All it takes is one hit even if it's the only hit. The 2010s gave us some of the absolute best one-hit wonders of all time. That is a good thing for listeners, if not for the artists themselves.
Hopefully, the musical artists that follow made enough money off of their one huge-selling song to make money for the rest of their lives. We know we will be hearing these tracks forever. In many cases, that's a positive.
So which songs were among the best one-hit wonders of the decade? Let's take a trip down memory lane.
One-hit wonders of the 2010s
Trinidad James
In 2013, gold became popular again all thanks to Trinidad James. Listeners could not get enough of the infamous "All Gold Everything. All Gold Everything" which gave birth to some of the most iconic one-liners such as "don't believe me just watch" and "popped a M*lly, I'm sweatin'". This song was so popular,
Def Jam quickly inked him a deal. However, when he failed to complete an album, he was released. Mixtapes later, he has yet to reach the success of All Gold Everything. A cherished bop.
Carly Rae Jepsen
2010 brought music lovers' songs that were so catchy (maybe borderline annoying) to the point that there was no escaping them. Think it's safe to say that Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" is at the top of this list. This song was everywhere...literally, everywhere. It was cute, and fun and was the perfect to sing karaoke to. Carly is on the fine line of one-hit wonders because she gave her fans another hit. However, it didn't reach the popularity of a song about a girl shooting her shot.
Silento
Viral dance videos were all the rave in the 2010s. Even if people couldn't get the dances down to the T, it was still fun to participate. No dance was more popular than the "whip/nae nae". Silento's "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" had fans in the deepest of chokeholds. The moves, the energy, it was a legit party.
Unfortunately, fans may not hear from Silento for a while. It's been reported that he is currently in jail pending murder charges.
American Authors
What do Lowe's, Hyundai, Lay's, and Best Western Hotels have in common? The "Best Day Of My Life" was the soundtrack to their commercials. American Authors released a song that was much-needed and right on time. It's fun, warm and it gives all the happy feelings. American Authors have yet to release music that comes close to the feel-good song, but the good news is, they have accepted that the song made them famous. So much so that their 2023 album is titled Best Night of My Life.
Desiigner
Fans all wanted broads in Atlanta after hearing Desiigner’s "Panda." This song is a complete acid trip in a good way. Fun beat, fun lyrics (even though it may take a while to understand them), and full-on energy. Unfortunately, this is Desiigner’s only hit.
Like Trinidad James, Desiigner has yet to release a full album despite a mixtape here and there. At this point, he may not need an album. Almost ten years later "Panda" is still in heavy rotation.
Gotye
Breakups flat out suck but to some, there is beauty in a breakup. This is where "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye comes in. Goyte took past heartbreak and breakups and translated them into his best (and only) hit. If the song wasn’t enough, the trippy music video is the icing on the cake (the paintwork to blend him into the wall was perfection). One hit wonder greatness!
Cali Swag District
Keeping the ball rolling with the dance rave of 2010, Cali Swag District delivered in a major way with "Teach Me How to Dougie." The song’s simplistic beat with a catchy chorus made this song an instant success. "Teach Me How to Dougie"’s success led to hitting number 9 on the Billboard Hip Hop/R&B charts, number 6 on the US Hot Rap Songs, and a 2x Platinum certification. Due to the passing of two group members, Cali Swag District disbanded.
Jidenna
Who doesn’t love a song that celebrates the confidence of a man? Jidenna blessed his fans with a “smooth like peanut butter” track titled "Classic Man." This song oozes BDE and it’s the perfect song for the fellas to play for a pep talk.
"Classic Man" did extremely well on the charts: number 2 on the Billboard US Rhythmic charts and #9 on the Billboard US Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs. Jidenna had the blueprint to become a star in the music industry. Unfortunately, he has yet to reach the level of success that came with the 2015 classic.