One of the most deliciously freaky, gleefully experimental hip-hop songs ever: Timbaland delivers an amazing bhangra beat while Missy throws down like some weird-ass cheerleader who knows that the world is listening.
This creepy hit encapsulated the dramatic flair that made Eminem so impossible to ignore in 2000. A deranged fan writes Em a series of unhinged letters, and as the song builds to a bloodcurdling climax, Em is forced to confront his rep as a bad role model. And despite Dido's reassurances, this story won't end well.
Remember 1999? That ebullient mix of pre-millennial tension and excitement? Remember the bug that threatened to take us back to the stone age and Kelly Brook on The Big Breakfast? The establishment of the euro and Ricky Martin in the charts, and all that. It was good wasn't it? Halcyon days, really, before everything turned to absolute shit and we all started wearing cargo pants and getting really into As If. 1999's most important moment wasn't the ousting of Guinea-Bissau's president João Bernardo Vieira by military coup, or Ole Gunnar Solskjær shinning in the winner at the Nou Camp: the release of Playstation game Music 2000 was.
Music 2000 wasn't just good for chintzy club tracks that sound like house with a really flat tire. Though Dizzee Rascal eventually quashed the rumour that most of Boy in Da Corner was a product of pottering about with a copy of this in his Playstation, there are a few guys out there who've decided to think outside the constraints of the 4/4 thud. To my, admittedly uncultured ears, this sounds just as good as any jungle track I've ever heard thirty seconds of before skipping that bit of a Ben UFO mix. I think this is what they call "a roller." I think.
The song patterns of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) depend on where they live, with populations inhabiting different ocean basins normally singing quite distinct songs. Here we record a unique and radical song change in the song of humpback whales in the Pacific Ocean off the Australian east coast. Their song was replaced rapidly and completely by the song of the Australian west coast population from the Indian Ocean, apparently as a result of the introduction of only a small number of 'foreign' singers. Such a revolutionary change is unprecedented in animal cultural vocal traditions and suggests that novelty may stimulate change in humpback whale songs.
In the austral winter and spring, humpback whales are found along the east coast of Australia3,8, calving and mating in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Using hydrophones suspended from radio-linked buoys and small boats, we recorded humpback whale songs off southeast Queensland during northward and southward migrations between 1995 and 1998, from which 1,057 hours of song were analysed. In 1995 and 1996, the song pattern changed slightly in an evolutionary fashion. But two singers out of 82 were singing a new, completely different song (Fig. 1). In 1997, the new song became more common. Most of the 112 singers produced either the old or the new song, but three used an intermediate song containing themes from both types. By the end of the 1997 southward migration, almost all males had switched songs, and in 1998 only the new song was heard.
The new song was nearly identical to the song of humpback whales migrating along the west coast of Australia in 1996. West and east coast songs are usually very different3 and there is only a small amount of interchange between these populations8,9. The very low incidence of the new song in 1996 and the fact that the songs of the two populations evolved independently after 1996 is consistent with the new song being introduced by movement of a small number of singers between populations in 1996.
The process of change in humpback whale song and bird song has been classified as 'cultural evolution', whereby changes in songs are passed among individuals by learning and accumulate over time6. The changes we describe in the song of the humpback whales off the east coast of Australia were cultural in that they were due to the learning of a vocal behavioural pattern and not to a mass influx of immigrants. But the rapid and complete replacement of a complex song over a period of less than two years is revolutionary rather than evolutionary, and suggests that novelty drives changes in humpback whale song. To our knowledge, such 'cultural revolution' is unknown in the vocal cultural tradition of any other animal.
Billboard compiles an annual list of the top 100 singles at year's end. We revisited the most popular songs of every year since 2000 and selected what we deemed to be the worst song from each year's list of top 10 singles.
Looking back at this crop of protest songs, my expectations were exceeded. Artists took genuine risks to make political statements, and were rewarded for their courage, both culturally and commercially. But most of these protest songs were released by well-known artists, already quite famous and deep into their careers. One takeaway is that subversiveness in our modern era is only attained and accepted by first becoming a household name. Meanwhile, independent artists and under-the-radar musicians haven't been able to meaningfully break through with protest songs of their own (like Steve Earle's excellent The Revolution Starts Now).
Below, you'll find several pop, hip-hop, rock, and alternative hits that probably played at Halloween parties around Y2K. Some of these are even singles you wouldn't normally think of when you think of Halloween tunes, but they definitely have lyrics that work for the season. Most of these songs are tailor-made to those who want to party hard this year. Above all, we hope they make you feel nostalgic for simpler times!
We miss baby Lady Gaga so bad. "Monster" is one of the most Lady Gaga songs to ever Gaga. Not only because of the title (Gaga's fanbase is referred to as "Little Monsters"), but because of this song's eeriness, sonic experimentation, and dark message. "Monster" deals with an uncomfortable sexual situation, and Gaga's feelings of anxiety around sex. This one will hit pretty deep if you're aware of Gaga's past. That creepy "he ate my heart" repeated over and over is the definition of Halloween pop.
We love classic early 2000s grunge rock, and The Hives bring all of those vibes in their 2004 song "Abra Cadaver." Less than 2 minutes long, the lyrics abstractly paint the picture of a man trying to overcome submission and settling. There's also some spooky imagery, such as the line "they tried to stick a dead body inside of me." As the title suggests, this track is magical, but will also get all the lifeless bodies grooving.
Pretty much all of Eminem's album Relapse works for Halloween parties, but we think "3 am" may be one of the creepiest songs Slim Shady has ever put out. It's told from the crazed perspective of a serial killer who has committed mass murder following his escape from a rehabilitation clinic. Relapse may be one of Eminem's weaker albums, but the lyrical complexity found on "3 am" couldn't be more insane. What can we say...this song is a killer!
Britney Spears was the queen of early 2000s pop, so we made sure to include this 2007 song from her underrated and dark album Blackout. We know from history and from American Horror Story that freakshows are places that have a creepy connotation to them. While "Freakshow" has a brisk pace and very danceable energy, there's this underlying sinister tone to it that makes it perfect for a holiday like Halloween.
The 2000s were a truly world-altering decade. The devastation of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina stay with us to this day, while the pre-social media fear that the internet and Y2K brought on was strong enough to make you smash up your computer in sheer panic about what was to come.
It's no easy task to rank the 30 best songs of the 2000s, but we're gonna give it our best shot. The 2000s were a golden era of music, giving us a blend of genres and influences that shaped the landscape of modern music. From hip-hop, R&B and pop to rock, country, and electronic, the 2000s produced a spectrum of memorable tunes that we're still humming today. As we take a trip down memory lane, let's count down the 30 best songs of the 2000s that defined a generation.
"Teenage Dirtbag" tapped into the adolescent angst of the early 2000s. The song's catchy chorus and relatable lyrics resonated with a generation of misunderstood teens. While Wheatus isn't necessarily a household name, this song is one that just about everyone knows - even just a little bit. What better way to kick off our list?
With its emotionally-charged lyrics and haunting piano melody, "The Scientist" became one of the most recognized songs from the British band, highlighting their knack for creating poignant, evocative tracks. Coldplay was having quite a moment in this particular decade. The 2000s was their time to shine, and shine they did.
An anthem for the ages, "Seven Nation Army" with its iconic riff and anthemic chorus, solidified The White Stripes as torchbearers of the garage rock revival movement. From the entrance of the unforgettable bass riff to the vocals that perfectly match it, everybody knows and loves this particular classic of the 2000s.
Next up on our list of the best songs of the 2000s is "Crazy in Love." With its high-energy horn sample and catchy chorus, "Crazy in Love" was the perfect launchpad for Beyoncé's solo career. It's a sultry, irresistible track that's still as fresh today as it was in the early 2000s.
"Since U Been Gone" showcased Kelly Clarkson's vocal prowess and firmly established her as a leading lady in pop-rock. It was yet another demonstration from the talented vocalist showing that she had everything it took to be a household name in music. If you hadn't already known, this particular songstress won the very first season of American Idol in 2002, and proved to be one of the only winners to create a lasting legacy out of their victory on the show.
aa06259810