"Bad Day" by Daniel Powter Named One Hit Wonder of the Decade

Of all the songs Billboard may have chosen for their One Hit Wonder of the Decade, Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" was probably not only the biggest of the one hit wonders but the most appropriate for a decade Time magazine labeled the Worst Decade in History. It was one of those songs, like "Come On, Eileen" and "Right Round (You Spin Me)," songs that, although they may not have launched the artists who sang them into continuing superstardom, they did manage to place them in a special place of social memory in perpetuity. Whether you remember the song from its original hit run in 2006 or from the results shows of American Idol Season 5, the lyrics of "Bad Day" stayed with you.

"Bad Day" by Daniel Powter was certainly one of those kind of songs that win games of Trivial Pursuit and "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" Even Wikipedia's last line in their "Bad Day (Daniel Powter Song)" entry introduction asserts: " Despite the song's massive worldwide success, Powter failed to release any more pop hits, proving to be a very successful one-hit wonder."

Billboard ranked the top One Hit Wonder songs of the decade, choosing tunes from the years 2000-2007, and announced them Monday, December 7. Daniel Powter climbed to the top of the list just like he shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with "Bad Day" in April 2006 and stayed there for five weeks. And even though Billboard named the song the #1 Hot 100 song of 2006 and called it "one of the great discoveries of the year," Daniel Powter's follow-up album ("Bad Day" was released off of Daniel Powter's eponymous 2005 album but was slow to chart), "Under The Radar," failed to chart. He released several singles after "Bad Day" but never re-entered the Hot 100.

Other One Hit Wonders of the Decade that reached #1 on the charts, ranked 2-6, included Terror Squad's "Lean Back" (August 2004), Crazy Town's "Butterfly" (March 2001), MIMS' "This is Why I'm Hot" (March 2007), D4L's "Laffy Taffy" (January 2006), and James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" (March 2006).

The rest of the Top 10 One Hit Wonders of the Decade all were No. 2 hits as well. Gnarls Barkley hit it big with "Crazy" in July 2006 to come in at #7 for the decade. Blu Cantrell's "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" was #8 and made it to No. 2 in July 2001. Another American Idol tie-in came in at #9 on the Billboard One Hit Wonder of the Decade list with Bo Bice's "Inside Your Heaven," which peaked at No. 2 in July 2005. And rounding out the Top 10 was Dream's "He Loves U Not" which nailed the second slot in December 2000.

Some may disagree with Billboard's choice on aesthetic grounds (James Blunt's song is an earful of disgusting sweetness and chalkboard-grating vocals, for instance), but their reasoning cannot be denied. At least all the other artists (except for Crazy Town) had songs that made it into the Hot 100 afterward (just not very far), making "Bad Day" not only a true one hit wonder for Daniel Powter but the biggest single hit of the decade.

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Source:

Billboard.com