Top 10 2000s Songs That Defined Our Childhood

The 2000s were a marvelous decade for boy bands, and NSYNC helped our childhood selves greet the millennium in style with “Bye Bye Bye.” The scorching break-up track is engrossing, to put it mildly. Our little hearts melted listening to the group members’ perfectly synced vocals and watching them dance. But can you blame us? Their sounds blend together so well, and their moves are nothing short of stellar — that farewell hand gesture alone is priceless. The chorus immediately hooked us back then, and we’re not ashamed to say we’re still under its spell! We can’t imagine ever saying bye bye bye to this pop banger, one of the most iconic of its kind.

There are some experiences that 2000s kids shared. One of those was religiously watching Disney Channel shows and their spin-off films. If, like us, you grew up during the “Hannah Montana” years, then we’re betting this song from its movie’s soundtrack was quite formative for you. The message of perseverance, paired with the moving instrumentation immediately drew people in and made it a fan-favorite. You can bet we were belting each word as if our lives depended on it. Through the comforting ballad, Miley Cyrus reminded us to embrace life’s messy journey. And when it plays now, it’s like no time has passed. There’s a reason the singer still performs it from time to time — it’s that amazing!

The Jonas Brothers had no shortage of bangers that shaped our mix CDs in the aughts. Of course, they made us want to go to the “Year 3000.” And we were ready to answer their “S.O.S” signal! But no Jo Bros tune marked us quite like “Burnin’ Up.” It has everything you could want in a power pop anthem: gusto and conviction, but also romance, passion, and intrigue. And that’s saying nothing of the brothers’ magnetic delivery, which superbly complements the strong beat. All these years later, we can’t help but smile whenever we get to Nick Jonas’ “red dress” moment! We’ll be burnin’ up for this nostalgic bop until at least the year 3000, thank you very much!

They say you only get one chance to make a first impression. Well, JoJo didn’t waste her shot, arriving on the scene with “Leave (Get Out)”, a debut single for the ages. We were eating the track UP, fixating on every self-assured lyric, grooving to the poppy R&B sound, and feeling bold and independent thanks to her convincing performance. Were many of us still too young to really relate to what she was singing about? Sure, but that didn’t stop us from making the ballad one of the anthems of our youth! Hey, it didn’t hit number one on Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 chart by accident. The fact that JoJo was merely thirteen years old at the time makes the whole thing extra impressive.

We never meant to brag, but we also couldn’t stop singing along to Paramore’s emo, alt-rock masterpiece in 2007. It just felt so good! The song is filled with exactly the right amount of grit, vigor, intensity, and opportunities to headbang. The raw emotion in Hayley Williams’ voice also comes across the whole way through, and it’s infectious. Now look, we won’t shy away from the fact that there are some problematic lyrics in there. But that doesn’t change the fact that “Misery Business” defined a generation! We’d guess the band members had us right where they wanted with this one, because there’s nothing miserable about the business of listening to it.

Remember when Hilary Duff invented precipitation? Okay, she obviously didn’t actually, but “Come Clean” and its music video are so iconic that she may as well have! A quintessential pop record expertly infused with rock and techno elements, it uses rainfall as a metaphor for telling the truth and opening up to your partner. Now be honest – did you stare out the window during every storm with a pensive look on your face back then, pretending to be Duff as you played the tune? We know we did! Of course, it’s not the only gem the star gave us throughout the decade. “So Yesterday” was anything but outdated. “Fly,” meanwhile, had us ready to spread our wings. We’re coming clean, we love Hilary Duff!

Picture it: it’s 2002, and you’re introduced to this new release by a woman named Vanessa Carlton. Suddenly, those opening notes play and change your life forever. We remember it well. The sweet, soft love song is wonderfully expressive, and Carlton gives it her all. And don’t even get us started on the production’s orchestral element – it takes the already spectacular ballad to new, mesmerizing heights. It wasn’t long before our young selves were regularly crooning about making our way downtown and walking a thousand miles. Now, whenever we want to feel like kids again, we simply play this track! The piano riff immediately takes us back. We may not have the ability to time travel, but this is the next best thing.

Life can be hard – and we start facing our first challenges when we’re growing up. Thankfully though, we had Destiny’s Child reminding us to get up and fight back in the face of adversity with “Survivor.” It’s a message that served us in the aughts, and it’s continued to serve us since. Plus, the fierce melody is unbeatable, and the final result is a hit that’s been making us feel strong and empowered since 2001. The hugely successful single was awarded the Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, and deservedly so. With it, Destiny’s Child cemented their place in girl group history – and in the histories of our childhoods.

Taylor Swift has provided much of the soundtrack of our lives. We remember hearing “Teardrops on My Guitar” and being awe-struck. She then outdid herself with “Love Story” a few years later. Putting a happier twist on the devastating tale of “Romeo and Juliet,” it’s all about two people who end up together against all odds. At the time, many of us were children, and hadn’t fallen in love. But we were familiar with the story of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers – even though we hadn’t necessarily read the play yet! So we got to immerse ourselves in this sweeping, hopeful, and completely entrancing ballad, fantasizing about a grand romance. And yes, the magnetic re-recording had us in our feelings like it was 2008 again!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

"Bring Me to Life" (2003), Evanescence
An Angsty Anthem That Gives Us Life

"Sugar, We're Goin Down" (2005), Fall Out Boy
Who Wasn’t Rocking Out to This?

"Complicated" (2002), Avril Lavigne
It’s Simple Really, the Song Is Timeless

"Dirty Little Secret" (2005), the All-American Rejects
There’s Nothing Secret About How Iconic This Emo Banger Is

"Hips Don't Lie" (2005), Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean
We’re Still Grooving to the Sound of Shakira’s Voice

Britney Spears has more than one signature song, but “Oops” is undoubtedly one of her best works, and it had a huge impact on us back in 2000. We may have been young, but even then, we knew that the dance-pop single was special. The energy is off-the-charts, Spears’ dazzling vocals never fail to charm us, and the “Titanic”-inspired bridge is epic. Beyond that, each second of the tune is more exciting than the last, with the lyrics and melody working together in exquisite harmony. We’re not lying when we say it helped foster our love of music! Add in the video’s choreography, and you have a winner. Spears definitely played with our hearts with this release, but we’re not complaining.