THIS CENTURY'S MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS This countdown concludes here today..

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.

10 LOSE YOURSELF

EMINEM [2002]

 

The fact that a rap song by controversial artist Eminem collected a Academy Award was a turning point. Mainstream America finally recognized his talent. The lyrics here reveal a maturity that enhanced the raw approach. "Lose Yourself" was from the film '8 Mile' which saw Eminem portray the pivotal character.

9 TRY AGAIN

AALIYAH [2000]

 

Aaliyah's tragic death denied the music world an original artist who had only started revealing a hint of her potential. "Try Again" had a fresh production technique that proved influential in the early century's R&B / hip-hop. The song was used in the film 'Romeo Must Die'. Timbaland applies his production skills in making the song stand out from the rest. 

8 B.O.B. (BOMBS OVER BAGHDAD)

OUTKAST [2000]

Drum'n'bass is the order of the day on this influential track from Outkast. The duo would shake up hip-hop in the new millennium.

7 THE SCIENTIST

COLDPLAY [2002]

 

Coldplay continue crafting beautiful pop songs that few could match in quality and consistency. With each new track, the group further established itself as 1 of the leading acts in contemporary music.

6 BOOM BOOM POW

BLACK EYED PEAS [2009]

 

The Black Eyed Peas dropped an electro-hop anthem that took music down a new direction. Not all were on board, but the group persevered. This track featured raps amidst electronic sound effects in a futuristic context. It was a brave move.

5 99 PROBLEMS

JAY-Z [2003]

 

With stinging lyrics, Jay-Z tells about police racism in America and other issues facing an African- American in today's society. Rick Rubin's production incorporates samples in an astute way that never distracts from the message.

4 MS JACKSON

OUTKAST [2000]

 

Another example of the innovation in Outkast's music. They changed the trajectory of hip hop for numerous followers.

3 MUSIC

MADONNA [2000]

 

Madonna ushered in the new century with the electropop delights of "Music". Here was a woman who had been shaping dance music since the 1980s proving she was still leading the genre down new musical directions. With Mirwais as co-producer and co-writer, Madonna proved musc had an assured future.

2 I GOTTA FEELING

BLACK EYED PEAS [2009]

 

Hip hop married house music on this collaboration which teamed David Guetta with The Black Eyed Peas.

1 STAN

EMINEM featuring DIDO [2000]

 

The horror of the song's subject matter turned many away, but they missed the clever songcraft that makes "Stan" just as brutally stark today as it was 15 years ago. It also made a star of Dido, whose vocals were sampled from her own "Thank You" and adds a much needed tenderness to the reality here.  "Stan" raised the bar for rap/ hip-hop in a way that progressed the genre like no other recording.