Take a nostalgic journey through the musical landscape of 1999-2000 as we explore 25 iconic songs that have stood the test of time. From pop and rock to hip-hop and R&B, these tracks continue to resonate with listeners decades later, proving that great music is truly timeless.
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MusicTranscript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for 25 songs we're listening
00:10to 25 years later.
00:12For this list, we'll be including songs that were released in 1999 but were popular
00:18in 2000.
00:1925.
00:27Never Let You Go – Third Eye Blind While Semi-Charmed Life will probably always
00:36be their biggest song, Never Let You Go is a worthy listen.
00:46It really pulls you in, starting with its catchy guitar riff.
00:49It's coupled wonderfully with the song's lyrics.
00:57It builds nicely to the chorus, which you can easily find yourself singing along with.
01:02It was well-received by critics at the time of its release, with praise for lead singer
01:06Stephen Jenkins' vocals.
01:16The song was considered the standout track on the band's second album, Blue.
01:20We definitely say we don't want to let this song go.
01:2724.
01:31What's Your Fantasy – Ludacris Featuring Shawna This is the debut single from Ludacris,
01:40and what a way to burst onto the scene.
01:42He would go on to have massive success in the following years, but it all started with
01:46this track.
01:50Lyrically, the song is all about sexual fantasies, so we can't get into it as it is pretty
02:00explicit.
02:01But what we can say is that Ludacris brings it with his delivery and flow, especially
02:08with the stutter delivery of the main hook.
02:14It's a good introduction to southern hip-hop, which has a distinctive flair from traditional
02:23hip-hop.
02:2423.
02:30Maria Maria – Santana Featuring Product G&B What you may not realize is that this
02:37song's main riff was inspired by a Wu-Tang song.
02:40It's got a deep-driving hip-hop beat that makes you want to move.
02:49Its drums are sampled from the jazz fusion group The Headhunters.
02:54The vocals are so smooth and effortlessly delivered by the product G&B.
02:57All the elements work remarkably well together, but what really kills it is Santana's guitar
03:03playing.
03:10It transforms the track into something timeless.
03:13This distinctive sound was sampled for the 2017 song, Wild Thoughts.
03:2722.
03:29Absolutely – Story of a Girl – 9 Days This is the story of how a catchy chorus of
03:40a power pop song still rocks to this day.
03:43You can argue it's a little cheesy, but who doesn't like cheese?
03:52Its fun and upbeat nature just adds to the song's charm.
03:56Guitarist and vocalist John Hampson wrote it after an argument with his then-girlfriend
04:00and later on saw her smiling while in conversation.
04:05It's sweet and endearing.
04:13It remains the band's only hit single, but we're not complaining – it's a good
04:17hit single to have.
04:2321.
04:26Break Stuff – Limp Bizkit This is aggressive and right from the opening
04:32riff you're going to want to break stuff.
04:41Sometimes it's one of those days where you need to let off some steam.
04:45This is the song to channel that anger.
04:47The music video is a particular note as it contains quite the collection of cameos.
04:52In it you'll find Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem and his daughter, Pauly Shore, Jonathan
04:58Davis of Korn, Riley Hawk, son of Tony Hawk, and model Lily Aldridge.
05:08Still it's one of the group's best songs and remains a staple of their live show.
05:2320.
05:24Don't Tell Me – Madonna For her album Music, Madonna took an experimental
05:37approach incorporating various styles and genres to its tracks.
05:42Don't Tell Me is a good example of that as it has a country and folksy vibe to it.
05:46But it also mixes in some electric elements that make it very catchy and very danceable.
05:56The guitar on the track has a stutter effect which gives it a futuristic feeling.
06:00There are a lot of ideas going on at the same time, but it all works together beautifully.
06:05Critically, it was well-received upon its first release with some even saying it's
06:10one of Madonna's best ever singles.
06:1619.
06:20Simple Kind of Life – No Doubt After massive hits with Just a Girl and Don't
06:30Speak, Simple Kind of Life wonders what life would be like away from all that success.
06:43It's a deeply raw and personal song penned by vocalist Gwen Stefani.
06:47In it she poses, what if she went and started a family instead of being part of No Doubt?
06:53Its lyrics are somber and the music reflects that tone with its lo-fi sound.
07:01Critically, the song was praised for Stefani's approach and vulnerability put on display.
07:08We're glad she chose to continue with her musical career.
07:1618.
07:20I Try – Macy Gray There are not many quite as soulful and distinctive
07:30as Macy Gray.
07:37Her raspy voice just plays out beautifully in what is ultimately a breakup song.
07:41It just has the right tone to convince you that there's hope in saving a relationship,
07:46But if you listen carefully to the lyrics, it's clear that one party isn't ready
07:50to admit that it's over.
07:59If you've ever been in that situation, it's a painful place to be and Gray is able to
08:04capture the complexity of being in such a state.
08:1317.
08:16Love Don't Cost A Thing – Jennifer Lopez J.Lo was riding high when this song was released.
08:33It was the lead single off her second album, which is her highest selling.
08:37It's not hard to see why.
08:38It's got an addictive beat along with catchy lyrics.
08:50It also focuses on relationship dynamics where Lopez presents a woman who is not motivated
08:56by expensive material goods from their partner.
08:58It's a strong message that pushes back against the idea that women are gold diggers.
09:03It's definitely a standout song for Lopez as it was part of the Super Bowl halftime
09:07show she did along with Shakira.
09:1316.
09:15Beautiful Day – U2 Hope rings eternally in this tune from the
09:26Irish rockers.
09:28After experimenting with electronic dance music previously, the group was looking to
09:33get back to their earlier sound with critics having particular praise towards the Edges
09:38guitar tone.
09:43Overall, everything is just so very uplifting.
09:51The lyrics have a good balance of letting go of the past and looking towards the future.
09:56Upon listening, you can't help but feel like things aren't so bad.
09:59So if you're in a bad mood or feeling down, put this on and you'll realize it's a
10:04beautiful day.
10:0915.
10:12It's My Life – Bon Jovi If you need an anthem to pump your fists to
10:25and just belt out the lyrics, this is the song for you.
10:37Bon Jovi is in top form with this composition.
10:40There's a larger than life chorus and there's even a reference to Tommy and Gina from Living
10:45on a Prayer.
10:46It's a song that many people can relate to.
10:58Ultimately it allows the listener to place themselves front and center and say, this
11:03is my life.
11:04It's something Jon Bon Jovi noted in the years since the song's release, saying that he didn't
11:09think that the phrase, it's my life, could be about everyone.
11:1514.
11:18The Way You Love Me – Faith Hill Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, Faith
11:28Hill and several other women artists such as Shania Twain and Reba McEntire were dominating
11:34the pop country space.
11:35Hill's album, Breathe, is one of the best-selling country pop albums of all time.
11:40With songs like The Way You Love Me, it's not hard to see why.
11:47It's just so fun and lighthearted.
11:53Hill's voice is just warm and uplifting.
11:55You just can't help singing along.
12:04Anytime we hear it, it definitely brightens up your day.
12:06We love the way we love this song.
12:1213.
12:15Teenage Dirtbag – Wheatus Appearing on the soundtrack for the film
12:26Loser, this song brings you back to your high school days and acts as a rallying cry for
12:32anyone who wasn't with the cool group.
12:34It has a rockin' chorus that you just can't help but sing along with.
12:49It's gritty but doesn't take itself too seriously, telling a relatable story of a
12:53social outcast vying for the attention of a girl.
13:07She unexpectedly returns the feelings of interest, revealing she is also a teenage
13:12dirtbag.
13:24You can present us with two tickets to Iron Maiden and we'd be thrilled.
13:28Better yet, make that two tickets to Wheatus.
13:3712.
13:38Porcelain – Moby Moby's fifth album, Play, brought mainstream
13:49attention to the artist on a global scale.
13:52One of the most successful singles off the album was Porcelain, a slow, reflective piece
13:57about a relationship ending.
13:59With the use of a reversed string sample and slow, hypnotic vocals, Moby creates a song
14:04that is emotional and distinctive.
14:10Incredibly, he was unhappy with the production and his vocals on the track.
14:17He didn't want to include it on the album but was ultimately convinced to do so.
14:21Thankfully, he did include it because it's still worth listening to.
14:3311.
14:34Adam's Song – Blink-182 A change of pace for a band known for their
14:46immaturity in their songs.
14:48Here things are slowed down as the song speaks about mental health and depression.
14:53The lyrics are more contemplative and reflective.
15:07The song was almost left off the album, Enema of the State, as it was written later in the
15:11production cycle and bassist Mark Hoppus was concerned that it was too depressing.
15:20However, after playing it for the group, they were receptive to it and thought the song
15:25was really good.
15:3210.
15:36Last Resort – Papa Roach Even though it deals with dark subject matter,
15:46there's a lot that keeps this record spinning time after time.
15:52There's the driving guitars backed by aggressive drums topped off with lead singer Jacoby Shattuck's
16:00cutting delivery.
16:01It successfully taps into a sense of angst and despair present in a lot of new metal
16:06tracks at the time.
16:07What really catches your attention is the acapella intro and then you're just pulled
16:12in once the music hits.
16:16There's rawness present in the track that made it stand out back when it was first released
16:24and it still resonates to this day.
16:309.
16:33Come On Over Baby – All I Want Is You – Christina Aguilera
16:42When Christina Aguilera first came onto the scene, she was pure pop.
16:46Her songs were light, upbeat, fun, and full of innuendo.
16:50And that's exactly what we get here.
17:01Aguilera had more control over the direction of the single version of the song and the
17:06changes she made make the track a little bit spicier compared to the album version.
17:11In fact, it was too spicy for Radio Disney, which actually banned the song from being
17:16played until a version came out with the racy parts removed.
17:28All we want is to keep listening to this song.
17:388.
17:41Try Again – Aaliyah Even though it has a slow tempo, this song
17:56is no bore.
17:57It actually features a mix of musical genres such as EDM, trip-hop, house, and R&B.
18:13Critics at the time noted that it had a futuristic sound.
18:17Aaliyah's smooth vocals add a hypnotic element to the whole thing where you just can't
18:22stop listening.
18:29Her voice just glides effortlessly throughout.
18:31Overall, the song's optimistic nature in that it encourages a partner not to give up
18:36if things don't work out right away.
18:38Unfortunately, Aaliyah would tragically pass away just over a year after the song's release.
18:487.
18:50Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers This song presents a stylistic shift for the
19:00Chili Peppers now that guitarist John Frusciante returned to the band.
19:14This is a dark and somber tune that speaks to some of the seedier elements of Hollywood.
19:19It's remarkably different from their early albums.
19:22Don't forget, these were the guys who would perform wearing nothing but socks over their
19:26groins.
19:27However, the song's themes remain ever-present as it speaks to the shallowness of celebrity.
19:39With the increasing influence of social media making it possible for almost anyone to achieve
19:44notoriety, the Chili Peppers definitely had their finger on the pulse.
19:556.
19:56B.o.B – Outkast Probably one of their more underrated songs,
20:04but it hits hard with its fast-paced drum and bass that form the foundation of the track.
20:13Built on top of that is a mix of styles and sounds including rap, organs, and gospel,
20:22but yet, somehow, it all works.
20:32According to B.o.B., Outkast was looking to do something different from what was popular
20:37at the time, and they sure nailed it.
20:44Despite it not being a huge hit in terms of sales, it received tons of critical acclaim
20:49over the years.
20:545.
20:57Bye Bye Bye – NSYNC Ostensibly, this song is about moving on,
21:09but even after all this time, we still can't get it out of our heads.
21:19Upon first release, it marked a big shift for the group.
21:23Not only was it the first single off of their, at the time, upcoming album, but they had
21:27also just split from their former label and manager after being defrauded financially.
21:38The result is the band waving bye bye bye to the past and on to new beginnings.
21:44What we're left with is an edgier sound and a killer music video to boot.
21:534.
22:00The Real Slim Shady – Eminem Back when Eminem was just starting to hit
22:07his stride, this song introduced his alter ego, Slim Shady, to a wider audience.
22:19It lets the world know that Slim will attack anyone in ruthless fashion if you find yourself
22:23in his crosshairs.
22:25Aside from airing his views on the state of pop music at the time, he also showed some
22:29of his masterful and complex rhyming schemes.
22:34Incredibly, this track almost didn't make it on to the final cut of the Marshall Mathers
22:44LP as it was only completed hours before the album was finalized.
22:513.
22:54Oops I Did It Again – Britney Spears The title track off of Spears' sophomore
23:02album lets you know she's back when it was released in April 2000.
23:15Although some have called Oops a retread of Baby One More Time, we certainly don't have
23:19a problem with it as both are certified bangers.
23:22The difference here is this time around, Britney presents a woman who knows the game and is
23:26playing with someone's emotions and it's all pulled off with poppy flair.
23:40Of course, there's the music video that features Spears in a now iconic red jumpsuit
23:44along with excellent choreography.
23:47Two thumbs up!
23:542.
23:58Party Up – Up In Here – DMX If upon hearing the intro to this song you
24:08don't get pumped up to do something, you need to start listening to this song more.
24:17The beat is so infectious, it just pulls you in and DMX's gruff vocals mesh so well with
24:23said beat that you may not even notice the threatening tone of the lyrics.
24:32But what you will notice is the chorus, which is just so infectious that no matter where
24:38you are or what you're doing, you feel compelled to sing along with.
24:50It's a call to action and still rings loud and clear all this time later.
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25:141.
25:17Say My Name – Destiny's Child The music video for this song introduced two
25:23new members of the group, Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin.
25:27The thing is, it's not their vocals you hear.
25:31There had been some behind the scenes issues with previous members LaToya Luckett and Latavia
25:36Roberson who were dismissed from the group.
25:45Still that doesn't change the fact that Destiny's Child hit it out of the park with
25:50this song.
25:57Of particular praise was Beyonce Knowles' vocals, which had a rap-like flow to them
26:08at a time when that wasn't typical.
26:10Given the relatability of its subject matter, this is one that will continue to be popular
26:15for the foreseeable future.
26:24What's your favorite song from 25 years ago?
26:27Let us know in the comments.