Top 100 Songs of the Millennium (2000-2019) - THE #1s

[silversurfer19]

1: The White Stripes, “Fell In Love With A Girl” (2001)




So there we have it, after many months of over analysing, dissecting and scrutinising almost every song I have listened to over the past 20 years, it turned out I could not separate the two The White Stripes songs I love so much, and indeed they both came out top. They have been my favourite band of the millennium by a long shot, and were just what the music industry needed when John Peel launched them through my radio and into my life. Is there a more perfect song fuelled by such unbridled energy in under two minutes?

Taking deep influence from the blues great such as Son House and Charley Patton by way of rock n roll legends The Misissippi Sheiks to name a few, and then injecting an untainted dose of punk via fellow Detroit legends The Stooges and The Gories, Jack and Meg White (ex husband and wife, though the brother/sister myth worked perfectly to build interest in a pre-social media age) brought the blues to a whole new generation. Without them I would never have discovered Lightnin' Hopkins, Leadbelly, Blind Willie McTell or Howlin' Wolf, I quite possibly would not have found the passion I have for vinyl records (Third Man has done so much for this part of the industry), and indeed I may not have met my wife and had the family I now have (we met in a rock club dancing to this song!).

The White Stripes are rooted deep in my musical genes, over the course of the 10 years they existed in my mind I saw them live at least 15 times, more than any other band of the era, and this song holds so many stories which have become entwined into my life. It is a flash of lighting, a shot of adrenaline and a moment of excitement every time those first few raw, spiky bars are belted out, Jack hollers with almost glam rock abandon and Meg just tries to keep up with the pace of it all. And the Michel Gondry Lego brick video is to die for.

So please, for the last time, enjoy!

(Especially you, John)

[Leestu]

Nspan; Like most of your Pillowfight songs I enjoyed it without getting anything extra special from it. I am sure I would enjoy the atmosphere of the whole album in a single listen. Actually that was my impression for most of your countdown. I usually always enjoyed your picks without loving them a lot. Same Shit/Complicated by Kimya Dawson was the exception. That was my highlight from your list of songs I hadn't heard before. I've since listened to it quite a few times. We had one crossover with the fantastic Lazy Eye by Silversun Pickups, but apart from that there were quite a few bands that I also enjoy listening too, BJM, Black Angels, Band Of Skulls, Sleigh Bells. I liked that you had some picks with a bit of a psych influence, and some retro elements. I've added albums from Clinic, Elf Power, Bright Light Social Hour, and The Rapture to listen to later.

[Leestu]

Six: For the most part I really enjoyed your list. Apart from the seven crossovers on our list there were a lot of other artists that I really like, and I think there were another three artists in common where we had different songs, so ten acts in common. Actually that's what I noticed about our lists - we usually have slightly different tastes when it comes to favourite songs from the relevant artists (yours being more downbeat and mine being more upbeat maybe?). Your number one is another example - a really good song from a great album, but as I said before when Surfer picked it there are a few others I prefer on that album. I'm still not sold on artists like Azealia Banks, Grimes, Solange, or Aphex Twin though. To be honest I think sometimes your choices that I didn't get into as much were a bit too cerebral, or cold, or deatched, or ambient for my tastes. I think my favourite song that I hadn't heard before was God Bless Our Dead Marines by A Silver Mt Zion. From your list I've now listened to Echoes by The Rapture, which was a great dance-punk album with some post-punk influences (got a bit of a Public Image Ltd vibe at times), and Two Dancers by Wild Beasts, which was interesting with the the two contrasting vocalists, and I think there's a few albums I've added to listen to later, including !!! for sure.

[transformers2]

Surfer's Top 100 Songs of the Millennium:
100.Sacred Paws-Strike a Match
99.The Men-Turn it Around
98.My Morning Jacket-Gideon
97.Brakes-I Can't Stand to Stand Besides You
96.The Antlers-Bear
95.Hop Along-Waitress
94.Snail Mail-Pristine
93.The Murder Capital-Don't Cling to Life
92.Sauna Youth-Transmitters
91.Sufjan Stevens-The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!

90.Wild Flag-Romance
89.Benjamin Booker-Violent Shiver
88.Foals-Spanish Sahara
87.Meatbodies-Mountain
86.LCD Soundsystem-All My Friends
85.Animal Collective-My Girls
84.Flat Worms-'Red Hot Sand'
83.Eagulls-Nerve Endings
82.Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds-Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow
81.PJ Harvey-When Under Ether

80.Purple Mountains-All My Happiness is Gone
79.Jay Reatard-My Shadow
78.Low-Point of Disgust
77.Car Seat Headrest-Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales
76.Thee Oh Sees-The Dream
75.The Libertines-Time for Heroes
74.Nine Inch Nails-The Hand That Feeds
73.Viet Cong-Silhouettes
72.Cloud Nothings-Stay Useless
71.The New Pornographers-'Mass Romantic'

70.Liars-The Otherside of Mt. Heart Attack
69.Mannequin Pussy-Drunk II
68.Explosions in the Sky-The Birth and Death of the Day
67.Laura Maling-Salinas
66.The Mars Volta-Cygnus.. Vismund Cygnus
65.Ezra Furman-Suck the Blood From My Wound
64.Big Thief-Shark Smile
63.Battles-Atlas
62.Waxahatchee-Swan Dive
61.Screaming Females-Electric Pilgrim

60.Ex Hex-Beast
59.The Coathangers-Make It Right
58.Grizzly Bear-Two Weeks
57.Ty Segall-Feel
56.British Sea Power-Remember Me
55.Manic Street Preachers-Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
54.Bright Eyes-The First Day of My Life
53.Protomartyr-Pontiac 87
52.Idles-Mother
51.St. Vincent-Cruel

50.Queens of the Stone Age-Feel Good Hit of the Summer
49.Remember Sports-Up From Below
48.Pile-Prom Song
47.Mitski-Townie
46.Low-Monkey
45.Sufjan Stevens-Should Have Known Better
44.Superchunk-Regan Youth
43.Savages-Adore
42.Swearin'-Grow Into a Ghost
41.Iceage-Forever

40.Mike Krol-Like a Star
39.Sleater-Kinney-Jumpers
38.Lucy Dacus-I Don't Wanna Be Funny Anymore
37.Cloud Nothings-Wasted Days
36.Wilco-Hummingbird
35.At The Drive-In-Invalid Litter Dept.
34.PJ Harvey-Kamikaze
33.IDLES-Danny Nedelko
32.Sharon Van Etten-Afraid of Nothing
31.Radiohead-Idioteque

30.The Flaming Lips-The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
29.Mikal Cronin-Weight
28.Screaming Females-I'll Make You Sorry
27.Promartyr-Scum, Rise!
26.The Kills-Cat Claw
25.The Rapture-House of Jealous Lovers
24.Elliot Smith-Somebody That I Used to Know
23.Perfume Genius-Dark Parts
22.Mitski-Your Best American Girl
21.Yeah Yeah Yeahs-Maps

20.Black Rebel Motorcycle Club-Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll
19.Savages-She Will
18.Pile-The Jones
17.Angel Olsen-Sister
16.Bloc Party-Banquet
15.The Shins-Australia
14.Parquet Courts-Master of My Craft
13.Interpol-Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down
12.Cloud Nothings-Psychic Trauma
11.Modest Mouse-Float On

10.Radiohead-Nude
9.Queens of the Stone Age-The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret
8.TV on the Radio-Wolf Like Me
7.Vampire Weekend-A-Punk
6.The National-Mr.November
5.Mclusky-Alan is a Cowboy Killer
4.Arcade Fire-Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
3.The Strokes-Last Nite
2.The White Stripes-Hotel Yorba
1.The White Stripes-Fell In Love with a Girl

[transformers2]

Six: First off, your top choice was pretty decent. Was a little meandering at times, but the audible bass parts and trumpet explosion at the end was enough to sell me on this song. May give Iceage a further exploration at some point.

As for your collective list, I'm pretty sure I'm obligated to say yours was my favorite since you were only the person I had multiple crossovers with In all seriousness, there was a lot of shit on your list that I loved. "Pyramid Song" is one of the first Radiohead songs that's ever fully clicked with me, Idles is a fucking excellent band that has given the punk/rock scene a much-needed kick in the teeth, "Monster" is a genuinely epic posse cut that ranks among Kanye's best, "Alright" is a monumentally impactful song that also happens to a top-notch showcase of Kendrick Lamar's technical skills and hearing "Two Weeks" for the first time in about 2 years provided me with a much-needed excuse to revisit LP1. All of those highs were more than enough to make up for the torture I experienced listening to Grimes, Sufjan Stevens and the occasional 16-minute burst of ambient whale sounds.

Top Song: "Pyramids"-Frank Ocean
Top Discovery: "Pyramid Song"-Radiohead
Top Re-Discovery: "Two Weeks"-FKA twigs
Other Standouts: Rebellion (Lies)-Arcade Fire, "Black Skinhead"-Kanye West (duh), "Monster"-Kanye West", "Alright"-Kendrick Lamar, "1049 Gotho"-Idles, "Colossus"-Idles

[JohnErle]

Surfer – Your #1 is a song I used to enjoy, less so than some other White Stripes stuff, but now it's so ubiquitous and commercialized it might as well be used to sell Corn Flakes, alongside Last Nite for Frosted Flakes. Still, it lead you to some classic blues artists and lead to you meet your lovely wife, so it still has lingering value.

As for the rest of your list, the compression makes many of your picks non-starters for me, regardless of whatever talent the bands may or may not have. It's a good thing Jack White got you hooked on vinyl, where these bands would sound more dynamic, but on digital they mostly sound like cannon fodder on the wrong side of the loudness wars.

I think you were the only other person (so far) to have MMJ and The New Pornos, and it's always good to see Vampire Weekend, Sufjan, and Maps once again. You managed a couple of ADDEDs along the way, so and considering how many of your songs I was already familiar with, that's a pretty decent ratio.

[transformers2]

Surfer: Excellent top choice and clearly you married well if you met your wife dancing to such a great song!

Believe it or not, your list was among my favorites here. While there was some real groaners (Sufjan Stevens, Bright Eyes, The Shins-who all seem to exclusively put out music that irritates the hell out of me) along the way, you featured several artists/songs that I love (Queens of the Stone Age, St. Vincent, Idles, The White Stripes), provided a delicious taste of early Mitski that I'd inexplicably ignored in the past and of course, had the distinct honor of having one of my four crossovers in Cygnus.. Vismund Cygnus. Also big shoutout for featuring two tracks from Boston's finest indie/post-punk/post-hardcore act Pile. They're a solid act who puts on a damn fine live show.

Top Song: "Cygnus... Vismund Cyngus-The Mars Volta
Top Discovery: "Townie"-Mitski
Top Re-Discovery: "Cruel"-St.Vincent
Other Standouts: "Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll"-Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, "Danny Nidkelo"-Idles, "Mother"-Idles, "Feel Good Hit of the Summer-Queen of the Stone Age, "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret-Queens of the Stone Age, "Hotel Yorba"-The White Stripes, "Fell in Love with a Girl"-The White Stripes, "A-Punk"-Vampire Weekend

[numbersix]

Ah Surf,

You were my anchor, my pillar, my crutch of quality. I figured I could rely and you and I was not disappointed. I mean, I thoroughly to have one or two crossovers because tastes now are so fractured and spread out, so I was so delighted to see so many crossovers. My #1 was on your list, and your #1 was on mine. 13 songs in common (if you count A-Punk which was my #101).

Of course, your list was the most familiar, but that didn't mean there were no surprises. I was only barely familiar with Pile, McCluskey, and Eagulls and their songs were just incredible, so I'll be getting albums from all of them. But even with the ones I did know, you helped me revisit ones I had forgotten. Cloud Nothings are a great example, as I started listening to Attack on Memory again. Such a powerful album. And there are songs from your lists from bands I love but haven't explored their catalogue fully, like Mitski and Queens of the Stone Age (Rated R is on my to-get list).

As for The White Stripes, well you know what I think of your #1. It's my fav song of theirs, even if it's advertising a breakfast cereal! Blitzkrieg Bop is on every bloody ad but it still is a great punk song, so I can handle its saturation. And you explain your personal connection to it so well. I never got to see them live, even though they were popular in Ireland well before White Blood Cells due to some festival gigs. But the one time I tried to see them they cancelled and Queens of the Stone Age played instead - not a bad consolation prize, but now I'll never see them. But enough about me. What a great taste you've got, and I'm glad you're still actively listening and discovering new music, especially with 2 kids!!! Definitely my favourite list of this countdown.

[Shrykespeare]

I happen to know what Ron's #1 song is, so if he hasn't posted it in the next few hours, I will.

[Ron Burgundy]

Big thanks to everyone who was apart of this, especially Shryke who ran the show seamlessly.

Also want to apologise for going MIA during the 2nd half of the count, i moved cities during the pandemic and life was turned upside down.

Heres my #1:



The Way I Am by Eminem in 2000




When i first heard this song it didn't really grab me then over time i grew a respect to his rhymes and lyrics. It was also the first beat Eminem produced on his own featuring an omnious bass line, a piano loop and bell chimes- not normally special but it works.

Hope you guys had fun listening to some of my songs. Thanks again

[Ron Burgundy]

Surfer, the distant cousin. So many great songs from you and even more i hadn't heard of before. The stuff i didn't know were a fair mixed bag, some hit, some miss. And it was fated for you to be slated next to six, your tastes were probably more similar than any other pair here.

Thanks so much for being apart of this countdown! I'll be sure to uncover some more gems in that 2nd half when im looking for some good indie rock.

Surfer's Top 100 Highlights for me

#85 Animal Collective-My Girls XO!
#74 Nine Inch Nails-The Hand That Feeds
#63 Battles-Atlas
#58 Grizzly Bear-Two Weeks XO!
#50 Queens of the Stone Age-Feel Good Hit of the Summer
#21 Yeah Yeah Yeahs-Maps
#16 Bloc Party-Banquet
#15 The Shins-Australia
#11 Modest Mouse-Float On XO!
#10 Radiohead-Nude
#3 The Strokes-Last Nite

[Leestu]

Surfer: Definitely looked forward to your selection each day. We shared six songs in common with another eight artists that we had different songs we liked the most. For the most part I like all the bands you like, so it's safe to say I share most of your music taste. There were not many artists/songs I hadn't heard before so when it comes to best new find there is not much to choose from, however without going back to check I think Red Hot Sand by Flat Worms takes that honour. I've added that album to listen to. As to your number one song, of course it's a classic!

[transformers2]

Ron B's Top 100 Songs of the Millennium:
100.Ou Est Le Swimming Pool-Dance The Way I Feel
99.Children Collide-Skeleton Dance
98.MGMT-Time to Pretend
97.Bands of Horses-Laredo
96.Parcels-Countdown
95.Last Dinosaurs-Dominoes
94.Bluejuice-I'll Go Crazy
93.Tame Impala-Let It Happen
92.Kaiser Chiefs-Ruby
91.Neon Indian-Polish Girl

90.Post Malone-Sunflower (feat. Swae Lee)
89.Korn-Y'All Want a Single
88.Junior Senior-Move Your Feet
87.Franz Ferdinand-Take Me Out
86.Bloody Beetroots-Awesome (feat. The Cool Kids)
85.The Temper Trap-Sweet Disposition
84.Midnight Juggernauts-Into the Galaxy
83.The White Stripes-Seven Nation Army
82.DMA's-Time & Money
81.Rage Against the Machine-Renagades of Funk

80.The Prodigy-Omen
79.Flight of the Conchords-Bowie's in Space
78.Radiohead-15 Step
77.Nine Inch Nails-Only
76.Coldplay-The Scientist
75.Air-Cherry Blossom Girl
74.Royskopp-What Else is There? (feat. Karin Dreijer Anderrson)
73.50 Cent-In Da Club
72.Bon Iver-Skinny Love
71.Interpol-The Heinrich Maneuver

70.Bernard Fanning-Wish You Well
69.Beck-Colors
68.Future Islands-Seasons
67.Hilltop Hoods-Nosebleed Section
66.Rex Orange County-Loving is Easy
65.Red Hot Chili Peppers-Dani California
64.Holy Holy-Teach Me About Dying
63.The Killers-The Man
62.Kendrick Lamar-The Blacker The Berry
61.The Avalanches-Frontier Psychiatrist

60.Tenacious D-Tribute
59.Foster the People-Pumped Up Kicks
58.Arcade Fire-Everything Now
57.RUFUS-Innerbloom
56.Animal Collective-My Girls
55.Violent Siho-Covered in Chrome
54.The Wombats-Tokyo
53.Keane-Nothing in My Way
52.Daft Punk-Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas)
51.Gorillaz-Stylo

50.Eminem-Lose Yourself
49.Boy and Bear-Harlequin Dream
48.Justice-On'n'on
47.Red Hot Chili Peppers-Don't Stop
46.Chemical Brothers-Galvanize
45.Sia-Chandlier
44.Gotye-Thanks for Your Time
43.Radiohead-There There
42.Arctic Monkeys-I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor
41.TV on the Radio-Happy Idiot

40.RUFUS-Underwater
39.Radiohead-Go to Sleep
38.Phoenix-1901
37.Daft Punk-One More Time
36.Outkast-Hey Ya!
35.Eminem-Stan
34.Outkast-Roses
33.Bassment Jaxx-Where's Your Head At?
32.Bluejuice-Vitriol
31.Asgeir-Kings and Cross

30.Powderfinger-Sunsets
29.Modest Mouse-Float On
28.Spoon-Don't You Evah
27.Gorillaz-Dare
26.Gotye-Learnalligivnanlovin
25.Eminem-The Real Slim Shady
24.Grizzly Bear-2 Weeks
23.Interpol-Obstacle 1
22.Outkast-Ms.Jackson
21.The Strokes-Under Cover of Darkness

20.Bloc Party-Helicopter
19.Weezer-Island in the Sun
18.M83-Midnight City
17.Miike Snow-Genghis Khan
16.Queens of the Stone Age-Little Sister
15.System of a Down-B.Y.O.B.
14.Childish Gambino-Redbone
13.Radiohead-Bodysnatchers
12.Radiohead-Burn the Witch
11.?????

10.?????
9.Daft Punk-Robot Rock
8.Eminem-Without Me
7.Tame Impala-Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
6.Tame Impala-The Less I Know the Better
5.Dr.Dre-Still Dre
4.Tool-The Pot
3.DJ Shadow-Nobody Speak (feat. Run the Jewels)
2.Radiohead-Pyramid Song
1.Eminem-The Way That I Am

[numbersix]

Ron, I very much enjoyed your list. For everything that didn't quite work for me there was something that very much did.

Your taste very much hits the more popular side of indie music, and the more accessible electro stuff. So it was almost always pleasant to listen to. Daft Punk, Arctic Monkeys, Outkast, Phoenix, Gorillaz are all acts I don't love but I don't mind listening to. And there was some artists I love - Kendrick Lamar, Interpol, White Stripes, Bloc Party, Grizzly Bear, etc. And Bonus Points for the Flight of the Conchords song! You obviously love Radiohead, so it was great to revisit a couple of songs that I've forgotten, especially the ones from Hail to the thief and In Rainbows. Plus nice to see Burn the Witch appear, and of course the incredible Pyramid Song, which is one of my favourite songs of theirs and also in my Top 10. Of the stuff I didn't know I really enjoyed the NIN songs and the DJ Shadow one.

I'm not a huge fan of Eminem. The Real Slim Shady is funny. The Way I am is a kinda strange song. It's Eminem being angry because he's famous and people expect things out of him. I hardly think that deserves the kind of rage he injects into the song. He should buy himself a stress-ball, he can afford it. But the simple beats and music were decent enough.

You had two songs that I should have considered for my list, but forgot because I don't own them - Seasons by Future Islands and particularly Skinny Love by Bon Iver. So it was great to hear them and see that at least someone picked those excellent tracks. And we had 3 crossovers from what I can see - Pyramid Song, My Girls, and Float On. But thanks for being a somewhat reliable option when it came to decent music!

[Chienfantome]

Surfer, buddy, I have ambivalent feelings towards your list. On one hand, you clearly have a favorite genre of music, and it kept coming, and coming, and coming, and coming. I was often a bit frustrated because it all had the same colour in terms of music, so I could quickly get bored.
And yet there were some real highlights in your list. Some I knew, like Sufjan, Nick Cave, Radiohead, Elliot Smith, The National, Arcade Fire or The White Stripes.
Some I discovered. And among them, I'd say my Top 3 discoveries thanks to you have been "Spanish Sahara" by Foals, "Dark parts" by Perfume genius" and "Hummingbird" by Wilco. Those are 3 songs I didn't know but have now entered by playlists, I love them.