3 of the Most Successful One-Hit Wonders in Country Music History

One-hit wonders are a universal theme in music and clearly do not pertain to just one genre. Whether it be pop, rock, jazz, rap, folk, or country, every music genre has seen its fair share of one-hit wonders. Despite the fleeting fame it provides the artist of the song, it offers fans a timeless piece of music that can be traced back to a certain period and time in their lives. Also, having one can’t be bad, as the royalty checks for the artists are certainly a plus.

More often than not, one-hit wonders pertain to pop music. However, as stated previously, the tag of the one-hit wonder does not discriminate. Hence, country music has also seen hoards of one-hit wonders across all sub-genres and decades. That being so, here are three of the genre’s most successful country one-hit wonders.

“Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus is by no means obsolete or irrelevant. Thanks to his collaboration on “Old Town Road” and being the father of Miley Cyrus, Cyrus has always stayed in circulation. However, in regards to his music, the man has fallen off a bit and has mainly been known for one song. The song in question is his 1992 hit, “Achy Breaky Heart.”

After its release, Cyrus’ single debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and remained there for five weeks. This was the longest time a debut single stayed at No. 1 since 1967. Furthermore, Cyrus’ song peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song received loads of other success, and to this day remains his most popular song.

“I Loved Her First” by Heartland

Founded in 1996, Heartland is an active band to this day. However, in their nearly 30-year career, the band has only had one No. 1 hit. The No. 1 hit in question is their 2006 song, “I Loved Her First” from their album, I Loved Her First.

Upon its release, the single peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs later in 2006. The title track of their debut album struck like lighting in a bottle and seemingly promised the band a long chart-topping career. Although, despite their talent, the band hasn’t scored a No. 1 hit since.

“Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle

Bob Carlisle is one of the most famous yet possibly unheard-of Christian singers in country music. The majority of his success stems from his 1997 hit, “Butterfly Kisses.” For Carlisle, “Butterfly Kisses” garnered him a Grammy Award and four Dove Awards.

In addition to his awards, Carlisle’s single peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and No. 13 on the Adult Pop Airplay chart. Lastly, it reached No. 45 on the Hot Country Songs chart. It is without a doubt Carlisle’s most recognizable song and what acquired him a spot on our list of country one-hit wonders.

Photo by: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal