What do you guys think, up to this point, has been the "Biggest/Most Popular" song of the '00s?

I'll list some arguable candidates...

Sisqo - The Thong Song (2000)
Baha Men - Who Let The Dogs Out? (2000)
OutKast - Ms. Jackson (2001)
Alicia Keys - Fallin' (2001)
Nelly - Hot In Herre (2002)
Eminem - Lose Yourself (2002)
OutKast - Hey Ya! (2003)
Mariah Carey - We Belong Together (2005)
Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl (2005)
Kanye West - Gold Digger (2005)
James Blunt - You're Beautiful (2006)
Daniel Powter - Bad Day (2006)
Shakira - Hips Don't Lie (2006)


It seems to me like 2006 is managing to have alot of successful songs (I actually stopped listening to the Radio permanantly ever since 2006 began, so some of these songs I hardly know).  I've noticed that songs become bigger and bigger as we go from year to year.

My choice would have to be "Hey Ya!" by OutKast.  I mean, the song was Huge, not to mention it's actually a great song that doesn't get too tiring.  It's kinda like the "Macarena" of the '00s so far (Not AS big as the Macarena, but big enough)

In retrospect, I'm sure "Hey Ya!" would probably be the most memorable song of the decade (up to this point atleast)

well, ideally it's that crappy "We Belong Together" song by Mariah Carey.  But because it's the biggest, does not make it the best

Local charts also go into consideration.  In the UK, "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley looks set to be the biggest so far.  Here in Canada, a strong contender is "When the Night Feels My Song" by Bedouin Soundclash.  It entered the charts in Late 2005, slowly rose to #1 and it's still in the Top 60 now

The biggest song is easily "We Belong Together", all those other songs were really big too, but none come close to We Belong Together.

"Hey Ya!", "Let Me Love You", "Crazy in Love", "Bad Day", "We Belong Together", "Hollaback Girl", "In Da Club", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" are all candidates for the biggest '00s songs.

Based on a combination of billboard charting and what I liked.

2000

Breathe- Faith Hill
Everything You Want- Vertical Horizon
Say My Name- Destiny's Child
He Wasn't Man Enough- Toni Braxton
I Knew I Love You- Savage Garden

2001

Fallin'- Alicia Keys
Drops of Jupiter- Train
Thank You- Dido
It Wasn't Me- Shaggy
Independent Woman Pt. 1- Destiny's Child

2002

Hot In Herre- Nelly
Dilemma- Nelly & Kelly Rowland
Foolish- Ashanti
A Thousand Miles- Vanessa Carlton
What's Luv- Fat Joe

2003

In da Club- 50 Cent
Get Busy- Sean Paul
Ignition- R. Kelly
Bring Me To Life- Evanescence
Crazy In Love- Beyonce

2004

Yeah!- Usher
Burn- Usher
If I Ain't Got You- Alicia Keys
Hey Ya- Outkast
The Reason- Hoobastank

2005

We Belong Together- Mariah Carey
Gold Digger- Kanye West
Let Me Love You- Mario
Boulevard of Broken Dreams- Green Day
Hollaback Girl- Gwen Stefani

2006 (so far)

Bad Day- Daniel Powter
Check On It- Beyonce
Hips Don't Lie- Shakira
Promiscuous- Nelly Furtado
Temperature- Sean Paul

Based on a combination of billboard charting and what I liked.

2000

Breathe- Faith Hill
Everything You Want- Vertical Horizon
Say My Name- Destiny's Child
He Wasn't Man Enough- Toni Braxton
I Knew I Love You- Savage Garden

2001

Fallin'- Alicia Keys
Drops of Jupiter- Train
Thank You- Dido
It Wasn't Me- Shaggy
Independent Woman Pt. 1- Destiny's Child

2002

Hot In Herre- Nelly
Dilemma- Nelly & Kelly Rowland
Foolish- Ashanti
A Thousand Miles- Vanessa Carlton
What's Luv- Fat Joe

2003

In da Club- 50 Cent
Get Busy- Sean Paul
Ignition- R. Kelly
Bring Me To Life- Evanescence
Crazy In Love- Beyonce

2004

Yeah!- Usher
Burn- Usher
If I Ain't Got You- Alicia Keys
Hey Ya- Outkast
The Reason- Hoobastank

2005

We Belong Together- Mariah Carey
Gold Digger- Kanye West
Let Me Love You- Mario
Boulevard of Broken Dreams- Green Day
Hollaback Girl- Gwen Stefani

2006 (so far)

Bad Day- Daniel Powter
Check On It- Beyonce
Hips Don't Lie- Shakira
Promiscuous- Nelly Furtado
Temperature- Sean Paul



2006 is definitely different. More dance-pop like Rihanna and Shakira and A/C soft rock like Daniel Powter as opposed to true rap.

Biggest song: Hollaback Girl by popularity, We Belong Together by airplay
Most definitive: In Da Club
Most dateable: Yeah!

Based on a combination of billboard charting and what I liked.

2000

Breathe- Faith Hill
Everything You Want- Vertical Horizon
Say My Name- Destiny's Child
He Wasn't Man Enough- Toni Braxton
I Knew I Love You- Savage Garden

2001

Fallin'- Alicia Keys
Drops of Jupiter- Train
Thank You- Dido
It Wasn't Me- Shaggy
Independent Woman Pt. 1- Destiny's Child

2002

Hot In Herre- Nelly
Dilemma- Nelly & Kelly Rowland
Foolish- Ashanti
A Thousand Miles- Vanessa Carlton
What's Luv- Fat Joe

2003

In da Club- 50 Cent
Get Busy- Sean Paul
Ignition- R. Kelly
Bring Me To Life- Evanescence
Crazy In Love- Beyonce

2004

Yeah!- Usher
Burn- Usher
If I Ain't Got You- Alicia Keys
Hey Ya- Outkast
The Reason- Hoobastank

2005

We Belong Together- Mariah Carey
Gold Digger- Kanye West
Let Me Love You- Mario
Boulevard of Broken Dreams- Green Day
Hollaback Girl- Gwen Stefani

2006 (so far)

Bad Day- Daniel Powter
Check On It- Beyonce
Hips Don't Lie- Shakira
Promiscuous- Nelly Furtado
Temperature- Sean Paul



Lose Yourself- Eminem also belongs in there as a 2002/2003 crossover.

2006 is definitely different. More dance-pop like Rihanna and Shakira and A/C soft rock like Daniel Powter as opposed to true rap.


Yeah there hasn't been that real huge rap song in 2006 yet, and I mean topping the charts for 9 weeks big like we saw in 2005 with Candy Shop and Gold Digger. It really doesn't even seem like that will happen again anytime in the near future. Ridin' by Chamillionaire and Grillz are probably the biggest rap hits of 06 and they only stayed at no. 1 for 2 weeks each. "Promiscuous" will be no. 1 very soon and may stay there for quite a while, and definitely will be the song of summer '06.

Yeah there hasn't been that real huge rap song in 2006 yet, and I mean topping the charts for 9 weeks big like we saw in 2005 with Candy Shop and Gold Digger. It really doesn't even seem like that will happen again anytime in the near future. Ridin' by Chamillionaire and Grillz are probably the biggest rap hits of 06 and they only stayed at no. 1 for 2 weeks each. "Promiscuous" will be no. 1 very soon and may stay there for quite a while, and definitely will be the song of summer '06.


Hmm, what kind of song is "Promiscuous"?

Hmm, what kind of song is "Promiscuous"?


hip-hop pop.

hip-hop pop.


Sort of Beyonce-esque?

Sort of Beyonce-esque?


Beyonce is more R&B, Promiscuous is more PCD-esque.

Biggest in terms of length, or biggest in terms of popularity?

Ugh, probably Crazy Frog from last year. I've still got that tune in my head.  :o

hip-hop pop.


I think true hip-hop will be outre by later this year. More hip-hop pop and stuff like Rihanna will replace it...Kanye West and Beyonce are coming out with big albums, and I think Christina Aguilera will have a hit or two.

I think true hip-hop will be outre by later this year. More hip-hop pop and stuff like Rihanna will replace it...Kanye West and Beyonce are coming out with big albums, and I think Christina Aguilera will have a hit or two.


Christina's new song is already getting huge, it debuted at no. 19 on the hot 100, I think it will easily make the top 10.

Based on a combination of billboard charting and what I liked.

2000

Breathe- Faith Hill
Everything You Want- Vertical Horizon
Say My Name- Destiny's Child
He Wasn't Man Enough- Toni Braxton
I Knew I Love You- Savage Garden

2001

Fallin'- Alicia Keys
Drops of Jupiter- Train
Thank You- Dido
It Wasn't Me- Shaggy
Independent Woman Pt. 1- Destiny's Child

2002

Hot In Herre- Nelly
Dilemma- Nelly & Kelly Rowland
Foolish- Ashanti
A Thousand Miles- Vanessa Carlton
What's Luv- Fat Joe

2003

In da Club- 50 Cent
Get Busy- Sean Paul
Ignition- R. Kelly
Bring Me To Life- Evanescence
Crazy In Love- Beyonce

2004

Yeah!- Usher
Burn- Usher
If I Ain't Got You- Alicia Keys
Hey Ya- Outkast
The Reason- Hoobastank

2005

We Belong Together- Mariah Carey
Gold Digger- Kanye West
Let Me Love You- Mario
Boulevard of Broken Dreams- Green Day
Hollaback Girl- Gwen Stefani

2006 (so far)

Bad Day- Daniel Powter
Check On It- Beyonce
Hips Don't Lie- Shakira
Promiscuous- Nelly Furtado
Temperature- Sean Paul



"Hey Ya!" is more of a 2003 song.  It first reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 2003 and stayed at #1 until January 2004.  But since it was #1 in 2003 first, it makes it a 2003 song.

Plus I remember first hearing on the radio and on MTV back in October 2003

"Hey Ya!" is more of a 2003 song.  It first reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 2003 and stayed at #1 until January 2004.  But since it was #1 in 2003 first, it makes it a 2003 song.

Plus I remember first hearing on the radio and on MTV back in October 2003


It's peaks on the billboard 2004 year end chart though, because the 2004 chart year starts in November, which is why I listed it under 2004.

With nine weeks at number one, it has to be Crazy by Gnarls Berkley.

"Hey Ya!" is more of a 2003 song.  It first reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 2003 and stayed at #1 until January 2004.  But since it was #1 in 2003 first, it makes it a 2003 song.

Plus I remember first hearing on the radio and on MTV back in October 2003


I think of it as defining the winter of 2003-2004, when I was in 8th grade.

I think of it as defining the winter of 2003-2004, when I was in 8th grade.


It was a crossover 03/04 song, yeah it defined that winter along with songs like "Slow Jamz" and "Through the Wire" and "Stacie's Mom".

With nine weeks at number one, it has to be Crazy by Gnarls Berkley.


It seems like that song won't ever go away ;D

It seems like that song won't ever go away ;D


It's just starting to get really big here, lol.

It's just starting to get really big here, lol.


It might get to #1 on Billboard eventually

If it wasn't for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it would be #1 here in Canada.  It might make the Guinnes Records for being the only song to hit #1 everywhere it charts ;D

It might get to #1 on Billboard eventually

If it wasn't for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it would be #1 here in Canada.  It might make the Guinnes Records for being the only song to hit #1 everywhere it charts ;D


I would be really shocked if it no. 1, but I've already been surprised by "Bad Day" and "You're Beautiful" this year so you never know.

The biggest song is easily "We Belong Together", all those other songs were really big too, but none come close to We Belong Together.


I bloody hate that disgrace for a song! It's unbelievably awful!!!!!

'Hey Ya' was massive, but as whistledog said 'Crazy' is doing so well at the moment - and it's a great song.

I'm sorry, but I don't see "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley being the "Biggest" song of the '00s.  When I said "Biggest", I meant a combination of Airplay and Overall Popularity on pop-culture especially.

When it's all said and done, i'm pretty positive that songs like "Hey Ya!" and "Hollaback Girl" will be much more remembered and more popular than "Crazy"

If you combine chart success and general popularity then imo the biggest song is Yeah! by Usher.

If you combine chart success and general popularity then imo the biggest song is Yeah! by Usher.


That would definitely be a candidate, but I still think "Hey Ya!", "Hollaback Girl" and "Lose Yourself" are still more Popular

I'm not saying that you have to combine total success/airplay as well as popularity, I mean one song can have more airplay than another, but still isn't as popular or well recognized as another song.

Plus, "Hey Ya!" got as much airplay as any other song this decade so far, especially months after it was off the charts.

Another factor is a song just being "catchy" or having a "catchphrase" or something.  "Yeah!" doesn't really strike that to me, I can't see people seeing that song as the "Macarena" of the '00s over something like "Hey Ya!" which was such a unique song that has even been used in numerous movies already as well as the opening of the Academy Awards in 2004.  It's been a huge hit in pop-culture so far more so than "Yeah!"

Here's an example.  Remember that little song from 1995/1996 called "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men which stayed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 longer than any other song the entire decade? (16 Weeks).  Do you honestly think THAT song is more popular or big than a song like "Ice Ice Baby" which was only #1 for 1 week?  I don't think so....

I don't think anyone remembers "One Sweet Day" anymore  ;D

Here's an example.  Remember that little song from 1995/1996 called "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men which stayed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 longer than any other song the entire decade? (16 Weeks).  Do you honestly think THAT song is more popular or big than a song like "Ice Ice Baby" which was only #1 for 1 week?  I don't think so....

I don't think anyone remembers "One Sweet Day" anymore  ;D


What is the big deal about #1 hits?  ???

What is the big deal about #1 hits?   ???



Yep. A song doesn't even need to get into the top 10 to be remebered. For example 'Losing My Religion' by REM and 'Don't Dream It's Over' by Crowded House didn't chart very high at all when they were released in the UK.

well for me it has to be one of the amazing songs off Pendulums 'Hold Your Colour'. If you havent heard this album go and buy it now! Hold your colour is the best tune off the album, music doesnt come much better!

What is the big deal about #1 hits?  ???


Uhh...What do you mean?

Also, that was kind of my point, just because a song is at #1 longer than another song doesn't make it Bigger or more popular than a song that wasn't at #1 as long

Some people here, like the guy who said "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley is the biggest simply because it has been #1 for 9 weeks, is actually the biggest song of the '00s. 

Why didn't you reply to him asking what's the big deal about #1 hits?  He's the one who brought it up...  ???

Yep. A song doesn't even need to get into the top 10 to be remebered. For example 'Losing My Religion' by REM and 'Don't Dream It's Over' by Crowded House didn't chart very high at all when they were released in the UK.


That was my point!!  Do you people even read or pay attention?

Uhh...What do you mean?

Also, that was kind of my point, just because a song is at #1 longer than another song doesn't make it Bigger or more popular than a song that wasn't at #1 as long

Some people here, like the guy who said "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley is the biggest simply because it has been #1 for 9 weeks, is actually the biggest song of the '00s. 

Why didn't you reply to him asking what's the big deal about #1 hits?  He's the one who brought it up...  ???
Biggest as in sales, not popularity.

That would definitely be a candidate, but I still think "Hey Ya!", "Hollaback Girl" and "Lose Yourself" are still more Popular

I'm not saying that you have to combine total success/airplay as well as popularity, I mean one song can have more airplay than another, but still isn't as popular or well recognized as another song.

Plus, "Hey Ya!" got as much airplay as any other song this decade so far, especially months after it was off the charts.

Another factor is a song just being "catchy" or having a "catchphrase" or something.  "Yeah!" doesn't really strike that to me, I can't see people seeing that song as the "Macarena" of the '00s over something like "Hey Ya!" which was such a unique song that has even been used in numerous movies already as well as the opening of the Academy Awards in 2004.  It's been a huge hit in pop-culture so far more so than "Yeah!"

Here's an example.  Remember that little song from 1995/1996 called "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men which stayed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 longer than any other song the entire decade? (16 Weeks).  Do you honestly think THAT song is more popular or big than a song like "Ice Ice Baby" which was only #1 for 1 week?  I don't think so....

I don't think anyone remembers "One Sweet Day" anymore  ;D


I think everyone remembers "One Sweet Day", that's considered the song of the '90s by many people, it was very very popular. "Ice Ice Baby" on the other hand is remembered quite well...on "worst songs ever" lists.

I think everyone remembers "One Sweet Day", that's considered the song of the '90s by many people, it was very very popular. "Ice Ice Baby" on the other hand is remembered quite well...on "worst songs ever" lists.


;D Give me a break.  Poll 1,000 people and ask them which song they know more.  I guarentee 95% know "Ice Ice Baby" more than "One Sweet Day"

;D Give me a break.  Poll 1,000 people and ask them which song they know more.  I guarentee 95% know "Ice Ice Baby" more than "One Sweet Day"


I beg to differ.  "One Sweet Day" was one of the biggest, if not THE biggest hit of the 90s.  When that song came out, it got major attention, and was known world-wide

I beg to differ.  "One Sweet Day" was one of the biggest, if not THE biggest hit of the 90s.  When that song came out, it got major attention, and was known world-wide


I agree.

I beg to differ.  "One Sweet Day" was one of the biggest, if not THE biggest hit of the 90s.  When that song came out, it got major attention, and was known world-wide


Yeah. I was 5 then and it was so huge that I remember it.

I beg to differ.  "One Sweet Day" was one of the biggest, if not THE biggest hit of the 90s.  When that song came out, it got major attention, and was known world-wide
The biggest record of the 90s was Elton John's Candle In The Wind 97, the one he sang at Lady Diana Funeral Service. Selling 37m worldwide.

Either "Hey Ya!", "Yeah" on "In Da Club"... they seem to be a good cross-point for the whole decade so far.

I see something really big in, say, 2008-2009 that will define the spirit of the entire decade.

Either "Hey Ya!", "Yeah" on "In Da Club"... they seem to be a good cross-point for the whole decade so far.

I see something really big in, say, 2008-2009 that will define the spirit of the entire decade.


I'm still wondering what the late '00s will be like. They won't be totally different, like the late '70s were from the rest of the '70s (there were already signs of disco from 1974, for example, and there aren't any signs of anything now), but they'll be a more "sensitive/less materialistic/glammy" period, no doubt about that.

The biggest record of the 90s was Elton John's Candle In The Wind 97, the one he sang at Lady Diana Funeral Service. Selling 37m worldwide.


Dang, I'd forgotten about that one.  That was the biggest song of the 90s easily

Historically, here in Canada, Candle in the Wind '97 spent 3 consecutive YEARS in the Top 20, 45 weeks of which were at #1 :o

That was my point!!  Do you people even read or pay attention?


No need to be so rude about it! I wasn't stealing your point - I was merely echoing all your thoughts with another couple of examples!!