The Second Biggest Hit by 4 So-Called “One-Hit Wonders” From 2000s Rock

Some notable one-hit wonders from 2000s rock music really shouldn’t be labeled as such. Their second biggest hits were great songs in their own right, and many of these bands had great careers after their “one-hit wonder” song’s popularity waned. Let’s look at four of the second biggest hits by “one-hit wonders” from the 2000s era of rock music!

1. “Echo” by Trapt

Trapt’s claim to fame was the nu-metal classic “Headstrong” from 2002. Not only was it an inspirational track for angsty teens coming up in the early 2000s, but it did surprisingly well in the mainstream. It quickly hit no. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart, but also made it to no. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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“Echo” was another song from Trapt’s self-titled major-label debut album that did quite well. It’s kind of surprising that Trapt is seen by many as a one-hit wonder band, considering that their second biggest hit climbed the charts. “Echo” peaked at no. 10 on the Alternative Airplay chart and has since pulled in over 23 million streams on Spotify. It wasn’t nearly as successful as “Headstrong”, but those numbers are still quite impressive.

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2. “Drowning” by Crazy Town

Few songs can transport listeners back to a specific year quite like the 2000 hit “Butterfly” by Crazy Town. It’s still an insanely catchy track today. When it was first released, it topped the Alternative Airplay and Hot 100 charts.

Crazy Town never topped the charts in the same way again, but the single “Drowning” from their 2002 album Darkhorse was nothing to sneeze at. That song hit no. 24 on the Alternative Airplay chart as well as the Mainstream Rock chart. It has become more or less forgotten today, which is a shame. It’s a great nu-metal track.

3. “A Little Respect” by Wheatus

The pop-rock hit “Teenage Dirtbag” was everywhere in 2000. The song was more of a mainstream hit in Europe and the UK, but Wheatus enjoyed quite a bit of one-hit-wonder fame when the single became the second best-selling single of the year.

However, “A Little Respect” also deserves… a little respect. That single came from the same self-titled album as “Teenage Dirtbag” and also did pretty well on the charts across the pond. It’s a pop-rock cover of a synth-pop classic by Erasure, and Wheatus put a respectably fresh spin on it.

4. “If I Am” by Nine Days

The single “Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)” by Nine Days is easily one of the most memorable songs from the turn of the millennium. It’s the pinnacle early aughts power pop anthem, and even those who weren’t alive to hear its initial release can recognize its iconic chorus. It hit no. 6 on the Hot 100 chart and became the band’s biggest hit to date.

“If I Am” was the follow-up to “Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)”, and it also did quite well. It hit no. 68 on the Hot 100, but definitely didn’t garner as much attention and success as the former single.

Photo by Vince Bucci

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