize this, but my second single was released on September 11, 2001,” Ford told Billboard. “Everything that happened that day froze; the world stood still, as it should have. My second single didn’t do well because anything that launched that day kind of got canned.” With momentum lost, her label shelved her second album.

Ford pivoted to acting, showing up in shows like Raising Dad and Leverage, and even starred in Friday the 13th and The Anna Nicole Smith Story. These days, she runs her own interior design business, WFord Interiors.

Frank Stallone
A band called Valentine dropped an album in 1978 that barely made a ripple. But a few years later, one of its members—Frank Stallone—landed a surprise solo hit with “Far From Over,” a high-energy anthem featured in Staying Alive, the sequel to Saturday Night Fever. The film was directed by none other than his big brother, Sylvester Stallone. The song reached No. 10 on the charts and became Frank’s one and only major hit.

Sly continued to give his brother a hand, featuring Frank’s songs in films like Paradise Alley, several Rocky movies, and Over the Top. Still, the spotlight never stuck. By 2008, Frank admitted he was struggling financially. “I was pretty broke at the time; I didn’t have any money,” he told Metro while discussing his stint on Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling.

In 2024, he even turned to Instagram to sell off parts of his prized guitar collection.

The Vapors
The Vapors made a splash in 1980 with their quirky New Wave hit “Turning Japanese.” The song, which tells the story of a guy obsessing over a lost love, was catchy—but also controversial. It featured a stereotypical “Asian” riff and lyrics that hinted at more than just heartbreak. Despite that, it climbed to the Top 5 in the U.K. and cracked the Top 40 in the U.S.

But lightning didn’t strike twice. Follow-up singles fizzled, and after their second album tanked in 1981, the band called it quits.

Years later, in the 2020s, The Vapors reunited and released new music independently. Meanwhile, frontman Dave Fenton took a very different path—he went back to law school, eventually becoming a full-time attorney. He even served as the in-house lawyer for the U.K.’s Musicians’ Union until his retirement. From rock stages to legal briefs, Fenton found a second act that was just as impactful.

Joey Scarbury
Joey Scarbury may not be a household name, but if you were watching TV in the early ’80s, you definitely know his voice. He sang the uplifting theme to The Greatest American Hero, the superhero comedy about a clueless teacher and his alien-made suit. The track, “Believe It or Not,” soared up the charts in 1981, hitting No. 2 on the pop chart and No. 3 on adult contemporary.

Though Scarbury recorded other songs for the show—like “When She Dances” and “The River’s Song”—none matched the success of that one iconic hit. By 1984, his recording career had mostly wrapped.

Still, that one theme song paid off. “I made the money back a hundredfold in residuals and royalties,” Scarbury told Noblemania. “I’ll go a year and make $3,000 and the next year tens of thousands.” In the 2010s, he shifted gears entirely, managing a car dealership in Santa Monica.

Jamie Walters
Jamie Walters hit the jackpot early—both in music and acting. He starred as Alex O’Brien, a hopeful rocker, on The Heights, a short-lived Fox series created by the Beverly Hills, 90210 team. Though the show didn’t last long, its theme song “How Do You Talk to an Angel” soared to No. 1 on the pop chart in 1992—just a week before the show got canceled.

A couple years later, Walters landed a role on 90210 and dropped a solo single, “Hold On,” which cracked the Top 20 pop chart and made it into the Top 10 on adult contemporary. With one hit as part of a fictional band and another as a solo artist, Walters pulled off a rare feat: becoming a double one-hit wonder.

But instead of chasing stardom, he made a bold life pivot. In 2002, he became a Los Angeles firefighter and paramedic. “I’m thankful that I was able to switch gears and do something that I’m proud of and that my kids find interesting and cool,” he told The U.S. Sun in 2024.

Dexys Midnight Runners
“Come On Eileen” wasn’t your typical pop hit—but that’s probably why it stood out. With fiddles, banjos, and an upbeat Celtic vibe, Dexys Midnight Runners blended old-school rock, American R&B, and folk influences under frontman Kevin Rowland’s quirky vision. Dressed like newsboys from the 1920s, the band managed to knock Michael Jackson off the No. 1 spot in 1983, right in the middle of his Thriller reign.

While they scored several more hits in the U.K., nothing else came close in the U.S. And after 1986, their chart success faded. For Rowland, the high didn’t last—he burned through his earnings on drugs, lost his London home, and filed for bankruptcy by 1987.

Still, “Come On Eileen” lives on as one of the most beloved one-hit wonders of the ‘80s—rowdy, joyful, and unforgettable.