One Hit Thunder

When Deee-Lite dropped “Groove Is In the Heart” in 1990, it was simultaneously a throwback to the style and vibes of the late 60s while futuristic in its sound and worldview. A product of an open-minded New York City club scene, the group just oozed fun and positivity, and you couldn’t escape the unforgettable green-screened music video that featured Bootsy Collins, bodysuits, platform shoes, and the disembodied floating head of Q-Tip. Front and center for Deee-Lite was Lady Miss Kier, whose soaring vocal hooks were supported by everything from slide whistles to samples from the Green Acres theme song. This week, we’re joined by Mark Popeney to learn everything we can about this beloved dance band and see if WE couldn’t ask for another.  One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Elite 8 Time! Matt shares the results from Round 2 with a rotating door of guests from the Punchline Green Room before their Philly show last night! One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think of disco, a lot of names come to mind: Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Bee Gees, Chic. The name Yvonne Elliman, however, might not be one you’ve even heard…but you’ve certainly heard her biggest hit. “If I Can’t Have You” hit #1 on the Hot 100 in May of 1978, and it was part of a parade of hits from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Though the song was originally intended to be another Bee Gees single, they wisely made the decision to let Yvonne Elliman’s passionate vocal performance be the definitive version of the song, making it a tune that still resonates with people today. But when it comes to the rest of Yvonne’s catalog, were we strong enough to see it through? Tune in to find out. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Down to the Sweet 16! Matt shares the results from Round 1 with the guys from Punchline, and he gets their live reactions to them while they ride in the van.  One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2015 was a blissfully oblivious moment in America, when the future hadn’t yet caught up to us and all we wanted to do was dance, party, and eat dessert in the sand. It makes sense, then, that DNCE’s hit “Cake By the Ocean” would become a massive success, with its funky grooves and sugary melodies. Fronted by a shoeless Joe Jonas, the song was born from a hilariously mistranslated drink order and was completely unavoidable, whether you liked it or not. This week, Joe Ferejan sits in to help decide whether DNCE brought the thunder beyond their hit, or if eating baked goods on the beach is just a relic of days long gone. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris and Matt introduce the brackets for this year’s One Hit Thunder March Madness tournament, where various singles from 1996 will all compete to try to take the crown! Listeners will determine who advances, and YOU can make your voice heard by voting in the One Hit Thunder Facebook group. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1985, MTV was in the thick of the rock revolution. You couldn’t turn on the channel without seeing guys with big hair and loud guitars playing to sexy, scantily clad women, and Y&T’s “Summertime Girls” was no exception. This long-running Bay Area band was well respected in the world of hard rock and had amassed legions of fans around the globe, yet they remained somewhat under the radar in the American mainstream. Although the band wrote “Summertime Girls” as a joke, their record label insisted they record it, a decision that initially seemed like a stroke of genius when the song became their most well-known hit in the States. It wasn’t long, however, before a backlash set in, and the fiercely determined band was forced back to square one. This week, we’re joined by Horror Movie Night’s Scott Roger to dive into the life and times of Y&T, a prolific band that may have made one huge, albeit catchy, mistake. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2013 marked the peak of “Stomp Clap Hey” music, a wave of indie anthems built on folksy instruments, group choruses, and irresistible stomping and clapping. Right in the thick of it was Of Monsters and Men, whose Top 20 single “Little Talks” became instantly recognizable from its opening horn melody alone. The Icelandic band quickly found themselves everywhere, being featured in commercials, woven into blockbuster films, and even performing in a memorable episode of Game of Thrones. But more than a decade later, are they still worth checking out? This week, Chris and Matt are joined by podcaster and musician Jake Noonan to decide whether it’s time to have little talks with friends to tell them to check out more Of Monsters and Men. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This was originally recorded for the One Hit Thunder Patreon where Matt tasked Chris to build a Punchline Essentials album. The rules were every album needed to be represented but no songs off the newest album Somewhere to Land. Join our Patreon for more bonus conversations like this one Go see Punchline during their tour Feb 24th until March 15th! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1987, an up-and-coming film director named Spike Lee was working on his first major film after achieving success in the indie world. School Daze was based on Spike’s own college experiences, and he needed the ultimate party jam for the soundtrack. He commissioned D.C.’s favorite go-go funk band, E.U., to record “Da’ Butt,” and the world was never the same. The song sounds like a party because it really kind of is. Spike brought members of the film’s cast to the studio, and all the energy and laughter captured on the track is real.Tune in to learn more about E.U., and never forget what people in 1988 were shouting on dance floors from coast to coast: “Ain’t nothin’ wrong if you wanna do the butt all night long!” One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠ ⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s bonus episode, Chris and Matt give their thoughts and opinions on Bad Bunny’s halftime performance at Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. They also dive into Green Day, Charlie Puth, Coco Jones, Brandi Carlile,  the cultural conversation, the commercials, and of course, the game itself! One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠ ⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Chris and Matt are joined by their friend Moose to revisit Steriogram’s 2004 breakout hit, “Walkie Talkie Man.” They dig into the band’s mix of punk and rap that KINDA works (depending on who you ask), as well as their unforgettable Michel Gondry-directed music video. In the end, they seems to be yet another victim of the cruel and unforgiving world of major labels, but should you dig up an old iPod to listen to their trilogy of albums? Tune in to see if they think you should be movin’ and a groovin’ and a hippin’ and a hoppin’ and a pickin’ and a boppin’ to the music of New Zealand’s very own Steriogram.  Also, be sure to check out Moose’s new album Threads at http://www.punkcovermoose.com  One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder ⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Immediately following the Grammys on Sunday, February 1st, 2026, Chris and Matt recap the night and give their reactions on what was a big night for Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and many more. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder ⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DREAM TEAM is back! One Hit Thunder hosts Chris Fafalios and Matt Kelly are joined once again by draft regulars Matthew Milligan and Tony Hartman, this time to each try to get the very best collection of records from the STACKED year of 1996. Each drafter starts with 100 theoretical dollars, and they’ll try to outbid each other on albums like Pinkerton, Evil Empire, Tidal, The Score, Odelay, and Bad Hair Day…all records so iconic that you don’t even need to say the name of the artist! Tune in to hear who walks away with the best batch.  One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠ ⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Chris DeMakes A Podcast (originally released as Episode 265 on 7/7/25)... On this episode, Tracy Bonham sits in to break down her explosive 1996 single "Mother Mother." From her early days as a classical violinist to the raw vocal power that defined her biggest hit, Tracy shares how the song evolved both lyrically and emotionally. She opens up about the recording of her debut album, navigating sudden success in the '90s alt-rock scene, and even featuring her real-life mom in the song’s iconic video. It’s a candid look at the creative process behind a track that blended vulnerability with ferocity—and still resonates decades later. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠ ⁠Join our Patreon⁠ ⁠Buy some merch⁠ ⁠Follow us on IG⁠ ⁠Join our FB Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not to toot our own horn, but this is our 300th episode of One Hit Thunder, so we HAD to focus on a song about tooting your own horn. It’s unclear if anyone has ever actually referred to masturbating as “tooting their own horn”, but that’s not the point here. The point IS that in 1991, you could be riding in the car with your grandparents and hear “I Touch Myself”, an ode to self-pleasure from Australia’s Divinyls. In their home country, the Divinyls were a long-running and successful band, but it wasn’t until their collaboration with the writers of “Like a Virgin” that they crossed over to the US. So why didn’t the States continue to bust a nut over the band after this unforgettable hit? Tune in to find out. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder Buy some Merch⁠ ⁠Join our Patreon⁠ ⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠ ⁠Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Chris DeMakes A Podcast (originally released as Episode 266 on 7/14/25)... In this episode, Chris is joined by Fred LeBlanc, the high-energy frontman and drummer of Cowboy Mouth, to break down the story behind their signature song “Jenny Says.” Originally written during Fred’s stint in Dash Rip Rock, the song went through several incarnations before becoming a crowd-commanding anthem and a staple of Cowboy Mouth’s famously explosive live shows. Fred shares how the track evolved over time, why emotional honesty matters more than perfection, and how a great hook can outlast just about anything. From vocal delivery to production decisions, this conversation offers a raw, insightful look at a song that’s connected with fans for decades—and proves that sometimes shouting “let it go, let it go, let it go” is exactly what we all need. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠ ⁠Join our Patreon⁠ ⁠Buy some merch⁠ ⁠Follow us on IG⁠ ⁠Join our FB Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2025 is in the books, and now it’s time to RANK the last 50 songs that were featured on the show. This time, Chris and Matt are joined by CLASSIC One Hit Thunder guests Matt DiStefano, Johnny Yetsconish, and Jim Logrando to put the songs in order from worst to best. What will come out on top? Tune in to find out! One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder Buy some Merch⁠ ⁠Join our Patreon⁠ ⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠ ⁠Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Chris DeMakes A Podcast (originally released as Episode 262 on 6/9/25)... In this episode, Ian Dench of EMF joins the show to discuss the writing and recording of the band’s explosive 1991 hit, “Unbelievable.” From its instantly recognizable hook to its genre-blending sound, the song became a cultural phenomenon and an enduring stadium anthem. Ian offers a look behind the curtain at the song’s construction, including its layered instrumentation, unique pre-chorus, and the clever use of samples—most notably the shout of “Oh!” lifted from Andrew Dice Clay’s stand-up album. He also recounts how a chance encounter with Rick Rubin at a New York restaurant led to Rubin casually granting sample clearance with the words, “Fax my office in the morning.” The conversation explores the emotional and musical influences that shaped the track, the challenges of creating in the analog era, and how personal experiences and playful experimentation helped fuel the song’s unforgettable energy. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠ ⁠Join our Patreon⁠ ⁠Buy some merch⁠ ⁠Follow us on IG⁠ ⁠Join our FB Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modern English’s “I Melt With You” is one of those songs everyone knows, but most people don’t realize how much is packed into its seemingly happy 80s charm. On the surface, it’s a catchy love song, but listen closer and you catch hints of nuclear anxiety and darker undertones that make it surprisingly layered. In this week’s episode, we explore how a band blending punk and new wave turned a modest chart hit into a timeless anthem that still shows up in movies and commercials decades later. Modern English faced breakups, reunions, and changing music trends, yet the song’s combination of pop hooks and emotional depth has kept it alive. Tune in as we dive into all things Modern English, a band that realized the power of a great hum solo in a song. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder Buy some Merch Join our Patreon Join our Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices