These One-Hit Wonders Accidentally Made Musical History

One-hit wonders catapult to fame and then burn out fast. That’s the nature of being a one-hit wonder, unfortunately. However, some solitary hitmakers managed to make serious musical history during their time in the spotlight. Let’s look at a few one-hit wonders that made history by winning awards for their work!

“Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?” by Paula Cole

Remember “Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?” by Paula Cole? This 1996 classic was a fast adult contemporary hit back in the day. Unfortunately, Cole never enjoyed as big of a hit again, though “I Don’t Want To Wait” just barely missed the Top 10 in the US. Still, she made her mark and even took home the Best New Artist award from the Grammys in 1997.

“Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men

Remember this delightful tune from the turn of the millennium? “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men is a Miami bass breakbeat delight that really was the product of its time. Even today, this song is so much fun to listen to. Baha Men should have gotten bigger in the States, honestly. Still, they made their mark on music history, as they took home a Grammy for Best Dance Recording for their signature tune.

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin

Few songs from the late 1980s are as uplifting and enduring as the reggae-jazz hit “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. It’s wild that McFerrin is technically a one-hit wonder, too. Still, he got his flowers for his contribution to the world of music, as McFerrin took home three Grammy awards for this song, including Record of the Year.

“I Dreamed A Dream” by Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle is one of the most lovable and iconic one-hit wonders in history. When she debuted on Britain’s Got Talent with her impressive set of operatic pipes, the world became quite smitten with her. She continued to produce hits that charted well in her native Scotland after “I Dreamed A Dream” came out, but that song was her only Top 60 hit in the United States. 

She made substantial music history with that song. Her audition on Britain’s Got Talent, where she debuted the song, has hundreds of millions of views on YouTube. Likewise, she would go on to win Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards in the early 2010s.

Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images

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