I've got a fun idea: what do you guys think are the "theme songs" to the 2000s?

And I don't just mean songs that were radio hits, I mean songs that made frequent appearances in TV shows, movies, trailers, video games, parodies, etc. and were so ubiquitous to the point where you couldn't escape them. Doesn't matter if they're good or bad songs, just that they took over the world during their time of popularity. ;D

I'll start:

Early 2000s
"Smash Mouth" by All Star
"Blitzkrieg Bop" by The Ramones
"Who Let the Dogs Out?" by the Baha Men
"Kids in America" by Kim Wilde
"Theme from Mission Impossible" by Lalo Schifrin
"Pistolero" and "Burly Brawl" by Juno Reactor
"Damnit" by Blink-182
"In too Deep" by Sum-41
"Hey ya" by Outkast

Mid 2000s
"Axel F" by Crazy Frog
"Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence
"Maneater" by Nelly Furtado
"Ohio is For Lovers" by Hawthorne Heights
"Give a little" by the Goo Goo Dolls
"Mr. Blue Sky" by ELO

Late 2000s
"Umbrella" by Rihanna
"In the End" by Linkin Park
"Boom Boom Pow" by The Black Eyed Peas
"I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas

The 2010s have a lot of different themes in general, but anyone notice the song "Baba O'Reilly" being used in a lot of movie trailers this decade? ??? It's a good song, but it's starting to feel cringey and forced to me because it's SO overused.

There was also Numa Numa that was one of the theme songs for the late 2000s. I remember hearing that song a lot on YouTube when I discovered it in 2007.

I'd add Numb/Encore by Linkin Park. Very 2000s.

Early 2000s:
* "God Bless the USA" / Lee Greenwood
* "Woke Up This Morning" / Alabama 3
* "Hot in Herre" / Nelly
* "Lose Yourself" / Eminem
* "Complicated" / Avril Lavigne

Mid-2000s:
* "Yeah!" / Usher feat. Lil' Jon & Ludacris
* "Hey Ya!" / OutKast
* "Bad Day" / Daniel Powter
* "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" / Green Day
* "Since U Been Gone" / Kelly Clarkson
* "Ridin'" / Chamillionaire feat. Krayzie Bone

Late 2000s:
* "Don't Stop Believin'" / Journey
* "Crank That" / Soulja Boy
* "Low" / Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
* "The Sweet Escape" / Gwen Stefani feat. Akon
* "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" / Beyoncé

I'd add Numb/Encore by Linkin Park. Very 2000s.


Pretty much any song made by Linkin Park were theme songs to the 2000s. No matter if its the early, mid, or late 2000s.

Pretty much any song made by Linkin Park were theme songs to the 2000s. No matter if its the early, mid, or late 2000s.


They were way more popular during the first half, though. Minutes to Midnight did okay commercially, mostly for "What I've Done," but it turned off a lot of people due to straying away from the group's usual sound. On the other hand, "In the End" was pretty much everywhere throughout the 2001-2002 school year, while "Numb" was in constant rotation around early 2004.

They were way more popular during the first half, though. Minutes to Midnight did okay commercially, mostly for "What I've Done," but it turned off a lot of people due to straying away from the group's usual sound. On the other hand, "In the End" was pretty much everywhere throughout the 2001-2002 school year, while "Numb" was in constant rotation around early 2004.


But the songs were revived in 2006/2007. You could've listen to their songs everywhere on YouTube, if it was an AMV, tribute, etc.

But the songs were revived in 2006/2007. You could've listen to their songs everywhere on YouTube, if it was an AMV, tribute, etc.

That's true!!! IMO, Linkin Park was probably THE rock band of the 2000s, kinda like Led Zepplin was THE rock band of the 70s.

My Humps is perfect for the mid 2000s. We all know where we were when we first heard it.

That's true!!! IMO, Linkin Park was probably THE rock band of the 2000s, kinda like Led Zepplin was THE rock band of the 70s.


It was one of the greatest rock bands in the 2000s. It reminds me of how cool rock bands were back then. Nowadays, you barely have any rock music playing ANYWHERE. Unless it was a metal/rock cover of a certain video game, movie, or miscellaneous soundtrack.

That's true!!! IMO, Linkin Park was probably THE rock band of the 2000s, kinda like Led Zepplin was THE rock band of the 70s.


Though once again, Zep were particularly dominant throughout the first half of the decade. They were less remembered during 1976-1979, during which bands like Aerosmith, Kiss, Queen, The Cars, and Van Halen were the biggest faces in rock and roll.

Though once again, Zep were particularly dominant throughout the first half of the decade. They were less remembered during 1976-1979, during which bands like Aerosmith, Kiss, Queen, The Cars, and Van Halen were the biggest faces in rock and roll.

True the second half of the decade, it goes to Queen; but for overall impact of the 70s decade the slight edge goes to Zep.

True the second half of the decade, it goes to Queen; but for overall impact of the 70s decade the slight edge goes to Zep.


I'm gonna go with Infinity on this one. Led Zeppelin was mostly popular in the early 70s. Since that's when most of their albums were recorded. Sure, they still made albums until 1982. However, they were just only remembered in the 80s, 90s, and so on. Queen was really active from the mid 70s to the mid 90s, album-wise.

Early 00s
Smash Mouth - All Star (and literally all their other songs)
Sum 41 - Makes No Difference, Fat Lip, In Too Deep, What We're All About, The Hell Song
blink-182 - Dammit, What's My Age Again, All The Small Things, First Date
Eminem - What's My Name, Real Slim Shady, Without Me
Crazy Town - Butterfly
Paul Oakenfold with Shifty Shellshock - Starry Eyed Surprise
Insane Clown Posse - Juggalo Homies
TRUSTcompany - Downfall
Papa Roach - Last Resort, She Loves Me Not
New Found Glory - My Friends Over You
Lit - My Own Worst Enemy
P.O.D. - Boom
Linkin Park - All singles from Hybrid Theory and Meteora.
Limp Bizkit - Rollin', My Generation, Break Stuff
Good Charlotte - Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, The Anthem
Bowling For Soup - Girl All the Bad Guys Want, Punk Rock 101
KoRn - Thoughtless, Here to Stay, Got The Life, Freak on a Leash, Falling Away From Me
Breaking Benjamin - Polyamorous
Adema - Giving in, The Way You Like it, Freaking Out, Immortal
Sev - Same Old Song

Mid 00s
Aiden - I Set My Friends on Fire
Hawthorne Heights - Ohio is For Lovers
My Chemical Romance - Helena, I'm Not OK, Famous Last Words
The Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha, Beep
Usher - What
Green Day - Blvd. of Broken Dreams, American Idiot
Panic at the Disco - I Write Sins not Tragedy
Fall out Boy - Sugar We're Going Down
50 Cent - In Da Club, Candy Shop
Kanye West - Jesus Walks, All Falls Down

Late 00s
Black Eyed Peas - I've Got a Feeling, Boom Boom Pow
All Time Low - Dear Maria
Boys Like Girls - Love Drunk
Lady Gaga - Just Dance, Poker Face
Katy Perry - I Kissed a Girl, Hot and Cold
Young Money - Bed Rock
Asher Roth - I Love College
Kanye West - Stronger

What about Limp Bizkit's infamous cover of "Behind blue eyes"? :P

What about Limp Bizkit's infamous cover of "Behind blue eyes"? :P


That cover sounds so early 2000s. Even if it was made in 2003.

What about Limp Bizkit's infamous cover of "Behind blue eyes"? :P


Oh... You had to reminded me of that one? 8-P Yeah, I guess it works, too...

Also, add literally every single from Hybrid Theory and Meteora because 2000-2003 was dominated by those songs.

I'm gonna go with Infinity on this one. Led Zeppelin was mostly popular in the early 70s. Since that's when most of their albums were recorded. Sure, they still made albums until 1982. However, they were just only remembered in the 80s, 90s, and so on. Queen was really active from the mid 70s to the mid 90s, album-wise.

My Dad(A GIGANTIC Zepplin fanboy) would not be too kind with your statement.... ;D

My Dad(A GIGANTIC Zepplin fanboy) would not be too kind with your statement.... ;D


Okay...  :(

Kids in America is one of my favorite songs, but I'm puzzled why it just suddenly made a "comeback" in the late 90s/early 2000s. So many movies and trailers from that time seemed to have that song.

Kids in America is one of my favorite songs, but I'm puzzled why it just suddenly made a "comeback" in the late 90s/early 2000s. So many movies and trailers from that time seemed to have that song.


Yeah, I remember that. Even the Foo Fighters and Bloodhound Gang covered it.

Okay...  :(

I was just letting ya know! ;) ;D

IMO overall..
Very Early 2000s: All Star- Smash Mouth

Early 2000s: Lose Yourself- Eminem

Mid 2000s: Yeah- Usher ft. Lil John and Ludacris

Late 2000s: Single Ladies- Beyonce or Crank That- Soulja Boy

Very Late 2000s: Just Dance- Lady Gaga

I totally forgot Thong Song by Sisqo, Dilemma by Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland. And Crazy In Love by Beyoncé ft. Jay Z.

There's One Thing by Finger Eleven. That's got to be the theme song for something.

M.I.A. - Paper Planes
Asher Roth - I Love College
Rihanna - Take A Bow
T-Pain - Buy U A Drank
All Time Low - Dear Maria Count Me In
Lady Gaga - Poker Face
John Mayer - Waitin' On The World To Change
Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah
Beyonce - Single Ladies

This is my favourite song of all-time, but it seemed to be a bit overused in late 90s/early 00s trailers.

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This song was overused too at that time, but I also like it.

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I'm bumping my ancient thread so people can add more songs.

One song I forgot that was overused in the early 2000s: Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. Usually used in ropey family/romantic comedies.