Category: Hip Hop

New Edition’s fifth LP, Heart Break, is set to be reissued on vinyl. The release will come in two formats, in standard black vinyl and a “colorless” vinyl.

Heart Break marked the Boston R&B group’s return to a quintet after Bobby Brown left the group. For Heart Break, Johnny Gill was added as a fifth member.

The album features seminal production from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and produced a number of highlights like “Not My Kind of Girl,” “Boys to Men,” “Can You Stand The Rain,” and “If It Isn’t Love.” The album is certified double platinum by the RIAA.

The album was also a critical smash, in addition to all of the commercial accolades it earned. AllMusic editor Craig Lytle said the record was an “outstanding album overall,” and that it displayed “New Edition’s growth and maturity due in part to the production work of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and the addition of group newcomer Johnny Gill.”

Washington Post critic Joe Brown said that, “New Edition has grown up visibly and audibly, and it doesn’t hurt that they’ve taken on D.C.’s own Johnny Gill as front man. The lyrics on Heart Break exemplify the changes – as usual, Jam-Terry Lewis spent some time hanging out with the group, then tailored the tunes with an autobiographical slant.”

Jimmy Jam spoke about the album on its 25th anniversary with Rap Rehab. He explained how production for the album fused elements of classic R&B with more mainstream hip-hop. Jam said: “We used a lot of different drum machines. I think that was the first time we used an SP-1200. It was a very popular drum machine with New York hip-hop producers and we wanted some of that East Coast presence on the record. So, a lot of the sonic choices we made were along those lines. Hip-hop was a huge influence at that point in time. We wanted to meld hip-hop into some of the smooth R&B sounds. And they were the perfect group to do it.”

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Wednesday, January 21, 1959: Cecil B DeMille, the movie mogul who directed The Greatest Show On Earth, died. It was one of a few historic events that day. Not many people noticed another one, however, which led to what could also lay claim to being the greatest show on earth: the Motown Corporation’s first single, Marv Johnson’s “Come To Me,” was released on the Tamla label.

The company had little pedigree, no distribution deal, and Marvin Earl Johnson was a complete unknown. Just six short years later, Motown sold 15 million dollars’ worth of records and was on the way to becoming America’s biggest black-owned business. This unprecedented success started with Marv Johnson’s single and was built by label founder Berry Gordy, Jr’s spirit of enterprise, and his and Smokey Robinson’s unsurpassed instinct for a great record.

“I went into the master-making business,” said Berry Gordy of the early days of Tamla. “Some of the records we made went to other companies, we’d lease these records and we found a great deal of the profit was lost. We got very low royalty rates or did not receive royalty statements on time, and we would perhaps have gone out of business.” One of those leased records was “Come To Me,” which was licensed to United Artists after its limited release on Tamla showed commercial potential by gaining airplay around Detroit. UA pushed it to No.30 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

Listen to the best of Motown on Apple Music and Spotify.

“Come To Me” was a decent record, co-written by Gordy and Johnson. It already showed hints of the classic Motown sound in the emphasis on the tambourine-boosted dance beat, and the “Black-sounding” vocals, which contrasted strongly with the cheesy choirs deployed by the producers of some of the Jackie Wilson records Gordy had co-written in his initial foray into the business. Gordy borrowed $800 from his cautious family to get Johnson’s debut single released – and had to sign a contract agreeing on a repayment schedule to get his hands on the cash.

In some respects, Johnson was unlucky. His beautiful voice, floating elegantly between the styles of Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson, put him in at the start of the greatest soul music company of all. But UA signed him after this initial hit and continued to release his records, which Gordy still co-wrote and produced. For a while it worked, and Johnson broached the US Top 10 with the classic “You Got What It Takes” and “I Love The Way You Love,” but this hitmaking run had faded by mid-’61. Meanwhile, Motown rose: Smokey’s group, The Miracles, the youthful Marvin Gaye, the dazzling Mary Wells, and the fabulous Marvelettes all benefited from working for a label at the heart of the nascent soul scene’s creativity, while the singer who’d helped start it all could not catch a break at UA. By the time he was free to sign to Motown in 1965, he was trying to compete with a roster of established stars, and his success was limited. But credit where credit is due: Marv Johnson’s “Come To Me” was key to launching a music-business legend.

“I’ll never forget we went up to a record plant in Owosso, American Record Pressing,” says Smokey Robinson, recalling a 100-mile trip north for Johnson’s groundbreaking single. “We were going to get the first batch of 45s – about a hundred records! It was the wintertime and the highway was like glass. We went over into a ditch twice – we had to be towed out. One time it was to avoid being crushed by a Mack truck! We finally got back to Detroit with the record and the local DJs started to play it. It was really the birth of Motown records.”

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In February, José James will present a pair of shows celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You.

The concerts will take place on Friday, February 6, in the Symphony Center at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Saturday, February 7, at the Matthews Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey. The vocalist and composer will be joined at both shows by Grammy-nominated singer Lizz Wright. More special guests will be announced. James has also assembled a world-class live band featuring guitarist Marcus Machado, bassist David Ginyard, and drummer Jharis Yokley.

Gaye released albums at a steady clip throughout the 1960s and ’70s, pretty much one record a year. In 1971, he unveiled a shift in artistic direction with What’s Going On, which commented on social, ecological, and human issues. Gaye followed that album with the 1972 soundtrack to the low-budget blaxploitation crime thriller Trouble Man. 1973’s Let’s Get It On introduced the loverman persona that Gaye would embody for the rest of his career. Three years later, he emerged with his 14th solo album, a bold blend of jazz, funk, R&B, soul, and disco that has had a profound impact on artists then and now.

After struggling to find a direction for his new album, Gaye was revived by meeting Leon Ware, songwriter for Michael Jackson, The Miracles, and Minnie Riperton, among many others. At the time of recording, Gaye was in a long-term romantic affair with Janis Hunter, who had inspired Let’s Get It On. Gaye’s obsession with the younger woman, who he would later marry, likely inspired the carnal desire that flows through I Want You.

The dancing scene of the album’s cover art, a 1971 painting by Ernie Barnes entitled “Sugar Shack,” made Gaye’s intentions for the album abundantly clear: he wanted his listeners to get-down to his erotic fantasies and sensual flights of fancy.

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Last week, Teyana Taylor became a first-time Golden Globe winner for her performance in One Battle After Another. This week, she visited The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for an interview and a performance of her song “Hard Part” featuring Lucky Daye.

“My first televised performance in a long time,” Taylor shared in a statement, “and wow it felt so good to be back… thank you Jimmy Fallon for having us and welcoming me back with so much love, warmth, and open arms. We all had a blast!!”

In the performance, Taylor and Daye sit across from each other onstage in a living room setup, trading verses about a relationship gone wrong. They join together on the chorus, singing: “Can’t believe you never said it to me/I never said it’d be еasy/But the hard part is over with it.”

“Hard Part” is featured on Taylor’s 2025 record Escape Room, which is nominated for Best R&B Album at the upcoming 68th Annual Grammy Awards. Escape Room was Taylor’s return to music following a five-year hiatus, and her first album distributed by Def Jam. Of the record, she told Variety: “I poured my heart into every layer, from the story to the sound, to capture that journey we all take through the shadows of heartbreak… and guide you toward the lightness of healing.”

Taylor additionally sat down for an interview with Fallon, where he showed off her new Golden Globe statue. The pair talked about the viral clip of Leonardo DiCaprio chatting animatedly during a commercial break, and Teyana’s quest to figure out the context behind it. Originally, she believed she “broke the Da Vinci code,” when she told Access Hollywood that Leo was talking to her about Kpop Demon Hunters, but walked back that claim after calling her co-star. “Apparently he had two KPop Demon Hunter conversations that night, so KPop Demon Hunters was just in his mouth all night!”

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The best music videos of the 00s are a varied bunch. There’s unique visual trickery by masters of the form. There’s genre-defining moments in neo-soul and hip-hop, as well as genre-busting efforts by folks that subverted tropes built up since the arrival of MTV in August of 1981. What’s perhaps most interesting about this list of the best music videos of the 00s was the widespread arrival of the internet later in the decade. You can see a marked shift in the ways that musicians and film directors began to play with the format. It was a new era, for better or worse.

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50: Sum 41: Fat Lip (2001)

Directed by: Marc Klasfeld

These Canadian skate-punk rockers begin this anarchic video doing a short, impromptu four-part rap in a liquor store before the action cuts to a concert in a dry river bed, which is then interwoven with footage of the band acting up in front of the camera. Like the song it’s representing, the video is taut and frenetic but is also an honest portrait of the band’s raucous, youthful energy.

49: Birdman & Lil Wayne: Leather So Soft (2006)

Directed by: Aaron Courseault

Despite the fact that we see a dreadlocked Lil’ Wayne channeling his inner guitar-toting rock star on this video, it’s replete with all the usual hip-hop iconography; designer jewelry, expensive cars, and gyrating, scantily clad women. Somewhat bizarrely, though, it includes scenes featuring child ballet dancers and a woman using sign language; images that seem at odds with the song’s sexually explicit lyrics.

48: Dr. Dre feat. Eminem: Forgot About Dre (2001)

Directed by: Philip G. Atwell

Eminem channeled his Slim Shady alter ego in Dre’s angry riposte to other rappers who had disrespected him. In an unusual twist, the final minute of the video is devoted to Dre’s protégé Hitman, who’s seen performing his song “Last Dayz.”

47: Ludacris: Get Back (2004)

Directed by: Spike Jonze

Not all pop videos have glamorous settings; take the one to Ludacris‘ “Get Back,” for example, which begins with the rapper being hustled by a wannabe (played by ex-Pharcyde member Fatlip) while relieving himself in a public urinal. The video is also noteworthy for depicting Ludacris with huge, Popeye-like forearms.

46: Mariah Carey feat. Jay-Z: Heartbreaker (1999)

Directed by: Bret Ratner

Contractual reasons prevented Jay-Z taking part in this video, which resulted in an animated sequence appearing in the section of the song where he performs his rap. Costing an eye-watering $2.5 million, “Heartbreaker,” which was mainly shot in the historic Los Angeles Theatre, remains one of the most expensive and best pop music videos of the 00s.

45: Pulp: Bad Cover Version (2002)

Directed by: Jarvis Cocker and Martin Wallace

“Spot the lookalike” is the premise of this spoof documentary-style video which parodies Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas.” It features 29 celebrity doppelgangers; from David Bowie to Missy Elliott. Although Pulp‘s Jarvis Cocker is also represented by an impersonator, he appears in the video disguised as Queen’s Brian May.

44: Soulja Boy Tell’em: Crank That (Soulja Boy) (2007)

Directed by: Dale Resteghini

Atlanta MC Soulja Boy (real name DeAndre Cortez Way) ignited a new dance craze that spread like wildfire across America with his video to an insanely catchy tune that spent seven weeks at the summit for the US pop charts. The rapper’s label boss, music mogul “Mr. Collipark” appears as himself in the video.

43: Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Eminem: Forever (2009)

Directed by: Hype Williams

Four hip-hop heavyweights assembled for this video promoting the first single from the soundtrack to basketball player LeBron James’ documentary More Than a Game. It was shot in a Miami hotel though Eminem filmed his contribution in Detroit. James appears briefly, playing online poker at the beginning of the video.

42: Damian Marley: Welcome to Jamrock (2005)

Directed by: Ras Kassa

The Jamaican Tourist Board certainly wouldn’t endorse Marley’s view of his country in the reggae singer’s hard-hitting video to his 2005 hit, which depicts what most visitors don’t see when they go there on vacation: crime, violence, poverty, and corrupt law enforcement agencies. Paradise lost? Absolutely.

41: Radiohead: Knives Out (2001)

Directed by: Michael Gondry

Anatomical and surgical imagery abound in this surreal early 2000s video, which finds singer Thom Yorke in a hospital while his partner undergoes a bizarre operation. Thankfully, the video for “Knives Out” made no reference to the song’s cannibalistic theme, but it still had a nightmarish quality that seemed to capture the disquieting tone of Radiohead’s music.

40: Fall Out Boy: Sugar We’re Goin Down (2005)

Directed by: Matt Lenski

The video for this Top 10 US hit by the quartet focuses on an angst-ridden teenager’s struggle between being himself and conforming to societal conventions. Filmed in Margaretville in the Catskill Mountains, it depicts a young man who’s born with antlers and charts his journey from self-loathing to self-acceptance.

39: Björk: Triumph of a Heart (2005)

Directed by: Spike Jonze

One of the most mind-boggling videos of the 2000s was this one by the Icelandic avant-pop queen, which shows the singer going on a drinking binge to escape her husband, who is played by a cat wearing a vest. Halfway through, there’s a raucous beat-boxing competition held in a bar before Björk reunites with her husband, now suited, who grows to human size and then dances with her. If social media had been more of a thing back then, we’re sure this would have been the source of a thousand memes.

38: Green Day: American Idiot (2004)

Directed by: Samuel Bayer

A protest song railing at what Green Day perceived as the propagandist tendencies of the mainstream US media, “American Idiot” came with a subversive video showing the Cali neo-punk trio playing on a soundstage with a green-tinted version of the American flag as a backdrop. The video mirrored both Green Day’s pent-up energy and the band’s innate rebelliousness.

37: Elton John: I Want Love (2001)

Directed by: Sam Taylor-Wood

The Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr, stars in this video, lip-syncing to Elton John‘s plaintive ballad as he strolls pensively through the luxurious Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. It was filmed in one continuous take but took sixteen attempts to get it to the director’s satisfaction.

36: Destiny’s Child: Say My Name (2000)

Directed by: Joseph Kahn

Although they didn’t sing on the record, Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin were installed as new members of Destiny’s Child in time for shooting “Say My Name’s” video. Their hasty recruitment meant they didn’t have much time to learn the video choreography but you wouldn’t guess that witnessing their assured moves in this colorful promo that remains one of the best music videos of the 00s.

35: Fountains of Wayne: Stacy’s Mom (2003)

Directed by: Chris Applebaum

The biggest US chart hit by these New York purveyors of punky power pop, “Stacy’s Mom” came with a video featuring actor/model Rachel Hunter as the titular character who fuels the sexual fantasies of an adolescent boy. Packed with hilarious vignettes, it deservedly topped both MTV and VH1’s video charts in 2003.

34: Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Y Control (2004)

Directed by: Spike Jonze

With its shocking image of children disemboweling and mutilating each other as well as playing with a dead dog, this video sparked outrage and vociferous protests in some quarters. Even so, it got played on MTV, which blurred out some of the film’s more gruesome scenes.

33: Justice: D.A.N.C.E. (2007)

Directed by: Jonas & Francois

This French electronic duo blended a Chic-inspired disco groove with children’s vocals for “D.A.N.C.E.,” whose attention-grabbing video cleverly married pop art iconography with animation. Most of the screen time is devoted to a series of images that appear in a continuous flow on the two musicians’ T-shirts. Easily one of the best music videos of the 00s.

32: Taylor Swift: You Belong With Me (2009)

Directed by: Roman White

“Be true to yourself” seems to be the leitmotif in this multi-award-winning video where Taylor Swift plays two opposing roles; a quiet, studious and sensitive person and a more brazen, shallow, and outgoing girl who’s more popular with boys. Both are adversaries in a rom-com style love war where ultimately, authenticity triumphs over posturing.

31: Red Hot Chili Peppers: Californication (2000)

Directed by: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

A rumination on how Hollywood exerts a powerful, sometimes dark, influence on people around the world, “Californication” resulted in the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ most popular video, which depicts the band as characters in a video game. To date, it has racked up over 800 million views on YouTube.

30: Daft Punk: Interstella 5555 (2003)

Directed by Leiji Matsumoto

The enigmatic French electronic duo’s second album Discovery was accompanied by this epic 65-minute dialogue-less sci-fi themed anime movie. Subtitled The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, it first appeared in four online installments before the full movie premiered on DVD.

29: Weezer: Pork and Beans (2008)

Directed by: Matthew Cullen

This was Weezer‘s response to their record company asking them to be more commercial: a defiant declaration of individuality, which produced a hilarious internet-inspired video featuring tons of cameos. It received a million views in its first week of release and in 2009 won a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.

28: Kylie Minogue: Come Into My World (2002)

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Filming the Australian pop princess walking in a circle doesn’t sound like a viable idea for a music video but when you have French director Michel Gondry behind the camera, an unremarkable concept can blossom into an inspired visual symphony. One of the best music videos of the 00s, Minogue’s walkabout took place in Paris, used 50 extras, and was filmed in one continuous take.

27: Beyonce: Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) (2008)

Directed by: Jake Nava

Many pop videos of this era bombarded the viewer with a complex array of visual images but Beyoncé went for a relatively straightforward approach on this black and white promo film, which captured her dancing against an unchanging background. It’s powerful because it gives the impression that we are witnessing a complete, uninterrupted performance by the singer, whose dancing exudes mesmerizing energy.

26: Bat for Lashes: What’s a Girl to Do (2006)

Directed by: Dougal Wilson

British singer and auteur Bat For Lashes (real name Natasha Khan) funneled the spirit of her favorite sci-fi movie Donnie Darko in this video, where she’s seen riding a bike on a road at night accompanied by several insidious animal figures. Its surreal, nightmare quality harmonizes with the song’s unearthly ambience.

25: My Chemical Romance: Helena (2005)

Directed by: Marc Webb

This New Jersey band took the intense and brooding sound of emo into the mainstream with their single “Helena,” whose macabre video depicted a funeral filmed in a Los Angeles Presbyterian church. The song was supposedly inspired by the passing of frontman Gerard Way’s grandmother, though it’s doubtful she had a send-off like the one in the video.

24: Gorillaz: Clint Eastwood (2001)

Directed by: Jamie Hewlett and Pete Candeland

Ex-Blur singer Damon Albarn’s anime-inspired virtual band paid tribute to the titular Hollywood star by referencing the “Spaghetti Western” movie The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. The song’s colorful and entertaining animated video alludes to zombie movies and includes a pastiche of Michael Jackson’s 80s classic “Thriller” brought to life by undead, giant gorillas.

23: Kanye West: Stronger (2007)

Directed by: Hype Williams

Renowned as a perfectionist, Kanye West spent three months editing this video, which took twelve days to film and depicts a futuristic, robot-dominated world. Shot using guerrilla-filmmaking techniques in both Tokyo and Los Angeles, it won eight awards and stands as one of the best music videos of the 00s.

22: The Chemical Brothers: Star Guitar (2002)

Directed by: Michael Gondry

Some songs don’t require expensive and flashy music videos to resonate with viewers, as this Chemical Brothers promo film proves, which offers a continuous shot from a train window as it speeds through rural and urban landscapes. The resulting travelogue is perfectly in sync with the Mancunian dance duo’s evocative soundscape.

21: Bon Jovi: It’s My Life (2000)

Directed by: Wayne Isham

The New Jersey rock group’s most viewed video – which has exceeded one billion views – stars actors Will Estes and Shiri Appleby as the song’s main characters Tommy and Gina. Its scenes where Tommy dodges a succession of obstacles as he runs to meet Gina was inspired by the action sequences in the 1998 German movie Run Lola Run.

20: Nelly: Dilemma (2002)

Directed by: Benny Boom

Ex-Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland is the object of Nelly‘s furtive desire in this video set in a fictional suburb called “Nellyville.” If you think the actor playing Rowland’s mother looks familiar, it’s because she’s soul music legend Patti LaBelle.

19: Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell Williams: Drop It Like It’s Hot (2004)

Directed by: Paul Hunter

The inherent simplicity of this catchy hip-hop dance groove – just a bare beat behind some dope rhymes – is echoed in the starkness of its distinctive, award-winning black and white video. Although it features all the stereotypical accouterments associated with rap videos – weed smoking, scantily clad women, flash cars, and designer jewelry – the promo exudes a certain clean-cut elegance.

18: Feist: 1234 (2007)

Directed by: Patrick Daughters

Shooting a pop video in one continuous take is a challenging task, especially if, like this one, it involves complex choreography and directing 100 dancers. After many hours of rehearsal, “1234” took over 20 takes to get right, but as the beautifully realized end product reveals, the director’s perfectionism was justified. One of the most complicated (and best) music videos of the 00s.

17: Christina Aguilera: Dirrty (2002)

Directed by: David Lachapelle

With its sweaty sequences depicting a women’s boxing match, mud wrestling, and bump ‘n’ grind dance moves, this is one of those videos that will prompt many viewers to yearn for a cold, cleansing shower. Described by one reviewer as a “post-apocalyptic orgy,” Aguilera’s video was highly controversial but that didn’t stop it topping MTV’s video chart.

16: The Strokes: Last Nite (2001)

Directed by: Roman Coppola

The New York rock band used a simple concept for one of their first music videos: Play live on a large soundstage that looked more than reminiscent of a group like The Beatles playing the Ed Sullivan Show. For a back-to-basics rock group, it was the perfect fit for their debut album.

15: Lady Gaga: Bad Romance (2009)

Directed by: Francis Lawrence

This risqué video by the queen of art pop – where she’s kidnapped, sold into slavery, and then exacts revenge – is what you’d expect from an artist who likes to take creative risks and break boundaries. Replete with outlandish costumes and stunning ensemble choreography, it confirmed GaGa as one of pop’s most provocative video makers of the 00s.

14: White Stripes: Fell In Love with a Girl (2002)

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Some music videos eschew glossy, high-tech gadgetry, unlike this one to The White Stripes’ garage rock classic, which relied entirely on hand-assembled constructions of Legos. The promo film was painstakingly pieced together using single-frame shots which were then segued to create an unforgettable moving montage, the spirit of which seemed to mirror the band’s DIY aesthetic.

13: 50 Cent: In Da Club (2003)

Directed by: Philip Atwell

Dr. Dre and Eminem pose as lab scientists in this futuristic video set at a top secret “Artist Development Center” where we first glimpse 50 Cent as a cyborg being repaired on an operating table. (A reference, perhaps, to the rapper being shot seven times in real life). The video won two MTV awards and in 2020, surpassed one billion YouTube views.

12: The Avalanches: Frontier Psychiatrist (2000)

Directed by: Tom Kuntz and Mike Maguire

For the uninitiated, seeing this video might be likened to experiencing a drug-induced hallucination, such is the surreal quality of its imagery. The video is presented as a continuous stage performance with a host of different characters voicing the song’s many sampled fragments of dialogue.

11: Rihanna feat. JAY-Z: Umbrella (2007)

Directed by: Chris Applebaum

Rihanna unsurprisingly grabbed the Video Of The Year gong at MTV’s 2007 Music Video Awards for her visually stunning promo film for “Umbrella,” which involved her body being smeared with silver paint during a sequence filmed in black and white. That USP combined with neon-style rain effects conspired to make an unforgettable pop music video.

10: Johnny Cash: Hurt (2003)

Directed by: Mark Romanek

Cash was in the twilight of his career and seven months from death when he shot the video for his haunting cover of Nine Inch Nails’ funereal ballad. Contrasting archive footage of a younger Cash with his older, frailer, self transforms the video into a poignant, requiem-like, reflection of the country legend’s life and career.

09: Erykah Badu: Honey (2007)

Directed by: Erykah Badu and Chris Robinson

Set in a record store, this ingenious video embodies Erykah Badu‘s musical eclecticism and pays tribute to her many musical influences. We follow a customer thumbing through racks of LPs from different genres – ranging from Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain to The Beatles’ Let It Be – and each one finds a moving image of Badu as part of the album artwork.

08: Britney Spears: Toxic (2004)

Directed by: Joseph Kahn

“Appearances can be deceptive” seems to be the message of this classic spy-themed video, where Spears morphs from a blonde flight attendant into a thrill-seeking redhead and finally into a raven-haired femme fatale. In between, Spears can be seen performing in a transparent, diamond-studded bodysuit, which caused controversy and prompted MTV to limit the video to nighttime viewing.

07: Missy Elliott: Work It (2002)

Directed by: Dave Meyers

Elliot’s producer Timbaland and his protégé, singer Tweet, appear in this vibrant video with elaborate choreography. It also features Cheaper By The Dozen child actor Alyson Stoner executing some breakdance moves. The rapper also pays homage to the late R&B stars Aaliyah and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, whose images adorn a car hood with the words “In Loving Memory.” Clearly one of the best music videos of the 00s.

06: Pink, Mya, Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim: Lady Marmalade (2001)

Directed by: Paul Hunter

This spirited reboot of a classic 70s LaBelle number appeared in the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s hit movie, Moulin Rouge!, and produced an eye-catching video where its lingerie-clad stars fused contemporary hip-hop sass with vintage Parisian cabaret to stunning effect. Unsurprisingly, it scooped the Best Video Of The Year prize at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.

05: Eminem: Stan (2000)

Directed by: Dr Dre and Philip Atwell

British singer Dido, whose song “Thank You” served as the sampled hook line in “Stan,” starred in the song’s cinematic video as the pregnant girlfriend of an obsessive, unstable Eminem fan whose life ends in tragedy. Aside from its standing as one of the best music videos of the 00s, the word stan has also come to become a major part of fan culture.

04: OK Go: Here It Goes Again (2006)

Directed by: Trish Sie

One of the best-choreographed scenes in a 00s music video was provided by this Windy City indie rock quartet for “Here It Goes Again,” where the band members dance both on and in between eight strategically placed treadmills. Filmed in a single continuous take, it took them seventeen attempts to perfect their routine but the final result, which won a Grammy, was undoubtedly worth the extra effort.

03: Fatboy Slim: Weapon of Choice (2001)

Directed by: Spike Jonze

The British DJ and producer didn’t appear in the video for his second music promo clip with Spike Jonze; instead, he allowed pop culture icon Christopher Walken to dance his way through the track in an empty hotel. The pièce de résistance is when the Hollywood legend levitates across the room.

02: Outkast: Hey Ya (2003)

Directed by: Brian Barber

Though it was set in London, the inspiration behind the Atlanta hip-hop duo’s multi-award-winning video for their No. 1 US smash was The Beatles’ debut appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. It finds singer André 3000 playing all eight members of a faux eight-piece band called The Love Below in front of screaming fans.

01: D’Angelo: Untitled (How Does It Feel?) (2000)

Directed by: Paul Hunter

The concept of this video was to make the viewer feel that they were having one-on-one time with a very ripped-looking D’Angelo, who appears to be naked (though we only see his upper torso) as he sings directly at the camera. The promo was successful in mirroring the intimate vibe of the neo-soul man’s song, and is still regarded as one of the best music videos of the 00s.

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No phrase in music riles up passionate fans and chart watchers alike quite like “one-hit wonder.” To most, it refers to flash-in-the-pan artists like Los Del Rio, the group behind the megahit “Macarena” who flew too close to the sun (and the top of the charts), never to be heard from again. Other instances include acts whose one hit eclipses their entire careers – like Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” – despite a few subsequent chart outings here and there.

For the purposes of this list, we’ve decided to define a one-hit wonder as a band/artist that has cracked the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 only once. This list of the greatest one-hit wonders includes both obscure artists and long-running acts with one proper hit single under their belt. And despite the term’s pejorative labeling, we can vouch for the greatness of every song on this list, which spans decades and genres.

25: Mercy: Love (Can Make You Happy) (1969)

There’s a very strange beauty about this record, whose funereal pace and spooky harmonies are out of sync with the feel-good mood of the lyric. It’s gorgeous but also quite unearthly, and it makes perfect sense that the group vanished afterward (though for a mundane reason; the leader was drafted).

24: The Church: Under the Milky Way (1989)

A gorgeous record, this one found a longtime cult band getting serious about getting a hit. Working with a pair of L.A. producers for their Starfish album, Aussie quartet The Church rolled everything appealing about their dreamy, neo-psych sound into four enticing minutes. The follow-up single “Metropolis” was only an FM hit, and they returned to cult-herodom with no regrets.

23: M: Pop Muzik (1979)

The New Wave/synth-pop era was full of exuberant one-hit wonders and “Pop Muzik” was one of the inescapable ones: It was silly, repetitive, and pretty much irresistible. For those who bought the single, the rockier B-side “M Factor” was nifty too. Later, it was revived by U2 as the opening music of the PopMart tour.

22: The Knickerbockers: Lies (1966)

“Lies” was the greatest thing the pre-psychedelic Beatles never did, a record that was understandably mistaken for the real Fabs when it hit the airwaves in 1966. We’d defy you to name a song that does more with a hook consisting of a one-syllable word and a one-note guitar lick.

21: The Floaters: Float On (1977)

This Detroit smooth-soul group worked their one moment of glory for all it was worth; the album version of “Float On” runs a full 12 minutes. And by the time the group disappeared, we all knew their names, their zodiac signs, and their favorite types of ladies.

20: Macy Gray: I Try (2000)

Downright strange that this distinctive neo-soul vocalist made a splash with her second single – which went to the Top 10, got three Grammy nominations, and won one – and never charted again. Macy Gray went on to record several critically-acclaimed follow-up albums and remains active, so there’s always time.

19: Matthews Southern Comfort: Woodstock (1970)

It’s no small feat tackling a song that already had an iconic cover version and giving it a whole new slant, but Matthews Southern Comfort’s version turns the idealism of the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s original into a wistful look back. The golden-voiced Ian Matthews thus became the first and only member of Fairport Convention ever to be the featured artist on a US hit, though drummer Dave Mattacks later played on Elton John’s “Mikita.”.

18: Sinéad O’Connor: Nothing Compares 2 U (1990)

Arguably one of the best ever Prince covers. The loving care Sinéad O’Connor poured into this ballad established her as a major vocal talent, though it gave no hint of the twists her career would take.

17: The Grateful Dead: Touch of Grey (1987)

This may be the clearest case where a bands’ importance can’t be measured in hit singles. But the fact remains that none of the iconic 60s and 70s Grateful Dead songs came anywhere near the Top 40, even though many were singles (“Truckin’” got closest at No.64). So the planets shook a little when “Touch of Grey” – a singable and meaningful Jerry Garcia song, but hardly the first or last one – went all the way to #9, increasing the pool of Deadheads in a big way.

16: Lou Bega: Mambo No. 5 (1999)

No respectable wedding, BBQ or dance party would have been without this record for at least five years after its release – which would surely have pleased Perez Prado, whose Latin band recorded the sampled original version a half-century earlier. For all the liberties it takes, the version by Bega is spiritually true to the original.

15:Patrick Hernandez: Born to Be Alive (1979)

The last days of disco came in 1979-80, and this hit (along with another one-shot hit, “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc.) was among its last moments of glory. But what a way to go out: “Born to Be Alive,” which hit all over Europe before crossing the Atlantic in late ‘79, ranks with disco’s most joyful moments. But times were changing when the French-born singer released his next single “Disco Queen,” so he never got a follow-up hit.

14: Friend & Lover: Reach Out of the Darkness (1968)

Few records caught the wide-eyed feel of flower power better than “Reach Out of the Darkness,” whose male-female tradeoffs avoided getting too precious. Never mind that the husband and wife folk duo Jim and Cathy Post split up soon afterward; the good vibes here are eternal.

13: Chumbawamba: Tubthumping (1997)

When this anarchist collective from Leeds skewered Live Aid on its first album (1986’s Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records), nobody expected they’d have a worldwide dance hit a decade later, however catchy the song was. Fans of anarchist collectives from Leeds started praying that the Mekons would be next.

12: Brewer & Shipley: One Toke Over the Line (1970)

In 1970, the hippies were into substances and spirituality, this was the only record that gave you both (though the title’s pot reference went right by AM radio’s gatekeepers). In one of pop culture’s strangest moments, it was sung by the squeaky-clean chorus on TV’s Lawrence Welk Show – a viral clip that was later seeded on social media by Brewer & Shipley themselves.

11: Unit 4 + 2: Concrete and Clay (1965)

With its lilting Caribbean-styled arrangement, acoustic lead guitar, and poetic lyrics, “Concrete and Clay” was one of the great one-shots of the British Invasion. The only bandmembers to ever chart again were the added session guys – guitarist Russ Ballard and drummer Bob Henrit – later of Argent and the Kinks.

10: Bruce Channel: Hey! Baby (1961)

It’s a song with a special place in rock history, not so much because of singer Bruce Channel but the appearance of future roots-rock mainstay Delbert McClinton. While touring this hit in the UK, McClinton was approached by a wide-eyed kid named John Lennon who wanted harmonica lessons. The result was heard on “Love Me Do,” which wasn’t a million miles away.

9: The Plimsouls: A Million Miles Away (1983)

The Plimsouls are one of the seminal peaks of power pop, up there with the best of the Raspberries and Dwight Twilley (who each managed more than one hit). But the Plimsouls came out of the punk era and were therefore spiker, with a lot of soul-influenced swagger. Not to mention the enigmatic lyrics of Peter Case, who remains one of America’s most underrated songwriters to this day.

8: Lou Reed: Walk On the Wild Side (1972)

It boggles the mind that in an iconic career that changed the course of rock’n’roll , Lou Reed only made the singles charts once, either solo or with the Velvet Underground. And he did it with a song that, lyrically speaking, had no business being a single at all: Suddenly all of middle America knew the names of the Andy Warhol elite, and they heard a couple of sexual references that not every AM radio station cut out. He attempted a follow-up with the more commercial-sounding “Sally Can’t Dance,” whose saltier lyrics were replaced for the single version. But that didn’t get higher than No.103, his second-best chart showing.

7: Norman Greenbaum: Spirit in the Sky (1969)

Gospel meets fuzztone in this late-60s artifact, actually written by a Jewish kid from Malden, Massachusetts, who got the inspiration from seeing Porter Wagoner on TV and was impressed by all the songs he had about Jesus. (Greenbaum’s non-charting follow-up single was “Canned Ham,” probably the biggest topical jump ever taken by one artist). Later “Spirit” became a one-hit wonder a second time when glam punks Doctor & the Medics covered it in 1986.

6: Plastic Bertrand: Ca Plane Pour Moi (1978)

This wonderful bit of French slang was one of the great punk novelties. Interestingly, the record was only created because the English version – “Jet Boy Jet Girl” by Elton Motello – was way too risque for airplay. The producer sang “Ca Plane Pour Moi” and the drummer, who better looked the part, was sent to lip-sync on TV. So true to his name, Plastic Bertrand didn’t actually exist.

5: The Edwin Hawkins Singers: Oh Happy Day (1968)

This jubilant record marked the first time a straight-up gospel song (as opposed to a soul homage like Stevie Wonder’s “Heaven Help Us All”) hit the Top 10 since Mahalia Jackson a few decades earlier. And if you want to split hairs, The Edwin Hawkins’ group did have another hit: They were the backup choir on Melanie’s “Lay Down” the following year.

4: Bram Tchaikovsky: Girl of My Dreams (1979)

Despite three terrific albums, the ex-Motors singer/guitarist managed only one hit with this tune, admittedly the greatest song on any of the three. With its jangly guitars and soaring harmonies, it sounds like a perfectly romantic bit of power pop even though it’s really about….well, the same thing Roxy Music’s “In Every Dream Home a Heartache” is about.

3: Frankie Ford: Sea Cruise (1959)

It boggles the mind that the singer of this New Orleans R&B classic had only one hit. Blame the label which buried a perfect follow-up, “Roberta,” on the B-side. The song was actually by the R&B band Huey Smith & the Clowns (of “Rockin’ Pneumonia” fame), but the producer wanted to have a teen-idol type sing it, so he dubbed Frankie ord’s vocal on their track.

2: The Normal: Warm Leatherette/T.V.O.D.(1979)

It’s perhaps the weirdest and most memorable synth-pop hit ever, and the only release by The Normal, the musical project by Mute Records owner Daniel Miller. Sexual perversity on the A-side, droll commentary on the flip, all set to a minimalist synth backing that’s both disturbing and danceable. No wonder it needed no follow-up. Grace Jones also reached the charts with her cover just a year later.

1: Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five: The Message (1982)

Grandmaster Flash and his cohorts made a few groundbreaking 12-inches, but this was the only one to enter the US Hot 100 (it made it to No. 65). Its importance, however, is undeniable: “The Message” was the first explicitly topical rap record, one of the first that made rock fans take notice, and one of the most influential singles of all time.

Looking for more? Discover The Weird World Of One-Hit Wonders.

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The best 90s songs reveal a simple fact: The decade was a Golden Age for many types of music. Rap and R&B dominated the charts, bringing Black American culture around the world thanks to the prevalence of MTV. Alternative music saw a number of genres proliferate outwards from it in the 90s, like indie rock and emo. Country music took a bold step into the mainstream, and became a defining music of America thanks to a plethora of new stars.

Music from around the world, too, was becoming more popular in America. Jamaican dub and reggae were prevalent in ska and punk music, and Afropop found its way into a variety of genres. Electronic music hit the mainstream with force, as both underground and mainstream acts helped define the dance culture we now see at festivals worldwide. Jazz saw an experimental renaissance after a tough decade, and Latin music started its long ascent to becoming pop music in the United States. The 1990s represented a grab bag of unimaginable wealth for music fans. Here are just a few starting places for you to explore the decade.

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Alternative/Rock

The 90s saw an influx of alternative artists shape the sound of rock music. Gone were the days of hair metal and arena rock. In its stead came artists willing and insistent on changing the rules of the game in favor of something weirder, edgier, and rule-breaking. Female stars like Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette proved that women not only had a seat at the rock table, they were sitting at the head. Elliott Smith appeared to be the second coming of Bob Dylan, infusing his folk-inspired 90s songs with tales of heartbreak and depression. Jimmy Eat World helped usher in emo music’s ascension within mainstream rock, and Pavement brought slacker cool to campuses across the country. Bands like Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers, though, continued to make sure that mainstream rock would continue to be a dominant force in the music industry into the 21st century. For more alternative music, check out our list of the 100 best alternative songs of the 90s.

4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?

Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know

Beck – Loser

Blur – Song 2

Chumbawumba – Tubthumping

Elliott Smith – Between the Bars

Fastball – The Way

Fiona Apple – Criminal

Foo Fighters – Everlong

Green Day – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

Jimmy Eat World – Lucky Denver Mint

Mazzy Star – Fade into You

Meredith Brooks – Bitch

Oasis – Wonderwall

Pavement – Cut Your Hair

PJ Harvey – Down by the Water

R.E.M. – Losing My Religion

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge

Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do

Smash Mouth – All-Star

Sublime – What I Got

Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song

The Breeders – Cannonball

The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony

Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life

Weezer – Say It Ain’t So

Country music in the 90s

If country music in the 1980s was adrift, not quite sure of what it was supposed to be, it emerged full force in the following decade as a behemoth, signaling to industry insiders everywhere that the genre was once again on the rise. It foreshadowed the explosion of country in the coming decades, as stars like Garth Brooks and George Strait released some of their best songs in the 90s and newcomers such as Tim McGraw skyrocketed to the top of the charts. Women continued to innovate, too, as acts like The Dixie Chicks and solo stars such as Lucinda Williams and Shania Twain began chiseling the genre in their image.

Alan Jackson – Chattahoochee

Brooks & Dunn – Boot Scootin’ Boogie

Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine

Dixie Chicks – Wide Open Spaces

Dwight Yoakam – Fast as You

Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball

Faith Hill – This Kiss

Garth Brooks – The Dance

George Strait – Blue Clear Sky

LeAnn Rimes – How Do I Live

Lucinda Williams – Drunken Angel

Martina McBride – Independence Day

Reba McEntire – Fancy

Shania Twain – You’re Still the One

Tim McGraw – I Like It, I Love It

Travis Tritt – Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)

Electronic

A number of electronic and electronic-leaning acts changed the course of music in the 90s. Aphex Twin brought a unique perspective that captivated hip audiences previously hesitant to listen to “electronic music.” Plenty of other acts broke through to the mainstream thanks to their pop and rock-leaning styles as well. Moby blended lush, catchy samples with hazy downtempo electronics, and Nine Inch Nails found a middle ground between electronic and acoustic instruments. Stereolab combined French pop with Krautrock to create one of the most unique sounds of the decade, and Portishead used the aesthetics of hip-hop to help introduce trip-hop. Unlike many of the genres in this list, these are songs that could have only been made in the 90s.

Air feat. Beth Hirsch – All I Need

Aphex Twin – Windowlicker

Autechre – Slip

Bjork – Joga

Boards of Canada – Roygbiv

C&C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat

Daft Punk – Around the World

DJ Shadow – Midnight in a Perfect World

Goldie – Timeless

Le Tigre – Deceptacon

Massive Attack – Teardrop

Moby – Porcelain

Nine Inch Nails – Closer

Orbital – Halcyon On + On

Photek – The Hidden Camera

Portishead – Glory Box

Stereolab – French Disko

The Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy Hey Girl

The Chemical Brothers – Block Rockin’ Beats

The Orb – Little Fluffy Clouds

The Prodigy – Firestarter

Underworld – Born Slippy (Nuxx)

Grunge

The rock kids sat in one corner, the alternative in another, and the grunge kids all alone, conjuring ways to highlight the best of both worlds without sacrificing a modicum of originality or artistic license. Grunge was born in Seattle, and bands from the city like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden brought the heavy guitars prevalent in rock music but blended them with breathtaking vocal performances and a whole lot of flannel. These songs became 90s phenomenons. And the style traveled across the globe, too: Though Radiohead were by no means a grunge band, songs like “Creep” helped popularize the genre in the UK.

Garbage – Stupid Girl

Hole – Doll Parts

Marcy Playground – Sex and Candy

Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit

Pearl Jam – Alive

Radiohead – Creep

Semisonic – Closing Time

Smashing Pumpkins – 1979

Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun

The Cranberries – Linger

The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979

Hip-Hop/Rap

The 90s were the Golden Age of hip-hop music for many, and it’s easy to see why. Many of the greatest rap albums in the history of the genre, and many of the best albums, period, of all time, were created during that decade. The list of artists who dropped all-time albums during the 90s is pretty staggering, and it wasn’t limited to a particular coast, either. 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre were changing the sound of the West Coast, while a little duo called OutKast were proving that the South had something to say. But the East Coast, particularly New York, was the Mecca of rap in the 90s, headlined by stars like Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Gang Starr, Wu-Tang Clan, and more. For more hip-hop, check out our list of the 100 best hip-hop songs of the 90s.

2Pac – California Love

A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario

Beastie Boys – Sabotage

Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg – Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang

Gang Starr – Full Clip

GZA – Shadowboxin’

Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)

Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – Good Vibrations

Missy Elliott – The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)

Mobb Deep – Shook Ones, Pt II

Nas – N.Y. State of Mind

Neneh Cherry – Woman

Notorious B.I.G, Puff Daddy, and Mase – Mo Money Mo Problems

Outkast – Rosa Parks

Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex

Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back

Snoop Doggy Dogg – Gin & Juice

US3 – Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)

Warren G – Regulate

Will Smith – Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It

Wu-Tang Clan – C.R.E.A.M.

Jazz

Jazz music in the 90s was…weird. The classic heyday of the genre was long gone, and that era was far enough removed from the last traces of jazz’s peak for any nostalgia to remain. But a crop of innovative players helped revive the scene, and pave the way for 21st-century stars like Robert Glasper and Kamasi Washington. John Zorn was an avant-garde mastermind, Matthew Shipp was a fresh-faced innovator, and artists like Henry Threadgill began their ascent to the top of jazz’s peak.

Brad Mehldau – Exit Music

Cassandra Wilson – Harvest Moon

Charlie Haden & Hank Jones – It’s Me, O Lord (Standin’ In The Need Of Prayer)

Diana Krall – Peel Me A Grape

Dianne Reeves – Better Days

Don Byron – Tuskegee Strutter’s Ball

Henry Threadgill – Try Some Ammonia

John Scofield / Pat Metheny – The Red One

John Zorn – Lonely Woman

Joshua Redman Quartet – Chill

Kurt Elling – Nature Boy

Matthew Shipp – The C Jam Blues

Medeski, Martin, and Wood – Sugar Craft

Mose Allison – Blues

Shirley Horne – Here’s To Life

Stan Getz and Kenny Barron – Soul Eyes

Latin music in the 90s

Latin music in the 1990s was highlighted by an American mainstream acceptance of (some) Spanish language music in mainstream pop radio. Shakira, Ricky Martin, and Jennifer Lopez became stars thanks to their authentic and passionate representations of Latin music’s rich history. They helped interpolate the rich history of the genre with pop music, moving their way to the top of the charts as a result. But America wasn’t the entire story regarding Latin music’s ascent. Cidinho & Doca helped showcase a burgeoning Brazilian rap scene, while Spanish pop duo Los Del Rio dominated parties across the world with their hit “Macarena.”

C+C Music Factory – Robi-Rob’s Boriqua Anthem

Cafe Tacvba – La Ingrata

Cidinho & Doca – Rap das Armas

Control Machete – ¿Comprendes Mendes?

Elvis Crespo – Suavemente

Enrique Iglesias – Bailamos

Ivy Queen – Muchos Quieren Tumbarme

Jennifer Lopez – Waiting For Tonight

La Atrevida/Rude Girl – Aventura y Romance

La Ley – El Duelo

Los Del Rio – Macarena

Marc Anthony – I Need to Know

OV7 – Te Quiero Tanto Tanto

Ricky Martin – Livin’ La Vida Loca

Selena – Amor Prohibido

Shakira – Antologia

Thalia – Mujer Latina

Metal/Hard Rock

As rock was veering down a number of different paths in the 90s, metal and hard rock music continued to evolve to incorporate genres like hip-hop into heavier leaning rock. Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Rage Against the Machine walked this line effortlessly. Old friends like Ozzy Osbourne continued to build on his illustrious career, and hardcore acts such as Dillinger Escape Plan proved that there was room for something even more challenging.

Death – Voice of the Soul

Deftones – My Own Summer (Shove It)

Dillinger Escape Plan – 43% Burnt

Guns N’ Roses – November Rain

Korn – Freak on a Leash

Limp Bizkit – Break Stuff

Megadeth – Symphony of Destruction

Metallica – Enter Sandman

Ozzy Osbourne – Mama, I’m Coming Home

Pantera – Walk

Rage Against The Machine – Killing in the Name

Rammstein – Du Hast

Sepultura – Roots Bloody Roots

Slayer – Seasons in the Abyss

System of a Down – Sugar

Tool – Sober

White Zombie – More Human Than Human

Music from (and inspired by) Jamaica

As reggae continued to grow in the United States in the 1990s, different iterations of music from Jamaica made its way stateside as well. Dub and dancehall became celebrated subgenres, and the first hints of reggaeton began to appear as well. Mr. Vegas promoted his style of dancehall music as Filthy Riddim, and Cutty Ranks equated his pre-music career as a butcher to chopping up his enemies lyrically. And one of the best songs of the 90s, full stop, emerged with Chaka Demus & Pliers’ anthem, “Murder She Wrote.” Elsewhere in the scene, Beres Hammond infused his style of reggae with the feel of romantic ballads.

Beenie Man – Who Am I

Beres Hammond – Tempted to Touch

Bounty Killer feat. Barrington Levy – Living Dangerously

Buju Banton – Champion

Chaka Demus & Pliers – Murder She Wrote

Cutty Ranks – Limb by Limb

Dawn Penn – You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)

Ini Kamoze – Here Comes The Hotstepper

Lady Saw – Hardcore

Mr. Vegas – Heads High

Nadine Sutherland & Terror Fabulous – Action

Shabba Ranks – Ting-A-Ling

Super Cat – Ghetto Red Hot

Songs from (and inspired by) Africa

African music continued to become a power player in the worldwide ecosystem in the 1990s, with superstars like Ali Farka Toure working with legendary American polymath Ry Cooder. Angelique Kidjo, meanwhile, became a sensation in her home country in Benin and around the world thanks to her thrilling blend of Afropop with R&B and soul music. Elsewhere, Baaba Maal brought Senegalese folk music to a wide, adoring audience.

Ali Farka Toure feat. Ry Cooder – Ai Du

Angelique Kidjo – Agolo

Baaba Maal – African Woman

Cesaria Evora – Sodade

Khaled – Didi

Papa Wemba – Yolele

Rachid Taha – Ya Rayah

Salif Keita – Africa

The Master Musicians Of Jajouka – Gabahay

Toumani Diabate & Ballake Sissoko – Bi Lambam

Youssou N’Dour feat. Neneh Cherry – 7 Seconds

Songs from Japan

While music from Japan was growing in influence in the 1980s, it took a massive leap forward in the 1990s as artist such as Cornelius began finding audiences outside of the country. FISHMANS brought an incredible blend of Japanese pop music with Jamaican-inspired dub, while ORIGINAL LOVE helped establish J-pop as a force to be reckoned with.

Bonnie Pink – It’s Gonna Rain

Cherry – Spitz

Cornelius – Mic Check

FISHMANS – Long Season

Hide with Spread Beaver – Pink Spider

Hikaru Utada – Automatic

Hikaru Utada – First Love

LUNA SEA – ROSIER

Maki Imai – PRIDE

Matsuko Mawatari – Hohoemi no Bakudan

ORIGINAL LOVE – Seppun

Ozawa Kenji feat. Schadaraparr – Konya Wa Boogie Back (nice vocal)

Pizzicato Five – Sweet Soul Revue

Sheena Ringo – Marunouchi Sadistic

Shonen Knife – Top of the World

Yoko Takahashi – A Cruel Angel’s Thesis

Pop music in the 90s

Though genres like indie rock and grunge became mainstays during the 1990s, the behemoth that is pop music still dominated the charts and the cultural zeitgeist during the decade. Britney Spears was arguably the biggest star on the planet when she first emerged, and Spice Girls were doing something similar across the pond. Madonna was still churning out hit after hit, and inspiring a new generation of stars such as Christina Aguilera. Celine Dion turned a soundtrack cut from Titanic into one of the biggest songs in the history of film music, and Backstreet Boys dominated the boy band circuit, helping to pave the way for groups like One Direction and BTS.

Aqua – Barbie Girl

Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way

Britney Spears – Hit Me Baby One More Time

Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On

Christina Aguilera – Genie in a Bottle

Hanson – MMMBop

Hootie & The Blowfish – Hold My Hand

Jennifer Paige – Crush

LEN – Steal My Sunshine

Madonna – Vogue

Sinead O’Conner – Nothing Compares 2 U

Spice Girls – Wannabe

The Cardigans – Lovefool

Punk/Hardcore/Ska

The triumvirate of punk, hardcore, and ska helped to provide an alternative to mainstream rock and metal during the 1990s. Blink-182 masterfully blended pop hooks with playful, sneering lyrics and fast punk grooves, while Sublime married their obsessions with punk and Jamaican music. Swedish hardcore band Refused helped shape the future of punk, blending hardcore rhythms with unforgettable melodies. No Doubt proved that punk could still have pop sensibilities, and NOFX merged the parallel paths of punk music and skate culture.

Bad Religion – American Jesus

Blink 182 – What’s My Age Again?

Goldfinger – Superman

Jawbreaker – Accident Prone

No Doubt – Just a Girl

NOFX – Linoleum

Rancid – Time Bomb

Reel Big Fish – Sell Out

Refused – New Noise

Snapcase – Caboose

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Impression That I Get

The Offspring – The Kids Aren’t Alright

R&B music in the 90s

Just like its hip-hop sibling genre, R&B had a bounty of great songs during the 90s. The list of superstars emerging in the R&B lane are too many to name, but Aaliyah, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige blended pop ballads with lush, R&B-inspired instrumentals, bringing a groundbreaking style to the genre. TLC mashed up lush vocals with stellar bars, giving R&B a rap edge it had previously lacked. Blackstreet helped revive New Jack Swing late in the decade, while D’Angelo was among those pioneering neo-soul along with many others.

Aaliyah – Are You That Somebody

Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

Blackstreet – No Diggity

Bobby Brown – Don’t Be Cruel

Boyz II Men – End of the Road

Brandy and Monica – The Boy Is Mine

Brandy – I Wanna Be Down

D’Angelo – Brown Sugar

En Vogue – My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)

Erykah Badu – On & On

Faith Evans – Soon As I Get Home

Ginuwine – Pony

Guy – Groove Me

Janet Jackson – That’s The Way Love Goes

Jodeci – Freek’n You

Johnny Kemp – Just Got Paid

Keith Sweat – I Want Her

Mariah Carey – One Sweet Day

Mary J. Blige – Real Love

New Edition – If It Isn’t Love

Seal – Kiss From a Rose

TLC – Waterfalls

TLC – No Scrubs

Toni Braxton – Un-Break My Heart

Tony! Toni! Tone! – Feels Good

Usher – You Make Me Wanna

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Before songs were concocted by committee, with an algorithmic hive mind to produce the perfect beat, melody, and lyrics, they were written by songwriters. You may know every lyric to your favorite songs, but do you know who wrote them? From those who toiled behind the scenes to those who were performers themselves but never made the marquee, here are just a few of the secret songwriters responsible for some of the greatest hits.

Allee Willis

The ultimate multi-hyphenate, Willis is a songwriter, music video director, internet maverick, documentarian, columnist, Broadway lyricist, and artist. She’s penned hits for everyone from the Pointer Sisters “Neutron Dance” to Pet Shop Boys “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” to Patti LaBelle’s “Time Will Tell” and countless others.

Wills is also responsible for getting grannies on the dance floor of any wedding, by helping to write “September” for Earth, Wind, and Fire. She went on to co-write six songs on the group’s double-platinum 1979 album, I Am, including the chart-topping hit “In the Stone.” The experience greatly shaped her songwriting as she told NPR, “I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him, which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.”

The Grammy-winning and prolific songwriter was also responsible for the Top 10 hits for Ray Charles, Sister Sledge, Cyndi Lauper, Nona Hendryx, Taylor Dayne, and Toni Basil. She passed away on December 24, 2019, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2018.

Like many secret songwriters, Willis honed her craft as a performer first, having signed at Columbia when she was a junior copywriter there. But realizing that performing was not her forte, she was eventually dropped from the label and ended up meeting Bonnie Raitt during a chance recording session, leading her to write her first cover “Got You On My Mind.”

Having grown up on a steady diet of Motown, the Detroit native must have soaked up some of that hit-making magic while sitting outside the studio every weekend. With just one statue shy of an EGOT, Willis also found success on the stage, co-writing all the songs (with Brenda Russell & Stephen Bray) for the hit Broadway musical, The Color Purple. Willis stays busy, writing pop hits for Justin Timberlake and earning a nomination for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Jules Shear

Familiar to singers, musicians, and fans of classic MTV, Jules Shear’s name is still a relatively secret songwriter in the grand scheme of things. Modest as he may be, how many songwriters are enterprising enough to create their own TV show to plug their own album? In an effort to promote his acoustic record, Third Party, Jules came up with MTV Unplugged as a showcase for big-name artists to talk about their own songwriting process and play stripped-down versions of their music.

Shear had a long career of performing but he’s best remembered for his Top 40 hits in the 80s. Two of the singles off his 1983 album Watch Dog, became huge hits thanks to other singers including Cyndi Lauper’s “All Through the Night” and Alison Moyet’s “Whispering Your Name,” which charted in 1994. His sophomore album produced another pop cover, when The Bangles covered “If She Knew What She Wants.”

Before he was unknowingly creating power pop for the greatest ladies of the 80s, Shear and his band the Funky Kings were being groomed as the next Eagles. He later ended up in the cult-favorite band, Jules & the Polar Bears, before moving into an on-again off-again recording career totaling upwards up 20 albums and collaborating with an impressive line-up of artists including Jimmy Webb, Rick Danko of The Band, Matthew Sweet, Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and his former flame, Aimee Mann.

Cindy Walker

Country music’s most famous tunesmith Harlan Howard called Cindy Walker “the greatest country songwriter he’s ever heard.” Ascribing to Howard’s “three chords and the truth” school of songwriting, Walker penned classics such as “Not That I Care,” “In the Misty Moonlight,” “It’s All Your Fault,” and the star-making hit “You Don’t Know Me.”

Whatever magic dust Cindy sprinkled on the song must have worked, it’s been recorded and immortalized by everyone who’s covered it including Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, and Willie Nelson. Matching complex emotions with conversational lyrics, Walker could tackle any style of song, from torch ballads to western and waltz.

Walker didn’t put the creative process on a pedestal but instead maintained a workmanlike approach to songwriting. While she scored a Top 10 hit as a performing artist with “When Your Blue Moon Turns to Gold” in 1944, she settled into full-time songwriting and spent the next decade producing top hits at a rapid clip including “China Doll” for the Ames Brothers, Jim Reeves “Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me,” Roy Orbison’s “Dream Baby,” Gene Autry’s “Blue Canadian Rockies” and many more.

By the mid-70s, she had won over 20 BMI Awards and was later inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997. She’s been covered by the likes of Glen Campbell, Riders in the Sky, Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs, and in 2006, Willie Nelson released You Don’t Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker, a collection of her best work.

Narada Michael Walden

Behind every great diva there’s Narada Michael Walden. Aretha, Whitney, Diana, Mariah; he wrote for them all and produced some of the biggest hits of the 80s. As one of the most in-demand songwriters of the decade, Walden helped these iconic voices at varying stages of their career.

At the same time he was producing Aretha Franklin’s 1985 comeback album, 1985 Who’s Zoomin’ Who? and co-writing “Freeway of Love” he helped make Whitney Houston a household name, producing her first two multi-platinum recordings, Whitney Houston and Whitney and writing the revised version of “How Will I Know” that was initially slated for Janet Jackson. Narada would go on to work with Whitney over the course of her career, producing the Bodyguard soundtrack and chronicling his time with the immortal singer in his book.

While Narada may be better known as a Grammy-winning producer with the Midas touch, he’s also a talented drummer, singer, and less notably one of the more prolific secret songwriters. The former session drummer even toured with Jeff Beck, Tommy Bolin, and Weather Report before he started drafting hitmakers like Mariah Carey’s “Heartbreaker,” “Take Me Higher” for Diana Ross and Tevin Campbell’s “Tell Me What You Want Me to Do.”

Larry Stock

You’re nobody ᾽til somebody knows your name, or in Larry Stock’s case, help write a song for the Rat Pack. Technically not for the pack per se, but later adopted as one of its own, Stock (along with Russ Morgan and James Cavanaugh) helped write, “You’re Nobody till Somebody Loves You” and a nightclub favorite was born. The song was first recorded by Morgan in 1944 and has been covered by numerous artists, but none like Dean Martin. Fellow members of the pack, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. also put their own spin on the song, as did other artists ranging from Connie Francis to the Supremes.

With a songwriting career that spanned nearly 50 years, he wrote many classics that transcended trends, as artists continuously reinterpreted his songs to suit each generation. Several of his songs were recorded by Perry Como as well as by Nat King Cole, including “Did You Ever Get That Feeling in the Moonlight” and “You Won’t Be Satisfied Until You’ve Broken My Heart” but it’s perhaps the Fats Domino song “Blueberry Hill” that best speaks to his secret songwriter legacy.

Looking for more? Discover the history of musicians-turned-film-composers.

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Coco Jones is the latest musician to stop by NPR’s Tiny Desk for a performance at the radio network’s Washington D.C. office. The R&B star wore a shimmering silver dress to perform songs from her Grammy-nominated full-length debut, 2025’s Why Not More?

Jones began the set with the Why Not More? track “You” before turning the clock back to 2022 with “Double Back,” off her EP What I Didn’t Tell You. Next came the more recent song “On Sight.”

“Thank you guys, thank ya’ll so much. I’m just loving hearing all of my music with this band. I don’t know if y’all feeling it like me. I’m feeling it though,” she said to cheers from the Tiny Desk audience. “And I hope you get to see some of the musical influences. I’m inspired by the genres R&B, traditional, modern, you know, country, I’m from Nashville, gospel, praise God. And a little pop.” She then performed “Taste,” which features a sample of Britney Spears’ pop classic “Toxic.”

Jones welcomed The String Queens trio for a performance of “Here We Go (Uh Oh),” which was nominated for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song at the 2025 Grammys Awards. The trio stuck around for the concert’s closing song, “ICU,” Jones’ 2022 breakout single. The ballad entered the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best R&B Performance at Grammys in 2024.

Coco Jones will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is considered the Black national anthem, at Super Bowl LX. The game is set to take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday, February 8, 2026. As previously announced, Bad Bunny will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show.

The singer also starred in Peacock’s Bel-Air, which just wrapped up its fourth and final season.

Buy Coco Jones’ Why Not More? on vinyl and CD here.

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Ari Lennox has shared a new song to welcome 2026. Produced by Tommy “TBHits” Brown and Leather Jacket, “Twin Flame” is a sultry R&B ode to shared passion. “Ooh, you got me out here actin’ different,” Lennox croons. “Twin Flame” is out now via Interscope Records.

“Twin Flame” will appear on Lennox’s anticipated third studio album, Vacancy, which arrives on January 23, 2026 and is available for pre-order now.

Several singles have already been released from the album, including “Under The Moon,” “Vacancy,” and “Soft Girl Era.”

The title track reunited Lennox with hitmakers Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, the same powerhouse duo behind her Billboard-charting, RIAA platinum-certified hit “Pressure.” “Baby, I want you to fill this vacancy. Come through. I want you to move in this space with me tonight,” she sings on the hook of “Vacancy.”

Vacancy is Lennox’s followup to 2022’s age/sex/location. She made her full-length debut in 2019 with Shea Butter Baby, which featured collaborations with JID and J. Cole. Both albums were critically acclaimed, with Shea Butter Baby having been certified gold in the United States.

Lennox was recently a special guest during Robert Glasper’s Blue Note concert in Los Angeles, following a standout set at One Music Fest in Atlanta where she performed “Vacancy” alongside older fan favorites. Later, she returned to the stage with fellow R&B powerhouse Jazmine Sullivan for a rendition of their beloved 2021 collaboration “On It.” In November, she performed at the 80th EBONY Power 100 Gala, joining the historic celebration of Black excellence.

In 2024, Lennox released the single “Smoke,” which resulted in her sixth top 20 hit on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. That same year, she collaborated with Camper on “War” alongside Jeremih, Foggieraw’s “Stay Awhile,” and Jessie Reyez’s “JUST LIKE THAT.”

Buy Ari Lennox’s Vacancy on vinyl here.

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