3 One-Hit Wonders From the 2010s That Made Us Start a Band

When you think of a garage band, often you think of older guys plunking around on guitars, inspired by the songs from long ago. But that’s not a complete picture. There are modern tunes that have inspired rock groups, too. And we wanted to dive into some of those tracks here below.

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Indeed, we wanted to explore three offerings from the not too distant past that inspired us to pick up instruments and start, well, to band together. These are three one-hit wonders from the 2010s that made us start a band.

“Baby Shark” by Pinkfong (Single, 2015)

How can you see the success of this song and not want to start a band? With one track, one recording, a whole industry was created. Cereal, backpacks, toys—truly, from one recording came a multi-billion-dollar business. There are even Baby Shark stores in airports! So, while you may not want to create high-pitched digital kids music, it may be worth a shot given the success of this 2015 tune.

“Say Something” by A Great Big World from ‘Is There Anybody Out There?’ (2013)

Sometimes you just want to start a band or write a song to get a giant emotion out. Even if that emotion is sadness, it’s powerful. And that’s just what this 2013 offering is all about. Departure can feel impossibly difficult. Whether it’s the end of love, a life, or something else—endings are tear-jerkers. That’s why “Say Something” brings out that same emotion from you. The song, which features Christina Aguilera, is an incredible, chill-inducing wonder.

“Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye from ‘Making Mirrors’ (2011)

After this track came out in 2011, it was everywhere. You couldn’t put on the radio without hearing it. And that’s a good thing—it’s a lovely composition. But when you hear of someone or something becoming so ever-present, it can inspire you to want to do the same. Monkey see, monkey do, after all! In this case, though, that means writing a song that impacts the world. A song that sums up the modern breakup. Kudos to Gotye and Kimbra for this offering—we wish we’d written it!

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