Stanley Clarke is one of the most important bass players in modern music, and his place on this list could hardly be more at odds with his stature. A virtuoso of both electric and acoustic bass, a founder of the fusion supergroup Return to Forever, and a prolific film composer, he is a giant of jazz. Calling him a one-hit wonder is almost absurd, which is exactly why the caveat matters.
But streaming gathers around one mellow crossover. "Sweet Baby", a smooth 1981 duet recorded with George Duke, reached the pop charts and has become his most-streamed track by a clear margin.
On streaming, "Sweet Baby" sits near 45 million plays, while his next most-streamed track trails at around five million. That sends the ratio above 9, past our 5.0 line.
So by our strict, numbers-only measure, Stanley Clarke registers as a certified one-hit wonder, and we flag the caveat as loudly as we can. This is a virtuoso with a vast, hugely influential catalogue. It is only that one smooth pop-soul duet has gathered the streaming crowd far ahead of the rest.