Rock & Metal 2 Hit Wonders

 Hi everyone,

I've been thinking about the topic of this post for a few weeks now. We all know many great 1-hit wonders, but how many 2-hit wonders do we know in the rock and metal worlds? I came up with a short list that I'll expand upon below. I deliberately excluded pop/rock acts like Tears for Fears and Mr. Mister from my list.

1. White Lion: "Wait," "When the Children Cry"

White Lion was the first hair metal band that came to mind when I was compiling this list. I remember hearing their two radio hits regularly back in high school. Some of my classmates did an analysis of "Wait" as part of an English class assignment in my junior year. Aside from their cover of Golden Earring's single "Radar Love," I can't really think of any other outstanding tunes by White Lion. Sadly, the group is no longer in existence, but lead singer Mike Tramp still performs their hits on tour.

2. Tesla: "Love Song," "Signs"

Most people who don't listen to rock regularly only know the California-based band Tesla for these two songs, the latter of which is an acoustic cover. I know them for these tunes and other singles including "What You Give" and "No Way Out (Heaven's Trail)," to name just a few. Personally, I think they deserve more credit for having a career that's lasted much longer than many other bands of their era.

3. Ugly Kid Joe: "Everything About You," "Cats in the Cradle"

When I searched for 2 hit wonders online, Ugly Kid Joe was a band that consistently came up on different pages. It's an odd coincidence that both of these tunes appear on the same album (America's Least Wanted). I would argue that the single "Neighbor" is a 3rd hit, although it's not nearly as popular as the other two, the latter of which was lauded as a modern take on the Cat Stevens classic. 

4. Steelheart: "I'll Never Let You Go," "Everybody Loves Eileen"

Some say that Steelheart is a one-hit wonder, while others say that they had 2 hit singles. I'm in the 2-hit wonder camp, although I also like their single "She's Gone." Steelheart is still around, and they're a band that I'll have to see live in concert someday. Frontman Miljenko Matijevic has a phenomenal voice that's truly one of a kind. 

5. Quiet Riot: "Metal Health (Bang Your Head), "Cum On Feel The Noize"

I don't know many more Quiet Riot songs than this pair, although I did hear several more in concert at Halfway Jam several years ago. I was lucky enough to see the band perform with Kevin Dubrow before his passing. 

6. Extreme: "More than Words," "Hole Hearted"

I've heard a few more Extreme songs than this over the years, but there really aren't any other singles that have resonated with rock fans than these two. They're another great live band that I'll have to see in concert some time. Their continued existence makes me kinda glad that singer Gary Cherrone's time with Van Halen didn't last very long. 

These are the first bands that immediately came to mind. If you have others that you think of worthy of consideration, please let me know. Until next time, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.