One-hit-wonders
This 1999 Latin-pop hit was actually a remake of a 1950s instrumental by the same name, with the artist adding lyrics and a playful roster of female names.
Mambo No. 5 - Lou Bega
Curtis Mayfield – ‘Move On Up’:
The triumphant horns and uplifting rhythm from this 1970 soul classic later powered one of the biggest hip-hop hits of the 2000s.
Kanye West – ‘Touch The Sky’
Written and recorded by a great American country music artist, this song was inspired by a red-headed bank clerk who flirted with her husband.
Juline Whelan (Jolene - Dolly Parton) - 5 seconds in
This late-’90s pop anthem became a defining boyband sing-along, even though its lyrics famously make very little sense.
Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way
This 2003 rock anthem features a riff so distinctive it’s been chanted in sports stadiums worldwide — though it’s actually played on a guitar, not a bass.
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
The artist wrote this 2002 piano-driven hit when she was just 19, inspired by a crush and her move to Los Angeles — the song almost didn’t make it onto the radio.
A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton
Edwin Birdsong – ‘Cola Bottle Baby’:
This 1979 funk experiment, packed with futuristic synths and slap bass, resurfaced decades later as the backbone of a global electronic and hip-hop crossover hit.
Daft Punk – ‘Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger’
Written by a great singer-songwriter, this song describes a woman who has been attacked in her apartment and the search for the attacker. The name was inspired by a dummy used in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Trainees learn to say "____, are you OK?" while practicing resuscitation on the dummy.
Resusci Anne / Annie (Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson) - 37 seconds in
Released in 2000, this hit is instantly recognizable from its staccato intro and iconic synchronized dance moves.
*NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye
Although it’s often mistaken for a bassline, Brian May’s guitar helped drive this 1980 funk-rock hit alongside John Deacon’s famous bass groove.
Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
The song became iconic not just for its synth riff but also for its groundbreaking sketch-animation music video, which won six MTV Video Music Awards.
Take On Me - a-ha
Chic – ‘Good Times’:
The bassline from this disco-era groove was lifted nearly note-for-note to create what’s widely considered the first commercially successful rap song.
The Sugarhill Gang – ‘Rapper’s Delight’
This British artist, who has also produced Uptown Funk, borrowed the lyrics from lead vocalist and guitarist Dave McCabe from indie rock outfit the Zutons, who was inspired by a makeup artist of this name.
Valerie Star (Valerie - Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse) - 28 seconds in
This upbeat cover helped an Irish boyband score one of their biggest hits by reimagining a classic song from the 1980s.
Westlife - Uptown Girl
Distorted power chords and quiet-loud dynamics made the opening riff of this 1991 grunge anthem the defining sound of Generation X.
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
This early-2000s global dance hit topped charts across Europe and beyond, featuring a famously catchy — and mostly nonsensical — chorus that had everyone attempting the same dance moves.
The Ketchup Song (Aserejé) – Las Ketchup
Bill Withers – ‘Grandma’s Hands’:
The bluesy guitar and handclaps from this tender 1971 soul tune were flipped into a silky R&B anthem that topped the charts in the ’90s.
Blackstreet – ‘No Diggity’
Inspired by either the daughter of John F. Kennedy or his then-wife Marcia Murphey, this song has since its release become a stable at larger sporting events, as its chorus provides lyrics that are easy to sing along to.
Caroline Kennedy (Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond) - 47 seconds in
This debut single introduced a UK boyband with a courtroom-themed video and a chorus that still gets crowds singing along.
Blue - All Rise
Three interlocking guitars create the bright, jangly Southern rock riff that made this 1974 classic a bar-band and stadium staple.
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
This 2010 electro-swing hit samples a 1956 Italian song, turning a decades-old track into a modern global dance sensation.
We No Speak Americano – Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
The Charmels – ‘As Long As I’ve Got You’:
This little-known 1967 track from a Memphis girl group found new life decades later as the haunting piano loop behind a hip-hop classic.
Wu-Tang Clan – ‘C.R.E.A.M.’
A song about the early death of a poor, young Southern girl who eventually lived in California, became a mother and lived a hard, fast, unsettled life. The girl has appeared in two other hits by the group and the lyricist has added that the character is a composite of all the women with whom he has had relationships.
Dani California (Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers) - 1 min and 30 seconds in
This energetic late-’90s hit topped the UK charts, but its title is often harder to recall than the instantly familiar chorus.
Five - Keep On Movin’
This song opens with a stripped-down, ringing guitar riff that became a rock anthem, proving that sometimes the simplest riffs hit the hardest.
AC/DC – Back in Black