Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2002

Hey folks. I admit I was kind of looking forward to doing this list. 2002 wasn’t the fondest time for me; it was still my first year of middle school after all. That said, it was still a pretty interesting year. I don’t consider it a particularly great year, but with the positives that came from it, and when you consider the tragedy that came before, I’d say it turned out alright all things considered.

As has been pointed out to me already, I’ve done quite a few lists focusing on bad or just generic years, and that can leave a guy weary. I picked this year at the request of some friends thinking I’d be choosing a good year, but even it ended up turning out merely okay. Maybe I’ll try to select a good year for the next set of lists I do. In the meantime, let’s focus on what we have before us. First, let’s look at our honorable mentions, shall we?

Heaven (DJ Sammy ft. Yanou and Do) [31; 8; 21 weeks]

This song is the epitome of vocal trance, a very specific subgenre of trance music that became popular around this time. This particular one covers a Bryan Adams song, and it is quite an improvement compared to the original. For starters, Do is a much better singer than Bryan Adams. Furthermore, the song is light-hearted and happy, which is how you would want to feel when you’re in heaven. Granted, at the end of the day it’s still just dance music, but it’s really good dance music.

Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop) (Erykah Badu ft. Common) [--; 9; 9 weeks]

This song uses the theme of personifying hip-hop through the use of hip-hop slang and references to popular songs from the hip-hop genre, including Biz Markie’s ‘Just a Friend’, which this song seems to get and respect a lot more than Mario’s horrendous cover. Then there’s Common’s verse, where he references a previous song of his where he criticized gangsta rap and the commercialization of hip-hop. Years later, however, he’s now come to accept that these things had a purpose and weren’t necessarily bad. I can certainly see where he’s coming from, and I can agree with these things. I just wish they didn’t come with the stupidity that’s plagued the genre.

Disease (Matchbox Twenty) [--; 29; 6 weeks]

If this song confirms anything, it’s that Rob Thomas is a very versatile performer, being able to cover soft rock, pop funk and dance rock without sounding out of place or awkward. Compared to most other post-grunge bands from this time, Matchbox Twenty sound the most like a real rock band, and I have no problems with that.

The Middle (Jimmy Eat World) [14; 5; 26 weeks]

I think I have a weakness for emo bands that are able to come up with positive messages about persevering and moving forward even when life pushes you down. This isn’t the best example of such, but I can still appreciate this song. It’s very much the idea of not giving up and pushing ahead despite everything and everyone suggesting that you won’t succeed. I can get behind that.

The World’s Greatest (R. Kelly) [--; 34; 2 weeks]

Okay yes, I put an R. Kelly song on here. I know that he’s a slimy human being and he was caught doing something horrible, but I can’t help it; the guy’s still a good singer and he’s still made good music. I also realize that this song is pretty much one big ego trip. Unlike ‘I Wish’ however, I’m willing to give this a pass because it doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t. So, R. Kelly, you want to brag about how awesome you are and how great you feel? Go for it; I support this completely.

Now then, you’ve got me feeling hella good, so let’s just count down…

…THE TOP 10 BEST HIT SONGS OF 2002!

#10.

Something I noticed on the worst list was that I really didn’t talk much about rap music from this year. That’s probably because it was a lot better. We had much smarter, more talented rappers having hits, and they talked about things that felt less stupid. So, starting off this list, I’ll be discussing a song so dumb it boarders on self-parody.

#10. Move Bitch (Ludacris ft. Mystikal and I-20) [55; 10; 15 weeks]

Yes, once again we’re taking it to the dirty South. In fact, we’ll be covering two artists I’ve previously discussed: Ludacris and Mystikal. Such a team-up came at just the right moment, right when Mystikal was starting to lose relevance but also around when Ludacris was starting to make a name for himself.

Let’s take a moment to compare how the two approach the deep, deep subject of a bitch who just won’t move. First, there’s Ludacris, who is in full-on attack mode. He’s not politely insisting this girl move; he will punch her in the face, he will run her over and if her friends jump in they’ll suffer the same fate. Luda is not playing around here, and his delivery matches that aggression.

Then there’s Mystikal, who seems a bit less focused. Seriously, his verse starts out with intensity, then turns into a brag rap, then ends with him being defensive because he bought this girl TVs and jewelry and needs to pay child support. It’s kind of a mess of a verse, but even so he carries it all with a level of charisma that may be a match for Ludacris’s. Oh, and there’s I-20, who’s…there, I guess.

Like I said, this track is stupid, terribly stupid. However, it owns that stupidity, and doesn’t shy away from how ridiculous the whole affair is. Like with ‘The World’s Greatest’, this song works because it doesn’t put on airs of pretentiousness; it is what it says it is. There were better rap tracks that came out this year, but I can still appreciate this one for that much.

#9.

Where I wasn’t bothered by the genre that much the previous year, country music just got insufferable in 2002. I’m sure there were plenty of songs that had positive messages to them, but they were all delivered in this dreary presentation that I couldn’t get behind at all. So, I guess I should be more surprised than I am that a country song made this list, but with how dour and lifeless this genre was this year I’ll take whatever scraps I can get.

#9. I’m Gonna Getcha Good (Shania Twain) [--; 34; 5 weeks]

This barely qualified for this list, which is a shame; it should’ve been bigger than it was. Some of you will likely argue that this isn’t a country song. To that I have to say, “It’s performed by a country artist, and Wikipedia has it labeled as a country pop song, so I’m counting it”. Though, to be fair, Shania Twain had been moving more towards pop music for a while at this point. That said, I think it suits her better than country music did honestly.

This was the lead single off of her fourth album ‘Up!’, and it is a strong choice for that. The instrumentation is energetic and driving, especially the guitars. Even the keyboard, which would normally sound out of place on a country song, seems to fit into this one well. Then there’s Shania, who sounds like she loves every second she’s singing.

Speaking of the singing, that leaves the lyrics. It’s a pretty basic idea: “I’m going to make you love me”. Yet Shania sells it with a coyness and charm that I’m perfectly okay with. It comes across less questionable and more fun and inviting. Compare that to other pop stars like, say, Enrique Iglesias; when he tries it, he just comes across like an asshole.

Shania hasn’t released much new material since around 2004. I hope she releases her next album soon because pop music could certainly use some of Shania’s optimism to lift it up. In the meantime, we still have songs like this to look back on while we wait. Just like she should, she got me good.

#8.

Believe it or not, there was a time when Avril Lavigne didn’t suck. That might be hard to remember considering her recent output and her marriage to Chad Kroeger, but her first two albums showed that she had potential as an artist that spoke to teenage girls, and it felt real. Granted, she was still a teenager herself, and that really came through in some of her writing, but there were moments where she demonstrated surprising maturity for her age.

#8. I’m With You (Avril Lavigne) [--; 12; 4 weeks]

With teenage stars, there seems to be this certain transition. They start out writing music meant to connect to a more teen and younger audience, then they hit their twenties and try to reinvent themselves as what they think adults are like. That didn’t really happen with Avril Lavigne; she got older but her music got less and less mature. Still though, her first two albums presented her highest quality material and this song may very well be her best.

Let’s start by looking at the lyrics. The two songs Avril Lavigne released prior to this one were songs that were clearly meant to speak to teenagers, even if they did a good job at it. This song, on the other hand, is about being depressed, lost, confused and just reaching out for someone to offer support, and I feel like that’s something anyone, even adults, could relate to. I haven’t had this happen to myself, but I know people that have found themselves in that position.

That brings us to the production. Also in contrast to her previous singles, ‘I’m With You’ is a ballad, her first one released as a single, and the sadness of the song comes through strongest in the instrumentation. The cello is a unique sound for a rock song, or at least it was at the time, and it supports the song well, even as the guitar picks up during the chorus. Lastly, Avril’s vocal performance here is easily her most emotional, her most melodic, just her best overall.

It’s songs like this that are the reason why it wasn’t a bad thing that Green Day brought punk music to a mainstream audience. She’s released ballads since this song, even more recently, but they just haven’t matched the subtle or emotionally dramatic moments present here. Pretty much everything from ‘Girlfriend’ onwards is crap, but definitely check this one out folks; it’s worth the listen.

#7.

Controversy can be kind of a confusing thing in music. Some acts try to capitalize on something controversial to try and make people buy something based on shock value. Usually though, if an artist says or does something questionable, it was because they didn’t completely think it through when they said it. Such was the case with this next act, which unintentionally sparked controversy and paid the price for it. Thankfully, it wasn’t before this became a hit.

#7. Landslide (The Dixie Chicks) [--; 13; 10 weeks]

Country music may have become inescapable in 2002, but in some cases that wasn’t a bad thing. If anything, the Dixie Chicks were probably one of the smarter acts that had a hit this year, even if it did kind of fall into a similar mold to what most of the music from this genre sprouted from. Interestingly, this is a cover of a song by rock band Fleetwood Mac, and might even be an improvement on the original. How so?

Well, let’s start by looking at the original. It was written while singer Stevie Nicks was contemplating going back to school or continuing on with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, while visiting Colorado and sitting in someone’s living room and pondering “the avalanche of everything that had come crashing down” on them, the landslide of her life if you will. The problem I find in the song is the tone Nicks delivers it in; she sounds a little too cheery. This is a song describing someone struggling through various challenges in their life and the emotion behind the song should reflect that a little better.

The Dixie Chicks’ version does improve on this a little. The cover is performed with less of a spring in its step, and lead singer Natalie Maines manages to present the tragedy of the events a little more clearly. Furthermore, the Dixie Chicks’ harmonies have always been the main selling point of their songs and these might have been their best collective vocal performance at the time.

It’s a shame that their London concert on March 10, 2003 happened while this song was still on the charts, since that was when Natalie Maines ended up saying an off-hand comment about then-president George W. Bush. This led to country music fans boycotting their music, many of their supporters dropped their support and ‘Landslide’ and the album it was on dropping off the charts within weeks. That’s a shame to me, not because I think George Bush was less of a president and more of a figurehead, but because the Dixie Chicks were making good music and only just managed to scrape the top 10 this year. Let’s just hope that, now that time has passed, people are willing to cut them some slack.

#6.

Pink took a while to grow on me. She might have had success with her first album, but her second album ‘Missundaztood’ is the one everyone remembers because it was to her what ‘Breakaway’ was to Kelly Clarkson. Of course, much like with ‘Since U Been Gone’, I didn’t really buy into that albums first single. I don’t think ‘Get This Party Started’ was a bad song, but it was just a silly dance jam that didn’t really flesh out Pink’s persona. No, what won me over to liking Pink was that album’s second single.

#6. Don’t Let Me Get Me (Pink) [36; 8; 18 weeks]

Usually when pop stars release something they claim is personal you need to take that with a grain of salt. Just because they connect with the material, that doesn’t guarantee their audience will also. Even when the material is supposed to be relatable, it’s not hard to differentiate between something honest and something manufactured. Fortunately, most of the material on ‘Missundaztood’ seemed genuine, and of the singles from that album, this was the best.

The lyrics of the song discuss teenage angst and the pressures of fame. Considering Pink was still a fairly new name at the time, and her previous album had her making material that she didn’t connect with, I can see where the latter is coming from. The song also demonstrates frequent self-deprecation, though it presents it in a way that shows that such behavior isn’t good. It certainly does a better job at it than ‘Fuckin’ Perfect’ did at least.

That brings us to the production and vocals. This was one of two songs off of this album that was produced by Dallas Austin, who doesn’t exactly have a strong track record of producing good songs, but seems to manage okay here. At the very least it manages better than ‘Family Portrait’, which was produced by Scott Storch. The song’s upbeat and full of personality, which can mainly be attributed to Pink, who carries the song’s melody very nicely. Also, unlike with ‘Just Like a Pill’, she manages to not strain her voice when singing.

Pink has improved as a performer since this album, even if her more recent output doesn’t truly reflect that. Of the female pop stars that managed to maintain a personal connection to their music, I’d argue she was one of the best. Of course, she’s not the only one of her kind appearing on this list.

#5.

Everyone has that one artist they know is flawed but enjoy anyway, a guilty pleasure act if you will. Here’s one of mine:

#5. A New Day Has Come (Celine Dion) [91; 22; 9 weeks]

Celine Dion falls into the same category of artists like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey in that she’s really good at performing ballads. Unlike those two though, she hasn’t really built much of a reputation for being able to perform much else. Maybe that’s why I like this song, because she didn’t try to stretch too far outside of her comfort zone and create something that didn’t fit her personality.

In my defense, I recognize the faults in this song. The lyrics are clumsy to the point that they seem to trip over themselves to fit the meter. “I can’t believe I’ve been touched by an angel with love” anyone? Even when you focus on them as a whole, the message is pretty basic: “I fell in love with a guy and suddenly I feel better”.

Of course, where the song falters in its lyrics, it makes up for it with its instrumentation and production. It’s a ballad, which makes it a good fit for Celine Dion. Each of the instruments enter at exactly the points they need to, and of course her voice fits into it well. The melody of this song is solid and catchy, and it builds on itself well.

I don’t think this is Celine Dion’s best song, not by a long shot, but it is still a decent song by itself. Considering this was around when she started exclusively performing at Las Vegas, I think we should be grateful that she managed to make any good music during this period of her career.

#4.

When I did my best of 2001 list, there was one song that I wanted to include on the list but couldn’t because it didn’t chart high or long enough to qualify. Allow me to amend that now.

#4. Standing Still (Jewel) [87; 25; 11 weeks]

The best way I can think of to describe Jewel is that she’s like Alanis Morissette if she was smarter and took her music more seriously. I’ve mentioned that I like folk music, and while Jewel’s not the best artist in the genre I’ve heard, she does still have songs I can enjoy, this one most of all.

While all of her previous singles were reworked with different arrangements, vocals or other edits for radio release, this song retained its album format, and it’s easy to see why. This song stands out from Jewel’s earlier songs in one big way: it’s more upbeat and driving. The guitar and drums really pick up the song’s momentum when it gets to the chorus, and Jewel’s vocals have a lot more life to them.

With the subject matter and tone though, it still comes across as bittersweet. Jewel’s music, especially her early work, has always had kind of a depressing undertone to it, even her happy songs, and this shows in the lyrics to this song. It describes how Jewel feels that her love life and music career don’t appear to be moving forward. The imagery it provides adds to that, what with the scenery moving around her, descriptions of the mundane events in the town she feels like she’s drowning in, and noticing that the things she wants seem to be passing by her.

I don’t think it’s fair that this song has been swept under the rug. It’s easily one of Jewel’s best, and it’s unfortunate that it was the last hit she had before ‘Intuition’. While not necessarily a bad song, ‘Intuition’ did irreparable damage to Jewel’s career, and she’s not had a hit since. At least she still has her work from the ‘90s and ‘Standing Still’ to her name though.

#3.

I don’t condone studio hacks selling a deceased artist’s unreleased material. For the most part, it’s hard to see it as anything other than an attempt to make profit without regard to why the material was never released or the statement the artist might’ve been trying to make. Plus, the likelihood of it turning out good is slim, though not impossible.

#3. Thugz Mansion (Acoustic Version) (2Pac ft. Nas and J. Phoenix) [--; 19; 4 weeks]

Tupac Shakur life was ended too soon. The man was talented and we have yet to find another artist like him since. So, honestly, any material that he had to put out was a welcome contrast to most hip-hop that came out in the early 2000s. From what I’ve read, the acoustic version wasn’t the one that charted, but I’m still counting it because it’s the best version and it’s the one that got a music video made for it.

The reason this is the best version of the song is because of the acoustic guitar. It sets the tone for the song perfectly: somber, maybe even bleak, but still offering a hint of optimism without being too upbeat. And J. Phoenix’s chorus matches that well, presenting a hopeful image of a place where thugs are accepted when heaven turns them away.

Lyrically, this is one of the most spiritual songs Tupac ever wrote. He talks about the struggles he went through in life, which adds a layer of pathos to the song. Hearing him talk about being in that place and meeting other figures in African American history, such as Malcolm X, Billie Holiday and Jackie Wilson only adds to that. Nas’s verse, in contrast, mostly focuses on his own view of that place Tupac is describing as well as his own struggles, but it adds a nice point of contrast to both rappers’ views of the afterlife.

Maybe I’m reading too much into this. Maybe it was just another attempt by studio hacks to wring a little more money out of those that felt a connection to Tupac’s music. Even so, I’m glad that they at least thought hard enough to get one of the smarter rappers to also contribute to it. It’s one of the few songs I’m kind of glad was released after its artist died, since it kind of offered a bit of comfort to those close to him that, though he might be gone, he’s still in a better place now. Rest in peace, Tupac; you may be gone, but you are not forgotten.

#2.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the best rap song of 2002, arguably even the best rap song of the 2000s:

#2. Lose Yourself (Eminem) [63; 1; 13 weeks]

I honestly don’t know where to begin with this song. I guess I could start by talking about the milestones it achieved. It was the theme song to the semi-autobiography film ‘8 Mile’, and was the first rap song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It also won Eminem the Grammy awards for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance in 2004. It was Eminem’s first song to reach #1 on Billboard, being certified five times platinum by the RIAA and is considered by critics to be his best song to date.

What about the song itself though? Well, lyrically it’s a song about seizing the moment, not letting the opportunity to achieve everything you always wanted pass by. It also describes the life of Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith, Eminem’s character in ‘8 Mile’, as well as Eminem’s own life, drawing parallels between the two. Eminem’s wordplay here is spot-on, with rhymes flowing into each other seamlessly and metaphors and symbolism used to great effect.

That just leaves the production, which was primarily handled by Eminem himself. It starts out driven by guitar, but as it progresses drum machines, a piano and other string instruments are incorporated. The piano and guitar are what truly carry this song’s melody, and they do so beautifully; that piano melody has become iconic.

With how much Eminem’s quality’s been fluctuating lately, it’s hard to remember the days when he would consistently make good music. Okay, ‘Recovery’ and ‘The Marshall Mathers LP 2’ were both good for the most part, but his delivery on those albums didn’t always match up with what people had come to expect from him. I guess that’s what makes me appreciate this song: it’s still genuinely aggressive while also delivering a positive message. Yet it was only #2. Want to know what I thought was better? Well…

#1.

There are many different facets of a person’s psyche pop music can pander to. Jock jams, dance tracks, there’s even music for moms to get into. Of course, since teenage girls are one of the largest demographics that listen to pop music, that tends to be the one that draws the most attention. Usually, this kind of music is pretty shallow and not exactly something for all audiences. That said the teenage girl in me could definitely appreciate something like this.

#1. All You Wanted (Michelle Branch) [23; 6; 21 weeks]

This song is dorky teen romance done well. Michelle Branch was around back in 2001, but her first hit single, ‘Everywhere’ didn’t really impress me. I can’t really place my finger on why, but I guess it’s just that the song didn’t really stick with me. ‘All You Wanted’ corrects the issues I had with that song and offers something more substantial.

Normally what turn me off to these kinds of songs are the lyrics. Even if the song is catchy, bad teen poetry is just not something I want to listen to. There’s a bit of that here on the surface, but the tone it’s delivered in presents at least a hint of self-awareness. The song knows it’s kind of lame and ridiculous, and it owns that. It isn’t acting like it’s saying something ground breaking or revolutionary; it’s not trying to be pretentious.

That leaves the production and instrumentation. John Shanks, who worked on this song and ‘Everywhere’, as well as two other songs off of Michelle Branch’s second album ‘The Spirit Room’, produced the song. Part of the reason I wasn’t big into that song was that it just wasn’t that catchy. ‘All You Wanted’ is, in contrast, a lot more memorable and Michelle Branch’s voice sounds a lot better with the extra bit of studio polish that brings the whole thing together.

People have presented the argument that 2002 was a good year for music. I’m not sure I’d entirely agree, but I feel more inclined to after hearing this song. You can keep your Justin Timberlakes and your Ashantis; this is the sound I was hoping to hear from pop music this year. ‘All You Wanted’ by Michelle Branch; not exactly everything I wanted, but still my choice for the best hit song of 2002.