Many of the musical artists that I like fall under this category.  They have one big hit that plays on the radio a million times and which everyone loves, and then you never hear from them again, unless…

…you go out and find other music by them and listen to it, which is what I sometimes do, and then all of a sudden I find they have lots of songs that I grow to like.  Some examples (warning: links go to MTV.com’s music video library):

Band: Simple Minds
Their Big Hit: Don’t You Forget About Me (from The Breakfast Club soundtrack)
Somewhat Popular Songs: Alive and Kicking, Sanctify Yourself

Simple Minds has always been bigger in Europe than in the U.S., except perhaps for their 15 minutes of fame with their hit song.  They have had the same longevity as U2, a band they were once compared to often, but they never struck gold again.

Their songs are generally darker than U2′s and more melancholy, but not in the same way that you get depressed listening to The Cure, if you know what I mean.

If you want to check them out, try one of their Best-Of albums or Street Fighting Years.

Band: Donna Lewis
Her Big Hit: I Love You, Always Forever
Somewhat Popular Songs: Without Love

Katie will bristle at me publicizing the fact that I like Donna Lewis’ music, but there it is.  Her voice is impossibly high and too breathey and she slides her vowels all the time (“you” sounds like yuh-ooh), breaking a rule of classical voice training, and listening to her music could hardly be called manly, but hey–just call it my softer side!

Other songs of hers worth checking out: Love and Affection, Agenais (written for her two nieces), Falling, Lay Me Down (reminiscent of Psalm 23), Don’t Ever, and 1,000 Miles.  Pandora.com will play most of these songs if you add her as an artist to your station.

Band: The Dream Academy
One Big Hit: Life in a Northern Town
Somewhat Popular Songs: The Edge of Forever

This was a classic 80s one-hit-wonder band who had a lovely sound, though they didn’t stay around for that long.  The Edge of Forever is played in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (when Ferris is saying good-bye to his girlfriend before running through the backyards to beat his parents home).

The three main members’ musical talent was quite elaborate, and in particular Kate St. John plays (I believe) the oboe in a song called Here that you can listen to on Pandora.com..  Life in a Northern Town makes me want to move to England and live the nostalgia of a bucolic old town.  Cheesy? Yes!

I could list more, but I am beginning to get embarrassed by revealing how much pop culture I have absorbed over the years.  Anways, you get the idea.

So, do you have any one-hit-wonder bands that you have followed over the years and become a general fan of?  Are you courageous enough to share them?