Stylus Magazine's Top 50 Singles 2000-2004

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Overall I think the list is sharp and "remembers" well, which is the hardest thing in listing.

To me the top five of 00-04 is pretty self-evident: "In Da Club," "Hey Ya," "Toxic," "Cry Me a River," "Get Ur Freak On"/"Work It." Admittedly, I am someone that never "felt" "Ignition (remix)." "PDA" should definitely have been in there somewhere, given the borderline tokenism of the indie inclusions.

THOUGHTS.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I like my "pop" music as much as the next guy/gal/hipster... however, I'm also ALL for indie/rock... I reckon either "Bohemian Like You" or "You Were The Last High" would've rounded out the top 20 nicely.

― Nic de Teardrop, Friday, 14 January 2005 14:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I really HATE "Ignition (Remix)" and have since I first heard it, but am perversely really pleased that it's no.1. "B.O.B." should have been, though.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I like 'Ignition' but am surprised it won. I thought 'Work It' and 'Get Ur Freak' on were on separate albums? But I'm no editor of a music website I guess!

― Miles Finch, Friday, 14 January 2005 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, as SteveM will attest (I sent him a perterbed email when he started the ILX ones in action), these lists were my idea. Which I thought I'd point out before Good Dr Bill goes all mentalist about it (him loving lists and me hating them, you see).

They are on seperate albums.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

You're just lucky "Windowlicker" was '99.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

"Windowlicker" would have got a LOT of votes, I feel.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

What am I going all mentalist about/

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Pitchfork's list will be pretty similar, only it'll come out later than ours.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:28 (twenty-one years ago)

About the fact that I suggested we do two massive lists.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:28 (twenty-one years ago)

They're on separate albums, yes; what I mean by the stroke combination was that - and not to start a huge tangent/argument five posts in - to me they're interchangeable. Her persona/personality is so unique it makes them samey: they're Superlative Missy Elliot Singles. Like you've got Good Strokes Songs, they all kind of blend together. In short both Missy singles should be Top Ten, but, on or the other in the Top Five depending on your preference.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:29 (twenty-one years ago)

that graphic for 'A Stroke Of Genieus' is great

― Stevem On X (blueski), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I voted for "4 My People" higher than both. Stupid me.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

The top ten was very similar to the ILM 2000-2004 Top Ten from last August. There are eight out of ten songs in common, by my count (which is a surprising amount of overlap even considering the number of Stylus writers who also post here). It's a great list. I was glad to see that Matthew Dear and Jurgen Paape made it. And I wonder where the Annie singles would have finished on our own list had we compiled it today -- we'll probably get a good idea of that with the 2004 polls.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Is that ©Todd Burns? A stroke of genie-us indeed.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I voted for Stacie Orrico! Twice!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I forget if I voted for her albumwise.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

'The mash-up is arguably the only genre of popular music truly unique to the 21st century. Sure, there were decades of precedent (remember Jive Bunny?), but here at last was a mode of sampling that made no attempt to hide its sources.'

and of course i would argue that a LOT (and YES WE REMEMBER JIVE BUNNY BECAUSE IT'S MENTIONED IN EVERY BLURB ON MASH-UPS EVER), and not that you'd want them to take over the list but funny how the love for 'freak like me' and 'intro inspection' seems to have faded.

― Stevem On X (blueski), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:34 (twenty-one years ago)

About the fact that I suggested we do two massive lists.

I've already given you a fair amount of shit about that.

Anyway, good if fairly unexciting list. Jurgen making the top 25 was really cool.

And yeah, definite rcok under-representation. The White Stripes were the only straight rock band in the top 25, and they were #25. Not so good.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

That's because rock is rubbish.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Does anyone still listen to "Intro Inspection"? I only listened to it once or twice myself, seemed more like a novelty than a lasting classic or whatever.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

(In all seriousness, the "pop" and "dance" landmarks are a little more widely agreed upon, less prone to vote splitting)

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I was hoping Anthony's and my votes would be enough to get Linkin Park's "In the End" on the list. Maybe I should've voted it higher.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I fucking hate White Stripes.

I voted for LOADS of Sugababes. No one loves them but me. Which is good. Maybe they'll sleep with me.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Nick, I voted for "Run For Cover" and "Round Round".. we should have, erm, compared ballots and, erm, conspired.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:39 (twenty-one years ago)

All I think of with Jive Bunny is those JUST SAY YES! stickers. What a dark time. First ever "make your own cassette!!" mix I did, I think at Tower Records, had "Doctorin' the Tardis" and "Swing the Mood" on it. Christ.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh but Bill "Crawling" is so much more Utterly Classic and defining.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I still can't fathom the concept of "singles" - these lists always list the most commercial, with slick production and catchy hooks...but, predominately, these are all the type of songs that are instantly catchy and lacking in longevity..in fact, I cannot name one song on the list (except Yeah) that I ever want to hear again...true artistic credibility seems to be thrown by the wayside...all style and no substance..for example, there's like 4 Jay-z songs on this list, yet artists like Doom, EL-P or Aesop Rock are not mentioned, even though they obviously have more depth to their work, simply because they're not commercial enough....is this what we should be rewarding?

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I have no comment in re: Jay-Z. Actually, yes I do. He's garbage, has been from day one.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Space Is The Place, no offense, but you're talking complete shit. You're opening your moth and streams of steaming steamed poo is coming out. "lacking on longevity"? I still listen to Aaliyah and Missy every fucking week, practically every day. Aesdop Rock is fucking shit, that's why he sells no records.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

'Grindin'' is a bit of a HERE BE LANDMARK/ICON track, I think, and I guess that's the danger in general -- I also prefer 'No Good Advice' to 'Sound of the Underground' and 'Lucky Star' to 'Romeo', 'Young Fresh N New' to 'Milkshake', 'Gossip Folk' to 'Work It', 'It's in Your Eyes' to 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' ect ect ect

― Miles Finch, Friday, 14 January 2005 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Except the best Kelis song is actually "Get Along With You".

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

or 'Suspended'

― Stevem On X (blueski), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Except it's a matter of opinion, but I'd forgotten 'GAWY' was 2000 and agree.

xpost

― Miles Finch, Friday, 14 January 2005 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh but Bill "Crawling" is so much more Utterly Classic and defining.

Also screechy.

Aside from the fact that it was "the popular one," I really don't get "Milkshake"'s inflated rep over the other Kelis singles. It's the worst of the five or so I've heard.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I think of everything off Kelis' debut as being 1999. GAWY is indeed fuckign ace.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

the only Aesop track i really know is 'Daylight' but i like it.

there's a lot of 'big dance' that's been forgotten about too - no Felix, Tok Tok vs Soffy O, Ladytron, X-Press II, FC Kahuna, Audio Bullys, Tiga, Goldfrapp even, VITALIC...'Emerge' being the token electroclashy track bothers me a bit, but then it would wouldn't it...

― Stevem On X (blueski), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I think of everything off Kelis' debut as being 1999.

heh, 'Caught Out There' is a '99 single by a week or something isn't it? what a horrible horrible time to release a brilliant brilliant single

― Stevem On X (blueski), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

sick mouthly: you like candy, I like steak...no hard feelings

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Kelis UK chartography for 2000:

Caught Out There [imp] (Virgin)
2000 (12.02.2000): 52 (1/3)
Caught Out There (Virgin)
2000 (4.03.2000): 4 (12/17)
Good Stuff (Virgin)
2000 (17.06.2000): 19 (5/11)
Get Along With You (Virgin)
2000 (21.10.2000): 51 (1/4)

Tho Caught Out There was 1999 in the US, I think.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

"Lucky Star" would probably be in my Top 3 if I actually did this. I can't think of another properly-released single I've listened to as much since "Windowlicker." "Cish Cash" would be Top 15 as well. Both of these tracks took the track-stuffed electro-insanity thing to a place I couldn't have dreamed of, and it was a very marketable/danceable place as well, which is just icing.. "Windowlicker" + cutting-edge/retro-respect guest singaz + border-Fatboy Slim catchiness = Entire Cultural Landscape Refracted in Song.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

'Koochy' == teh original 'Richard X'. 'Caught out There' charted as an imported, so waters iz muddy.

― Miles Finch, Friday, 14 January 2005 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Space Is The Place - my favourite record is Spirit Of Eden by Talk Talk. I prefer fresh fruit to gristle and heavy meats that line your stomach and make you slow.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

you like candy, I like steak...no hard feelings

I like hummus and arroz con calamares.

― RS, Friday, 14 January 2005 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I prefer being fat and peaceful like Buddah than searching for my sugar fix...missy and aalyiah taste good, digest fairly easy, but after a few days I'm sick of the taste

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, you might think so.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Only 4/4 rock songs endure over the years. Ask Nik Kershaw.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:11 (twenty-one years ago)

His cup runneth over might have been a poor choice of words re: R.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)

My Top 50 in further detail, in case you need more "rock." I'm on some next-level shit, cuz pop-rap-metal is kind of the melting pot.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

You're all like "uhhh...black vs. white" and I'm like..."Linkin Park, yo."

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Is "Butterfly" really better than all LP singles?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:26 (twenty-one years ago)

"Butterfly" is a really interesting place to start a discussion on the worth and nature of pop singles.

TOTP: You talk about expanding your horizons, so is there any room for pop in Crazy Town?
Seth: Yes, in a Beatles type way.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

'Butterfly' is def better than any 00s Chili Peppers singles

― Stevem On X (blueski), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:28 (twenty-one years ago)

That's not saying anything Steve: the Chili Peppers failed to recognize they'd recorded a perfect bow-out record in Californication, that everyone was prepared to say goodbye and give them their due, and mistranslated that praise as encouragement.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

The ten best songs on By The Way make a nice pleasant album. I don't want to imagine life without "The Zephyr Song." I could, but I don't want to.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 14 January 2005 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Though I've been inspired to put on that ten-song album-within-album and damn, I always forget just how dopey this stuff gets.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 14 January 2005 16:04 (twenty-one years ago)

for example, there's like 4 Jay-z songs on this list, yet artists like Doom, EL-P or Aesop Rock are not mentioned, even though they obviously have more depth to their work, simply because they're not commercial enough....is this what we should be rewarding?

"obviously"

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Friday, 14 January 2005 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I love "Try Again" and all, but will someone explain to me why Aaliyah is considered such an amazing vocalist? And Bill = OTM re: Kelis.

― Sansai, Friday, 14 January 2005 19:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd just like to remark here that the dude who bitches about "commercial" music having no substance and the dude who dismisses indie 'cause it doesn't sell are now both on my "give quizzical looks to if I ever meet them in public" list. (Not my shit list, which has no room because it is basically "JIM DEROGATIS" written on it 800 times on some "all work and no play make Jack a dull boy" bizness.)

If I make my own list that has "We're Famous" and "U Don't Know" on it tied for 10th will y'all shut up?

― What's this place, Biblevania? (natepatrin), Friday, 14 January 2005 19:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I love that the R beat out Outkast just bcz Outkast is such an obvious/predictable choice, and also bcuz I voted for Ignition at number one. Huge gaping holes in my list: Like a Pimp, What Happened to that Boy, Special Delivery Remix, quite a few others as well.

― deej., Friday, 14 January 2005 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

What is w all the ridiculous ppl posting comments?

― deej., Friday, 14 January 2005 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Here or at Stylus?

― What's this place, Biblevania? (natepatrin), Friday, 14 January 2005 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

At stylus.

― deej., Friday, 14 January 2005 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Fix Up, Look Sharp is 10x better than I Luv You. That's just me though.

― buck van smack (Buck Van Smack), Friday, 14 January 2005 20:57 (twenty-one years ago)

This was a poll. I hate polls.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 14 January 2005 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Fix Up, Look Sharp is 10x better than I Luv You. That's just me though.

Can't say I agree with that, really.

― deej., Saturday, 15 January 2005 01:16 (twenty-one years ago)

"PDA" should definitely have been in there somewhere, given the borderline tokenism of the indie inclusions."

"This was a poll."

Yes, so since it was a poll, there couldn't have been any intentional "tokenism."

― billstevejim, Saturday, 15 January 2005 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Me in the Stylus message boarD:

"If "Windowlicker" came out a year later, it would've been quite a dominant number one"

GET OUT OF MY HEAD OTT

Aesop Rock and Doom did not have any good singles this decade. This explains why they did not make the list. They have good albums but I mean, I think I MAY have put "Daylight" on but their albums stand out more than anything. If it was a year before, Doom would've made it with any one of his Fondle Em Records pieces.

El-P on the other hand deserved the nod for "Deep Space 9mm". Song is just as important as my number one, "Grindin'".

Considering the random Ghost love from indie rock of late, I was hoping for an "Apollo Kids" coup, but I didn't get the hookup there. And on a whiter note, even I forgot about "Seventeen" by Ladytron. I can't go to a club without this shit getting requested, but I do respect the track, especially the Droyds mix.

my list, YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

― Rollie Pemberton (Rollie Pemberton), Saturday, 15 January 2005 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the list and agree w/plenty of it, but its hegemony makes me feel a little uncomfortable--more dance, more rock, more non-chart rap, more everything, basically, plz., something I think would have been the case if they'd extended the list to 100. But yeah, I dig it.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Saturday, 15 January 2005 20:44 (twenty-one years ago)

has anyone heard of this band called the avalances who released an album called since I left you which was accompanied by a few classic singles?

― Lovelace, Saturday, 15 January 2005 22:29 (twenty-one years ago)

avalancHes

― Lovelace, Saturday, 15 January 2005 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

If anything, Since I Left You was PRECEDED by a few classic singles. 'Frontier Psychiatrist' wonks the set by being faintly average, using 3-year old b-sides and a dull remix.

― Captain GRRRios' Giggletits (Barima), Saturday, 15 January 2005 22:41 (twenty-one years ago)

it´s classic to me and so is (the single) since I left you.

electricity was re-released after the album came out and I had not heard it before that. also classic,

― Lovelace, Saturday, 15 January 2005 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

the album is my number two album of this decade. number one is supreme clientele by ghost.

i totally forgot about 'frontier psychiatrist' while making my list. dunno why. it's prolly be top ten.

― Rollie Pemberton (Rollie Pemberton), Saturday, 15 January 2005 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

the album being 'since i left you', obviously.

― Rollie Pemberton (Rollie Pemberton), Saturday, 15 January 2005 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

somtimes I feel like it's in my top three favorite albums of all time

― Lovelace, Saturday, 15 January 2005 23:49 (twenty-one years ago)

That single is so not top ten Rollie; I'm with you about how great the album is, though.

― deej., Sunday, 16 January 2005 06:49 (twenty-one years ago)

the lp would be better w/o 'frontier psychiatrist'

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Sunday, 16 January 2005 06:55 (twenty-one years ago)

That's what the skip button's for!

(Except there's nothing wrong with Frontier Psychiatrist, on the album or on its own, haha!)

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 16 January 2005 07:05 (twenty-one years ago)

from east point to shaolin... y'all betta know that!

― ccc, Sunday, 16 January 2005 07:50 (twenty-one years ago)

"Ms. Jackson" is so much better than "B.O.B." or "Hey Ya," I can't believe a song that got played so much has moved into underrated territory.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 16 January 2005 08:16 (twenty-one years ago)

#8 of the decade = unerrated?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Sunday, 16 January 2005 08:22 (twenty-one years ago)

behind "Hey Ya" = underrated by a large margin

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 16 January 2005 08:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Since I've never seen it said: Ms. Jackson isn't even one of Outkast's top 20 songs, much less in all of pop musicdom. Works within the context of the album, I'll leave it at that.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Sunday, 16 January 2005 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Its a good song but I don't think its as good as BOB or Hey Ya (or quite a few of their other singles).

― deej. (djdee2005), Monday, 17 January 2005 04:16 (twenty-one years ago)

this list is awesome. better than ilm's, methinks.

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Monday, 17 January 2005 05:51 (twenty-one years ago)

This is a very dire list. R. Kelly, Usher, Aaliyah or Justin Timberlake never had a decent song in their whole careers.

― zeus, Monday, 17 January 2005 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I really shouldn't take that bait, should I?

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 17 January 2005 16:32 (twenty-one years ago)

ROCKIST SCUM!1!11!!!!

― djdee2005 (djdee2005), Monday, 17 January 2005 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

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