This lighthearted feature from American Songwriter recalls three one-hit wonders from the 1980s that the writer associates with lazy summer days spent watching MTV, before streaming services existed. The piece reflects on how these songs, despite their artists never repeating chart success, left a lasting cultural imprint through heavy rotation on television and radio.

The three tracks highlighted are Chris De Burgh's "The Lady In Red" (1986), noted for its cinematic quality and memorable chorus; Gary Portnoy's "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" (1983), the theme tune to the hit sitcom Cheers, which charted on the Billboard Hot 100; and Tommy Tutone's "867-5309/Jenny" (1981), famous for its catchy phone-number hook and constant airplay during the era.