Powter's "Bad Day" Named 2000's One Hit Wonder by Billboard

Daniel Powter's "Bad Day," the song that for a television season became the anthem for Idol rejects and disappointed people everywhere, was named the top One Hit Wonder of the decade by Billboard, beating out the likes of fellow 15-minutes-of-fame artists Terror Squad and Crazy Town for the esteemed title. Looking through the list of 40 flameouts is like a high school reunion of artists whose claim to fame is making it onto a Now! That's What I Call Music compilation.

As with most lists, there are a few head scratching moments, and none stands out on Billboard's list more than their Number Seven pick, Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy." Granted, Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo never reached the chart-topping heights of their debut single again, but they did produce a pair of great albums, St. Elsewhere and The Odd Couple, plus a handful of lower-tier hit singles like "Who's Gonna Save My Soul Now?" and "Run." Another big surprise on Billboard's list is that Powter somehow was more one hit wonderful than James Blunt's "You're Beautiful," a song that likely outplayed "Happy Birthday to You" in 2006. However, we don't have any issue with the likes of Eiffel 65 ("Blue (Da Ba Dee)"), Blu Cantrell, Cassie and Cassidy on the one hit wonders list.

Rolling Stone will be unveiling our list of the decade's best songs (one-hit wonders included), albums and artists starting on Wednesday, December 9th. Plus we'll be revealing our readers' picks in those three categories, as well as our 2009 favorites, so check back this week to find out what album Rolling Stone's panel of experts named the Best Song and Best Album of the 2000s.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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