10 Greatest One-Hit Wonders Of The '80s
1. Nena - "99 Luftbalons"
Is it a touch hifalutin to call “99 Luftballons” one of the all time great protest songs? Perhaps, but you wouldn’t be far removed from the truth. German dance group Nena only had one major hit, but when it’s a stomper with the power of this one, to write another song would be a waste of time and energy.
Whether in its original German or the English language re-record, “99 Luftballons/Red Balloons” tells a goofy if well meaning tale in which the titular colourful inflatables released into the sky are mistaken for invading forces, triggering a cataclysmic nuclear war.
The haunting subject matter is counterpointed by one of the bounciest basslines you’ll ever hear, and a chorus for the ages that sounds utterly ‘80s and perfectly timeless simultaneously. The jolt of pure Europop was unsurprisingly a bit hit on the continent, but reached #2 in the US, eventually selling over a million copies.
A cross-generational classic that will effortlessly fill a floor to this day, Nena would have been foolish to even try following this track up.