10 2000s Artists Who Fell Off the Map

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at artists that defined the 2000s, but disappeared shortly after the decade ended.

Kelis

In 2003, she broke out of the European bubble and into our hearts. That was the year Kelis released the effortlessly catchy “Milkshake,” propelling her to international stardom. Within a year, she found herself nominated for a Grammy and collaborating with household names. She was suddenly dropped by her record label in 2007, prompting her to take a hiatus from performing. She had started training in the culinary arts the year prior, and devoted her energy to becoming a saucier. By the time she returned to music in 2010 and dropped her fifth album, her moment in the mainstream had passed. Her last project came out in 2014, and since then she’s found a new niche for herself making guest appearances in various cooking shows.

Kevin Rudolf

Despite being signed at the very beginning of the decade, he wouldn’t reap rewards until the end. After learning from Timbaland, Kevin Rudolf released his first and biggest single under his own name in 2008. “Let It Rock” featuring Lil Wayne was the perfect fusion between rap and rock ‘n’ roll, and it easily resonated with the general public. It hit the top five within its first week— a spot most new artists would kill for. His moment in the sun would prove to be fleeting just a year later, when his follow-up attempt didn’t even crack the top 50. Besides one other small hit in 2010, he hasn’t charted since. He’s still dropping new music, albeit to a much smaller audience than before.

Daniel Powter

There was a period of time in the mid-aughts where you could hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing his megahit. Yet despite the massive reach of 2005’s “Bad Day,” Daniel Powter has all but disappeared. He released more music through the end of the 2000s, but unfortunately didn’t see the same success he had captured before. He quietly exited the scene in 2011 to prioritize his family. He returned a year later, but his star had waned. He has sporadically dropped a handful of releases and announced a new song for the fall of 2025. Only time will tell if he’ll be able to re-enter the zeitgeist once more.

LMFAO

This uncle-and-nephew may have come onto the scene at the tail end of the decade, but the impact they made is undeniable. LMFAO originally got their start in the club circuit in 2006, and by 2009 had found mainstream fame with songs like “Shots.” They carried that infectious 2000s energy into the beginning of the following decade, and released two smash hits in 2011. Unfortunately, their party wouldn’t last much longer than that. In 2012, they dropped their final single as a duo before going on an indefinite hiatus. Both Red Foo and Sky Blu have come out with solo work since then to varying levels of success, but neither have been able to recreate the heat they originally found together.

Cristina Milian

Thanks to a Ja Rule single in 2000, she was catapulted from minor television fame to a potential pop girl. By 2004, Christina Milian had only released two albums, yet was already being compared to industry veterans like Beyoncé. Her 2006 record “So Amazin’” ended up falling just short of the top 10 on the Billboard 200– but despite it being her most commercially successful, she was still dropped from her label a week later. Her next project remained in limbo for years until it was ultimately canceled in 2011. By that point, she’d already returned to acting. Since then, her career has remained on the screen, with roles in a variety of television shows and movies.

Metro Station

While their siblings were working on “Hannah Montana,” Mason Musso and Trace Cyrus were ruling MySpace. After being discovered in 2007, Metro Station soon found immense success with their 2008 hit “Shake It.” They were at the top of the world, but it wouldn’t last long. During a tour with Miley Cyrus in 2009, their drummer and keyboardist both quit. It wasn’t long before Trace and Mason split ways as well, choosing to instead focus on their own solo output. It would be years before they would come together again in 2014, and by then their moment had been over for some time. They’ve briefly come together to release a few singles since then, but have made no concrete plans to reunite for another album.

Akon

If you told someone in 2006 that he’d stop solo charting by the end of the decade, they’d never believe you. Akon ruled the 2000s with irresistibly catchy R&B hits, scoring seven top ten hits in four years. His association with legends like Eminem all but ensured his long term success. Then, in 2011, he took a break. He sporadically appeared as a featured artist, but didn’t release another solo song until 2013. Unfortunately, his singles and albums have failed to reach the same level as his earlier work. He’s switched his focus to constructing a city named after himself in Senegal— but as of 2025, that’s proven to be just as lucrative as his recent musical output.

Ashanti

In 2002, her work as a featured artist helped her become the first woman to nab the top two spots on the singles chart. A start like that should’ve secured her fame, but Ashanti ended up getting the short end of the stick. Her debut alone earned a litany of awards and her later work continued to sell, but she was still dropped from her label in 2009. She came back onto the scene years later, to limited success. She then struggled personally, with a controversial music video promo and taking a stalker to court. Though she’s overcome both, with her last album being released in 2014 and no new one in sight, she may never regain her status as a pop star.

Sean Kingston

Life has a way of coming at you fast, even if you’re a global superstar. After being discovered online in 2007, Sean Kingston struck gold with his debut single “Beautiful Girls.” By the end of the following year, he was touring with Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson. He continued to work with established artists into the next decade. By the end of 2013, his own music was failing to chart, and wouldn’t again. Unfortunately, a comeback most likely won’t be in the cards for him for a while. In 2024, he and his mother were both arrested for theft and fraud after attempting to scam luxury sellers. A year later, they were convicted, and as of 2025 have both been sentenced to multiple years in prison.

Taio Cruz

In 2009, he was primed to become the next big thing. Songs like “Dynamite” and “Break Your Heart” blew up around the world, taking Taio Cruz to heights he’d never expected. It wouldn’t be long before he was brought back down to Earth. His next project was leaked online, causing him to scrap it and start over. This had an immense impact on the album’s success when it dropped in 2011. He continued to release music throughout the 2010s, but couldn’t recreate that initial spark. His attempts to use TikTok in 2020 to rebuild his audience ended in him being bullied off the platform. Since then, he hasn’t returned — and it’s unclear if he ever will.

Which 2000s star would you love to see make a comeback? Let us know in the comments below!