Daniel Powter Tops End-Of-The-Decade List With One Hit While Usher Tops Another With Seven

Becky Bain | December 7, 2009 1:27 pm

Billboard‘s stats nerds have come with their own take on the high and low points of the decade: the music industry trade mag named Daniel Powter, singer of American Idol fail theme “Bad Day,” as the biggest One-Hit Wonder of the last ten years, while on the other end of the spectrum, Usher topped Billboard‘s hit list as the artist with the most number ones of the Noughties. The hit-maker (and TV home-builder)  took seven songs to the top spot on the Billboard’s Hot 100 in the last decade, and he didn’t even need the full ten years to do it: his bouncy classic “U Remind Me” ranked No. 1 in 2001, and beat-recycling smash “Love in This Club” peaked at the top in 2008. That’s definitely a reason for Usher to celebrate something other than his divorce. And hey, Daniel Powter’s name is being mentioned again for the first time in three years, so that dude’s probably breaking out the champagne right about now.

The rest of the Top 10 One Hit Wonders after the jump:

Biggest One-Hit Wonders of the 2000s

Daniel Powter – “Bad Day” (2006) Terror Squad – “Lean Back” (2004) Crazy Town – “Butterfly” (2001) Mims – “This Is Why I’m Hot” (2007) D4L – “Laffy Taffy” (2004) James Blunt – “You’re Beautiful” (2006) Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy” (2006) Blu Cantrell – “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” (2001) Bo Bice – “Inside Your Heaven” (2005) Dream – “He Loves U Not” (2000)

We’re not shocked to see Powter nab the top spot given the speed with which he went from eardrum-numbing ubiquity to missing in action (though he’s still at it.) We’re a bit more surprised to find likable duo Gnarls Barkley on the list. No, Cee-Lo Green and Dangermouse haven’t matched the towering success of “Crazy,” but their sophomore outing The Odd Couple had a bunch of terrific songs and spawned incredible videos, like this (literally) heart-breaking one. Perhaps there’s another bona fide hit yet to come.

Go to Billboard to check out the rest of both lists, plus compilations of every song and album to hit number one the last ten years. Because this decade can’t end until we post every last Best End-Of-The-Decade Lists of the Decade.