This is a list of artists who have achieved one number-one hit on the UK Singles Chart and no other entry whatsoever on the chart. The list uses the strict The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles definition of "one-hit wonder", a term also commonly used more loosely to refer to any act known primarily for one major hit.
Methodology
A hit is attributed to the main artist given credit. If a single is released by two artists with the conjunction 'and' or 'versus' then both artists have equal billing and are both counted as having a number one whereas if the conjunction between two artists is 'featuring' or 'with' then the first artist is considered the main artist for that hit, with the other artist listed being given a lesser billing. Artists who are classed as one-hit wonders within the past twelve months are not yet added to the list, as they may still follow-up their number one with another hit. A one-hit wonder from earlier who now goes on to score another hit will be removed from this list.
One-hit wonders
Under an alternative name
The KLF scored a single hit as The Timelords, but scored individual hits as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu and 2K, and several hits, including another #1, as The KLF.
Isaac Hayes reached #1 as Chef with "Chocolate Salty Balls " in 1998. He had hits under his own name during the 1970s.
This list is the opposite to the "Collaborations classified as one-hit wonders list" as this is artists who went to number one on their own with their only solo hit, however their only additional chart entries were with other artists.
John Denver on his own had only a single Top 75 chart entry, with "Annie's Song" which reached number one in 1974. He also collaborated with Plácido Domingo on another single, 1981's "Perhaps Love" which reached #46 and was his only other chart entry. Denver also had five Top 20 albums on the UK Album Chart during the 1970s. His lack of chart success in the United Kingdom stands in contrast to his popularity in his native United States, where he charted 15 Top 40 entries, including four number one singles.
Steve 'Silk' Hurley on 24 January 1987 had his only UK solo chart entry "Jack Your Body" which went to number 1. The well-known producer had scored many hits on the UK Dance Chart and was a member of JM Silk. Hurley refused to promote himself as a solo artist and went on to remix many more chart hits.
Collaborations classified as one-hit wonders
The following collaborations are classified as "one-hit wonders" by Guinness Hit Singles because each of these particular combinations of artists had a single #1 hit with no other chart entries in this particular configuration. However, in each case, each of the participating artists had at least one additional hit separately. The latter editions of the Guinness Hit Singles book omitted this list. Examples of titles which were eligible for inclusion include the following
Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua, "What a Wonderful World"
Military Wives and Gareth Malone, "Wherever You Are"
Gary Barlow and the Commonwealth Band, "Sing"
Note: this list is not exhaustive.
Aggregate ensemble groups
The following is a list of aggregate ensemble groups. These are usually put together for charity purposes. The ones listed below are one-hit wonders in their respective line-ups, but most are primarily made up of several chart artists. The following line-ups have all reached number one in their only hit under these umbrella group names:
As the contestants in the ITV show The X Factor were different every year, the group of finalists were different each year as well, despite keeping the same name. In a similar manner, there have been a few different collaborations under the name "Various Artists", which have charted, none of which match the one singing "Perfect Day" as listed above, which is why they are eligible for inclusion on this list.
