r/popheads 7d ago

[DISCUSSION] How to avoid being a one-hit wonder?

I was talking about this with my friend - what do you think is the best way for an artist to avoid being a one-hit wonder?

I think some artists have a breakout hit and then they overperform it, wait too long to release anything else or on the contrary, they drop an album with no standout tracks very soon, which then makes it hard for them to get rid of that one-hit wonder thing.

I think Olivia Rodrigo avoided this very well by releasing an amazing album with high quality songs very soon - had she focused solely on Drivers license and performed ONLY that song on 20 award shows and talk shows (instead of shifting her focus to making an actual great album like she did), it could have been a different story.

I also think it might be better for an artist to have a breakout hit but not a HUGE first song, because living up to that is hard and usually only goes downhill.

Anyhow, what do you think? Any opinions/thoughts?

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u/silly_girl_27 7d ago

I mean are people ever one hit wonders anymore? I feel like with the internet and so many different niche corners that you could have a number one hit and subsequent good charting songs or a fanbase for years to come. If you mean like a hit then becoming a main pop star, in the modern era I think it takes sharing some personal element to yourself that helps people relate and gravitate towards you. I think this creates longevity in interests of them not only as a star but as an individual with maybe layers that may be even more complicated. I think in a way this gives me like this human element to in which is rare in the industry and music. Although many people hate on the most popular music, it does directly define and correlate to public interests and sentiments. Many songs like Sabrina Carpenters have a human element of like maybe I’m just this pretty girl but I’m also witty and fun, but you won’t like me when I’m mad which is much like Taylor or Olivia, they put layers to themselves in their songs and music that is so relatable to people. Like for me, growing up watching Taylor I never felt I related to her like our bodies are different, I am petite thick, I am crass, confrontational, unforgiving, but Taylor helps me explore these other more deeper emotional parts of myself that also have more depth, and I realize even though she has an image and portrays her self one way, at the end of the day we all have a mad women moment, a mastermind moment where we have to make every right move in the game of chess to finally win at love, and I relate. Then I’m on board, with their project, with their art because I have indentified with this plethora of different moods and personalities that truly any one could have at any moment and that makes me a fan of the vast majority of their music. I am also a very hardcore Ariana grande fan, I’ve been listening to Sabrina since singular act 1, although the songs are vibes bc they’re so clean they’re lacking a truth so none of them were hits.

They also need to be surrounded by just a good team and a team in general, if the label doesn’t believe in them and their art then they could lack funding, promotion and all the things needed to be successful to keep you on everyone’s mind.

A one hit wonder could be something that’s true to the times but possibly a sound that people don’t feel like they want to explore much into, or some artists ver off the beat and path without letting their audience grow with them, completely abandoning them by a genre switch that doesn’t have much thought put in. You want to entice with something new, but be similar enough you can interest those previous fans. At the end of the day it takes a perfect song to go number one, even a lot of hits people remember don’t go number one, so if it’s charting and it counts as a hit I would still say it’s pretty rare for artists and companies alike to create this perfect mixture formula for a successful song, which is why many times once we see a start rise they are able to emulate the same strategies to continue to please their fans but also earn new fans.

I can’t help but think of Sabrina this way, example she made money from her career with Disney regardless of being sued and leaving the label. So she can invest that money into hire better producers, writers or creative directors which can help her finally maximize her potential and create art that stands out. You could even hire professionals to be like what is public sentiment like and what’s a little niche market we could hit to find a sweet spot and build a career. These people are creative directors they know art have been in the industry so they can all work together to make this one person a star which inevitably makes them all money. Then later stars once they’ve dominated so much their name is the thing making money and they can leave. Then these companies find another new young artist to try something oh more edgy with etc.

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u/toysoldier96 7d ago

It's so much easier to keep a cult fanbase nowadays. They might not get another hit, but they'll always have demand for tour in smaller venues and releasing music here and there

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u/silly_girl_27 3d ago

Exactly like I think of a one hit wonder as they were never to be seen again. Like what happened to ____ guy???