Pop Shots – A Look At The Charts … From 15 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, setting the coordinates for 2006 (which the vast majority of us probably don’t think of as being 15 years ago!).
Hopping out of my time machine I feel very at home, as by 2006 my career had really taken off. I was working for multiple publications, and websites, covering just about everything music related.
On the radio, Nelly Furtado and Timbaland were at #1 with “Promiscuous,” with Gnarls Barkley right behind them with “Crazy.” What’s really crazy, however, is how diverse the music was that summer. We had multiple styles of hip-hop, pop, and rock in heavy rotation, and we even had a hotel heiress trying her hand at reggae.
Yeah, that happened, and it charted … high.
So let’s get into this look at the Billboard Hot 100 from this week back in 2006. Of course, since this is Pop Shots, you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
I once caught a tremendous amount of sh*t (some good-natured, some not so good-natured) for giving a Pussycat Dolls album a positive review. I still stand by that review based on the same reasoning I had back then – If you’re listening to a Pussycat Dolls album you want pop music, and that’s exactly what they deliver.
“Buttons” is a guilty pleasure no one should feel guilty about liking.
Shakira has a vast catalogue of music, but when someone says her name, this song is probably the first thing that comes to mind. In 2006 “Hips Don’t Lie” was everywhere! Heck, I still hear it pretty frequently in 2021 … and no, it’s not just because I keep clicking play on the video (although it has nearly a billion views for a reason!).
Easily one of the biggest rock songs of the year, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” was also most people’s introduction to Panic! At The Disco. Personally, I always thought it was weird that the radio edit edited out the word “God” in the phrase “Goddamn” rather than “Damn.” Did the powers that be not understand which part of the phrase is the supposed curse word?
Talk about a MONSTER hit, “Ridin’ Dirty” was ever-present in 2006, and you know what? In 2021 it still knocks! Chamillionaire never repeated the success of “Ridin’ Dirty,” but to be fair, that’s basically asking the impossible.
Weird Al would immortalize the song when he turned it into “White & Nerdy.”
The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ aughts phase saw them basically repeating the same song over and over again. The funk, and sometimes blistering pace, of their past was, for the most part, replaced by a more easygoing California radio-rock feel. “Dani California” is one example of this. It isn’t a bad song, I just prefer their ‘80s and early ‘90s work.
“Move Along” is a song that has applied to everyone at least a few times in life. It’s impossible to listen to it and not want to get up and push through whatever bullsh*t you may be going through. It’s less a kick in the pants, and more a pat on the back, reminding you that yes, you’re gonna make it.
I warned you there was a hotel heiress trying her hand at reggae, and here she is.
In 2006 Paris Hilton was in the waning stages of the peak of her notoriety, and looking at things in hindsight … the Paris Hilton era was way better than the Kardashian era it ushered in.
Also, for what it’s worth, this song could’ve been a lot worse.
You’ll probably notice the video has elements that are a direct ripoff of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game.” It’s so blatant that I hope someone slipped both Isaak, and Helena Christensen, at least a couple bucks.
I happen to be a huge fan of AFI lead singer Davey Havok's vocals. Yes, he's clearly influenced by Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode, but he also has his own personality as a singer, and there’s something captivating about his presence. That’s pretty much the perfect recipe for a frontman, right?
With the noted exception of “Lit Up,” this might be the Buckcherriest of Buckcherry songs. What does that mean? Let’s just say it isn't subtle.
I once bumped into Rick Ross at an event. He was large, and he was wearing a chain with a HUGE diamond and gemstone version of his face hanging from it. I would’ve asked him about it, but I was reminded of this song, and knew his schedule was completely booked with hustlin’.
I was at the listening party for FutureSex/LoveSounds, and it was immediately clear this was the direction pop was going to go in for a little while. Timbaland, and Timberlake, were both at their peak. It was a killer combination that was impossible to top.
People can say all they want about Fergie, but The Dutchess was a ginormous album. Selling over six million copies worldwide, seven of the album’s 13 tracks were released as singles. “London Bridge” was the monster hit that started it all. It’s also one of the many songs from the era where the radio edit sounds better than the dirty version.
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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