These 2010s one-hit wonders were certified bops back in the day, and I can’t help but get a big swell of nostalgia after listening to them. Let’s dive into a few millennial one-hit wonders, shall we?
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster The People
Remember how much airplay this song got in the 2010s? It was everywhere. Released in 2011, “Pumped Up Kicks” was originally released online for free, and the sheer amount of exposure and popularity it lent the band earned them a record deal.
Sadly, though, Foster The People never enjoyed as big a hit again. “Pumped Up Kicks” hit no. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, but none of the band’s subsequent singles breached the Top 40.
2. “Feel It All Around” by Washed Out
If you were a fan of the television show Portlandia, you already know this song. The glittering chillwave song “Feel It All Around” launched an entire musical movement, and Washed Out deserves his dues for it. This song was technically released in 2009, but it became extremely popular in the early 2010s.
This song also technically didn’t chart. However, it is Washed Out’s only gold-certified single, and its place in popular culture earns it a spot on this list. “You’ll See It (Small Black Remix)” did well in 2010, but none of Washed Out’s other singles hold a candle to “Feel It All Around”.
3. “I Love It” by Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX
Charli XCX is far from a one-hit wonder nowadays, but pop outfit Icona Pop would definitely fit that label. It’s a shame, because Icona Pop put out some seriously great music in the 2010s. I’d say they were underrated. The synth-pop jam “I Love It” made it to no. 7 on the Hot 100 and ranked even higher elsewhere. The group failed to enter the chart again with subsequent releases.
4. “Home” by Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros
This gorgeous song came during the brief but impactful neo-psychedelia and indie folk movement of the 2010s.
“Home” by Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros set the mood for the indie folk aesthetic of the 2010s after it was released in 2010. This entry on our list of one-hit wonders has all the elements of that classic millennial folk sound: Stomps, whistles, and that distance “hey!” vocal track. It’s a classic. Sadly, it was also Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros’ only song to chart well across multiple charts in the US, UK, Australia, and elsewhere. The band broke up in 2016.
Photo by C Flanigan/Getty Images
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