They were once number 1, but never again in the German Top 20. This episode of "This is What Germany Sounds Like" is all about "Our 50 Most Popular One-Hit Wonders."

We tell the exciting stories of artists who, with talent, dedication, and luck, made it to the top – but couldn't stay there.

Seldom are happiness and disappointment so closely linked. Because a one-time, major success is both a blessing and a curse. After the dizzying high comes the crash. For some, it's slow and insidious, for others, sudden and dramatic. Who falls softly? Who is hit hard? And who fails to return to a normal life?

But even though the one-hit-wonders have long since disappeared from the scene, their catchy tunes stick with Germans. They have become deeply ingrained in our collective ear canals.

Based on data from a representative survey conducted by the opinion research company Media Control, "So Klang Deutschland" presents "the 50 most popular one-hit-wonders" of the past decades from pop and hip-hop, as well as disco, dance, and rock.

Celebrity experts such as comedy star Mirja Boes, presenters Mareille Höppner, Laura Karasek, and Gülcan Kamps, as well as music producer and DJ Mousse T., YouTuber and musician Marti Fischer ("Barabaras Rhabarberbar"), and "Let's Dance" winner Gabriel Kelly enrich the stories with background knowledge, memories, and numerous anecdotes. Comedy ace Wigald Boning provides particularly in-depth insights, even sharing his own personal one-hit-wonder experiences thanks to his hit "Mief," which he released together with Olli Dittrich as "Die Doofen."

(29.03.2025, 20:15, VOX)