Top 10 Most Rewatched 2000s Music Videos

Enrique Iglesias dropped his track “Hero” just eight days before the tragic events of 9/11. But given the lyrics, it was one of the songs New York DJs ended up remixing with sounds from ground zero and it became a sort of anthem to the heroes of that tragic day. The song would go on to sell over 8 million copies and Iglesias would star in a music video as a criminal on the run with Jennifer Love Hewitt, all the while being pursued by Mickey Rourke. The power of the song and the star power of the video make this one worth coming back to.

When it comes to music videos from the first half of the 2000s Britney Spears has some of the most iconic images of the time. And while the red latex one-piece from “Oops!... I Did It Again” might be the outfit with which she is most identified, the video for “Toxic” is the one we still come back to more than any other. Not only did the song stand out as a departure from Spears’ typical sound, the video also stood out for its exciting visuals and earned Spears four VMA nominations, including Video of the Year. We also can’t forget her rhinestone nude bodysuit, which most definitely gives the red latex one-piece a run for its money.

The video sees Andre 3000 playing every member of the band The Love Below on a British variety show, in this fun play on the Beatles first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” back in 1964. The video was a huge hit, taking home Video of the Year honors at the MTV Video Music Awards. And the song itself is often remembered as one of the best of the decade. We also have to give Outkast and the video props for introducing a whole new generation to the concept of polaroid photography. In fact, the refrain of “shake it like a Polaroid picture” actually gave the Polaroid company a noticeable boost at the time.

Sometimes less is more and that’s definitely the case with this classic James Blunt video from 2005. Less action and, for Blunt by the end of the song, less clothes. In the video Blunt slowly strips down till he’s only wearing his pants - at which time he turns, runs and jumps off the cliff into the water below. Blunt wrote the song after seeing his ex with a new guy. She and him made eye contact for a moment, but didn’t say anything. The haunting and painful lyrics match the vast emptiness of the video’s setting. And the image of Blunt sitting, half naked, in the cold is one fans still haven’t forgotten.

Although it was in 2006 when Shakira officially told us that her hips didn’t lie, after 2001’s “Whenever, Wherever” we already believed everything she and her amazing hips were telling us. The video placed Shakira and those truth-telling hips in a number of different settings, from the ocean to the desert to a snowy mountain top. And she sang and danced her way into our hearts and minds in each and every location. The song was Shakira’s big break in the States and the video just accentuated that stardon that would continue for the rest of the decade.

Alicia Keys burst onto the scene in 2001 with her album “Songs in A Minor” and its first single, “Fallin.” She went on to drop a total of four albums that decade, with a whole bunch of singles and a number of great music videos. One of these was “No One,” a beautiful love song that became the 6th biggest hit of the 2000s and a video that showcases Keys’ stunning beauty, amazing voice and powerful charisma. To paraphrase the uber-talented Ms. Keys, ‘no one can get in the way of what we feel’ when we watch this video.

Amy Winehouse only released two albums before her sad and untimely death. But there’s no doubting the mark she left on the music of the 2000s. She was already a star by the time her second album, “Back to Black,” came out in 2006 and it only raised her star even farther into the musical sky. The album won her a Grammy and has been called one of the major influences for the growth of the British Soul music scene of the aughts. Following her death in 2011, fans everywhere flocked back to the record and the title track, with its dark themes of love lost, sadness and depression. As of this writing the video has over one billion views on YouTube.

There are no doubt many people rewatching Miley Cyrus’ Teen Choice Awards pole-dance “Party in the U.S.A.” performance. But with over 980 million views on YouTube, there are obviously a whole lot of folks still grooving to the official “Party in the U.S.A.” music video - and it ain’t just the Barden Bellas. Co-written by Jessie J, the British pop star decided not to record it and it eventually made its way to Cyrus who personalized it and turned it into a Diamond certified mega hit in 2009. Throw in an ode to “Grease” and we’re still going back to this music video every chance we get.

Everything about this video has become an iconic part of the pop culture of the 21st Century.
The expression “put a ring on it” has entered our popular lexicon and the ‘Single Ladies’ dance became a phenomenon worthy of “Saturday Night Live” parodies and Rugby pre-game fun. It’s just three women dancing, but the beautiful spell Beyoncé and her co-stars put on us makes this forever rewatchable. Not to mention the fact that the track won Song of the Year at the Grammys and took home Video of the Year honors from MTV.

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

“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” (2006), Panic! at the Disco
It Would Be a Tragedy If We Couldn’t Rewatch This Video

“One More Time” (2000), Daft Punk
We Always Want to Watch This One One More Time

“Seven Nation Army” (2003), The White Stripes
A Cavalcade of Triangles & That Unforgettable Guitar Riff

“Stan” (2000), Eminem
A Full Visual Representation of One of Eminem’s Best Tracks

“Get Ur Freak On” (2001) Missy Elliott
Energetic, Original, & Influential, It’s a Great Video for a Great Song

Lady Gaga as a performer and creator is endlessly rewatchable. Her beats are catchy, her lyrics are relatable and her music videos are often highly original and visually daring. “Bad Romance” is no exception. The premise of the video is Gaga being drugged and abducted by supermodels who sell her to the Russian mafia. But the story here is secondary to the feast-for-the-eyes that is the video. Bathhouse pods, floating diamonds, latex outfits inspired by “Where the Wild Things Are” and a flame-throwing bra! We love to hear the song, almost as much as we love watching the video.

What’s your go-to video of the 2000s? Let us know in the comments.