The 2000s was the decade for one-hit wonders. Tons of bands and musicians delivered one massive hit before virtually disappearing from the face of the planet during that era. Some of these artists did actually go on to have some stellar careers as well as a few hits that made the charts after their one-hit wonder songs. However, nothing quite matched the success of that one major hit. Let’s look at a few one-hit wonders from the 2000s and where they are now!
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1. Vanessa Carlton
“A Thousand Miles” was a massive hit for Vanessa Carlton back in 2002. The song hit no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for a whopping 41 weeks. The music video was super iconic, too.
She may be seen as one of many one-hit wonders from the 2000s, but Carlton actually went on to have a pretty successful music career after that hit. She took on a few different projects, notably a stint on Broadway and a few collaborations with Counting Crows, Stevie Nicks, and others.
2. Baha Men
The 2000 hit “Who Let The Dogs Out” was probably the top earworm of the year. The song was everywhere, and everybody was obsessed with it. It’s surprising that the track didn’t rank higher than no. 40 on the Hot 100 chart, considering that it is one of the most memorable songs from the turn of the millennium.
Baha Men won a Grammy for the song and even released three more albums in the 2000s. Their vibe didn’t quite suit the 2010s, unfortunately, and their last release was the 2015 album Ride With Me. They’re still technically together, though.
3. Jet
“Are You Gonna Be My Girl” quickly became a rock classic in 2003. When it comes to garage rock revival, this song always comes to mind. Despite its success and enduring catchiness, Jet’s subsequent albums received negative reviews. The band broke up in 2012 but got back together a few times in recent years.
4. Howie Day
The 2004 hit “Collide” made Howie Day an overnight sensation. The song was used in everything from TV shows to movies, and it was quite a commercial success. Unfortunately, Day didn’t enjoy a profitable career after the major hit’s popularity waned. He grappled with drug abuse in the years that followed and was arrested for assault in 2018 and 2019.
5. Fountains Of Wayne
“Stacy’s Mom” was an iconic 2003 hit, but Fountains Of Wayne never quite hit the level of infamy with newer releases that they got with this hit song. “Stacy’s Mom” peaked at no. 21 on the Hot 100.
Fountains Of Wayne produced two more albums in the 2000s before unofficially disbanding in the 2010s. Lead singer Chris Collingwood became a soloist and bassist Adam Schlesinger became a film and television music writer. Schlesinger passed away in 2020, and the remaining members got together to host a charity livestream shortly after.
6. La Roux
If you don’t recognize this particular band’s name, just listen to the song. Yeah, it’s all coming back to you, isn’t it? “Bulletproof” peaked at no. 8 in 2010, though the song was actually released in 2009. It was the only charting song for La Roux.
The duo, comprised of Elly Jackson and Ben Langmaid, kind of disbanded after the hit song was released. Jackson continued to use the band name as a soloist without Langmaid and released a couple more albums in the years that followed.
Photo by Jeff Kravitz
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