3 Pop Hits That Were Everywhere for One Moment and Then Vanished

Earning the song of the moment is something every pop artist strives for. It’s a badge of honor for artists in this genre, representing a new kind of fame. The three songs below were everywhere for a little while, earning a place in the top tier of fame. These pop hits became so intertwined with a certain time and place that they are almost stuck in it. These songs didn’t achieve the longevity their initial popularity would’ve suggested, if only because listeners associate them with finite periods in their lives.

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“Bad Day” — Daniel Powter

Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” was everywhere in 2005. Listeners fell in love with the earnest melancholy of this track. It became the song of the moment, epitomizing the sound of the day. The song flew up the charts, earning the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Since that time, this song has been far less earnest a listen and more of a nostalgic throwback. It might be played here and there, but it’s always to recall a certain time and place.

“Cheerleader” — OMI

OMI’s “Cheerleader” became a global phenomenon in 2014 when it was remixed by producer Felix Jaehn. It became the song of the summer in that year, giving it far more fame than the original version of the song (written some years earlier) had garnered.

Though that song was everywhere in 2014, it hasn’t stuck around in the pop listening world. It might be included in 2010s throwback playlists, but few listeners have kept this in their personal rotation. This song is so firmly rooted in a time and place that it has struggled to maintain its popularity in the decade since its release.

“Heat Waves” — Glass Animals

Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” earned chart-topping success in 2020. It became intrinsically tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, characterizing a particular time in all of our lives. Naturally, as the years passed and that global-defining moment fell into the rearview, no one was quick to revisit songs (or anything else) that reminded them of that time.

This song is among the relics from that period. When we hear this pop hit on the radio or in public, we get instantly hit with often unwelcome nostalgia. This song might’ve been the song of the moment, but the moment it embodied isn’t one that most listeners want to remember.

(Photo by Stuart Mostyn/Redferns)