THIS CENTURY'S TOP 200 SONGS Update: #100 - 91. Another 10 songs added next weekend.

THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS

FROM THE FIRST 15 YEARS

OF THIS CENTURY

Now that we are 15 years into the 21^st Century, it’s apropos to look back over the 200 songs since 2000 that have made the greatest impact on the sound of music as it stands in 2015.

To be eligible for the Top 200, a song must have officially appeared on an album, CD single  or as a download between Jan. 1, 2000 and December 31, 2014.

100 SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW

GOTYE featuring KIMBRA [2011]

Gotye, a Belgian - Australan multi-instrumentalist, created an innovative approach to the break-up song. On this, he collaborates with New Zealand singer Kimbra. The quirky track became a #1 around the world.

99 I WRITE SINS NOT TRAGEDIES

PANIC! AT THE DISCO [2005]

 

Panic! At The Disco's brand of emo-punk features theatricality and clever lyrics.

98 TOCA'S MIRACLE 

FRAGMA [2000]

 

German dance project Fragma kick-started trance for the new century with "Toca's Miracle".

97 SHAKE YA TAILFEATHER

NELLY, P. DIDDY & MURPHY LEE [2003]

 

An upbeat party hip-hop track from the 'Bad Boys II' film soundtrack that still sounds fresh today.

96 HOLLABACK GIRL

GWEN STEFANI [2004]

 

"Hollaback Girl" was the result of No Doubt's Gwen Stefani collaborating with The Neptunes' Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams. Its sound and successhelped Stefani's xolo output overtake her recordings with her group.

95 DON'T YOU WORRY CHILD

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA featuring JOHN MARTIN[2012]

 

The Swedish house act was at its commercial zenith with this global smash when Swedish House Mafia announced it was splitting up. The track remains a milestone in electronic dance for this decade. Martin's powerful vocals add intensity to the clever lyrics, unusual for the genre.

94 HUNG UP

MADONNA [2005]

 

Madonna struck back at the critics that had written her off with 1 of the decade's most creative dance cuts. This track was built around ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" - 1 of the rare instances where the Swedish group granted permission for its music to be sampled.

93 WITHOUT ME

EMINEM [2002]

 

Eminem proved he could still be relevant and controversial with "Without Me". The song disses the music industry, celebrity and even the then US Vice-President Dick Cheney. Love him or hate him, Eminem reminds us that rock must challenge and shock us. We may strongly disagree with his attitudes, but few musicians are as brave and raw as him.

92 CAN'T BE TAMED

MILEY CYRUS [2010]

 

In 2010, Miley Cyrus jettisoned her Hannah Montana image with "Can't Be Tamed". This set in motion a series of controversial attention-grabbing activities that all served to announce the arrival of the older and sexual Miley Cyrus.

91THIS AIN'T A SCENE, IT'S AN ARMS RACE

FALL OUT BOY [2007]

 

Fall Out Boy meshed emo pop, punk-pop and indie rock together with the catchy "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race". The hook-laden track launched the group into the mainstream.