Fifty years ago, I made my first appeared on the Earth. In celebration, we are going to take a look at the year-end Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for each year of my life and see what songs resonated with me at the time and if they continue to do so to this day.
We continue our look back at the music of my lifetime with 2001, the year the world changed on a Tuesday morning in September, I celebrated my 27th birthday, and Danny joined the family. 22 of these songs remain familiar to me today, with just nine of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.
#99: Enrique Iglesias – Hero
iTunes stats: N/A
Released less than two weeks before 9/11, it peaked at #3
#75: U2 – Beautiful Day
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from the group’s tenth studio album, it reached #21 on the Hot 100.
#47: Aerosmith – Jaded
iTunes stats: 26 plays
Topping out at #7, the song made Aerosmith the first act to have an actively charting single when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
#44: 3 Doors Down – Kryptonite
iTunes stats: N/A
The group’s debut single, it spent nine weeks atop the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, eleven weeks on top of the Modern Rock Tracks chart, and went to #3 on the Hot 100.
#43: Nelly Furtado – I’m Like a Bird
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The debut single from the Canadian singer-songwriter, it became her first top ten hit, peaking at #9.
#39: Creed – With Arms Wide Open
iTunes stats: N/A
Spending a single week atop the Hot 100, it remains the group’s sole #1 hit.
#35: Missy Elliot – Get Ur Freak On
iTunes stats: 20 plays
Reaching #7, the track was the lead single from her third studio album.
#33: Moby featuring Gwen Stefani – South Side
iTunes stats: 15 plays
Spending 32 weeks on the Hot 100, it topped out at #14 in May.
#29: Crazy Town – Butterfly
iTunes stats: N/A
The group’s third single, it spent two non-consecutive weeks at #1 in the spring.
#27: Faith Hill – The Way You Love Me
iTunes stats: N/A
The song spent four weeks atop the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in May, becoming her eighth #1 hit on that chart, while later peaking at #6 on the Hot 100 in December.
#26: Jennifer Lopez – Love Don’t Cost a Thing
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from her sophomore effort, it reached #3 for two weeks.
#25: Outkast – Ms. Jackson
iTunes stats: 25 plays
The Grammy winner for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, it spent a single week at #1 in February.
#24: Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya, and Pink – Lady Marmalade
iTunes stats: 26 plays
Recorded for the soundtrack to Moulin Rouge!, it spent five weeks atop the Hot 100, making it just the ninth song to hit #1 when recorded by different artists.
#23: Destiny’s Child – Survivor
iTunes stats: N/A
Inspired by a joke that compared the group, who had already lost three members, to the reality show Survivor. it went to #2 on the Hot 100.
#19: Uncle Kracker – Follow Me
iTunes stats: N/A
Peaking at #5, it was the debut single for the former Kid Rock hanger-on.
#18: Nelly featuring City Spud – Ride wit Me
iTunes stats: 14 plays
The third single from his debut studio album, it reached #3.
#17: Shaggy featuring Rayvon – Angel
iTunes stats: N/A
His second straight chart-topper, it spent a single week at #1 in March.
#14: Staind – It’s Been Awhile
iTunes stats: N/A
The group’s sole top ten hit, it went to #5.
#12: Shaggy featuring Rikrok – It Wasn’t Me
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from his fifth studio album, it spent two weeks atop the Hot 100 in February.
#8: Dido – Thank You
iTunes stats: 17 plays
Sampled for Eminem’s hit Stan, it spent three weeks at #3, her first and only top ten hit to date.
#7: Eve featuring Gwen Stefani – Let Me Blow Ya Mind
iTunes stats: 31 plays
Eve’s highest charting single, it peaked at #2 in August.
#4: Train – Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)
iTunes stats: N/A
The lead single from the group’s sophomore album, it reached #5.