You cannot talk about the 2000s without that opening guitar riff. You just hear it, and you’re instantly in a club.
200 Most-Streamed Songs from the 2000s - Playlist - Apple Music
. @MissyElliott says “Get Ur Freak On” almost never happened — and now it's Number One on our list of the Greatest Songs of the 21... Get Ur Freak On Can't Get You Out of My Head
Beyond the elite top tier, VH1's updated list highlights several generational anthems that defined the Y2K shift and the late-2000s era. vh1 100 greatest songs of the 2000s upd
With a revolutionary music video and an instantly recognizable dance, this became a modern cultural anthem.
It was the decade that started with a Y2K panic... and ended with a Black Eyed Peas afterparty. We traded CDs for ringtones, watched TRL dictate our afternoons, and saw rock stars wear more eyeliner than the girls in the front row.
The list is a treasure trove for anyone who lived through the 2000s. It includes anthems from a wide variety of genres—pop, hip‑hop, rock, country, and alternative—reflecting the eclecticism of the era. One reviewer noted that the special was “a fun and entertaining way to relive some of the most iconic music of the past two decades”. You cannot talk about the 2000s without that
captured that perfectly, dominated by R&B, hip-hop, and the rise of pop icons. Originally broadcast as a five-part special, the list remains a definitive cultural snapshot of the era's first hits. Roger Catlin The Top 10 Defining Anthems
The song that brought New York City cool back to rock.
The list’s opening salvo reads like a victory lap for the decade’s most impactful artists. The top spot was awarded to a track that many argue single-handedly defined the era: @MissyElliott says “Get Ur Freak On” almost never
The full special is not currently available on major streaming services, but you can often find clips and segments on YouTube.
The Definitive Guide: VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 2000s (Updated/Reflected)
The uppermost bracket of VH1's definitive ranking highlights the pop and hip-hop masterminds who dictated radio airplay, MTV rotations, and cultural conversations throughout the decade. Song Title Primary Artist(s) Release Year Signature Element "Crazy in Love" Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z Iconic horn sample from The Chi-Lites 2 Acoustic-pop and funk fusion crossover 3 "Poker Face" Synth-pop revivalism and dark hooks 4 "Lose Yourself" Driving guitar riff and Oscar-winning lyricism 5 "Since U Been Gone" Kelly Clarkson Max Martin power-pop perfection 6 "Gold Digger" Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx Ray Charles interpolation and vocal chopping 7 "SexyBack" Justin Timberlake Timbaland-produced futuristic electro-funk 8 "Empire State of Mind" Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys Anthemic, arena-sized tribute chorus 9 "We Belong Together" Mariah Carey Impeccable vocal phrasing and R&B comeback 10 "In Da Club" Dr. Dre's minimalist, heavy club production Key Sonic Shifts of the 2000s
Here is the complete countdown as compiled by VH1, courtesy of the EW Exclusive from 2011: