To have a look back at the other posts I've written in this series, click on the links below:
1. Evanescence – “Bring Me to Life” (buy)
What is referred to as "nu metal", "Bring Me To Life" was written by Amy Lee, Ben Moody, and David Hodges; it fits into numerous genres from alternative metal, to rap, to rock, and may, in some parts, even be considered as gothic metal. The song was listed on numerous top ten lists and was even nominated and won(!) a grammy for best hard rock performance although it lost out to another song for best hard rock song of the year.
2. Leona Lewis – “Bleeding Love” (buy)
A pop song with R&B undertones, it's first radio play was on the BBC Radio 1 and it skyrocketed to number one on the UK Singles Chart. Jesse McCartney wrote the song about his longtime girlfriend and how being apart for months at a time was painful. McCartney's record label didn't like the song. When co-writer Tedder discovered Lewis from X Factor, he and McCartney re-wrote "Bleeding Love" to suit Lewis' voice and presented to Simon Cowell who was seeking songs for Lewis' debut album. Upon hearing it, he knew this song was the one. Cowell was right; not only did the song soar to success in the UK, but it also made it to peak spots in 22 countries!
3. Train – “Drops Of Jupiter” (buy)
Inspired by the death of lead singer Patrick Monahan mother, "Drops of Jupiter" is a song about a woman's journey to find herself and the man wondering whether or not she has room in her heart for him, the man she has left behind. The song reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for 5 grammys winning two.
4. Staind – "Outside" (buy)
Originally performed live during the 1999 Family Values Tour in Biloxi, Mississippi, Aaron Lewis was asked to perform a song solo and decided to at the last moment to play a song he had been working on since the early days of Staind, one that was finally completed on the spot while singing the song live. It was picked up by local radio stations across the country and became a hit peaking at #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and #56 on the Billboard Hot 100.
5. Rufus Wainwright – "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" (buy)
Written and performed by Canadian-American singer, "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" is a song about decadence and desire, "an ode to subtle addictions and the way our compulsions rule our lives" (Wikipedia). I first heard the song when I watched The Last Kiss, and I've been listening to ever since… There's nothing better than a little bit of life's decadence. :)
6. Maroon 5 – "She Will Be Loved" (buy)
The third single from Maroon 5's debut album, "the song proved as successful as the band's previous hits, 'This Love' and 'Harder to Breathe;, hitting number 1 on the Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Top 40 charts, but it prompted many alternative radio outlets to remove Maroon 5 from their playlists, on the ground that the band's newer songs were too light for alt-rock audiences (Wikipedia).
7. Hinder – "Lips of An Angel" (buy)
A breakthrough hit, "Lips of An Angel" charted on several Billboard charts within the US and reached number one in two other countries. The song tells the story of a man in love with his ex but living with another woman; it is a story loosely based on an actual phone call incident. Since 2006, "Lips of An Angel" has been featured in several video games like American Idol Encore, and Dance Dance Revolution.
8. Tegan and Sara – "My Number" (buy)
Featured in the movie Last November, this song was my introduction to the fantastic band Tegan and Sara. Written by Tegan for the album The Business of Art, Sara originally sang the second verse in the recording and several live performances, but since then, Tegan has become the sole vocalist for the song.
9. Finger Eleven – "Paralyzer" (buy)
More "funk rock" or "dance rock" than many of Finger Eleven's other music, the song received high airplay in the US and Canada and became the band's first #1 on mainstream and modern rock charts. It didn't hit the charts at first though, taking many months before rising from #97 to #6. By 2015, the song has sold more than 3.4 million copies in the US alone! The song has been certified double platinum by the RIAA.
10. AFI – "Silver and Cold" (buy)
One of the last alternative songs to reach an era on Atlanta's best rock station, this song kept my friends and I company on long drives where we ventured during high school. It's actually a very dark song potentially about death and suicide. "Silver and Cold" was the third single released by the band and peaked at #7 on the Alternative Songs chart.
10+. Bon Jovi – "It's My Life" (buy)
I've been waiting all month to include this song in a list! "It's My Life" did to the 2000s generation what Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing" did for the 1990s – reintroduce the band to pop culture, in a big way! Lines included in the song like "For Tommy and Gina, who never backed down" refer to the 1980s hit "Livin' On A Prayer". "It's My Life" was written very self-indulgently by Bon Jovi, but it was taken to refer to everyone's life, which is what made the song a hit! The song did very well in many countries making it into top ten lists everywhere, but it only faired well in the US reaching 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. It did reach platinum certification in 7 countries and Gold in 4 more.
Do you have any opinions about my choices for my 2000s decade list? Are there songs you would have included that I didn't? Any particularly great songs that maybe didn't hit the charts but you think others should know about? Share! I'd love to hear!
