You might see the words ‘one-hit wonder’ and picture a short-lived career, whereby an artist lands on the charts and then all but disappears. The very term is negative in connotation, suggesting that an act must live or die based on the popularity of their singles. This may prove true in many cases but it’s not necessarily the fatal diagnosis that one perceives it to be. (Here are the biggest one-hit wonders of all time.)

On the contrary, plenty of ‘one-hit wonders’ have continued to record music and sell out concert venues in the wake of their sole Top 40 hit. Some of these acts may seem like relics of a bygone era and yet they’ve still managed to make it work in the modern age, often by capitalizing on the lasting value of their former creative peaks. (You might also like our list of 35 musicians with legendarily long careers.) 

Then there are the artists who may have technically cracked the Billboard Top 40 just once, but maintain healthy careers and frequently appear on peripheral album charts. Examples include Macy Gray and Moby, who seem like pop culture fixtures in spite of their wavering sales numbers. You’ll find their names and more on the following list of one-hit wonders who are still making music.

To determine the one-hit wonders who are still making music, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data from Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 songs chart. Only artists with only one song in the top 40 and no more than three songs in the Hot 100 whose biggest single came out in 2010 or earlier and who have released a studio album in 2017 or later were considered. Artists are listed in chronological order of their biggest hits.

Click here to see the biggest one-hit wonders who are still making music