Pop Shots – A Look At The Charts … From 18 Years Ago


Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week I’m hopping into my time machine again, this time setting the coordinates for 18 years ago this week.

Conan O’Brien once had a hilarious series of segments titled “In The Year 2000” where he would make ridiculous predictions about the future. That future is now the past, and while his predictions may not have come true, it is true that the Billboard Hot 100 from this week back in 2000 was stacked with great music. Some of that music still lives on today … and not just because we love the songs.

So let’s get into this exploration in chart history! Of course, since this is Pop Shots, you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

1. NSYNC – It’s Gonna Be Me


“It’s Gonna Be Me” has a legacy nobody could have possibly predicted. Over a decade after the song topped the chart Justin Timberlake’s epic mispronunciation of “me” turned into a meme that’s posted every April 30th with people announcing “It’s gonna be May.”

The fact that “It’s Gonna Be Me” is also one of the genre-defining songs of the ‘90s/‘00s boy band era doesn’t exactly hurt it’s staying power either.

3. Vertical Horizon – Everything You Want


I actually didn’t need my time machine to hear this song, as I heard it performed live less than two weeks ago when I saw Vertical Horizon at Alive@Five in Stamford, CT. The band is currently touring with fellow nostalgia acts Gin Blossoms, and Tonic.

As many of you know, I’ve often been accused of living in the ‘90s, but honestly, you’ve heard the music, can you blame me?!?!

11. Jagged Edge – Let’s Get Married


Legitimately one of the worst proposal songs in history, “Let’s Get Married’ featured the oh-so-romantic lyric, “Wait ain’t getting no younger, we might as well do it.” I mean, what woman wouldn’t be completely swept off her feet by such a sentiment?

A little further down the chart at #24 fellow R&B group Next were enjoying success with their song “Wifey,” and although they weren’t singing about a literal wife, it is interesting that R&B groups were so marriage minded back in the Y2K.

16. Eminem – The Real Slim Shady


This song cemented Eminem as a hip-hop artist who was also a pop star. He essentially repeated the success of “My Name Is,” making a rap song that showcased his lyrical skills, while also being bubbly enough to get suburban teenage girls to love him.

Very few artists can say they maintained their hardcore fan base while also finding a way to appeal to a mainstream audience, but Em was that dude.

65. Alice Deejay – Better Off Alone


This song is memorable for me because every DJ at every bar near Hofstra University played it during my senior year (’99-’00), so every night I went out I would, at some point, hear Alice Deejay blasting out of the speakers in an overcrowded, smoke filled (this was before the smoking ban), sticky floored establishment, with sorority girls going crazy, and drinks being spilled on strangers.

Some listeners may recognize “Better Off Alone” because of the 2013 David Guetta song “Play Hard,” which sampled it so heavily he probably should’ve given all the profits to the group, who now have a different singer, and go by the name Alice DJ.

78. Stone Temple Pilots – Sour Girl


I know this might be a bit of a controversial opinion, but I think “Sour Girl” is one of Stone Temple Pilots’ most underrated songs. It doesn’t necessarily sound like a traditional Stone Temple Pilots song, mostly because Scott Weiland is using his voice differently than in most of the band’s work, but he still sounds amazing, and the fact that it’s a bit different makes “Sour Girl” a unique highlight in the band’s legendary catalogue.

Having Sarah Michelle Gellar star in the video was also pretty rad.

92. Baha Men – Who Let The Dogs Out


It was a question for the ages, a question that has haunted us since the day it was asked, a question that 18 years later continues to go answered – who let the dogs out?

I remember there was a bar in my town a handful of years ago that had one of those high-tech jukeboxes, and the #1 song was always “Who Let The Dogs Out.” Apparently someone would pay it every single day … as we all should until we get the answer to the question it poses!

And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.

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