Episodes

Aug. 23, 2023

"No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper (f/ Steve Soboslai)

If you ever have to fight an enormous Russian who killed your friend, might we suggest popping Robert Tepper’s “No Easy Way Out” into the tape deck of your Lamborghini while you drive through the night and reflect on every single event that got you to that moment? This week, we’re joined by my frie…
Aug. 16, 2023

"One Night in Bangkok" by Murray Head

Do you like chess? How about musicals about chess? How about new wave meets hip-hop songs FROM musicals about chess? You don’t really need to answer that. Regardless, our Patreon voted for it, so we’re diving into the hit 1985 single from English actor Murray Head, “One Night In Bangkok”. Does this…
Aug. 9, 2023

"Far Behind" by Candlebox (f/Mike Soboslai)

WELL MAYBE you thought this band was someone else. AND MAYBE you’re thinking “didn’t they have a few other hits?” The reality is that while Candlebox did well enough on Alternative Radio to get a main stage slot at Woodstock ’94, they only had one song that charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The pow…
Aug. 2, 2023

"Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star

How in the world are we closing in on 200 episodes without having yet discussed Mazzy Star and their dreamy hit “Fade Into You”? This iconic song is synonymous with the 90s, the soundtrack to millions of flannel laden make-out sessions and the countless broken hearts that followed. Here at One Hit …
July 26, 2023

"Brand New Key" by Melanie (f/Matt Jurcevich)

Let’s get this out of the way right now: Melanie is technically a two hit wonder and an influential singer-songwriter powerhouse whose songs have been covered by some of the most beloved artists in music history. Despite all that, the average joe — aka all of us on this podcast — only know “Brand N…
July 19, 2023

"Catch Me I'm Falling" by Pretty Poison

Do you remember the 1987 movie Hiding Out, in which Jon Cryer stars as a state’s witness who pretends to be a high school student to avoid getting killed by the mob? Probably not. Chances are that you DO remember the breakout song from the movie though — Pretty Poison’s “Catch Me (I’m Falling)”. Th…
July 12, 2023

"Save Tonight" by Eagle Eye Cherry (w/Paul Menotiades)

In 1997, a slick pop song from a Swedish actor-turned-musician cracked the Top 5 on the Billboard charts, lodging itself firmly onto grocery store and doctor’s office playlists for decades to come. We’re joined this week by One Hit Thunder veteran Paul Menotiades to discuss Eagle-Eye Cherry’s “Save…
July 5, 2023

Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) (f/PJ Caruso)

Did Looking Glass pretty much CREATE the yacht rock genre by writing a song about a man choosing his love of the sea over the love of a woman? “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” made it all the way to the top of the Billboard charts in 1972, and the song stayed in the public consciousness ever since…exc…
June 28, 2023

The 1983 Albums Fantasy Auction Draft

The Podcast dream team of Chris, Matt, Matthew and Tony are back to draft albums released 40 years ago! Did we draft your favorite released in 1983 and let us know who got the best draft!
June 21, 2023

"Two of Hearts" by Stacey Q

In just a few short years, Stacey Q went from riding elephants in the circus to having a Top 5 single on the Billboard charts. The popularity of “Two of Hearts” led to a plethora of television cameos, but unfortunately not another hit song. This week, we explore all things Q to decide if we “beat a…
June 14, 2023

"Cars" by Gary Numan (f/Matt Gondek)

Synth pioneer Gary Numan was overwhelmingly bashed by critics upon his surge to the top of the UK charts in the early 80s. Music writers may not have been ready for Numan’s futuristic sound, but fans surely were. By the time he decided to take a hiatus from touring, he was doing multiple nights at …
June 8, 2023

"Lullaby" by Shawn Mullins

In the Fall of 1998, Shawn Mullins took the radio waves by storm with “Lullaby” — an unforgettable song about the woes of a young girl in Hollywood. With its spoken word verses and falsetto-laden choruses, the song’s meteoric rise on the charts rivaled the likes of Britney and Celine, cementing its…
May 31, 2023

"She Blinded Me with Science" by Thomas Dolby (f/Erik Johnson)

For some people, Thomas Dolby might be considered only a blip on the 80s music radar — the wild-haired, bespectacled Englishman with the song where someone yells “SCIENCE!” The more knowledgable music connoisseurs, however, know very well how much influence this new wave icon had and continues to h…
May 24, 2023

"Sex & Candy" by Marcy Playground

Marcy Playground’s “Sex & Candy” was a bonafide hit in 1997, spending an impressive 15 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Songs chart. Unfortunately, they were unable to come anywhere near the success of the song again. If you ask guitarist and vocalist John Wozniak, however, it was never his…
May 17, 2023

"Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen (f/Erik J Brown)

Calling the Queen of Bubblegum Pop a one hit wonder just feels wrong. To Carly Rae’s cult following, it feels like she has released hit after hit over the years. A quick internet search of her Billboard chart success, however, reveals the shocking truth… “Call Me Maybe” is really her only mainstrea…
May 10, 2023

"Tuff Enuff" by The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Would YOU walk ten miles on your hands and knees? Would YOU wrestle with a lion and a grizzly bear? No? Well, maybe you’re just not TUFF ENUFF for those types of activities. This week, we dive into the 1986 hit from The Fabulous Thunderbirds, a long-running blues band that scored a surprise hit, th…
May 3, 2023

"Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles (f/Chris Dalla Riva)

At midnight on August 1st of 1981, MTV hit the airwaves. After an astronaut planted an MTV flag on the moon, viewers were immediately greeted by the opening notes of The Buggles’ prophetic anthem “Video Killed the Radio Star”. Today, we are joined by music critic and On A Related Note co-host Chris…
April 26, 2023

"I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis (f/Brendan Walter)

Filmmaker, director, and Valencia guitarist Brendan Walter was one of thirty-two students sued by the RIAA for downloading music while he was attending Drexel University, and we have to wonder if one of the songs he LimeWired was the 1996 Donna Lewis pop gem “I Love You Always Forever”. This Welsh …
April 19, 2023

"It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls

Last week, we talked about kissing the rain. This week, The Weather Girls are letting us know that the rain is actually MEN! Our Patreon members voted that we should discuss this early 80s gay anthem, and we couldn’t wait to do so. Will we throw thunder on this duo that was formerly known as Two To…
April 12, 2023

"Kiss The Rain" by Billie Myers (f/Kyle Kuchta)

If not for a problematic movie trailer, this week’s guest would have entirely forgotten the existence of a massive 1997 single from Billie Myers. This hit exploded onto the radio — perhaps from being utilized in the second season of Dawson’s Creek — before it quickly fell off the charts and disappe…
April 6, 2023

"More Than Words" by Extreme (f/Allie Goertz)

In 1991, Extreme released “More Than Words”, an acoustic love ballad unlike any of the band’s previous output. Although A&M Records didn’t want to release the song as a single, the band’s insistence paid off. The song shot to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and presumably resulted in a lot of babies n…
March 29, 2023

The 1993 Albums Fantasy Auction Draft

This week, Chris and Matt are joined by frequent One Hit Thunder guests Matthew Milligan and Tony Hartman for the first ever FANTASY AUCTION DRAFT on the show! The guys were each allotted 100 THUNDER BUCKS to try to outbid the other guys in an attempt to create the ULTIMATE 1993 album collection. I…
March 22, 2023

"No Myth" by Michael Penn

Never have our minds been as blown on One Hit Thunder as when we dove into the life and career of Michael Penn. From his famous siblings to his work on landmark films, Michael’s story couldn’t be further from the norm. But don’t even THINK about throwing the “nepotism” accusation around here…Penn i…
March 15, 2023

"One of Us" by Joan Osbourne (f/Josh Verbanets)

Hello, fellow slobs! This week, we’re diving into Joan Osborne and her inescapable 1996 hit, “One of Us”. Written on a whim by Eric Bazilian of The Hooters, the song asks important questions about a supposed higher power, including “if God had a face, what would it look like?” Well, WE’D speculate …