Can you live off the royalties of a one-hit wonder?
It’s almost impossible to predict the fleeting appeal of a singular tune until it is out in the ether, fate-ridden by the brutal hands of the outside world. While some knowingly create hits based on cultural trends and social media fads, the only way of truly knowing whether a musician’s appeal will be condensed into a one-hit wonder is when it actually happens. Otherwise, it’s a mystery.
By definition, the lasting appeal of a one-hit wonder is that in itself—these are undeniably good songs, ones that hooked into audience interests and culture in inexplicable ways, sometimes coming back around at various points in the following years and making their way up the charts once again. This is also why many hitmakers who created Christmas tunes in the 1970s and 1980s still enjoy a steady stream of royalties, year on year.
It’s also why some manage to get by on the popularity of one individual tune, its lasting appeal deeply rooted in society’s firm grip enough to line their pockets nicely, even if the rest of their discography pales in comparison to the quality of the defining track. That said, the best-selling one-hit wonder of all time, Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ is something of an anomaly, as its popularity had the adverse effect on its singer, who decided to withdraw from the mainstream instead of pursuing momentum.
Elsewhere, however, there are countless quintessential examples of one-hit wonders, from
Luis Fonsi’s ‘Despacito’ and PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’ to Alannah Myles’s ‘Black Velvet’, each varying in the degrees of impact and the knock-on effect it had on their broader material and lasting legacy. While there are grey areas, like Carly Rae Jepsen after her ‘Call Me Maybe’ breakthrough, the concept has the potential to be exceptionally profitable as well as culturally significant.
Can musicians live off one-hit wonders?
Similar to questionable writers with one global best-selling series, it’s entirely possible for musicians to live off one-hit wonders. This is particularly evident for ones whose hits circle back every so often, whether due to seasonal interest or other, more inexplicable cultural moments that bring interest back to the fore once again. However, this is considerably harder to achieve and even rarer to sustain.
While some are easy to understand, like Mariah Carey reportedly earning $2.5 to $3million per year in royalties for ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’, other instances, the ones without global appeal, struggle to grasp onto longevity past the initial popularity. For instance, massive songs like ‘Macarena’ and ‘Ice Ice Baby’ will continually hold interest, while others might at first, only to wane after a certain period of time.
Still, achieving a one-hit wonder is less than desirable for countless musicians and is avoided by many. Although it has the potential to stabilise income for a more extended period of time, the impact on a legacy is arguably negative. For instance, many long for sustainable success and the ability to connect with audiences beyond a singular hit, and one-hit wonders, although financially viable, seem like a far lonelier path to take.
