10 Perfect Singles By Terrible Rock Bands
8. The Knack: My Sharona (1979)
If you mentioned the Knack to someone it would barely register. If you mentioned My Sharona, on the other hand, you'd probably be subjected to some kind of rendition of the "M M M My Sharona" line, or the various "My Corona" parodies that now litter the internet.
But back when these guys were just taking off, they were one of the hottest acts going. In the late '70s they were considered one of the most exciting lives groups on the LA club scene, and pretty soon record labels were falling over one another to get a slice of the action. The proceeding bidding war led to the group being signed by Capitol Records for the largest deal in the label's history, at the time.
Needless to say the label was eager to capitalise on their investment. They pumped huge amounts into a marketing campaign, presenting the Knack as the next Beatles, in an almost shameless display of unoriginality. Although the group's debut smashed the charts, their success was short lived. The critics pretty much tanked the band's prospects of being considered anything other than a cheap Beatles ripoff.