10 Best Euro-Dance One-Hit Wonders Of The New Millennium

Bianca Gracie | December 16, 2014 6:00 am
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When it comes to one-hit wonder lists, industry critics mainly focus on hip-hop, pop or country hits from the ’80s and ’90s. But what about the true underdogs — the European techno artists? Well today (December 16), that is all going to change! We at Idolator are shaking things up a bit, as we look back at some of the best (and most underrated) euro-dance one-hit wonders from the 2000s.

Save for one exception, the criteria was simple: the artist had to be from a European or British country, and their single had to have cracked the Top 40 of Billboard Hot 100. So throw on some neon glitter, crack open your glowsticks and dance along to our picks after the jump!

10. “Lady Hear Me Tonight” By Modjo (2000) — Peaked At #81

Kicking off this road of euro nostalgia is a danceable groove that may have slipped under your radar over the past decade. That is possibly due to its peak at the number 81 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 (which is why it’s so high on this list). When speaking about exceptions in the intro, this was the tune I was referring to (we like to break rules at Idolator!). Despite its low charting in the States, this breakout single from Modjo was too good to ignore. The French house duo got it all right on the tune, from the sample of Chic‘s 1982 song “Soup For One” to the punchy drum patterns. It recently got a revival in 2012, thanks to a remix by Canadian producer Kaytranada.

9. “We No Speak Americano” By Yolanda Be Cool (2010) — Peaked At #29

We have our friends down under to thank for this inescapable tune! “We No Speak Americano” by Yolanda Be Cool was everywhere back in 2010: pop radio, high school proms, bar mitzvahs, your aunt’s wedding…you name it! What makes this song so infectious is the sample of 1956’s  “Tu Vuò Fà L’Americano” by Italian singer, Renato Carosone. The Australian duo managed to transform this spaghetti-and-meatballs swing tune into a super-kooky club anthem. The end result was honestly just plain weird, but somehow it worked!

8. “Listen To Your Heart” By DHT (2003) — Peaked At #8

“Listen To Your Heart” was a chart-topping success from Swedish pop duo Roxette, which was released back in 1988. But really, does anyone actually remember the original version? Fast forward to 15 years later, and in comes DHT with their killer cover of the song. The Belgian dance duo took the previous pop rock ballad and transformed it into a trance adventure. It took over both the international clubs and the Billboard Hot 100, as it peaked at number 8 — a difficult feat for euro-dance artists! The song was so popular, in fact, that it was certified Gold by the RIAA in 2005.