Episodes
June 21, 2023
"Two of Hearts" by Stacey Q
In just a few short years, Stacey Q went from riding elephants in the circus to having a Top 5 single on the Billboard charts. The popularity of “Two of Hearts” led to a plethora of television cameos, but unfortunately not a…
June 14, 2023
"Cars" by Gary Numan (f/Matt Gondek)
Synth pioneer Gary Numan was overwhelmingly bashed by critics upon his surge to the top of the UK charts in the early 80s. Music writers may not have been ready for Numan’s futuristic sound, but fans surely were. By the time…
June 8, 2023
"Lullaby" by Shawn Mullins
In the Fall of 1998, Shawn Mullins took the radio waves by storm with “Lullaby” — an unforgettable song about the woes of a young girl in Hollywood. With its spoken word verses and falsetto-laden choruses, the song’s meteori…
May 31, 2023
"She Blinded Me with Science" by Thomas Dolby (f/Erik Johnson)
For some people, Thomas Dolby might be considered only a blip on the 80s music radar — the wild-haired, bespectacled Englishman with the song where someone yells “SCIENCE!” The more knowledgable music connoisseurs, however, …
May 24, 2023
"Sex & Candy" by Marcy Playground
Marcy Playground’s “Sex & Candy” was a bonafide hit in 1997, spending an impressive 15 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Songs chart. Unfortunately, they were unable to come anywhere near the success of the song again…
May 17, 2023
"Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen (f/Erik J Brown)
Calling the Queen of Bubblegum Pop a one hit wonder just feels wrong. To Carly Rae’s cult following, it feels like she has released hit after hit over the years. A quick internet search of her Billboard chart success, howeve…
May 10, 2023
"Tuff Enuff" by The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Would YOU walk ten miles on your hands and knees? Would YOU wrestle with a lion and a grizzly bear? No? Well, maybe you’re just not TUFF ENUFF for those types of activities. This week, we dive into the 1986 hit from The Fabu…
May 3, 2023
"Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles (f/Chris Dalla Riva)
At midnight on August 1st of 1981, MTV hit the airwaves. After an astronaut planted an MTV flag on the moon, viewers were immediately greeted by the opening notes of The Buggles’ prophetic anthem “Video Killed the Radio Star…
April 26, 2023
"I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis (f/Brendan Walter)
Filmmaker, director, and Valencia guitarist Brendan Walter was one of thirty-two students sued by the RIAA for downloading music while he was attending Drexel University, and we have to wonder if one of the songs he LimeWire…
April 19, 2023
"It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls
Last week, we talked about kissing the rain. This week, The Weather Girls are letting us know that the rain is actually MEN! Our Patreon members voted that we should discuss this early 80s gay anthem, and we couldn’t wait to…
April 12, 2023
"Kiss The Rain" by Billie Myers (f/Kyle Kuchta)
If not for a problematic movie trailer, this week’s guest would have entirely forgotten the existence of a massive 1997 single from Billie Myers. This hit exploded onto the radio — perhaps from being utilized in the second s…
April 6, 2023
"More Than Words" by Extreme (f/Allie Goertz)
In 1991, Extreme released “More Than Words”, an acoustic love ballad unlike any of the band’s previous output. Although A&M Records didn’t want to release the song as a single, the band’s insistence paid off. The song shot t…
March 29, 2023
The 1993 Albums Fantasy Auction Draft
This week, Chris and Matt are joined by frequent One Hit Thunder guests Matthew Milligan and Tony Hartman for the first ever FANTASY AUCTION DRAFT on the show! The guys were each allotted 100 THUNDER BUCKS to try to outbid t…
March 22, 2023
"No Myth" by Michael Penn
Never have our minds been as blown on One Hit Thunder as when we dove into the life and career of Michael Penn. From his famous siblings to his work on landmark films, Michael’s story couldn’t be further from the norm. But d…
March 15, 2023
"One of Us" by Joan Osbourne (f/Josh Verbanets)
Hello, fellow slobs! This week, we’re diving into Joan Osborne and her inescapable 1996 hit, “One of Us”. Written on a whim by Eric Bazilian of The Hooters, the song asks important questions about a supposed higher power, in…
March 8, 2023
"Bound to the Floor" by Local H (f/Spose)
Local H carved out a niche for themselves in the mid 90s, landing somewhere in between grunge and indie rock. The hypnotic single “Bound For The Floor” was a Gen X anthem, cleverly using the word “copacetic” to exhibit a fee…
March 1, 2023
"Little Black Backpack" by Stroke 9 (f/John Hampson)
We often forget that artists might tune in to One Hit Thunder to hear us offer our sometimes misinformed and ALWAYS overly opinionated thoughts on their music. One of these artists — John Hampson of Nine Days — was gracious …
Feb. 22, 2023
"Not An Addict" by K's Choice
In 1996, two siblings from Belgium had an unexpected alternative hit that sounds unlike anything else from the era. The single “Not An Addict” caught fire and became an international hit, grabbing the attention of even Alani…
Feb. 15, 2023
"Bang A Gong (Get It On)" by T. Rex (f/Danny Tamberelli)
The story of T. Rex’s Marc Bolan is one of those rock n’ roll fables that seems so trite that it MUST have been written by some second-rate Hollywood screenwriter. The truth, however, is that Marc Bolan’s tale serves as the …
Feb. 8, 2023
"Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry (f/John Franklin)
In the mid 70s, Wild Cherry thrived in all the funk and disco hot spots, from the Northern West Virginia panhandle to the Ohio Valley region. People were getting down to the sweet sounds of “Play That Funky Music” in Steuben…
Feb. 1, 2023
"Rico Suave" by Gerardo (f/Paul Menotiades)
Do you hate it when you show up to a date’s house in your best ripped jeans and leather jacket, only to be offered disgusting food by their scumbag mother? Well this episode’s for you! This week, we’re joined by my good budd…
Jan. 25, 2023
"Something About You" by Level 42
Welcome to the most bass-heavy episode of One Hit Thunder ever! Thanks to Level 42’s 1985 hit single “Something About You”, we get into a LOT of talk about the best instrument in the world…the good old electric bass. Frontma…
Jan. 18, 2023
"Beds Are Burning" by Midnight Oil (f/Scott Mellinger)
Midnight Oil shined a light on the plight of the Aboriginal communities in the Australian Outback with their 1987 hit “Beds Are Burning”. This anthemic song is widely considered one of the greatest pieces of music to ever co…
Jan. 11, 2023
"Informer" by Snow
In 1993, the world was introduced to a white Canadian reggae artist named Snow. His hit song “Informer” topped the US Billboard charts for nearly two months straight, while Snow himself sat in a prison cell for maybe or mayb…