Chris Isaak, One hit wonder?

I don't think one-hit wonder really applies to music today.

People who are into music don't really listen to the radio anymore, for the most part.

Also, most of today's really good artists may never have a "hit" at all. Think Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Flaming Lips, My Morning Jacket, Wilco, etc... I would bet most non-fans couldn't name a single song.

Chris Isaak has apparently been selling out concerts for a long time, so I don't think it makes him a one-hot wonder.

Debatable, depending on which chart you look at:

US Hot 100 - yes, one hit - #6

US modern Rock - no, two hits - #2 - #7

US Mainstream - yes, one hit - #10

I get your point that having a hit isn't necessary to be a great band, but come on, "Creep" was a huge hit for Radiohead!

I would say that Chris Isaak IS a one-hit wonder. What's his second hit? "Did A Very Bad Thing" was in some movies, but it wasn't a hit. That being said, it doesn't make him a bad artist.

Sorry, "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" was the name of the song. My b.

Chris seems to have gotten a lot of women, so I guess you could say he hit on a lot of wonders.

You can make the argument Isaak is a one-hit wonder because he did have one huge song (Wicked Game) and never had another song come close (although Somebody's Crying got decent airplay and Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing was featured in Eyes Wide Shut). However, a true One Hit Wonder gets the hit and then really disappears. I mean, they can keep putting out albums, but then they don't sell. I know Forever Blue went Gold and is a way better album than Wicked World (which I assume went multi-platnium). Plus, Isaak sells out in minutes pretty big venues although I think his audience is mostly middle aged women. Also, he had his own tv show for a couple of seasons was weird and kind of funny.

resident isaakologist wrote:

I know Forever Blue went Gold and is a way better album than Wicked World (which I assume went multi-platnium).

Change your screen name. It was "Heart Shaped World".

Also, San Francisco Days" and "Baja Sessions" were pretty good albums.

I always thought the song ''two hearts'' was really good and its in a good film aswell ''true romance''.

I think Chris Isaak has carved out a pretty secure place in the "Adult Contemporary" scene. I think Hollywood also has a good sense of his ability to write and sing moody, evocative songs, so I think he will always have some viability making contributions to soundtracks.

"Somebody's Crying" was a great song, by the way. I saw Isaak sing a stripped down version of it on an episode of the old MTV Beach House series. He was accompanied only by his drummer, who tapped out the rhythm on a couple of coffee mugs. It was Isaak at his best--in a perfect world he would be anything but a "one hit wonder."

Radiohead was considered the quintessential one hit wonder with their song "Creep" in the early 90s. Thank god they reinvented themselves and became one of the greatest bands of all time.