one-hit wonder en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) A recording artist known for only one hit song, especially after failing at subsequent attempts at success.
Eleven years ago, Arrested Development became one of Southern hip-hop's first crossover successes with “Tennessee,” a wistful, bohemian-influenced song about the scars of history. But the group was a one-hit wonder.
2003 September 21, Jon Caramanica, “Music: When Rap Sounds Anything but Urban”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 31 Jul 2019, retrieved 03 Aug 2009:
- (broadly, idiomatic) A recording artist known for only one hit song, especially after failing at subsequent attempts at success. ▸ The hit song itself, rather than the musical artist.
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(broadly, idiomatic) A person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment.
The European company is no one-hit wonder. The company has another best seller in its J-class car, sold as a Vauxhall Cavalier.
1990 February 19, S. C. Gwynne, “Two Sides of a Giant”, in TIME, archived from the original on 15 Dec 2008:
- (qualifier:marijuana subculture, slang) An instance of achieving a high from the first hit.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| one-hit wonders | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| one hit wonder | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
no-hit wonder · no-hit wonder · two-hit wonder · two-hit wonder
Relateds
Translations (19)
de Musiker mit kurzlebigem Erfolg (musical performer) · ka ერთჰიტიანი მომღერალი (musical performer) · fi yhden hitin ihme (musical performer) · fi yhden hitin ihme (a person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment) · es musicante de solamente un éxito (musical performer) · ja 一発屋 (musical performer) · bg еднодневка (a person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment) · de One-Hit-Wonder (a person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment) · bg еднодневка (musical performer) · cmn 昙花一现 (a person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment) · es músico de un solo éxito (musical performer) · pl osoba znana z tylko jednej rzeczy (a person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment) · pl artystka jednego przeboju (musical performer) · de One-Hit-Wonder (musical performer) · ja 一発屋 (a person or group known for achieving only a single major accomplishment) · nl eendagsvlieg (musical performer) · de musikalische Eintagsfliege (musical performer) · ka ერთჰიტიანი შემსრულებელი (musical performer) · pl artysta jednego przeboju (musical performer)