Vh1 100 Greatest Songs Of - The 2000s

The first decade of the new millennium was a chaotic, brilliant, and transformative era for music. We saw the death of the physical CD, the rise of the iPod, and a genre-blurring explosion that saw emo-rockers, bling-era rappers, and teen-pop queens sharing the same TRL airwaves.

Pop Icons: Britney Spears appeared twice in the top 40 with "Toxic" (#20) and "Oops!... I Did It Again" (#37), while Lady Gaga secured two top 50 spots with "Poker Face" (#3) and "Bad Romance" (#49). vh1 100 greatest songs of the 2000s

Green Day ("Boulevard of Broken Dreams"): Following the American Idiot rock opera, Green Day transformed from bratty punks into the voice of a disillusioned generation. The Evolution of R&B and Hip-Hop The first decade of the new millennium was

7. "Seven Nation Army" – The White Stripes (2003)

Jack White’s iconic, fuzzy bass riff (actually played on a semi-acoustic guitar with a Whammy pedal) has transcended rock music. Originally an anti-war, blues-rock stomper, it is now the unofficial Global Football Anthem, chanted by soccer stadiums from London to Buenos Aires. It is arguably the most enduring riff of the decade. Should “Crazy” be #1

Discussion Questions for Class

1. Should “Crazy” be #1? What song would you put in its place? (e.g., “Seven Nation Army” or “Lose Yourself”)
2. Why did VH1 exclude almost all country music (except Alan Jackson) despite the 2000s being a boom decade for country?
3. How does the absence of streaming data (2011 list) bias the selection toward MTV-era videos?

4. "99 Problems" – Jay-Z (2004)

Rick Rubin’s thunderous beat, a Billy Squier sample, and Jay-Z’s cinematic third verse about a police stop turned a potential club banger into a civil rights essay. VH1 noted this song "had more nerve than any other track that year."