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15 Grammy winners whose careers fizzled
Ron Galella/Getty Images

15 Grammy winners whose careers fizzled

Often times, a Grammy Award is given to an artist who sold a lot of records in the preceding year. Sometimes, like when Arcade Fire won Album of the Year and was met with confusion and millions of teens on social media asking who they were, relatively smaller, critically beloved acts take home the big prizes. However, as often as "deserving" artists win Grammys, artists or bands briefly come onto the scene, capture the attention of the public, and win awards, only to disappear or never approach similar success in the future. Here are 15 such artists and bands whose careers fizzled after winning a Grammy.

 
1 of 15

Baha Men

Baha Men
Vince Bucci/Getty Images

For over a decade, the Baha Men were a popular nightclub act in the Bahamas. Then in 2000, the group crossed over into the mainstream with their omnipresent earworm "Who Let The Dogs Out." The song was a top 40 hit in the US and went Platinum in the UK and Australia leading to the group winning the 2001 Grammy for Best Dance Recording, sandwiched between Cher and Madonna in the first years of that  award's existence. The Baha Men were not able to recapture lightning in a bottle, and though the song was used a lot at sporting events for several years after its peak, the band, and the song, are not regarded well, with Rolling Stone calling "Who Let the Dogs Out" one of the most annoying songs ever.

 
2 of 15

Hootie and the Blowfish

Hootie and the Blowfish
Ron Galella/Getty Images

In 1996, Hootie and the Blowfish were the toast of the music industry. They had a popular video featuring Dan Marino and ended up with two Grammy wins: Best New Artist and Best Pop Performance by a group or duo with vocals. Though " Cracked Rear View" went Platinum several times over in the U.S. the band failed to sell as many records in subsequent outings. The band eventually went on hiatus and lead singer Darius Rucker has enjoyed success on the country circuit as a solo act.

 
3 of 15

Paula Cole

Paula Cole
Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images

At the 1998, based off the strength of songs like "I Don't Want to Wait" appearing during the opening credits of Dawson's Creek, and the hit single "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?" Paula Cole secured seven Grammy nominations, winning one for Best New Artist. Cole has released five subsequent albums but none have garnered her the attention as she received in the late '90s. Cole continues to release new music while holding a faculty position at the Berklee College of Music.

 
4 of 15

Christopher Cross

Christopher Cross
Allan Tannenbaum/Getty Images

One of the biggest Grammy winners of all time, Christopher Cross won five (out of six nominations) awards in 1981 thanks to his mega-hits "Sailing" and "Ride Like the Wind," off his eponymous album. Cross took home Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best Instrumental Arrangement and Accompanying Vocals. While Cross received three nominations the following year for his songs from the film "Arthur," his brand of adult contemporary soon grew out of favor with audiences. Cross has continued to release music and had a minor resurgence in the early 2000s thanks to the cult internet show Yacht Rock.

 
5 of 15

Creed

Creed
SGranitz/Getty Images

Creed were once, unfathomably, one of the most popular bands in the world. In 2001 they were rewarded with the 2001 Grammy for Best Rock Song for "With Arms Wide Open." The band released a follow-up record in 2003 that actually went Platinum eight times over, but did not have as many hit singles their previous output. By 2004, the band had dismantled due to the increased problems of singer Scott Stapp's drug and alcohol abuse.

 

 
6 of 15

The Wallflowers

The Wallflowers
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

In 1998, Jakob Dylan's band won two Grammy awards (and were nominated for a third): Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song for the ubiquitous "One Headlight." Years later their followup album "Breach" was one of the first victims of Napster as the file-sharing network was blamed for poor album sales, despite critical appreciation. The Wallflowers continue to tour and record music, with several new members. "Bringing Down the Horse," their breakthrough album, was re-issued on vinyl in 2016.

 
7 of 15

Marc Cohn

Marc Cohn
Michel Linssen/Getty Images

"Walking in Memphis" nabbed Marc Cohn a Song of the Year nomination and one for Best Male Vocal Performance while Cohn took home the Best New Artist Grammy. However, Cohn's career peaked at that point. He released several albums after, and recorded or toured with artists like Kris Kristofferson, Roseanne Cash, and Suzanne Vega. In 2005, Cohn survived being shot in the head during a carjacking in Denver and released an album based on his PTSD surrounding the incident.

 
8 of 15

Duffy

Duffy
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

In 2009, Duffy released "Rockferry" and won Best Pop Vocal album, beating out luminaries like Sheryl Crow, The Eagles, James Taylor, and Leona Lewis. The Welsh singer's next album was a critical and commercial flop, leading to Duffy to take a hiatus from music that continues to this day.

 
9 of 15

Shawn Colvin

Shawn Colvin
Matt Campbell/Getty Images

"Sunny Came Home" won Shawn Colvin two Grammys (and her third overall after 1991's win for Best Contemporary Folk Album) for Song and Record of the Year in 1998. Colvin has continued to write and record music, across several record labels, and released her memoirs in 2012, but has yet to recapture platinum status.

 
10 of 15

All-4-One

All-4-One
Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

All-4-One set the table for late '90s, early 2000s boy bands to take control of the radio and airwaves. For that they were rewarded with the 1995 Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for "I Swear." However, their updated brand of doo wop, like swing music, had but a brief renaissance on the charts, and the group faded from the public eye while remaining a working band. Their latest album was released in 2015.

 
11 of 15

Fun.

Fun.
Frederick Breedon IV/Getty Images

Fun. took home Best New Artist at the 2013 ceremony as well as Song of the Year for "We Are Young." However, after the huge success of the album "Some Nights," and touring for several years, the band went on hiatus and has yet to record new music, with each member seemingly working on different projects including solo work and film scoring.

 
12 of 15

Milli Vanilli

Milli Vanilli
Ron Galella/Getty Images

Perhaps the most infamous of Grammys flameouts, Milli Vanilli won for Best New Artist in 1990. However, the duo and their manager admitted soon-after that they did not sing on their recordings, leading to them returning their Grammy award. The lip-syncing scandal lead to a class-action lawsuit where concert goers and album buyers were made eligible for full refunds.

 
13 of 15

Debby Boone

Debby Boone
Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

Debby Boone, daughter of Pat, won Best New Artist in 1978 after covering the song "You Light Up My Life." She was nominated for several other Grammys that year, but soon shifted to Christian music, winning two future awards in the inspirational and gospel categories. Boone now performs in musical theater and releases children's books with her husband.

 
14 of 15

Swingle Singers

Swingle Singers
INA/Getty Images

The Swingle Singers are more famous for beating Barbra Streisand for Best New Artist in 1964 than perhaps anything else. The French a cappella group known for choral music is technically still going, with new members replacing outgoing ones with regularity. Babs won Album of the Year in '64 though, and has continued to get the last laugh.

 
15 of 15

Vaughn Meader

Vaughn Meader
Wikipedia

Vaughn Meader was a comedian who gained his biggest popularity for his impression of President John F. Kennedy. His comedy album "The First Family" actually won Album of the Year in 1963. However, nine months later, President Kennedy was assassinated and Meader's career never recovered.

David Matthews writes and tweets from Brooklyn.

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