Music is a sweet sound that most people can’t live without. Music is always changing and evolving as time goes on, and there is a genre for everybody. Growing up, I always had headphones in my ears when I was listening to my CD player, then my iPod, and eventually my iPhone. We are almost in the year 2018 (which is insane to even think!). To celebrate the different decades of music, here are some classic songs from the early 2000s you might have forgotten about.
Poppy Tunes
Pop music is one of the most listened to genres of music and is a cult-favorite for millennials. A good majority of the songs you will find on the Billboard Hot 100 list are in the pop genre. The biggest pop boy band of the late 90s and 2000s was the Backstreet Boys. Most of the female population of millennials, myself included, had a crush on at least one of the members of the Backstreet Boys. Not only were they good looking, but also their music was undeniably catchy. One of their hit singles, “I Want It That Way” was released in April of 1999 and hit number six of the Billboard Hot 100 for thirty-one weeks straight. I was only four years old when this song was released and my parents bought me their CD. I memorized all the lyrics to this song and could still recite them to this day. Another cult-favorite boy band of the 90s and 2000s was *NSYNC. Their hit song “It’s Gonna Be Me,” released in 2000 has the traditional cheesy boy-band beat and lyrics. It’s really hard not to sing along to this song, and my heart swoons instantly whenever I hear it. I’m a sucker for boy bands and I definitely blame the 90s and 2000s for the pop-y boy band epidemic.
The most famous party song of the 2000s is P!nk’s “Get This Party Started,” which debuted in 2001. This song was played on repeat at every party, school function and hangout session. “Get This Party Started” was the hottest dance tune of the 2000s and is a feel-good song that makes it impossible not to sing on the top of your lungs and bust a move. In 2005, when it came to chill hangout songs, “Cupid’s Chokehold” by Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump definitely hit the top charts. The calming, soulful voice from Travis McCoy and Stump and the peaceful beat makes you want to bop along to the chords. I remember hearing this song for the first time on the radio on my way to school with my mom. The catchy beat was stuck in my head all day and now every time I hear the song I can’t get the beat out of my mind.
Alternative Jams
Growing up I enjoyed listening to alternative rock music. The sound of the different instruments, especially the drums and guitars, on these types of songs were beautiful sounds to my ears. This genre of music was especially popular in the stores I shopped at and was played in different movies when I was growing up. Growing up I went through different phrases of music, but this one has always been one of my favorites. “In Too Deep” is a classic song from the band Sum 41. This song is incredibly catchy and every time I hear it I instantly remember my youth because the first time I ever heard it I was watching Cheaper by The Dozen. Good Charlotte was extremely popular during the 2000s and I was one of their biggest fans. Their song “The Anthem” was released in 2002 and landed the tenth spot on the Billboard Top Alternative Songs Chart. This song has a killer beat and the lyrics are so relatable, which is probably why this song was so successful. The lyrics on this song embraces originality and emphasizes the importance of being your own person, for example, “Do you really want to be like them? Do you really want to be another trend? Do you want to be part of that crowd?”
Another alternative rock song you have probably heard a million times but is a classic is “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. Every time I hear the opening lyrics, “I’m coming out of my cage and I’ve been doing just fine. Gotta, gotta be down because I want it all,” I instantly remember all of the times I watched the music video before school on MTV (back when MTV actually played music videos). This song was released in 2004 and I still have all of the lyrics memorized.
Hippity Hop
The genre of hip-hop has always been a fan favorite because of their funky rhymes and rhythm. The hip-hop songs from the early 2000s sound nothing like the ones produced today. Today, hip-hop is mostly about drugs and “getting money,” but the songs from the 2000s have a deeper meaning. A famous hip-hop song you probably forgot about that was released in 2003 is “Suga Suga” by Baby Bash featuring Frankie J. This song gives me all the feels whenever I hear the calming beat and the lyrics, “Got me lifted, shifted higher than the ceilin’. And ooohwee, it’s the ultimate feelin’.” Whenever I hear this song I instantly remember all of the times I listened to it with my friends in elementary school and how cool I thought I was. Released in 2004, “Tipsy” by J-Kwon was played at every school dance and party during the 2000s and will always be one of my favorites. “Tipsy” is a song about drinking and partying, but it’s so catchy that it will leave you dancing and singing on the top of your lungs all because of its insanely good beat.
A classic hip-hop song released in 2005 is “Ridin’” by Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone. “Ridin’” was extremely popular in the summer of 2005 and I remember listening to it for the first time at summer camp when I was in fourth grade. I had no idea what the song was about, but now I know that “Ridin’” was about cops trying to bust people for carrying illegal things in their car, as mentioned in their lyrics, “They see me rollin’, they hatin’, Patrollin’ and tryna catch me ridin’ dirty.” The perfect dance song in 2005 was “Lose Control” by Missy Elliot featuring Ciara and Fat Man Scoop. The memorable beat on this song makes it really hard to sit still, even if you aren’t a dancer, I guarantee this song will make you want to bust a move, because just like the lyrics say, “Music make you lose control.”
The songs from the early 2000s have a completely different sound and vibe to them. Today, these songs that were once overplayed on the radio are considered to be a slice of history. No matter how old, these songs will always be remembered as the biggest hits of the early 2000s and their legacy will live on forever.
