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Turn up the music!
By Destiny Duprey — Last updated on Dec 22, 2022
Think about the best moments of your life for a moment.
Perhaps it was the year you made your first goal in your junior soccer league. Or maybe it was the day you and your grandma ate the candy your parents said you couldn’t have.
These memories are what make the wheels on our bus of life keep rolling. All of the places we’ve explored in the backyard, all of the kids we met at the community pool — these things remind us of the good times in our lives.
Another fond memory was the music of the 2000s. Artists like Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears, TLC, Avril Lavigne, and many more were on the rise, and we fell in love with each of them.
The nostalgia you feel whenever these classic bops blast on the speaker make you want to relive school dances, sticking your head out of the sunroof of your friend's car, or jamming out in your room with your Discman.
Enjoy these nostalgic songs from the early 2000s and remember the good times of the past!
55 Nostalgic Songs From the Early 2000s
1. “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy
If you had an emo phase, you knew this song because of the band. In reality, this is a pretty lit song to blast at 3 a.m. in your car full of friends.
2. "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne
Ever feel like a person you know just makes things... complicated? You wouldn't be alone, and Avril Lavigne knew that. The song ended up selling 1.1 million copies in the US alone. It's safe to say we all related to this song.
3. "Big Pimpin’" by Jay-Z
Who else wanted to buy a yacht after this classic dropped? Just another song that takes you back to the 2000s before everything went downhill. Jay-Z dropping this tune was a blessing to us all.
4. "Ocean Avenue" by Yellowcard
Most of us remember our first crush and screaming this hit into our hairbrush. And maybe even crushing on lead singer Ryan Key as well.
5. "Yeah!" by Usher
Usher was one of the top pop boys of the 90s and 2000s — and for good reason. He racked up 2 million copies sold worldwide for this one song. "Yeah!" was also ranked number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs for the decades of 2000-2009.
6. "Try Again" by Aaliyah
Rest in power to the beautiful soul who left us with an amazing song. Put this on to feel nostalgic while always remembering Aaliyah, who passed before her time.
7. "Oops!... I Did It Again" by Britney Spears
How could we ever skip this track? Britney has a song for every type of mood, but this one is great to play to send all your worries out the door. It's Britney, b****, after all.
8. "Case Of The Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do)" by Mya
Mya was a big favorite growing up. She deserves more recognition, especially for this hit. So crank it up and let's go for a ride!
9. "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" by Eve ft. Gwen Stefani
Kids and teens of the 2000s will forever stan this iconic duo. Put this song on at every event and people will be sure to get down.
10. "Hey Ya!" by Outkast
Shake it like a Polaroid picture and groove out to this ultimate throwback. Seriously, this song is contagious to get you dancing. If one person gets down, so does everyone else!
11. “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani may have created one of the best girl anthems of the early 2000s. This song is her third biggest hit and a great way to relive those empowering moments of being a girl of the 2000s.
12. "All For You" by Janet Jackson
Who else learned the lyrics and choreography of this song? The fantastic Ms. Jackson churned out an epic love and dance song that even her brothers could never top.
13. "It Wasn’t Me" by Shaggy
Who knew that at a young age we would know what being a player was? This song got all the boys saying it wasn't them to the point of annoyance. But we all have to admit, it's a catchy tune.
14. "Get The Party Started" by P!nk
Every slumber party had this song blasting on the highest volume. P!nk knew what she was doing, giving us this absolute banger of the 2000s.
15. "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child
Booty or no booty, all the girls were strutting their stuff when this song came on! It got us all to bust a move and feel ourselves. The confidence is real.
16. "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
We all sang this at the top of our lungs with our best friends after a major breakup. It helped us get the feelings out and still works to this day. That's right, queen — you hold your head high because you are better without him.
17. "Whenever, Wherever" by Shakira
America was blessed with Shakira charting the billboards with this classic. No matter where you are and no matter what time it is, this song is guaranteed to get you moving. Shake your hips and let your hair down!
18. "Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera
Who could forget Christina Aguilera's "dirty" phase? Definitely one of the more raunchy songs, it was so worth getting in trouble to hear it. And now you can play it without having to explain to your parents why.
19. "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers
Another fun song from the 2000s, not only was this song great but it told a true story about Brandon Flowers' jealousy and paranoia when he walked into a bar in Las Vegas and found his girlfriend cheating on him.
20. "Get Low" by Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz
Who else remembers this song being on the game "Need for Speed"? This song throws us way back to 2002 with a hook that gets you moving your feet within the first verse.
21. "Umbrella" by Rihanna ft. Jay-Z
While it's now most popular as the song that Tom Holland performed on "Lip Sync Battle," before that, this song about friendship is what the early 2000s were all about.
22. "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne
Stacy's mom became the joke of the decade. It also brought to the attention of teenage boys thinking their friends' moms are hot. Still, the song is super catchy, just try not to take the lyrics too literally.
23. "Crazy In Love" by Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z
Off of Beyoncé's debut album, from the first hook to the end of the song, it's a reminder of love and how it can make anyone crazy. It's also super-cute that Beyoncé did the song with her then-future husband.
24. "Toxic" by Britney Spears
Britney Spears is an icon and had way too many hits in the 2000s to not include her more than once on this list. "Toxic" actually earned Britney her first-ever Grammy Award!
25. “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5
This song is one of the band's most popular and is many girls' favorites. Every girl imagined herself being the one Adam Levine was singing to, right?
26. “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga
One of her first singles, Lady Gaga became a sensation after this hit dropped! The outfits, the videos, the music — it's top notch, and we all still love being her little monsters.
27. “Gold Digger” by Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx
Ye is on the list because he was a popular artist in the 2000s. The song came out in 2005 and featured a popular actor Jamie Foxx.
28. “Everywhere” by Michelle Branch
Who else sang this at the top of their lungs in their bedroom like they were in a music video? It perfectly describes a crush and experiencing that all-consuming pinning you had for another.
29. “Fergalicious” by Fergie
After going solo from the Black-Eyed Peas, Fergie gave us this all-time iconic song. It's all about a woman knowing she is the hottest thing and owning it. It's empowering in a way.
30. “Dirty Little Secret” by The All-American Rejects
Tyson Ritter was every girl's dirty little secret that wasn't actually secret. This song hits differently than the cookie-cutter top 40 we get today, that's for sure.
31. “Without Me” by Eminem
Eminem, or Slim Shady depending on the song, has delivered plenty of hits over the years. But this rap song had people quoting it for days!
32. “Get Ur Freak On” by Missy Elliott
If Missy says it, then we must obey it. This song is guaranteed to have people getting their freaks on. So play it loud and do it proud.
33. "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence
From the haunting melody to Amy Lee's incredible vocals, "Bring Me To Life" never gets old. Even to this day, as soon as the piano starts at the beginning of the tune, people will sing.
34. “The Anthem” by Good Charlotte
No one wants to be like their parents, and this song is the epitome of that concept, especially in the 2000s. One rule when listening to this is you have to scream "Don't wanna be youuuuu" at the top of your lungs. (Sorry, we don't make the rules.)
35. “Back To Black” by Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse's tragic death doesn't mean her songs don't live on. "Back To Black" is a 10/10 song and will instantly transport you back to the 2000s.
36. “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey blossomed in the 90s and 2000s. Both were her eras where she reigned supreme in pop music. Heck, she still does. This song became a mega-hit that is still number 1 after a decades-long career.
37. “What You Waiting For?” by Gwen Stefani
Though she's known as the rocker front-girl of No Doubt, in the 2000s, Gwen Stefani was the queen of electronic pop. She gave us this gem of a song back in 2004 and we've been loving her ever since. The song has even made a comeback on TikTok.
38. “In Da Club” by 50 Cent
This absolute bop of 2003 is what got many of us on the dance floor. If you want to get to two-stepping at a party, flip this baby on and the crowd will go nuts.
39. “So Sick” by Ne-Yo
Are you sick of love songs? So was Ne-Yo back in 2006. His silky smooth voice, however, can make any song sound like a love song.
40. "Too Little Too Late" by JoJo
JoJo may not be an artist many of us remember from the early 2000s, but she was a teen pop and R&B artist as well as an actress. She released some great hits, including this song, which she released when she was just 15.
41. “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is a staple of the early 2000s where they truly peaked in the music industry. This song is the band's most played on the radio and is one of the biggest modern rock hits of 2006. Also, the music video is wacky as heck and beloved by well over 3 million people.
42. "Teardrops On My Guitar" by Taylor Swift
The birth of a strong era of Swifties took flight in the 2000s. This song is off the debut album of a now international country/pop artist who has 95 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, five number 1 hits, 10 Grammys, 29 American Music Awards, and 23 Billboard Music Awards.
43. "Hot In Herre" by Nelly
It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes! No seriously, if you haven't heard anyone say this, where were you in the 2000s? Nelly brings us back to the good old days in this hip-hop bop.
44. "Misery Business" by Paramore
Paramore was a staple band for the emo/scene people, and "Misery Business" was just one of the many songs that takes us back to those days. This song was also used to help Olivia Rodrigo write her hit "Good For U."
45. "Before He Cheats" By Carrie Underwood
This song was the anthem all women would play and fantasize about the damage they would do should their guy ever cheat on them. Underwood not only got a hit out of the song, but she brought home several awards for it.
46. "California" by Phantom Planet
Let's face it, everytime "The O.C." theme song played, we would all sing along. It doesn't matter if you don't live in California or if you've never been there, because this song is a slice of that heaven.
47. "Dance, Dance" by Fall Out Boy
"Dance, Dance" is considered one of lead singer Patrick Stump's favorite songs from the band. But we will always remember it as the tune that had us grooving as soon as it played.
48. "Everytime We Touch" by Cascada
Whether it was a bar mitzvah, Sweet 16, or teenage party in your friend's basement, this song was sure to get every single person moving. You know you made up choreography as you sang it. Don't lie.
49. "Sk8r Boi" by Avril Lavigne
Another hit from "the muthaf***in' princess," as she calls herself, "Sk8r Boi" had us looking at the skater kids a little differently after this song came out. It's also a great reminder to never change who you are to fit in.
50. "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera
This gorgeous ballad from Christina Aguilera had us all in our feelings back in the day, reminding ourselves that we are beautiful, inside and out.
51. "1985" by Bowling For Soup
Whether it was a throwback to way before our time, or the fact that this group was pretty whacky, "1985" was no doubt sung by anyone alive in the 2000s.
52. "Paper Planes" by M.I.A.
With catchy lines and a dope beat, "Paper Planes" was what every wannabe cool kid would sing for some attention.
53. “On the Way Down” by Ryan Cabrera
Anyone who watched Ashlee Simpson's reality TV show back in the day remembers her romance with singer Ryan Cabrera. He may have faded from the spotlight, but this song lives on.
54. “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt
Surely every teen boy sang this to their girlfriend or crush in the 2000s. Hey, they may have even recreated that emo music video where James Blunt stays in the rain to sing about his unrequited love.
55. “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton
This was Vanessa Carlton's first single and was the perfect song to disguise a crush you'd talk to your friends about. Because you'd do anything for your crush, even walk 1,000 miles, right?
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Destiny Duprey is a writer and musician who has written dozens of articles on spirituality, astrology, and relationships. Follow her on Instagram for more.