For decades, Canada has been down to support Canadian artists. And lucky for us, that also means our fair share of Canadian one-hit wonders to explore. From some iconic pop songs to those dad tunes that never really stop getting played, Canada’s artists have brought the noise, if only for one song.
Here are 10 amazing Canadian one-hit wonders that you might not know about.
Nick Gilder- Hot Child in the City (1978)
Gilder actually had success with another band, Sweeney Todd, before this came out. But, it this song that shot to number 1 on both Canadian and US charts. We can see why- we find ourselves singing the chorus anytime we feel fancy on vacation.
Indio- Hard Sun (1989)
This is our frontrunner for ‘Song you’re most likely to find a man crying in the parking lot of Home Depot to’ award. Hey, the man has every right to be there, and we’d be lying if this song didn’t nudge us towards catharsis every time we hear it. Stay back, wistful emotions!
Snow- Informer (1993)
In 2020, this song rose to new levels of one-hit-wonder we have never seen before. Why? Because Daddy Yankee brought in Snow for his unbelievably popular song ‘Con Calma‘. It took home Billboard Awards, has over 2 billion views on YouTube, and Snow’s name is right there. Actually incredible.
Bran Van 3000- Drinkin’ in L.A. (1997)
The grungy, laidback sound of this song has proven to be almost eternal amongst casually nihilistic young adults. In contrast to Hot Child in the City, this is the song we listen to after we run out of money and have to return home. Cheers!
Len- Steal my Sunshine (1999)
This would have been the best known one hit wonder to come out of Canada, if Informer didn’t roll around to shatter the game. Were you old enough to hear this song first make the rounds on MuchMusic back in the day? No? Don’t worry, it will stay on every ‘Feel Good’ summer playlist for years to come.
Tal Bachman- She’s so High (1999)
Even if it wasn’t actually in there, we see this as the soundtrack song for pretty much every RomCom to come out in the early 2000s. Maybe ironically, the only true major movie it was featured on was She’s Out Of My League, which came out over a decade later. Too good of a connection to pass up, though.
Prozzak- Sucks to be You (1999)
Full honesty- we know that a fair number of Prozzak songs were popular, but this is the only one we can ever remember. It’s just as well, since this song captured the weird, moody, internet-savvy essence of the band perfectly. Hot take- they’d be better off if they only started this year.
b4-4- Get Down (2000)
Here’s a fun fact, this song was actually written by Prozzak for b4-4, which explains the tongue in cheek lyrics. Mix that with the most tanned Canadians maybe to have ever been captured on screen, and you’ve got a summer classic. Another hot take- although not appropriate for the target audience, this song is one of the more equitable out there.
soulDecision- Faded (2001)
Our childhood selves imagined that this song was what was playing in all the clubs in Canada in the early 2000s. Boy, how we wish we could have donned a fedora, jeans and a rolled-up dress shirt unironically to go slam double G&Ts at the local watering hole, or whatever the hip way to call a club back then was.
Wave- California (2002)
Listen to this song and tell us it hasn’t already earned a spot on your road trip playlist. Picture this- us in the car, the top down, puka shells on our neck and Reef brand sandals on our feet. Where are we going? We don’t know, but we’ll feel it when we get there.
And that’s our roundup of 10 Canadian one-hit wonders that you might have forgotten about. Hopefully, we’ve got a few songs in here you’re happy to rediscover.
