Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2001

Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2001

Alright, now that the crap is cleared out of the way, let’s talk about the good stuff from 2001, shall we? There were 15 songs that debuted on the 2001 Year-End list that I considered to be legitimately great, with one more that is one of my favorite songs of all time (if you’ve followed along with other posts in this blog, I’m sure you’ve got a feeling for what it is). To start, however, let’s talk about a song that didn’t make the Year-End list.

Honorable Mention: Because I Got High by Afroman (Peak: #13, Year-End: N/A)

This topped Valeyard’s Music Corner’s Worst of 2001 list, stating that the song broke something in him. While I can (kinda) understand why someone wouldn’t like this, I’m sorry, I can’t help myself with this one. I mean, come on, it’s basically a nursery rhyme about weed! The instrumentation is nothing but a bassline and a drum machine, it’s almost an acapella song. Lyrically, it follows a very simple pattern. The narrator (Afroman) was going to do something productive (or avoid doing something unproductive), but he instead chose to get high. Now he is in an undesirable predicament, and he knows that it is because he got high, which he reveals that he still is while recording the song, not expecting it to sell a single copy. Instead, it became a Top 20 hit and went Platinum in the United States, a song all about getting high.

Honorable Mention: This I Promise You by NSYNC (Peak: #5, Year-End: #51)

I’m… I’m sorry. Yes, it’s sappy and cheesy and made for teenage girls and/or wine moms, but it’s just so freakin’ sweet, and that damn key change just makes it so much harder to resist. Take my man card if you want, but I’m an honest person, even when my honest opinions are also really embarrassing.

Honorable Mention: It’s Over Now by 112 (Peak: #6, Year-End: #68)

2001 had a TON of R&B, and most of it was utterly forgettable. Heck, even many of the R&B songs I liked were kinda bland. However, there were standout tracks among that bunch, and It’s Over Now by 112 is definitely one of them. While their other 2001 hit Peaches And Cream was… misconceived to say the least, It’s Over Now is a much more straightforward breakup song, but 112 sells it more than effectively. With a strong groove and smooth, Boyz II Men-esque vocals and harmonies, this was definitely a strong R&B track in a by and large forgettable year for the genre (not like this suburban white boy knows what good R&B is).

Honorable Mention: All Or Nothing by O-Town (Peak: #3, Year-End: #41)

I could just copy-paste everything I said about This I Promise You into this entry, it’s another boy band guilty pleasure, albeit with a bit more of a dramatic swell. On another note, their first single was called Liquid Dreams, and it’s about exactly what you think it is.

Honorable Mention: Drive by Incubus (Peak: #9, Year-End: #21)

An inspiring song about overcoming your fears and taking charge of one’s life, while keeping a chill aesthetic in the process. While Alt-Rock may not be my favorite brand of Rock, I recognize quality music when I hear it. While Incubus may not have seen much more success, this is a pretty dang good hit to have.

Honorable Mention: Stranger In My House by Tamia (Peak: #10, Year-End: #62)

A song about your partner behaving so differently that you suspect that it’s a stranger impersonating him, while also thinking that you may have been the one who’s changed (although I’d think it’s probably a mix of both). It’s paranoia, suspicion and self-doubt in the form of a song, and I love it. Also, Tamia is a really good singer. Fantastic R&B song all around.

Honorable Mention: What Would You Do by City High (Peak: #8, Year-End: #22)

The final cut from the list, What Would You Do is a thoughtfully written song about running into a girl you knew from middle school at a strip club, only to find out that she had a miserable life growing up (it even mentions that her dad was raping her and her sister, whoever that dad was can burn in the innermost circle of Hell),has a son who’s daddy is a drug addict and has gone in and out of prison and is unemployed and thus has no way to feed him except stripping and prostitution. However, it also gives the other perspective, as the man in this story is not holding any punches, wondering why it was necessary for her to become a stripper and prostitute (sampling The Next Episode in the process). The only reason it isn’t making the list proper is that it feels a little bit preachy, something that a song like In The Night by The Weeknd avoids. Still, it's a dang good song that handles a touchy subject tactfully, something that I’m certain I failed at in this segment about this song.

Welp, it’s time for the main event, the Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2001, starting with…

#10: Nobody Wants To Be Lonely by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera (Peak: #13, Year-End: #55)

Ladies and gentlemen, the Señorita of the Early 2000s. However, as much as I like that song, I think this one may be a little bit better. It’s quite similar to Señorita lyrically, being about two desperate lovers who long for each other, but the stakes are raised and the drama heightened by a considerable degree. Ricky and Christina (who actually manages to not oversing for once) have fantastic chemistry, and the production balances tension and bombast flawlessly. It’s only at #10 because a few elements of the production are quite dated (the opening keyboard line in particular), but that can’t stop it from being a fantastic duet that more than deserves a spot on this list.

#9: There You’ll Be by Faith Hill (Peak: #10, Year-End: #66)

I’m sure you’ve figured out that I tend to put a lot of cheesy ballads on my best lists, and yeah, you’re just about right. The theme to the movie Pearl Harbor, (which sucked, or at least according to Matt Stone and Trey Parker), There You’ll Be is a typical Late 90s-Early 2000s movie ballad, which is not surprising considering that it was written by Diane Warren (who wrote songs like When I See You Smile and I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing). The thing is that it’s a really good Late 90s-Early 2000s movie ballad. The lyrics reflect on a past love, and in contrast to the painfully mediocre The Way You Love Me (where she sounds like the female Luke Bryan), Faith Hill shows that she has pipes. The instrumental is your typical Power Ballad mix of guitar, piano and orchestra, building up to a dramatic conclusion before winding all the way back down. While there are better Power Ballads (even on this list), it’s still a fantastic song that secured a low but solid place on the list.

#8: Crazy For This Girl by Evan and Jaron (Peak: #15, Year-End: #54)

And now it’s time for a pure blast of Pop-Rock fun! I usually fit in at least one infectiously catchy Pop song on my lists, and yeah, this is it for 2001. This is probably the song I listen to the most from this year, even if it is pretty low on the list. Lyrically, it’s just about being madly in love with a girl who he’s friends with, something I’ve experienced more than a few times throughout my admittedly short life. Evan and Jaron (who are identical twins, BTW) sound a bit like Adam Young from Owl City, and that’s not really a bad thing. Honestly, it’s on here because it’s the funnest song on the entire Year-End list, and who says that I can’t enjoy myself a little bit of bubblegum Pop-Rock?

#7: If You’re Gone by Matchbox 20 (Peak: #5, Year-End: #6)

Aside from What Would You Do and another song that’ll come later, this might just be the most thoughtfully written song of 2001. I used to not like Rob Thomas as a vocalist because I thought he sounded like Goofy, and while I stand by my opinion that he sounds like Goofy, I’ve grown to like his voice (you can thank Smooth for much of that, spoilers if I ever get around to 1999). The instrumentation ain’t too bad, either, especially the horns, which climax in that fantastic solo before the final chorus.

However, it’s the songwriting where this really stands out. While I still think Country is the genre with the best songwriting, Adult Alternative isn’t too far behind. The lyrics are an incredibly detailed look at a relationship in turmoil and the narrator’s indecision about what to think about her and what to do going forward, while encouraging her (and himself) to give it another chance. In a way it’s similar to Whataya Want From Me by Adam Lambert, which was on my Best of 2010 list, but as awesome as that song is, I think this might just edge it out. Great job, Matchbox 20, great job.

#6: The Space Between by Dave Matthews Band (Peak: #22, Year-End: #65)

Now, for probably the quirkiest song on the list. As far as I know, DMB is known for their frontman’s unique voice (guess what his name is), unconventional musical structure (much like 70’s Prog Rock) and oddball lyricism, and this song fits that bill to a tee. From what I can get from the lyrics genius page, it’s about two people who can’t get along and should call it quits, yet still try to make it work. Dave Matthews’ voice is a real acquired taste, but hey, my Dad likes this band, so I probably have a predisposition to like it. Instrumentally, it is an eclectic mix of guitar, keys, percussion and horns. I find it kinda strange that this was even a hit, but hey, weird things can happen in a transitional year like this one, and spoiler alert, this is not the only left-of-the-dial song on this list.

#5: It’s A Great Day To Be Alive by Travis Tritt (Peak: #33, Year-End: #88)

Sometimes you love a song from the opening note, and this is one of those times for me. Originally recorded by Jon Randall for an unreleased album of the same name, this song was made famous by Travis Tritt a few years later, but it’s one of those songs that feels like it’s always been with us. Lyrically, it is about not having much, yet still taking joy in what you do have and in your gratitude to be alive, which is only enhanced by Travis Tritt’s fantastic, soulful voice. The first thing I thought upon hearing his voice is that he must’ve been a huge influence on Chris Stapleton, and as it turns out, Stapleton got his start in a Travis Tritt tribute band. I cannot express how happy this song makes me feel, it’s just that good a song, and yet it’s only #5 on this list.

#4: Contagious by The Isley Brothers ft. R. Kelly and Chanté Moore (Peak: #19, Year-End: #81)

No, you’re not misreading that. The Isley Brothers, who began making music in 1954, had their first Hot 100 entry in 1959 and had their biggest success in the 60s and 70s, they had a Top 20 hit in 2001. Well, if Billy Ray “Achy Breaky Heart” Cyrus can have one of the biggest hits of all time in 2019, The Isley Brothers having a hit in 2001 isn’t too out there by comparison. 

You know what, enough talking about how unlikely this song was, and more about how the song actually is, and it is hilarious. Basically, Mr. Isley (who was around 60 years old by then) walks into his house and hears a suspicious sound coming from upstairs. He goes up there and finds that his (much younger) wife, played by Chanté Moore, is not only cheating on him, but cheating on him with R. “I married a 15 year old and pee on underaged girls” Kelly, whom The Isley Brothers had collaborated with five years prior. They then get into an extremely dramatic and funny altercation. It’s a soap opera in the form of a song, and I for one could not like it more.

#3: Only Time by Enya (Peak: #10, Year-End: #59)

Do I really need to say anything about this? It’s Only Time by Enya, I feel no need to vouch for this song’s greatness, but I’ll do it anyway.

A beautifully minimalist composition, consisting of strings, the plucking of an acoustic guitar, droplet sounds and angelic backing vocals, Only Time is about exactly what you think it is, the passage of time and the unpredictability of life. Sean from Diamond Axe Studios (who I’ve mentioned on many an occasion in this blog) said in his Best of 2019 list that When The Party’s Over by Billie Eilish (#9 on my Best of 2019 list) is best when listened to in a dark room with headphones on, fully immersing yourself into the song, and I feel exactly the same way about this song. The only negative I can think of about this song is that it was only as big as it was because of the 9/11 attacks, but it’s no wonder that a grieving nation found solace in this song, because it’s a masterpiece, and yet it’s only #3 on this list. So, what two songs could’ve topped it?

#2: Austin by Blake Shelton (Peak: #18, Year-End: #76)

I’ve robbed Blake Shelton of the #1 spot yet again. If I redid my aforementioned Best of 2019 list, God’s Country would take the top spot, and this song, Blake’s debut single, is even better. Rather than the bombastic, badass Southern Rock of God’s Country, Austin is a heartfelt, gorgeous country ballad, and if you haven’t heard it before, I recommend you grab some tissues before listening.

Told entirely in the third person, the song details the story of a girl (referred to by the pseudonym Austin) who moves back to her hometown of Austin, Texas after breaking up with her boyfriend. A year after the breakup, she decides to call him out of curiosity, hearing a voicemail message that ends with the man saying “P.S., if this is Austin, I still love you”. Floored, she calls back a few days later, hearing a similar message, but letting her know that he’ll call back on Sunday evening. Well, Sunday evening comes, and he calls her back. She spills her heart out, saying that she still loves him and that she shouldn’t have been so quick to leave him.

Instrumentally, it’s a standard Country ballad, but done exceptionally well, hitting it’s climax at exactly the right moment in the final chorus. The same can be said of Blake’s vocals, as while he hadn’t developed his signature gruffness yet, he still had his natural power and charisma to back him up. I’d consider this to be my favorite Blake Shelton song, and one of my favorite Country songs of all time, and yet it cannot manage to top the list, because it is finally time to talk about quite possibly my favorite song of all time…

Readers, I have a question for you. Is there any song that you have a particularly special relationship with? One that you’ve loved for as long as you can remember, and possibly before then? A song that you consider to be not just a great song, but one that has helped define you as a person? Well, for me, this is that song, and despite the best efforts of Blake Shelton, Enya and so many others, there was never going to be another #1. 

So, without further ado, I present to you the Best Hit Song of 2001…

#1: Beautiful Day by U2 (Peak: #21, Year-End: #75)

I don’t even know where to start, it’s just too perfect for words. Every single instrumental choice is perfect, the restrained verses building up to that hydrogen bomb of a chorus is perfect, the lyrics about remaining optimistic through tough times are perfect, and say what you will about him, but I don’t think anyone could’ve performed this better than sir Paul David Hewson (a.k.a. Bono) did here. I can’t say much more about the song itself, so let me tell you why this holds such a special place for me.

Let me tell you a story that my mom and dad told me. My mother’s extended family holds a Christmas party every year (shocker), and has done so for decades. Over that time, many new faces have come into the family, and in 2000, I was one of those new additions. However, we’ll have to fast forward a year, as that’s why this song is so special. By the time Christmas 2001 rolled around, I had learned to walk (not to talk yet, that’d have to wait another year). At the Christmas party, they must’ve been watching something like MTV or VH1, because the music video for this very song came on. You know what little one year old me thought of it? He liked it, so much so that he started dancing, which I’d never done before. Granted, it was probably just hopping up and down while making noises like “ba ba ba”, but still, mom and dad took notice of it and told me about it years later. I’ve literally loved this song since the day I was born, and chances are that I will love it until the day I die. Beautiful Day by U2, The Best Hit Song of 2001. I’ll get going on researching 2017 shortly, and those lists will likely be out in the latter part of this month, but until then, have a great day.