1,001 songs to listen to before you die...

[METALMAN]

Frontier Psychiatrist is okay. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that kind of chill, dubby music you got a lot of in the late 90s and early 2000s. A lot of annoying people like it. Agree that SILY is way better.

One More Time is brilliant. A total banger. Gives me real memories of first year at uni. I mean, first year at uni was 2008/09 but uni clubs move slowly when it comes to adding stuff to the playlists...

Agree with the post above on Stan. Can't really Stan-d (funny little joke there) Eminem but this one is okay I guess.

I used to like Ryan Adams a lot. And then I stopped. Much like I liked the Smiths and then I stopped. In both cases me stopping had nothing to do with later revelations of Ryan Adams/Morrissey's cuntiness. In both cases I'd just stopped being a whiny teenager and I found their self pity a bit annoying. By the time the revelations arose about Adams I had long stopped listening to him and in any case I don't really think it came as a huge surprise to anyone that Ryan Adams was a cunt. FWIW I continue to listen to people that have done far worse than Ryan Adams, but I don't really listen to Ryan Adams anymore. OMSC is/was very good though. Emmylou Harris's backing vox make it.

The Peaches song is okay. She's not as interesting as she thinks she is.

[RPS]

2 hours ago, metalman said:

The Peaches song is okay. She's not as interesting as she thinks she is.

Incoming Peaches essay.

There is an electronic music genre called Ghettotech. Ghettotech is nasty and dirty. It is incredibly repetitive and it gets you into a groove - great for fucking. The bass and drums are the personification of fucking. And ghettotech is defined by utilizing very similar samples. They will take a sample of someone singing something graphic like "bounce and break your back" and repeat it over and over and over and over and over and over again over this sexually charged and nasty electronic landscape. It is extremely sexual. But ghettotech, like so much electronic music, gazes at the female. It is music to fuck too, but from the perspective of a man lusting over a woman. Peaches is ghettotech 

It is both true and incredibly reductive to say that Peaches is transgressive. It is incredibly true to say that Peaches is transgressive, because her songs are incredibly vulgar. Peaches was one of my favorite artists ever prior to me having children. I do not believe there is a song that my kids could even be present for. But I think it is incredibly reductive to say that Peaches is transgressive because the sole focus of her being transgressive is on the shock of her saying something like "Call it a queef/Big chuck young buck(fist fuck cock suck)/Whats the diff/Slippery dick/Its just a fish in the atlantic". 

Peaches is, in my humble opinion, transgressive because the eye of who we lust after is radically shifted. Peaches sings about sucking dick. Peaches sings about someone eating her pussy. Peaches sings about eating pussy. Peaches sings "Hush now baby don't you stress/I'm gonna fill you mommy complex". Everyone is invited to the sex party that Peaches is hosting. That is quite fun.

I think a lot of what Peaches is critiqued about goes to the heart of the rock versus electronic debate. Peaches gets pinged (outside of being shocking) for being overly simplistic and repetitive in both lyrics and in the arrangement of the music. But that is what dance music is about. It serves a purpose. Get you on the floor and move your body. 

I personally do not find the content of any of Peaches songs transgressive or shocking.  I find it very empowering. When I first made a profile on a sex website, I thought very long and hard about what I wanted to be my username. I was like "what message do I want to send to all the horny men in my city?" I ended up picking "fuckthepainaway". 

[METALMAN]

You know what, on the basis of your essay and listening to the song again I am going to upgrade my opinion of it from "okay" to "quite good".

[RPS]

Just now, metalman said:

You know what, on the basis of your essay and listening to the song again I am going to upgrade my opinion of it from "okay" to "quite good".

Check out her album I Feel Cream. It's in my opinion Peaches at her best. 

[METALMAN]

Maybe I will. I like that electroclash stuff, you know. It makes me feel like it's 2007. (I know electroclash is more like 2000-2003 but I was one of those losers who got into "new rave" and worked backwards.)

[gunnar hendershow]

I saw Peaches live back in, like, 2006? Think she was touring with Eagles of Death Metal. It was a good time.

Eminem has some really strong lyrics and was given every tool to work with thanks to the tutelage of Dr. Dre. Sometimes he whiffs and a lot of the anger and homophobia haven't aged well but, hey, he spoke from where he was in his life. There's a handful of Eminem songs, all early, that remain on my hip-hop rotation. And then there's many, many more than belong in 2000. "Stan" is part of that earlier group, one of his best.

I thought Ryan Adams was rad back in 2000, 2001 and I probably haven't listened to him since close to then. And it turns out he sucks as a person so I won't be making the effort necessary to seek him out again.

I could write an essay on Daft Punk and Interstella 5555. Just a perfect convergence of things that have largely defined major parts of my life. As a song "One More Time" is an all-time classic too.

[Colly]

I don't think I ever had a big Ryan Adams period (other than vaguely liking New York New York at the time), but I did go through a bit of a spell of listening to that covers album he did of Taylor Swift's 1989. Then all the stuff came out and I just started listening to Taylor Swift and was much happier all round.

[Skummy]

I have a friend who's obsessed with Ryan Adams - goes to see him on every tour, has travelled far and wide to see him live as often as possible, owns everything he's ever released including all the weird stuff under pseudonyms. Her partner passed away a couple of years ago, and I always associate Ryan Adams' music with them, far more than with any of the allegations of him being a wrong'un. It means I'm rarely in the mood to listen to him, but when I do chance upon one of his songs I tend to allow it a lot of time and attention. This one was fine, he's done better.

I love Frontier Psychiatrist, though it does lean far too heavily into novelty record territory. Nothing wrong with novelty records per sé, there's some I adore, but it limits its appeal and versatility, whereas Since I Left You is a better all-round song, and absolutely gorgeous with it. The Avalanches are great, though. But they do have the unfortunate problem of sharing their name with another band, which means my Spotify gets confused sometimes. Luckily the other band are also responsible for a daft novelty record, so it balances out.

I'm not a big fan of Eminem, though I like the use of the Dido sample in this song. I think I just got very jaded by the "silly one/serious one" schedule of Eminem single releases, and found it tended to make them all blend together in my head.

"One More Time" is a banger, and obviously a very timely inclusion now. 

[VerbalPuke]

I had asked about Daft Punk in another thread since they have recently split so I'm sort of figuring them out. One More Time sounds vaguely familiar but I can't say I really remember it. Listening to it now, it's pretty cool, not sure I dig the auto tuned stuff, but the beat is incredible. 

Ya know, now that I think about it, when I used to work at a print shop we had a poster up that was something from a previous order. It was "A tribute to Daft Punk" and had the dudes in the helmet looking things, and said "One More Time". Not really important to anything other than it was a cool little poster and I wish I had stolen it. 

[METALMAN]

Just occurred to me that we've made it into 2000 without Oh Baybeh Baybeh by Britney Spears making an appearance. Genuinely quite surprised by that.

[gunnar hendershow]

Maybe they're saving the Britney Spears inclusion for "Toxic".

[Malenko]

That bit about Daft Punk is true. I only got into electronic music in my late 20s so I wouldn't have known back then but my girlfriend was a huge fan of Daft Punk from the beginning and she tells me she did get disappointed with this album after how much she loved their first and their recent albums sound like something else entirely. They alienated their original fanbase while getting a massive new one. It's undeniable. It did change a lot. In fact every single album they've released since then is quite different from their previous work. Not saying that's good or bad, just an observation. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Daft Punk. I don't care much for house music and their more recent poppier sound is really boring to me. I do like Da Funk, though. That one's cool.

[Skummy]

14 hours ago, VerbalPuke said:

I had asked about Daft Punk in another thread since they have recently split so I'm sort of figuring them out. One More Time sounds vaguely familiar but I can't say I really remember it. Listening to it now, it's pretty cool, not sure I dig the auto tuned stuff, but the beat is incredible. 

Ya know, now that I think about it, when I used to work at a print shop we had a poster up that was something from a previous order. It was "A tribute to Daft Punk" and had the dudes in the helmet looking things, and said "One More Time". Not really important to anything other than it was a cool little poster and I wish I had stolen it. 

They also did the soundtrack to Tron: Legacy, which I think is brilliant while very different to a lot of their other work - I think you might dig it.

I used to own an album called "Discovered", that was just a compilation of the original songs that Daft Punk sampled; some lovely funk and disco tracks on there.

[Colly]

The Tron soundtrack is lovely, them and Michael Sheen were the best things in that film and luckily were in the same scene.

[Liam]

891.      

 

‘Feel Good Hit of the Summer’, Queens of the Stone Age (2000)

Influenced by: Apathy • Subhumans (1985)   

Influence on: Feel Good Hit of the Summer Part 2 • Atmosphere (2009)  

Covered by: Yourcodenameis: Milo (2007)   

Other key track: Regular John (1998) • Avon (1998) • Monsters in the Parasol (2000)

This song never did as much for me as ‘Lost Art of Keeping a Secret’; this album never did as much for me as ‘Songs for the Deaf’. This seems to get here as much for the lyrical content/lack of lyrics and how it announced QOTSA to the wider world for many. Apparently, Rob Halford did backing vocals on this – the more you know.

892.      

‘Ms. Jackson’, Outkast (2000)

Influenced by: Strawberry Letter #23 • The Brothers Johnson (1977)   

Influence on: Ms. Jackson • Styles P featuring Jadakiss (2007)  

Covered by: The Vines (2002)

I’m not always entirely sure whether the crossover success of an act from a genre to appeal to a broader section of music fans is always a good thing. That I, a middle aged white man from London, like Outkast maybe doesn’t do a lot for their street cred? I dunno. Whatever people think of them though, this was/is a banger with a heart, and whilst it wouldn’t have the same success as ‘Hey Ya’, it is – by dint of the lack of relative airplay – a more enjoyable listen these days.

893.      

‘Romeo’, Basement Jaxx (2001)

Influenced by: Runaway • Nuyorican Soul (1996)   

Influence on: Needy Girl • Chromeo (2004)  

Covered by: Basement Jaxx (2001)   

Other key tracks: Red Alert (1999) • Where’s Your Head At? (2001) • Do Your Thing (2001) • Jus 1 Kiss (2001) • Good Luck (2003) • Oh My Gosh (2005)

Basement Jaxx are a dance act that cross into that realm of acts that I don’t imagine people particularly having a bad word about. Perhaps there might be some who find their brand of music somewhat annoying, but I’ve always thought that they’ve incorporated their musical influences, repeated beats and simple lyrics in a manner that has never been anything but catchy. Romeo probably is my favourite, but they do have a number of really good tunes.

894.      

‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’, Kylie Minogue (2001)

Influenced by: Can’t Get It Out of My Head • Electric Light Orchestra (1974)   

Influence on: Can’t Get Blue Monday Out of My Head • Kylie Minogue vs. New Order (2002)   

Covered by: The Flaming Lips (2002) • Jack L (2003) • Carmen Consoli (2003)

I think you have to be impressed by Kylie Minogue’s ability to reinvent herself multiple times and have success across a range of different styles and eras. Her music may not always be my cup of tea, yet her fandom and longevity speaks for itself in some ways. This was a monster tune, somehow usurping ‘Spinning Around’, impressive in and of itself as that was a huge relaunch for her. To top it so soon afterwards? Fair play. Sexy, hypnotic, catchy – it has a lot going for it.

895.      

‘Vuelvo al sur’, Gotan Project (2001)

This ‘propelled Argentinean Tango into the 21st century’ apparently. Not for me really, although I can definitely appreciate the talent involved.

[METALMAN]

I'm with you on the QOTSA one. Never really got into it. It's by no means a bad tune though, nice crazy guitar solo bit. I really like In the Fade from that album though, probably my favourite song of theirs.

Ms Jackson is great. Poss my favourite by Outkast. I always had it down as a 2001 song because it was on Now 49. CD 1 track 12 if I remember correctly - right between two stinkers in Survivor by Destiny's Child and Elevation by U2. Also had All Rise by Blue and Don't Stop Movin' by S-Club 7 on it. Ah...memories.

And it's another tune from Now 49! Romeo is a great little song. Basement Jaxx had a lot of good 'uns but this is probably my favourite.

CGYOOMH, however, is on Now 50. Track 1 of CD 1, a pretty privileged position but it certainly deserved it. CD 1 of Now 50 is possibly my most listened to CD ever. Lots of great stuff there that still holds up: Turn off the Light by Nelly Furtado, Take Me Home by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Mambo No. 5 by Bob the Builder.... Anyway, CGYOOMH is really good but I've got to admit I preferred (and prefer) Spinning Around, Love At First Sight, Kids and On a Night Like This of the songs she was putting out in 2000 and 2001. 

[Liam]

896.     

‘Clandestino’, Manu Chao (2001)

A word that means illegal immigrants, ‘Clandestino’ the album saw Chao mix Latin flavours with a rock and roll style as he talked about love, the sun, marijuana, and more socially valuable, the plight the aforementioned immigrants. To me, the song isn’t anything special, though it does represent the broader social importance of some acts in the wider canon of world music. The album sold over five million copies, so it enabled Chao to be heard further and wider than ever before. Props.

897.      

‘Iag Bari’, Fanfare Ciocarlia (2001)

A lot of the world music stuff included on the list is very ‘mileage may vary’ fare for me. However, this is a banger. Balkan brass that helps to create a raucous, fun soundscape that is hard not to nod or bounce along to. Unsurprisingly, this band began to pop up on festival lineups around this time – they’d be a perfect early morning tonic on a Saturday or Sunday, something lively to get things off on the right foot once more.

898.     

‘Oiça lá ó senhor vinho’, Mariza (2001)

A song about drinking too much, it is entirely pleasant, yet not something I quite understand making the list. Even after reading the entry in the book, it doesn’t feel like it has anything of note to make it a worthwhile slice of music to listen to above and beyond numerous others. They talk about how Mariza performed the old-fashioned ‘fado’ style, yet this isn’t even an example of that apparently. An odd choice.

899.     

‘You and Whose Army?’, Radiohead (2001)

This is the era of Radiohead where I rarely ever delve as they moved significantly away from ‘The Bends’-style rock to something that was admittedly more musically interesting, yet not for me. This is a song aimed at Tony Blair apparently, one that involved Thom Yorke singing through an eggbox to get the interesting vocal delivery, amongst other more technical innovations. Still – it is all a bit boring. The final minute goes a way to redeeming it, but doesn’t do enough for me.

900.      

‘Romando y tomando’, Lupillo Rivera (2001)

I want to really like this based solely on the guy’s album cover. Apparently, this is a good example of a modern take on a narcocorrido, or drug-ballad. However, the brass element speaks to a style of Austrian music, therefore giving this another layer or two. Fun enough, though clearly on here as much to be a representation of the style more than anything.

[Liam]

901.      

‘New York City Cops’, The Strokes (2001)

I was never as big a fan of The Strokes as I was of some of the other ‘The…’ bands, but I guess I could see the appeal. There was a rawness about the vocals in particular that was appealing, whilst there was also an energy to the music they pumped out as a band. I feel the book missed a trick by not including ‘Last Night’, though this seems to have primarily made it as it was dropped from the US version after 9/11. Casablancas’ vocal style is one I’ve always liked enough, but I could imagine it is an acquired taste for many.

902.      

‘Fell In Love With A Girl’, The White Stripes (2001)

Speaking of ‘The’ bands I liked more than The Strokes, enter The White Stripes. In the moment, I don’t think I appreciated them as much as I do when I look back at some of the absolute bangers they released from this single onwards. This isn’t my favourite song of theirs – I have a penchant for ‘The Hardest Button to Button’ – but it is the one that saw them burst onto the scene for the mainstream music fans so deserves its place here. Raucous, loud, but undeniably catchy.

903.      

‘Get Ur Freak On’, Missy Elliott (2001)

Influenced by: Naag Wang • Jazzy B (1994)  

Influence on: Love Will Freak Us • Dsico (2002)   

Covered by: KT Tunstall (2005) • Eels (2008)  

 Other key tracks: The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) (1997) • Beep Me 911 (1997) • One Minute Man (2001) • Work It (2002) • Teary Eyed (2005)

Now, I have no idea about whether Missy Elliott is considered good, bad or indifferent in the grand scheme of things, but this is a banger of a tune. Elliott is really great, though it is hard to look bast the bhangra-style beats of Timbaland that get things going from the opening beat and give the songs its enduring legacy for me. A song that still feels as good as the day it was released.

904.      

’21 Seconds’, So Solid Crew (2001)

Influenced by: Da Mystery of Chessboxin • Wu-Tang Clan (1993)   

Influence on: Pow! (Forward) • Lethal Bizzle (2004)  

Covered by: Ambulance (2002)   

Other key tracks: Haters (2001) • Way Back When (2001) • Solid Soul (2001) • Broken Silence (2003)

Is this good? Is it so bad it’s good? Is it just awful? I can never really tell if my enjoyment of this song is one that comes from a place of irony or genuine enjoyment. It doesn’t feel as big or important as some of the songs that came out of US urban scenes in the 90s, yet it is the biggest song that is representative of the UK garage scene, so I guess it makes it noteworthy. The fact that it remains a song that I, and other people I know, will burst into singing from time to time…hmm, I’m not sure if that is a positive thing or not, but it suggests some enduring interest that still persists today.

905.      

‘Stay Together for the Kids’, Blink 182 (2001)

Influenced by: Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses • U2 (1991)   

Influence on: Emergency • Paramore (2005)  

Covered by: Madelyn (2007)   

Other key tracks: First Date (2001) • The Rock Show (2001) • Give Me One Good Reason (2001)

An odd choice to include a song that saw one an interesting, if sophomoric, band turn, dare I say it, boring. Maybe that is being a tad too harsh for a song that I do genuinely like, but it is indicative of my interest in the band this album and onwards. That they wanted to explore a big subject like divorce is admirable, yet this has nothing on the better songs from ‘Enema of the State’, nor even some of the bangers from their earlier albums. There are worse choices, but there are many better choices.

[Colly]

Wasn't it NYC Cops that was dropped from Is This It after 9/11? Can't think why you'd remove Last Night.

Anyway, as much as everyone now derides "The" bands, this is basically the point where I'm about to go to uni and all "rock music" in the UK is the last dregs of Britpop playing songs from 5 years ago, plus the likes of Travis and Coldplay. Couple of months later I saw the Strokes in Leeds as part of their first UK tour, supported by a very early Libertines (and Stereo Total inexplicably) with the White Stripes watching from the balcony. It's still one of the best gigs I've ever been to and felt so different to (shudder) the all seater Ocean Colour Scene show I'd seen not long before...

Tl:dr, I'll never not have 00s nostalgia.

[Liam]

Just now, Colly said:

Wasn't it NYC Cops that was dropped from Is This It after 9/11? Can't think why you'd remove Last Night.

I phrased it poorly, but the 'this' in the sentence about a song getting dropped is for NYC Cops.