3 One-Hit Wonders of the 2000s You’ll Want to Hear Again
To celebrate the coolest one-offs from the 2000s, Audio Ink Radio presents three one-hit wonders of the 2000s that you’ll want to hear again. – Author: Scarlett Hunter, Photo via Kevin Briot
The 2000s have brought plenty of good music in a variety of genres, from nu-metal to emo to pop-punk. While some of the bands that broke out in the 2000s are here to stay, like Linkin Park and Foo Fighters (although the Foo Fighters got their start in the 1990s, of course), other bands hit that one sweet song and then didn’t really recreate that kind of power.
Not that there’s anything wrong with being known for having one song. Most bands and musicians don’t even get one big hit, so those who do have a lot for which to be thankful. But, a handful of bands really topped the charts with one main song and then just never went No. 1 again.
While the definition of a one-hit wonder varies, in general, a one-hit wonder band or musician has garnered “recognition on the basis of only one widely popular song,” according to Merriam-Webster. To celebrate some of the coolest one-offs from the 2000s, Audio Ink Radio presents three one-hit wonders of the 2000s that you’ll want to hear again.
3 Catchy One-Hit Wonders of the 2000s
Crazytown, “Butterfly”
The nu-metal era was packed with bands who went on to have long careers, but some of them were one-hit wonders. Crazytown falls into the latter category. They scored a massive hit in 2000’s “Butterfly” and rode that wave for a while, but sadly, they never really achieved that level of chart success again. The song, which arrived on their debut album, “The Gift of Game,” offered a laid-back, breezy, catchy vibe with nu-metal rapping. Lead vocalist Shifty Shellshock, whose real name was Seth Binzer, wrote this song about the girl he was dating at the time. He sadly died in June of 2024 at 49 years old.
Howie Day, “Collide”
Going into the pop sphere, Howie Day released a heartfelt ballad in “Collide” in 2004, and it’s a deep one. In it, he sings about being in a relationship where what the two want is different, so they find themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum. Also, even with these difference and all the conflicting emotions, Day says he wants to keep trying to keep what they have going. How sweet is that? The song reach No. 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, so it was a hit, and it was by far his biggest.
Stroke 9, “Little Black Backpack”
Now, this song actually came out in 1999, so it’s technically from the 1990s, but it really achieved massive success in the early 2000s. So, it’s on the border and could be included in a tally for songs from the 1990s or 2000s, really. Regardless, Stroke 9’s “Little Black Backpack” is an absolute alternative pop gem. This song has a catchy chorus, melodic vocals and choppy guitars, delivering a fun, upbeat track that still sounds fresh today. The track was also inspired by the late-1990s women’s fashion trend of wearing a little backpack. “Little Black Backpack” had success on alternative radio, but Stroke 9 didn’t really take off from there. It’s too bad, because they were quite talented.
Check out this feature for more of the greatest one-hit wonders of the 2000s.
- 3 One-Hit Wonders of the 2000s You’ll Want to Hear Again - May 25, 2025
- Half of Legendary Rock Band Quits - April 2, 2025
- Chart-Topping Rocker Arrested for Alleged Domestic Abuse: Report - March 16, 2025
