'80s One (Or Two) Hit Wonders
Every decade, a new batch of songs rockets up the pop charts, bringing quick fame and wild glory to the artists who sing them. And, just as inevitably, those split-second chart toppers usually slink quietly back into obscurity in the years that follow their One Big Hit. Perhaps no decade produced more momentary Mozarts than the 1980s.
Cynics will say the songs from this era are drivel — that artistic integrity was low on a list of guiding concerns. I say, “Shame on you.” Men Without Hats, Katrina and the Waves and the Dream Academy are never going to be confused with Dylan or Springsteen — but who says that’s a bad thing? Everyone needs the occasional escape from reality, and these songs offered a few minutes of mindless fun to help blot out the specter of the Cold War and the rapidly-escalating arms race. Consider this your personal time machine back to the decade of acid-wash, popped collars and fleeting stardom.
