3 One-Hit Wonders Who Won Grammy Awards in the 21st Century

Anyone who has ever tried to write a song knows that the job is almost impossible. Indeed, to be interesting, melodic, catchy, rhythmic, new, and unique—these are truly difficult tasks. But every once in a while, a person is able to pull them all together and receive attention for doing so.

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That’s just what we wanted to highlight below. We wanted to showcase not only three terrific one-hit wonders, but three artists who garnered charting songs and who also took home awards for their efforts. These are three one-hit wonders who also won Grammy Awards in the 21st century.

“Who Let The Dogs Out?” by Baha Men from ‘Who Let The Dogs Out’ (2000)

This is truly one of the catchiest songs of all time. What it’s about, why it exists—those things become secondary and even fall away as your brain just repeats the chorus over and over again. The song has become a punchline, too. Anytime anyone mentions dogs, someone in the room has to bark like one, like the Baha Men here. And while this track is supremely memorable, it is also award-winning, taking home the Grammy for Best Dance Recording in 2001.

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

In the 2010s, everyone going through a breakup put this song on over and over again. Perhaps then it’s no wonder that the track has over a billion streams on YouTube alone. Gotye’s song about love turning people into strangers is a classic, and it earned him and singer Kimbra Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year. But that’s just what art should do—turn hardship into something beautiful.

“Heaven” by Los Lonely Boys from ‘Los Lonely Boys’ (2003)

With their own brand of Texas rock music, the brotherly trio known as Los Lonely Boys took the early 2000s by storm with their self-titled debut record. That album had beautiful, lengthy songs with wondrous guitar solos. And it also had catchy tunes that could be played on pop stations or even adult contemporary radio. Indeed, the band’s track “Heaven” was all over the airwaves. It also earned them two Grammy nominations and a win for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Photo by Matt Lankes