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.
Turning on the radio this week back in 2003 I’m reminded that we were really aggressive that year. It was the summer of crunk, and with it came a summer of hard rock, and some in your face pop, as well.
It was impossible to go anywhere without hearing 50 Cent, as he was at #1 and #3 with “21 Questions” and “Magic Stick.” That said, as we’ll see, the South was the strongest force in hip-hop at the time.
Strength was actually in abundance in all genres of music – even pop divas packed a punch! So let's take a look at what was hot on the Billboard Hot 100 this week back in 2003. Of course, since this is Pop Shots, you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
I’ve found that people have a weirdly visceral reaction to Evanescence. They either love their music, or can’t stand their music. There’s very little in-between.
I happen to fall firmly on the side of those who love their music, and “Bring Me To Life” was the first time many of us heard the killer vocals of Amy Lee.
I still crank this song up when it comes on the radio.
I told ya we had pop divas who packed a punch, and Xtina was one of those aforementioned divas who came out swingin’. No longer asking to be rubbed the right way, “Fighter” was a powerful song about inner strength.
If we’re ranking Christina Aguilera songs, this one’s probably in my top three … and yes, sometimes I rank Christina Aguilera songs.
If you want to know how big “Never Scared” was, 18 years later some of us still quote the chorus. How could we not? It isn’t just a song, it’s a life mantra … even if “I ain’t never scared” is a double negative, which means Bone Crusher was actually scared.
Leaving grammar aside, this one’s a classic, and it didn’t hurt that one of my buddies looked exactly like Bone Crusher at the time.
In a way, Lumidee was the original Olivia Rodrigo. She, too, had a gigantic hit that seemingly came from out of nowhere – that hit being “Never Leave You” – and she, too, had an album that was immediately rushed out.
That’s where the comparisons end, though, as Lumidee’s limitations as a vocalist, and people seemingly wanting her to be a one hit wonder, made her run on mainstream radio a short one. “Never Leave You” was THE JAM for an entire summer, though, and no one can ever take that away from her.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the music of Michelle Branch. Her brand of singer-songwriter meets mainstream pop had a more mature edge than many of her pop peers, and while other pop singers worked to maintain an air of unapproachability, Branch always seemed like someone who would sit next to you at a coffee shop and strike up a conversation.
That was a really long way of saying I own multiple Michelle Branch albums, and yes, “Are You Happy Now?” is a great song.
This was when the king of crunk truly earned his crown. “Get Low” was an anthem. So much so that it was immortalized in a Chris Rock act where he discussed how difficult it must be to find a wife in 2003 – “Oh, she was singing about balls at a club.”
Truthfully, we all were.
Side Note – I chose a lower quality version of the video, because it was the only version with the real lyrics. Let’s face it, a clean version of a Lil Jon song isn’t a Lil Jon song at all.
One of Stacie Orrico’s two big hits – the other being “(There’s Gotta Be) More to Life” – “Stuck” is still stuck in the head of many a listener.
I feel like there should’ve been a bigger place for Orrico in the pop world (and I know my friends Bear, and Deshair agree with me), but based on many of her lyrics, and what I’ve heard from folks, fame was never a goal of hers, so there’s a pretty good chance she’s perfectly happy wherever she is, and whatever she’s doing, now.
Leaving the lead singer’s politics aside, “Headstrong” is a song that, even after 18 years, remains on every locker room, and workout playlist. It’s pure adrenaline, and by the time the song ends you really do feel like you’re ready to “take on anyone.”
Just make sure the “anyone” isn’t a bunch of people on Twitter.
It’s been nearly four years since Chester Bennington took his own life, and songs like “Somewhere I Belong” are still kind of difficult to listen to because the lyrics are such a clear indicator that he was hurting. He was laying it all out there for us, and we were totally blind to it.
“Seven Nation Army” is an amazing song well known to two groups of people – rock fans, and basketball fans who’ve decided to hijack it for a remarkably annoying chant.
As a lifelong sports fan I have to say … seriously guys? Whatever happened to chants with words in them? At least we had a good, “F*ck Trae Young” chant going at the Garden this year.
Anyway, Jack White seems like a pretty cool dude, and it isn’t his fault “Seven Nation Army” turned into a wordless chant, so I guess I can let it slide.
In 2003 literally every rapper’s mixtape featured this beat being freestyled over. It was ever-present, and, quite frankly, there’s a good reason for that – it’s freakin’ fire!
Producer Just Blaze did an amazing job with not just “Flipside,” but the entire Philadelphia Freeway album, which, for my money, was one Roc-A-Fella Records’ best.
That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop.
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