If you were a 2000s kid and love one-hit wonders across just about every genre, the following three songs are probably already familiar to you. They were pretty hefty hits back at the turn of the millennium. And, sadly, they never had as much success in the years that followed. Let’s take a look, shall we?
“Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men
Ah, a classic. I don’t know a single 1990s or 2000s kid who doesn’t remember this absolute bop. It’s catchy, uniquely Bahamian, and loads of fun from start to finish. Give “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men just one listen, and it’ll be stuck in your head for days.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Who Let The Dogs Out” just barely hit the Top 40 on the Billboard US Hot 100 chart, but it topped the charts in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and elsewhere. Unfortunately, Baha Men never made it to the Top 40 in the US again.
“Just The Girl” by The Click Five
This 2005 one-hit wonder is a great example of the new wave revival movement happening in the 2000s. Those synths, those soaring backing vocals, the pop loopiness of it all. This song is still killer today, and anyone who was a kid in 2005 probably remembers this one.
This Boston-based pop punk band made it to No. 11 with “Just The Girl”, and the song charted similarly well on other US charts and in Canada. However, their follow-up single “Catch You Wave” failed to chart on the Hot 100. In fact, the band never made it to the Hot 100 again.
Fun fact: “Just The Girl” was written by Adam Schlesinger, founding member of Fountains Of Wayne and the songwriter behind another one-hit wonder, “Stacy’s Mom”.
“Tipsy” by J Kwon
A list of one-hit wonders from the 2000s wouldn’t be complete without mentioning “Tipsy” by J Kwon. This 2004 tune was inescapable for a while, and it got quite a bit of radio play. It’s a solid lead single from J Kwon, complete with a sample of “We Will Rock You”, rhythmic claps, and an overall rock-anthem-meets-hip-hop vibe that was perfect for the tastes of the time.
“Tipsy” hit No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart in the US. Sadly, J Kwon never hit the Top 50 on the chart again.
Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images