Top 100 Songs of the 2000's: #20-1

Previous installments: #100-81 #80-61 #60-41 #40-21

20. Jessica Simpson 'I Think I'm In Love With You'
2000. From Sweet Kisses.

Of the four teen pop princesses who emerged in 1999-2000, Jessica Simpson (along with Brit, Xtina and Mandy Moore) gets the least amount of respect these days. I find it a shame that she's nothing more than tabloid fodder because underneath all of the Newlyweds, "dumb blonde" foolishness, there's a legitimate talent. When she gets a great pop song, she nails it (see also: 'A Little Bit,' 'With You,' 'Irresistible'). 'I Think I'm In Love With You,' sampling the fantastic hook from John Cougar Mellencamp's 'Jack & Diane,' is the perfect pop song, the embodiment of how I want to feel when I fall in love with someone. I want to sing that big note without a care in the world. One more than one occasion I've said that I love this song more than nearly every member of my extended family; it's still true and probably always will be.



19. Leona Lewis 'Run'
2008/9. From Spirit.

My only gripe with Britpop of the 2000's, a decade which saw the Brits deliver consistently more clever and creative pop music than us lazy Americans, is the way they constantly cover pop songs that had no business being covered (and the fact that they get to #1 again and again at an alarming rate). Just think of all Christmas #1's, X-Factor finalists/winners and charity singles that hit the top of the chart and then were quietly forgotten two weeks later. One of the very few exceptions to this rule is Leona Lewis's 'Run,' a cover of Snow Patrol's so-indie-it-hurts ballad. Leona turned this dire song into one of the biggest and most emotive power ballads since Celine Dion's heyday. Now, this how you cover a song.



18. Lady GaGa 'Bad Romance'
2009. From The Fame Monster.

A future classic. 'Bad Romance' is the moment everyone realized that GaGa wasn't fucking around.









17. Robyn featuring Kleerup 'With Every Heartbeat'
2008. From Robyn.

Whenever I hear some annoying twat complain about how shallow pop music is (especially in comparison with whatever precious indie shit they adore), I, first of all, want to shake them. After that, I would tell them to listen to Robyn's 'With Every Heartbeat,' a searing, unconventional portrait of a broken heart that is unashamed of its pop roots. The way she repeats "And it hurts with every heartbeat" over and over at the end is more emotive and real than all of your "real" music put together.




16. Destiny's Child 'Say My Name'
2000. From The Writing's on the Wall.

America's premiere girl group bounced right back from the nasty departure of two of its members with 'Say My Name,' the song that solidified their then-burgeoning fame. I simply adore the way this song plays around with tempo and pacing, oscillating back and forth, constantly surprising with what's coming next. Bonus points for that iconic music video--which girl's room do you want to be in?





15. Justin Timberlake featuring Timbaland 'SexyBack'
2006. From FutureSex/LoveSounds.

This song should have gotten old quickly. Thankfully, it hasn't. I can still listen to JT's sexy growling and Timbaland's constant "Yup!" and never get sick of it.








14. Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z 'Crazy in Love'
2003. From Dangerously in Love.

I don't fall head over heels in love with a song on first listen, but 'Crazy in Love' had me right from that opening trumpet wail. Beyoncé always had star power--'Crazy in Love' just proved that she had the ability to take over the pop world. Seven years later, we are still captivated by her.






13. Leona Lewis 'Bleeding Love'
2008. From Spirit.

My God, those lyrics! I simply can't get over how rich, emotive and surprisingly dark they are, even after hearing this song approximately 1400 times since its American debut in the spring of 2008. But this isn't the song's sole claim to success. Jesse McCartney, one of the song's co-writers, sang a version of it, but it never worked for me. Leona has this amazing knack to emote on my exact emotional level at all times. She turns 'Bleeding Love' from a great poem to an amazing musical experience.





12. Girls Aloud 'Sexy! No No No...'
2007. From Tangled Up.

The first Girls Aloud song I ever heard. What a way to start, hm? I love the absolutely relentless beat that gets heavier and heavier as the song moves along. It's so f-ing addictive, and I'm sure it is what made me a Girls Aloud convert right from the get-go (the insane punctuation in the song title sure didn't hurt either).






11. Mariah Carey 'We Belong Together'
2005. From The Emancipation of Mimi.

The moment America seemed to remember how much they truly loved Mariah after all those years of calling her crazy and washed up. I loved Mariah, even during those dark years (I still think Charmbracelet is an underrated album), but 'We Belong Together' reaffirmed those feelings like a renewal of marriage vows. A couple times a year, some R&B songstress tries to come out with a smooth R&B slow jam and try to out-Mariah Mariah. A couple times a year, those songs fail. No one does 'We Belong Together'-style balladeering better than the originator.





10. Kylie Minogue 'Love at First Sight'
2002. From Fever.

The idea of "love at first sight" is technically not a very groundbreaking concept in pop music. With 'Love at First Sight,' however, Kylie is able to capture that emotion like it was a startling breakthrough. In much the same way 'I Think I'm In Love With You' does, 'Love at First Sight' relates an idea or feeling that you hope to experience someday. Only pop music, I feel, has the power to take some emotion so mundane and make it completely zesty.




9. Ciara 'Like a Boy'
2007. From The Evolution.

Ciara stands up to all the wannabe gangsters and tough thugs in one of the cleverest take downs of this decade's rap culture...and no one pays attention. Sigh.







8. Missy Elliott 'Work It'
2002. From Under Construction.

This may not be Missy's most accomplished jam (which sounds like complaining about your least favorite track on Blackout), but it's the one I'm most fond of even after all these years. 'Work It' is Missy at the height of her powers, when she was making music for herself and having a damn good time doing it. The great thing was, everyone else was enjoying it too. 'Work It' was popular among my group of friends in high school, and I remember often talking about how insane and in-your-face this song is--especially that epic lyric in reverse during the chorus.






7. Amy Winehouse 'Rehab'
2006/7. From Back to Black.

Come back to the music world, Amy Winehouse, Amy Winehouse. This place simply isn't the same since your hasty, drug-induced departure. Who else but Amy Winehouse can make a song about refusing to get help for a drinking problem so beautiful and every so slightly sad at the same time (maybe Ke$ha, but less enthusiastically and soulfully)? I will never give up on this woman and her eventual re-ascension to the top of the music world.





6. P!nk 'Just Like a Pill'
2002. From M!ssundaztood.

P!nk's rebellious attitude had become her stock in trade by the time she released this single. Never before had she dabbled in such a dark, eerily moody place as she does in 'Just Like a Pill.' This song is often remembered only as a footnote after the twin mega-successes of 'Get the Party Started' and 'Don't Let Me Get Me,' but 'Just Like a Pill' stands on its own merits and showed the world a side of P!nk that hadn't been seen before.





5. Sugababes 'Push the Button'
2005. From Taller in More Ways.

The sexiest song ever recorded. I wasn't convinced at first, but now I want to make babies to this song.










4. Eve and Gwen Stefani 'Let Me Blow Ya Mind'
2001. From Scorpion.

The best example of post-Spice Girls "Girl Power." Rock and rap collide in this piercing take down of celebrity-hungry culture and rappers more concerned with bling than writing good rhymes. If only more people had paid attention to Eve's warning back in 2001, maybe we wouldn't have had to endure Souljaboy.

P.S. I know every word to this song. It's probably the only rap song I can say that about.





3. Kelly Clarkson 'Since U Been Gone'
2005. From Breakaway.

I'm sure this song is near the top, if not at the top, of everyone else's best of the decade list. But when a song has proven this influential (for good or for bad) and this monumental in such a short span of time, there's nothing left but to give it due credit and follow consensus. Never have I been happier to follow a trend.





2. Girls Aloud 'Biology'
2005. From Chemistry.

I still remember the moment when I realized 'Biology' was one of the greatest songs I had ever heard. I was driving home from work one random night, listening to my Girls Aloud mix CD. I had always liked 'Biology,' but something happened with the song that gave me chills. As weird as it may sound, I felt like I was having some grand epiphany of sorts. This is what pop music is about.

I love the way 'Biology' keeps on playing with your expectations without you even realizing it. The structure doesn't follow the typical verse/bridge/chorus we've come to expect from a three and a half minute pop song. Then, there's the way the first verse builds up to a heated, sexual frenzy, pausing more seductively with each "Closer," only to, for lack of a better expression, give you blue balls with the abstinence-friendly second verse. How many songs do you know that can take you up and then take you down like that all in a matter of seconds?




1. Nelly Furtado 'Say It Right'
2007. From Loose.

Surprised that a semi-serious song from everyone's favorite Canadian warbler is my favorite of the entire decade? I was rather surprised myself when I sat down to make this list that I kept coming back to this one as the song I felt most strongly about, the one that defined the whole decade for me. 'Say It Right' is a perfect, and admittedly strange, combination of mid-90's hip-hop, Eurthymics-style 80's synth pop, late 2000's American pop and East Asian zen. Add to that conflicting pile of influences the fact that I, nor even Nelly herself, knows exactly what this song is about or trying to be about. That hardly matters in the long run, though. When you have a song as mysteriously vague as 'Say It Right,' it's more fun trying to dissect its meaning rather than knowing straight off. For this reason (plus the fact that it's compulsively listenable), 'Say It Right' is officially my favorite song of the 2000's.

Top 100 Songs of the 2000's: #60-41

Previous installments: #100-81 #80-61

60. Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black'
2007. From Back to Black.

If 'Rehab' was the song to show the world exactly who Amy Winehouse was, 'Back to Black' proved that she was, first and foremost, a musician. Winehouse, the closest the 2000's could ever refer to as a torch singer, reveals layers of hurt and devastation in the deceptively simple lyrics in ways unmatched by anyone. 'Back to Black' is definitive proof that a world without Amy Winehouse is one that is simply unlivable.




59. T.A.T.U. 'All the Things She Said'
2003. From 200 KM/H in the Wrong Lane.

Can you name a better pop song by two Russian lesbians about coming out of the closet? I didn't think so. Long after the novelty of the rampant lesbianism wore off, the song remains one of the strongest pop songs of the decade. 'All the Things She Said' is proof that pop songs can be about more than just dancing, love and having a good time.





58. Shakira 'Underneath Your Clothes'
2002. From Laundry Service.

The perfect Shakira song. 'Underneath Your Clothes' combines everything we love about her into an amazing 3 minute and 45 second package: her trademark odd, almost indescribable lyrics, her inimitable vocal warble which is both unusual and beautiful at the same time and a divalicious nature that still allows her to be humble (like her breasts) and approachable. Shakira is truly one of a kind in today's pop culture.





57. Destiny's Child 'Survivor'
2001. From Survivor.

Suppose you are an R&B girl group, recently crossing over to Top 40 in a major way, and you have just undergone your second major lineup change in a year. How on Earth do you combat the haters who think you are over before you even begin? Well, if you're Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle, you come out with a hot track aimed right at the haters to stop them right in their tracks. My love for Pop Songs as Personal Expression can be traced back to this one and few have gotten even close to matching it.




56. O-Town 'All or Nothing'
2001. From O-Town.

Forget NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, O-Town was by far the greatest boy band of the decade (To be fair, however, it's like comparing finding dog shit in your living room to finding dog shit in your bedroom). Lyrically, there's nothing much to celebrate about 'All or Nothing,' but the boys really sell the song, turning it into one of my favorite shout-worthy power ballads.






55. Christina Aguilera 'Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)'
2000. From Christina Aguilera.

The album version of this song is blah, but the radio edit makes up for it tenfold. And there's no denying the iconographic music video; I still think about the white outfit Christina wears in the video.







54. Ms. Jade featuring Timbaland and Nelly Furtado 'Ching Ching'
2002. From Girl Interrupted.

In a decade where Timbaland made the enormous jump to the mainstream, it's still a shame that one of his best efforts remains largely forgotten amid his larger hits. Amid an insane, alliterative Furtado background vocal, 'Ching Ching' largely plays out like a classic he said/she said song. Timbaland's verse is strong but Ms. Jade dominates, angrily lashing out against all the "gangsta" bullshit she had to put up with while wearing the "wifey and mother/cousin, sister and brother/accountant, lawyer and lover" roles in the relationship. She may have been treated like a second-class citizen in the relationship but she'll be damned if he gets away with it.





53. iio 'Rapture'
2002. From Poetica.

This song makes me want to buy a pacifier, take some E and dance at a rave for 14 hours straight like I'm Andrew Garfield in Boy A.








52. Kylie Minogue 'The One'
2008. From X.

A typical love ballad done up in an atypical up-tempo, electropop manner which only heightens the emotions and beauty of the song. 'The One' is another game-changer from Kylie, proving that after 20 years at the top she is still willing to experiment a bit and find ways to expand her sound to unparalleled heights. I have a feeling this will be a song more people will be talking about into the next decade.






51. Alphabeat 'Fascination'
2008. From This is Alphabeat.

"They're like an edgier Same Difference!" was my first reaction to Alphabeat when Dave introduced them to me earlier this year. It was love at first listen for me; their carefree, neo-80's sound was right up my alley from the beginning. 'Fascination,' like the lyrics suggest, is pure exaltation. Why someone hasn't used this song in a dance montage in a movie yet remains a mystery to me.





50. Girls Aloud 'Untouchable'
2009. From Out of Control.

When someone called Girls Aloud's nearly seven minute long epic 'Untouchable' this generation's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' they were not exaggerating one bit. 'Untouchable' is the epitome of the surreal electropop the Girls explored heavily on their Out of Control album. The raping of the beauty and ballsiness of this song at the hands of the three and a half minute radio edit remains one of the greatest tragedies of the decade. What should have been an easy #1 hit became the Girls first single to land outside the Top 10. Oh well. The public has proven time and time again incapable of recognizing genius when it is delivered to them on a silver platter. 'Untouchable' will forever be a fan favorite and one to remind us of the riskiness of pop music.




49. The Killers 'When You Were Young'
2006. From Sam's Town.

"He doesn't look a thing like Jesus/But he talks like a gentleman." If you don't like this lyric, there's really no hope for you.











48. Mya 'Case of the Ex'
2000. From Fear of Flying.

I will admit that with Mya's diminishing status as a popstar (or even a star at all), I'm not as crazy about this song as I once was. But nostalgia is a bitch sometimes and I have to give props to 'Case of the Ex,' which is still a damn catchy number and an important song from my awkward junior high period.






47. Britney Spears 'I'm a Slave 4 U'
2001. From Britney.

Oh that Britney. If there's one thing she knows how to do extremely well, it is inciting controversy and 'I'm a Slave 4 U' was her masterpiece in that regards. Remember the shit storm that erupted simply from the title leaking? What is easily forgotten is that 'I'm a Slave 4 U' is one of her best songs, a fantastic early example of the hip hop/pop hybrid that quickly dominated the decade. Plus, I must admit that somewhere there is videotaped evidence of me doing a really awkward and embarrassing dance to this song. Yes, there is a boa involved as well.





46. ATC 'Around the World (La La La La La)'
2000. From Planet Pop.

When so many songs I absolutely loved in junior high sound like complete shit ten years later, it is refreshing to find a song, especially one as niche as 'Around the World,' that is just as strong, if not stronger, than it was back in the day.







45. Pussycat Dolls 'Stickwitu'
2005. From PCD.

If the gays are ever allowed to marry, this will for sure be my wedding song. 'I Hate This Part' is probably a stronger ballad overall, but there's something about the cheesiness of the lyrics combined with the alarmingly anti-feminist tone of the song (I'm not going to find anyone who will love me more than you so I guess I'll just keep on dating you) that has me hooked every damn time.






44. Danity Kane 'Damaged'
2008. From Welcome to the Dollhouse.

I tried to resist since Danity Kane is nothing more than a second-rate knock off of the Pussycat Dolls, but I'll be damned if I couldn't get this song out of my head the entire summer of 2008. If that's not the sign of a perfectly done pop song, I don't know what is.







43. Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Lil' Kim and Mya 'Lady Marmalade'
2001. From Moulin Rouge! Soundtrack.

In a new era when singers collaborate with other pop singers or rappers and every other single, will the world ever witness a collaboration as epic as the one assembled for this cover of the disco classic. I highly doubt it and, in all honestly, who would want to be compared to this outing anyways. Everything about this song is perfection, from P!nk's trademarked attitude, Lil' Kim's gold digging rap and Xtina in all of her big hair glory swallowing the song whole with her over-the-top vocal exercises (and did I mention her enormous hair?).






42. Gwen Stefani 'Hollaback Girl'
2005. From Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

Even with its massive popularity, I'm still baffled at how 'Hollaback Girl' became a hit in the first place. With an odd, "stomp the yard" style hook and a cheerleading cheer as its main attention grabber, 'Hollaback Girl' is a downright unusual pop song and normally America ignores the unusual in favor of the rote. What's even more surprising is that given the large amount of times I have heard this song on the radio, it still feels as fresh as the first couple of times I heard it. Now that shit is bananas.





41. Carrie Underwood 'Before He Cheats'
2007. From Some Hearts.

As I stated in the post where I named 'Before He Cheats' the number one song of 2007, I'm still fucking scared of Carrie Underwood. She may seem all sweet and innocent, but you cross her just once and she will fucking cut you like she is Dame Judi Dench, no questions asked. If only there were more female country artists ready and willing to stand up for themselves like Underwood does here. Maybe country music would start to be more listenable.

Rants on Madonna's "4 Minutes" Music Video

I know I don't usually dabble in the music video artform, because I honestly know very little about them, but I just have to say something about The Madonna's video for her newest single "4 Minutes."

The Madonna is my favorite artist of all time, bar none. I've loved her music for years, even before I knew anything about her and her shifting celebrity. After years of worship, I've come to realize that anywhere she goes with her music and persona, I'm willing to follow. If she decides to become a Muslim and releases a recording of chants used during prayer, I'd put on a burka and love every minute of it.

So when The Madonna's latest single, "4 Minutes," came out a few weeks ago, I lunged on to the first horrible copy I could get online and immediately fell in love. Once again, The Madonna has transformed herself, this time into "the hot young thang singer with a killer hook in her corner" and is doing it 10 times better than any other artist on the radio. It doesn't hurt either that she has the best male pop singer of the decade (Justin Timberlake) and my favorite producer of the moment (Timbaland) in her court lending support. With a song this hot, all The Madonna needed was a killer video to seal the deal. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out that way.

I was really excited for the video, mostly because I had heard rumors that there was going to be a superhero theme and, in my mind, I immediately constructed the images of Justin Timberlake in a tight spandex outfit and The Madonna whipping him (don't ask, it's just what I imagined). With this in mind the first time I watched the video, I was, needless to say, sorely disappointed and ready to completely write it off. However, I decided to give it a couple of days, watch it again and see what I thought then before I actually sat down to write anything.

I wish I could say I loved it more, but I still have some major reservations with it. I love the central theme of the video- time is running out and it's coming quicker than we think- but I just wish it had been integrated better. The massive countdown clock is ingenious, but what the hell is up with the cheesy CGI "darkness" that The Madonna and JT are running away from? It looks like something that could have been made on any Apple computer by any amateur filmmaker.

Basically, the video amounts to a bunch of shots of The Madonna and JT sliding on cars, strutting in supermarkets and staring into mirrors. If you have dancers like these two, why don't you develop some kind of intricate choreography for them to do during the course of the whole video, not just for 15 seconds at the end. Don't get me wrong, those few seconds are amazing, but it just makes me wish this was more of it.

I don't know if this me being superficial, but I could not get over just how skanky JT looks in this video. But that's the kind of relationship we have; he goes from so sexy to where I just can't stand looking at him. If The Madonna was willing to put in the effort to look as good as ever, why couldn't JT? And just how many layers was he wearing in that video? He should have been saving the world shirtless for at least 2 minutes.

My Ratings:
"4 Minutes" Song: *****
"4 Minutes" Video: *** 1/2

We Only Got 4 Minutes to Save the World

I have finally heard The Madonna's new single "4 Minutes to Save the World" featuring Timbaland and Justin Timberlake and let me just say this: I LOVE IT! It's definitely her strongest single since, I don't know, "Don't Tell Me" or even "Ray of Light" and I predict it's going to be a major hit. It's such a great summer song that I can't see how the radio won't play it. The Madonna is back and better than ever!

Unfortunately, I wish I could say the same about Janet Jackson and her latest album, Discipline. Ever since the bombs that were her last two albums and that whole Nipplegate controversy, I've been hoping Janet would have a return to form and make the comeback of all time. I had hope after her first single, the supremely strange "Feedback," went from, in my mind, "What the fuck?!" to "This shit ain't bad!" to "God I love it!" After hearing the rest of the album though, I was disappointed in the extreme. Every song sounds exactly the same and I don't remember a single one that stood out in any way. I really wish Janet would take a break from her longtime collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, because their efforts are just getting staler and staler as the years go on. Maybe with some fresh new input Janet could make the album she's supposed to make, not space fillers like this garbage.

Top 20 Songs of 2007: #10-6

10. Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E. "The Way I Are"
I believe two things were discovered with the popularity of this song: 1) Bad grammar does not always equal a bad thing. 2) With Timbaland in her corner, Keri Hilson is poised to have a career as hot as Nelly Furtado's. (Listen)

9. Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse "Valerie"

Amy may be going through some tough times a la Britney, Lindsay and Kate Moss, but listening to song (off of Mark Ronson's amazing Version album) just gives me hope that maybe she can pull her shit together and gives us more songs like these. It's definitely not your average pop song, but it's so brilliantly done that I'm surprised it's not a big radio hit. (Listen)

8. Gwen Stefani "The Sweet Escape"

Lord knows I've heard this more times than anyone can even imagine, but it's hook is so catchy that I always find myself singing along even when I don't want to. It's a shame that the rest of this album doesn't come close to matching the cool pop perfection of "The Sweet Escape." (Listen)

7. Britney Spears "Gimme More"

And with the now immortal words, "It's Britney, bitch," a comeback was started. Too bad that her trainwreck of a personal life has overshadowed her brilliant album and this single, her absolute finest since "Toxic." (Listen, but don't watch the video)

6. Kanye West featuring Daft Punk "Stronger"

How do you top "Gold Digger"? Set your song to an impossibly catchy Daft Punk song, shoot a video that is visually impressive and manages to incorporate the song and write lyrics like this: "Well, I'd do anything for a blonde dyke/And she'd do anything for the limelight." (Listen)

Top 20 Songs of 2007: #15-11

15. Eve "Tambourine"
With a fiesty and electrifying single every bit as hot as "Let Me Blow Ya Mind," the Eve comeback should be on its way. So why was this song completely ignored on the radio? And where the hell is her new album? (Listen here)

14. 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland "Ayo Technology"
It's possibly the strangest song on the countdown- in a million years, I never would have thought I'd see the day where the totally gangsta 50 Cent and the skinny white boy Justin Timberlake did anything, let alone collaborate on a song, together- but, for some strange reason, it works. I love the way Fiddy utters "50 Cent, Justin, Timbaland" in the very beginning and his first verse flows especially well. (Listen here)

13. Jordin Sparks "Tattoo"
This has to be a mistake- an American Idol contestant who's first single is actually worthwhile? Well, believe it. "Tattoo" is the finest AI debut since Kelly Clarkson's "Miss Independent." The song is nothing special, but Sparks sings it beautifully and finally proved to me that she was a worthy winner last season. (Listen here)

12. Rihanna "Shut Up and Drive"
With the best not-so-subtle sexual metaphor since Fergie wondered about people going down like London Bridge, Rihanna's follow-up to "Umbrella" is an inspired, rock-heavy to her usual sound and another reason why she had an amazing 2007. (Listen here)

11. Amy Winehouse "Rehab"
She may have just chopped off her famous beehive and has given Britney stiff competition in the "Breakdown of the Year" battle, but Amy Winehouse is a damn good singer and her breakthrough American single "Rehab" is a great way to discover for yourself. (Listen here)