These 12 Artists Reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 With Their First Hit — Then Never Made the Chart Again
From The Jaynetts to Nicki French to the Shop Boyz, Hot 100 history is full of one-hit wonders whose lone chart stop was to the runner-up spot.
Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Missy Elliott, Dua Lipa, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Isley Brothers are just a few of the iconic artists who have experienced the close call of reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 without ever securing the top spot. While they may not have tasted the glory of a No. 1 hit, they have had the unique opportunity to explore the rest of the chart multiple times throughout their illustrious careers.
(Find our staff's list of 100 favorite No. 2 hits, including these classic hitmakers, and read 15 fascinating facts about those hits here.) Unfortunately, not all artists who reach No. 2 on their debut entry are so lucky. Over the past 70 years, more than a dozen artists have achieved this feat with their first-ever Hot 100 entry and then failed to return to the chart.
These artists, despite going on to achieve other notable successes in their careers, are considered true one-hit wonders on the Hot 100, as they only managed to crack the code once and couldn't replicate the success. Unlike true one-hit wonders such as Zager & Evans, Crazy Town, and Daniel Powter, these artists also had to settle for the silver lining of their single entry.
However, the challenge they faced in returning to the Hot 100 highlights the incredible accomplishment of even making it onto the chart, let alone being just one spot away from the pinnacle. Today, we pay tribute to 12 artists whose sole representation on the Hot 100 comes in the form of a No. 2 hit, listed in chronological order.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
