# 3 One-Hit Wonders From 1981 That Changed Modern Music Forever

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/3-one-hit-wonders-from-1981-that-changed-modern-music-forever/
- Published: 2026-11-04T10:59:54+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/3-one-hit-wonders-from-1981-that-changed-modern-music-forever/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- “Genius of Love” became a lasting source for samples.
- “Tainted Love” helped bring synths into mainstream pop.
- “867-5309/Jenny” turned a phone number into a cultural joke.

## Summary

The article revisits three songs released in 1981 that it argues influenced the sound and culture of later popular music. It highlights Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” for its lasting reach through sampling, and Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” for helping popularise synthesiser-led pop.

The third song is “867-5309/Jenny” by Tommy Tutone, remembered for its catchy phone number and its reflection of a time when people commonly memorised others’ numbers. The article gives no sales or chart figures, instead pointing to the songs’ continued presence in radio, sampling and popular memory.

## Coverage

- [American Songwriter: 3 One-Hit Wonders From 1981 That Changed Modern Music Forever](https://americansongwriter.com/3-one-hit-wonders-from-1981-that-changed-modern-music-forever/)
- [American Songwriter: 3 One-Hit Wonders From 1983 That Changed Modern Music Forever](https://americansongwriter.com/3-one-hit-wonders-from-1983-that-changed-modern-music-forever/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.