45 Years Ago, Iconic Medley Song 'Stars on 45' Became a No. 1 Hit
On June 20, 1981, Dutch studio group Stars on 45 made music history when their self-titled novelty medley track reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, which features covers of multiple hit songs, sparked a medley craze that continued throughout the '80s.
"Stars on 45" was devised and produced by Dutch producer Jaap Eggermont, who had previously been the drummer for pop group The Golden Earrings. He wanted to create a song that included lyrics from multiple hit songs, infusing them with the disco sound of the 1980s.
The medley was inspired by a trend that was becoming increasingly popular in disco clubs in the late '70s, where popular songs would be cut together and kept switching every few minutes. The specific songs chosen for "Stars on 45" were heavily influenced by those that were being used in this fashion by clubs across the Netherlands.
For this reason, it was primarily short pop songs with catchy choruses and repeated refrains that made the cut-and The Beatles' early work was a perfect fit. "Stars on 45" includes cover snippets of eight different Beatles tracks, including "No Reply", "You're Going to Lose That Girl", and "Drive My Car".
"Stars on 45" was an immediate commercial success, shooting to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dethroning Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes" from its five-week streak. The song only held the top spot for a single week, however, and Carnes' soft-rock ballad reclaimed its place for a further four weeks.
The song was a massive success around the world, peaking at No. 1 in the band's home country of the Netherlands, alongside reaching No. 2 in the United Kingdom and No. 1 in Canada, where it remained for an incredible 12 weeks.
"Stars on 45" was the first medley song of this kind to reach such international acclaim, kickstarting an entirely new genre that became wildly popular in the early '80s. The ability to fuse well-known pop songs with funky, disco-infused instrumentals gave musicians endless possibilities, and several other hits emerged from this period.
"Holliedaze" by The Hollies, which set their most iconic hits to a disco instrumental, was perhaps the most famous medley song of the '80s, introducing several brand new listeners to the band's music for the first time. Some of the most well-known bands of the '60s, such as The Beatles and the Beach Boys, also hopped on the trend by releasing medleys that promoted their biggest hits.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 4:02 AM.