3 One-Hit Wonders From the 2020s We’re Sure You Haven’t Heard of

While many music fans might think that the stream of one-hit wonders came to a halt in the 1980s or 1990s, the truth of the matter is, there are always new one-hit wonders to enjoy. You know, those songs that raced up the charts from artists who never quite had the same success again. Yes, there are always more one-hit wonders—to wit, these three tracks below.

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We wanted to take a look at three modern one-hit wonders, three songs that made the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts but whose composers never quite got the same success again—yet. Of course, there is still time. But for now, they are songs that are both so popular and yet so obscure that we’re sure you haven’t heard of them. These are three one-hit wonders from the 2020s we’re sure you don’t know.

“Whoopty” by CJ from ‘Loyalty Over Royalty’ (2020)

This modern rap song from CJ, which hit No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, sees the Staten Island, New York-lyricist CJ talk about what makes him special. With a bombastic tone and a relentless delivery, the song is representative of the rap styles of this decade. Both strong and minimal. Loud and shy at times. It’s like we get to know the person but also know nothing about them. It’s a perfect example of a modern one-hit wonder. Popular and anonymous all at the same time.

“Death Bed (Coffee For Your Head)” by Powfu from ‘Poems Of The Past’ (2020)

This song from the Canadian-born artist Powfu features another big name indie artist beabadoobee. With their powers combined they released “Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head)” in 2020 and the tune hit No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. With a hip-hop beat, the song is like a nostalgic whisper in your mind, reminding you of love lost and what youth felt like. Maybe it means your future will be equally as lovely or maybe the past is all you have to try and hold onto. Who knows—this song remains wistful for all the right reasons.

“Mood” by 24kGoldn from ‘El Dorado’ (2020)

Incredibly, this song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. But equally amazingly, it would be impressive if you could find anyone who had ever heard of it. Maybe it’s a generation gap. But this song is likely unknown to many today, despite its chart status. Nevertheless, the tune from the Bay Area artist 24kGoldn is a smoothed-out pleasant pop-rap crossover. It’s the kind of song that can stick in your mind for days. It’s got all the elements of a track that can last—will it? And will it portend more for its authors? Maybe, just maybe!

Photo via YouTube / “Mood” music video