follow-ups to the U.S. #1s of 2002

this got cut off but was obv:

Jennifer Lopez - “I’m Gonna Be Alright (Track Masters Remix)” (peak: #10, follow-up to: “I’m Real (Murder Remix)” and “Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)"

"Happy" definitely!

i honestly don't remember any of these! i mean, i remember them existing and being aware of them at the time, but i couldn't sing you a line from any of them

Lex check out Happy now it is BRILLIANT.

Also I don't believe that you don't remember the Kelly, the J.Lo or the Usher.

these were pretty much all big hits in the U.S. (even the Nickelback was a big rock radio hit). definitely voting "U Don't Have To Call" but I love "Air Force Ones" and "Miss Independent" too, "Happy" is definitely my least favorite.

Ashanti is a fucking scourge upon the earth and should be eternally shunned.

IMO this is easily Usher; his only competition is Kelly.

no, i remember them existing and broadly what they were all like, i just can't remember how they go or anything specific 8 years on!

(by implication i also remember not caring too much about any of them)

"Happy" is one of those R&B tunes that almost feels like it was invented so that someone can make a disco edit now, "R&B Drunkie" style

Also I'm very suspicious of kneejerk outright dismissals of Ashanti. Yes, she's maybe the one big R&B singer for whom the usual charge of "generic R&B singer" actually sticks, but I love generic R&B and at her best she's jaw-dropping.

i've enjoyed too much music by R&B singers of comparable talents (or lack thereof) to pretend I'm a total Dan Perry vocal nazi about Ashanti, so for me it comes down to me mostly hating her songs. I liked some of her lesser later hits like "Only U" and "Good Good," but when she was just everywhere for a while it was pretty intolerable. I mean, she was probably the biggest female star in R&B for a minute before Beyonce went solo, think about that for a second.

There is nothing jaw-dropping about Ashanti aside from her somehow being tapped as a headliner for one of VH-1's "Divas Live" shows, where she got stomped by Chaka Khan, Mary J Blige and Beyonce.

lol "Dan Perry vocal nazi": I liked Lumidee just as much as everyone else!

I don't care about Ashanti otherwise, but I really enjoy "Happy"

Voted for Usher without a qualm, but "Happy" >>>>>> "Foolish," even though there was a time in 2002 when I thought Kelly Rowland sang "Happy."

Cannot fuck with: "Happy", "Voodoo", "Rescue Me".

Have you guys even listened to this amazing tune before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jvpT3_6ONE

well no, because it is by Ashanti and I hate her

just fyi, me : Ashanti :: Ned : RATM, so don't expect anything approaching reasoned discourse here

The production on "Happy" was amazing iirc.

i HATE it when i look in itunes for mp3s from this era which have been long lost amidst various hard drive crashes and computer changes

oh THIS usher track - at the time i just thought it was really lame 3-yr-old reheated kaleidoscope beats with usher casting vaguely around in search of a hook and, um, i still do.

oh THIS j-lo track - reheated luniz much better for some reason! but i really preferred her in laidback, insouciant mode à la both murder remixes rather than tense and brittle like here - it's a fine song but she can't make it great.

this ashanti track sounds like every other ashanti track from this era. a good thing in my book, i really miss the days when summer-sweet airiness was the template for generic r&b rather than the electro vomit in the charts atm. immense nostalgia for this sound. this is no "what's luv" or "voodoo" or "foolish" or "rain on me" or "awww baby" but i'm rather enjoying it. love the sustained wall of backing vox.

oh i actually don't remember this ja rule single at all. it's pretty great though, that irresistible plucked guitar, and ja's gruffness elicits the same nostalgia as ashanti's candyfloss coo. ayyyy it's charli baltimore! god i love ryde-or-die love songs. "you could diiiie from love, at any time i could diiiie from slugs" <3 <3

"air force ones" is pretty good i guess. "miss independent" was a hit over here too, it's ok but a bit forced.

oh THIS usher track - at the time i just thought it was really lame 3-yr-old reheated kaleidoscope beats with usher casting vaguely around in search of a hook and, um, i still do.

u mad, u mad, that's like top 3 Neptunes of all time for me, such a perfect song

^^^^ OTM, but it's okay Lex, cuz we're gon' be all right tonight

omg i had forgotten just how fucking awful airforce ones is

voted for it just to spite u

these are all alright cept ja/nickelback

I love Murphy Lee's verse on Air Force Ones sooooo much.

But I love "U Don't Have to Call," It's my favorite Usher song. Tough!

there was a brief moment when I was v excited about Murphy Lee

I believe he buys 2x of the same shoes in that verse.

i'm gonna vote for j. lo

btw, this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8MvXWWq2SQ

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perfect results imo