Can You Match These One-Hit Wonders To Their Songs From The Early 2000s?
- by Ricky Bambuto
- – on
- in Entertainment
The early 2000s were an interesting time for music, no doubt about that. After the 90s - which itself was born of the confusion left over from the chaos of the 80s - early 2000s pop culture didn't have much more to draw form, so they put the 90s in a blender. Say what you want about the quality of the sounds made during this era, but you can't deny that there's no other quite like it.
Thanks to the gods of preservation, those classic jingles from the early 2000s aren't lost forever. Just venture past a few virtual hallways into Youtube Land, and you'll find pills and pills of sonic nostalgia waiting there for you. As soon as you listen to a popular song from the early 2000s, you'll immediately be transported there in your mind.
What were we doing in the early 2000s? Why, making quizzes, of course. We never did do much else but that. We were making quizzes while bobbing our heads to all the bangers from the 80s, 90s, and those days.
You were probably doing the same thing, whether you were at work in an office or job site, or at your elementary school daycare, waiting for your parents to pick you up. Wherever we were in the early 2000s, we had these lovely one-hit wonders to accompany us.
Terror Squad
If you were hitting up all the clubs in the early 2000's, you've definitely heard this little diddy played several times a night, for years. Fat Joe and his Terror Squad absolutely killed it when they released this song back in 2004. Since then, we haven't heard much from the Terror Squad or their fearless leader Fat Joe. At least we have this classic club banger to hold us over till next they surface. Do you know which one hit wonder we're referring to?
Hoobastank
Aside from having the best band name of the early 2000s, Hoobastank also came out with one of the best pop rock hits of the entire decade. It's one of the most heartfelt songs ever released, as sad and meaningful as any tune released before, during or after, by any musical act of any genre. If you were around and conscious during the early 2000s, and you haven't hear this song, you must have been sleeping. Otherwise, this should be easy for you.
Tatu
Tatu's smash 2002 hit came crashing down onto the mainstream from seemingly out of nowhere. In fact, the duo hail from Russia, and are one of the country's most popular export to the west. At least, they were when this song was on the charts. Once it faded away, so did they. Rumor has it that Tatu are hiding out in a Siberian studio, crafting the second hit wonder that will take over the charts. Which 2002 song do you think this is?
Fountains of Wayne
Thankfully, we don't have the same name as is featured in the title of this song. Otherwise, we were pretty much guaranteed to have had a rough ride through high school. This punk-ish pop rock banger was ultra popular back in 2003, and Fountains of Wayne presumably had a wild ensuing fame ride. Too bad they couldn't manage to come up with another four of five hits in order to cement their legacy. Think back, and try naming the track.
Lou Bega
While this song was technically released in 1999, its legacy truly bloomed in the early dawn of the 2000s when it charted for the first time. Since then, it's surely been a busy ride for Lou Bega, what with all the Jessicas, Sandras, Ritas and all the others. Surely you remember those names shouted over trumpet back in the early 2000s? Let's see how present you really were during that time. Close your eyes, and just think about the trumpet.
Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Carlton was America's sweetheart for about 15 whole minutes after she released this absolute banger. This is a truly beautiful song; the piano sounds like raindrops falling from the clouds, and Vanessa Carlton's voice pierces the heart like a syrup-laden spear. After the first time we heard it, they found us a day later crumpled in a pile, awake but unable to move. Did this song have a similar effect on you? If it did, you'll be able to name it.
The Ataris
It seems like rock music is always on its last legs, no matter what the decade in question is. Of course, that also applies to the early 2000s. Thankfully, there were bangers like Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes and this little diddy right here to keep rock on its feet. The White Stripes managed to carry the momentum of their early success, while this band surely did not. Can you guess the name of these early 2000s, one-time rock gods?
Macy Gray
This song by Macy Gray came out in the year 2000, but it sounds ahead of its time enough to belong in 2003. That's probably because this one hit wonder embodies the early 2000s so well. It's soulful, catchy, weirdly distinct, and sounds just a little bit newer than the 90s. Macy Gray poured her heart into this classic, and we never ended up hearing much from her since then. Can you remember this unforgettable one hit home run song?
Blu Cantrell
This song by Blu Cantrell was completely inescapable back when it hit the charts in 2001. You would hear it at the grocery store, bowling alley, club - you name it. Of course, you'd hear it non-stop through the car radio when you were on your way to these places, too. It's a little sad that we never ended up hearing much else from Blu Cantrell since then, but at least she had the chance to break the charts, if only once.
Khia
This is that one song released in the year 2002 that gave several fathers mini heart attacks when they heard their 10 year old daughters hum along to it. Personally, we support the free expression of young children, but they should probably think twice before busting out the lyrics to this 2002 banger. After all, it's one of the nastiest songs released to the mainstream during that period. If you can name it without any trouble, you might have made your parents nervous back in '02.
S Club 7
If you remember much of the early 2000's, you'll definitely remember this S Club 7 banger. The crazy ensemble of characters were all over the place during the turn of the millennium. Since they were a strange fusion of both girl and boy bands (of the power pop variation), there was no other act around quite like them. As it turned out, there were too many members for the spotlight to really include. Either that, or the world just got tired of them.
Eiffel 65
When this song was released in the year 2000, the color named in its title became the most popular color of all. We won't name that color here, since that would be a dead giveaway. What we can do is whisper the song's subtitle to you: Da Ba Dee. Oh, did that trigger a long-buried memory of yours? There's no doubt that this song buries a dead tunnel in you the first time you hear it. Let's see if you know what we're referring to.
Kevin Lyttle ft. Spragga Benz
Whether you hated or loved this song back in 2004 when you heard it for the first time, you had to admit that your head was bumping at least slightly, during at least one point in the song. Kevin Lyttle and Spragga Benz managed to hit the ball out of the park with the rhythm and groove packed into this one hit wonder. Too bad this was the only true banger they ever gave the world. Can you name this old hit track?
Lil Romeo
When Lil Romeo came out with this song back in 2001, he set the world into a collective gasp. For many, the principle thought was this: if Lil Romeo can make such a hit banger at such a young age, imagine what he would go on to do as he grows into adulthood. Well, as it turns out, this genuine banger would be Lil Romeo's last. He was good, but his legend is confined to the early 2000s. Name the one hit wonder.
DJ Sammy
While this song was certainly a one hit wonder, it's still widely played today, though you probably won't hear it out in public very often. Instead, you would find this song comfortably nestled within the brain of millions of people around the world while they're at the gym, running on the treadmill. Oh, yes - this early 2000s banger is one of the best treadmill songs ever written. Its thump and bass have not been matched to this day. Do you name which track we're referring to?
Crazy Town
When you hear this song for the first time, you morph into a certain type of flying insect as soon as the chorus breaks out. This insect has an unusual birthing process; it breaks out of a shell that was formed by another type of insect when it wraps itself in string. The result is a lush, fable of a creature that brings happiness wherever it goes. Was that a good enough clue to help you figure out this 2001 one hit wonder?
D.H.T.
D.H.T. did us the favor of putting the early 2000s to a tidy close when they released their one hit wonder back in 2005. A mix of soul, heart, and bump, D.H.T.'s radio hit put us all in a good mood after we heard it, unless of course you hated it. If you did, you didn't have to put up with much else by DHT, since they essentially disappeared without a trace once this fizzled out. Can you name the 2005 track?
J-Kwon
If you were a real club fiend back in the early 2000s, you'll definitely know the lyrics to this one by heart. Indeed, they're not that hard to remember - you pretty much just count up a few numbers and say some words about getting drunk. Did that give it away? Regardless, we're pretty sure you won't have trouble guessing this one. We're also sure that you never heard much from J-Kwon since he let this one go. Name the one hit wonder.
Samantha Mumba
In the early 2000s, pop music took its own unique turn, taking its lead heavily from the 90's. Samantha Mumba's 2000 hit track is a perfect example of this, as it's part of the group of songs that smoothened the transition between the two decades. This song is smooth, has a kick to it, and has a lot of depth behind its lyrics. If only Samantha Mumba kept up the fire started by this single, the spotlight would still be on her today.
Dream
Wait a second, are those the Spice Girls? Is this another 90s quiz? No, of course not, we're in the early 2000s. These aren't the Spice Girls, but these girls definitely have some spice. Unfortunately, in retrospect, it seems that they used it all on this one hit song. It was an inspiring, light-hearted pop ballad that you could listen to pretty much everywhere. You definitely got sick of it after a while. Which one hit wonder are we referring to?
The Calling
The Calling certainly had a calling - to make music, and damn good music at that. The thing is, not even The Calling could have known that their primary music making lives would be centered around just one song, though it was surely a banger. This is the song that you sing crying with your friends at prom, or that a stalker sings to herself about her ex as she shreds the restraining order. Which early 2000s song are we referring to?
Lumidee
In 2003, Lumidee voie entered the music scene like a gentle breeze, perking the world's ears up with her hollow chants of "Uh Oh". To its credit, this one hit wonder was quite imaginative and playful for its time, with distinct, minimal drums that cut nicely into Lumidee's singing. If you're having trouble with this one, keep trying! It's one of those songs that you'll recognize in about a second if you hear it. Have you figured it out yet?
Sonique
If there was a more 90s sounding song than this one released in the 2000s, please mail it to our P.O. box. Indeed, this white-hot banger by Sonique is more 90's sounding than a lot of songs released in the 90's. If nothing else, it was a good way for music lovers to smoothly transition into the new mainstream music to come. Let's see if you can name this solid one hit wonder from the year 2000. Can you do it?
Fort Minor
Fort Minor showed so much promise when they came out with this song in 2005. It was so unique and solemn, despite having the wide mainstream appeal that it did. After you hear a song like this, you get excited at the prospect of a great, new band arriving, and await their next hits. However, when the next hits don't come, all you can do is shuffle your feet and file the band in the big "one hit wonder" pile.
Houston
Whether rapper Houston comes from Houston is not important. What is important is how much of a sheer, inimitable banger his 2005 one hit wonder was. If there was ever a song that gets right down to the point of human behavior, it's this one right here. Houston is admirable in that his songs are as catchy on the surface as they are rich in their depth. Let's hope he held on to some of the riches earned by this song, because he never ended up matching it.