Top 20 Music Moments of the Century (So Far)

It’s hard to imagine a time before Apple’s world domination. In 2001, even Mac holdouts took notice when Steve Jobs announced the company’s answer to digital music distribution. As file-sharing giant Napster went to court, iTunes provided the legal and mega corporate counterpoint. Some thought they were crazy, but people came around once the iPod came out later that year. With iTunes and iPod, Apple achieved a virtual monopoly on the next phase of music consumerism. After five years, iTunes reached one billion downloads worldwide. Signaling a new generation of music consumption, Apple set the world ablaze with this game-changing service.

In 1980, Led Zeppelin parted ways after the tragic death of their drummer John Bonham. Each member went their separate ways to work on solo projects and other collaborations. Decades went by with few thinking that the band would ever reunite. Over a quarter-century later, the hopes and dreams of every Zeppelin fan came true. The band reunited at London’s O2 Arena for a tribute to music executive Ahmet Ertegun. Not only that, Bonham’s son Jason joined them on drums. While it was a one-off performance, it proved that impossible is possible through the power of music.

In the early 2000s, Amy Winehouse arrived on the scene with a fresh take on pop and soul music. Her smash-hit album “Back to Black” proved that she was both a critical and commercial darling. The album came with hits like “Rehab” and “You Know I’m No Good.” All the while, Winehouse suffered from substance issues. Despite her many successes, the media jumped on her personal setbacks in the wake of her mainstream popularity. Not long after cancelling her European tour, the singer died of alcohol poisoning in 2011. A profound shock to the music world, Winehouse’s legacy lives on through her powerful voice and adoring fans.

Adele took the world by storm with her debut album “19.” Off the amazing success of that record, she came back even stronger with her follow-up “21.” Not only did it receive rave reviews, it shattered records when it topped the Billboard 200 for twenty-four consecutive weeks at number one. By the time it was certified diamond, Adele was a household name. The lead single alone, “Rolling in the Deep,” was enough to crystallize her status as a pop superstar. "21" cemented Adele’s legacy, which only rose in popularity with the release of her next album, “25.”

Nowadays, K-pop is an international force of nature. In 2012, there were some people who weren’t yet in the know. Psy changed all that. Several girl groups had already made waves, but it was Psy’s “Gangnam Style '' that made Korean pop legitimate in the U.S. Over a billion YouTube views later, the song’s zany music video received a huge boost from word of mouth. Paving the way for BLACKPINK and BTS, “Gangnam Style” made K-pop a worldwide enterprise. While purists might look down on Psy’s popularity, he did open the doors for a new generation of Korean artists.

One of the biggest female groups of all time, the band formerly known as The Dixie Chicks took over country radio in the early 2000s. At that time, an increasingly polarized landscape emerged. As for country music, the genre became increasingly conservative as patriotism reached its peak. While the Bush administration prepared to invade Iraq, The Chicks decided they wouldn't toe the country line. During a concert in London, singer Natalie Maines said she was “ashamed” President Bush was from her home state. Soon after, radio stations were bombarded with angry listeners wanting to ban the artists. The group weathered the media firestorm, but it took years for them to recover. A landmark moment for free speech, the controversy highlighted public opinion on politically outspoken musicians.

In the 21st century, video games quickly surpassed music as the most successful entertainment medium. It was only natural that music artists would eventually make their way into the virtual world. Enter Marshmello, an electronic sensation eager to stay on the cutting edge. His hit singles “Alone” and “Happier” brought him massive mainstream attention. As one of the most popular games of its era, “Fortnite” was an unlikely, yet huge platform for any artist to command. On two days in 2019, Marshmello headlined a virtual, in-game concert. Attracting millions of viewers, the collaboration between gaming and music paid off. Call it shameless or bombastic, the music industry bridged the gap between music and gaming.

SoundCloud began as a way for artists to upload their own music directly to listeners. Along with MySpace, SoundCloud circumvented iTunes as a platform for amateur artists to reach a vast audience. By the mid-2010s, several rappers gained traction from their SoundCloud profiles. Through the rapid expansion of social media and accessible recording software, artists paved their own way into the industry. One of these artists was the brash and controversial XXXTentacion. After only his second album, he was a multi-platinum artist. Through his fast rise and fall, the rapper epitomized a whole new era of musical fame. It all started for him and so many on SoundCloud, legitimizing it as a game-changer for the industry.

It’s hard to imagine the wild west that was music releases before 2015. Before then, releases could come out on various days of the week. Finally, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) decided that new music releases will all come out on Friday. The Global Release Day or “New Music Fridays” centralized release times to put the entire world on the same playing field. This prevented other markets from waiting or having to rely on piracy to hear the latest music. What might’ve seemed like an obvious choice helped bring together music fans around the world.

The Super Bowl hosted decades of classic halftime shows from Madonna to Prince. While you could pick a handful of memorable performances, Beyoncé owned the decade with her iconic showstopper in 2013. At the New Orleans Superdome, “Queen Bey” lit up the stage with a medley of her greatest hits. If that wasn’t enough, she reunited with fellow Destiny’s Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Altogether, it proved to be a gigantic critical and viral success. To top it all off, the performance was immediately followed by a stadium blackout. If that doesn’t showcase the power of Beyoncé, we’re not sure what would.

In 2001, the British talent show “Pop Idol” began with judge Simon Cowell. After transplanting the format for American audiences, Simon joined Paula and Randy to form the now-classic judge lineup. Premiering in 2002, it was unclear whether the format would translate overseas. By the end of the summer, it emerged as an unlikely hit. With the success of “American Idol,” the format continued to pop up around the world. Americans were hungry for more competition shows, with “The X Factor” and “America’s Got Talent” landing stateside in the years to follow. Starting with Kelly Clarkson, “American Idol” created an entire generation of music artists. Ultimately, the format provided an original way for pop stars to hit the big time.

Despite his previous Broadway achievements, nothing could’ve prepared Lin-Manuel Miranda for the success of "Hamilton." Following up his Tony-award winner "In the Heights," Miranda found an unlikely muse in Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. He began a project entitled “The Hamilton Mixtape,” which featured several songs that wound up in the final show. Premiering in 2015, the musical reinvigorated Broadway with its mix of history and hip hop. Famously, the show converted many musical naysayers. More importantly, the show broke barriers through its diverse casting and genre-mixing musicality. Through its popularity, “Hamilton” created a resurgent interest in the musical format and American history.

In 1999, Britney Spears exploded onto the music scene with her debut “...Baby One More Time.” She enjoyed many years at the top of the pop mountain with hit singles from “Oops!... I Did It Again” to “Womanizer.” Her stardom led to excessive media coverage. By 2007, Spears entered rehab and lost custody of her children. After struggling with her mental health, her assets were taken away through a conservatorship. This prompted the #FreeBritney movement and the documentary “Framing Britney Spears.” Both initiatives renewed focus on her conservatorship and pinpointed the media intrusion that derailed Spears' life. On behalf of mistreated musicians everywhere, the doc set the record straight on the importance of mental health and the dangers of fame.

Social media is no stranger to inspiring music trends. In the case of TikTok, whose origins date back to 2016 in China, an entire generation creates their own trends with user video content. By 2018, TikTok users around the world created their own community of viral marketers and influencers. Music specifically got a monumental boost as people discovered and rediscovered songs through the app’s short video format. After almost getting banned in the U.S., TikTok carried on with industry support from major labels Sony and Warner Music Group. With billions of downloads, TikTok’s staying power presents a whole new landscape for music exposure.

With social media behind him, Lil Nas X broke through with this country rap crossover. A remix version with Billy Ray Cyrus gave the viral hit another monster boost. At the end of 2019, the track was certified diamond as a TikTok anthem. Its record-breaking spot atop the Hot 100 ensured its place in the annals of pop culture history. It was only a few years prior that Lil Nas X started out with a Nine Inch Nails sample and a dream. What he ended up with was fame, fortune, and an important platform to promote LGBTQ+ rights.

Daft Punk will forever be synonymous with electronic dance excellence. By 2006, the French duo didn’t have much left to prove. Looking to kick it up a notch, Daft Punk brought their extravagant live show to the hottest festival in America. Descending into the famed California Valley, they brought an incredible pyramid structure and a setlist encompassing their first three albums. After the dust settled, the set was considered an all-time Coachella masterpiece. Daft Punk’s performance raised the bar for technical and visual innovation in live music. As Coachella and Daft Punk only ascended from there, the synergy of artist ingenuity and FOMO festivals was never stronger.

Few artists burned as bright or attracted more controversy than Michael Jackson. The King of Pop spent his final decades in courtrooms and secretly nursing drug habits. On June 25, 2009, Jackson was found dead at his home in Los Angeles. His own doctor administered him the sedative propofol, resulting in an overdose. The shock of Jackson’s death was followed by an immense outpouring of love and grief. Even through the allegations, media frenzies, and health problems, the singer maintained a dedicated fanbase. Only fifty years old, Jackson was planning a tour at the time of his death. Leaving behind a debatable, yet influential legacy, Jackson's myth only grew in the years to follow.

As she entered the 2010s, Beyoncé could have coasted on her previous achievements. Instead, she served up one innovative idea after another. The most shocking was her self-titled album release in 2013. Without any formal marketing push, the Queen dropped her fifth album as a complete surprise. What followed was a media landscape free of formal marketing trends. Artists were no longer preoccupied with selling an album, allowing them to focus more on the actual music. As if that wasn’t enough, she followed that album up with her revolutionary audio/visual “Lemonade.” A once-in-a-generation talent, Beyoncé continues to push the limits of artistic possibility.

Twenty years after Live Aid, organizers Bob Geldof and Midge Ure reunited for another round of benefit concerts. This time funds served a number of poor nations under the “Make Poverty History” and the “Global Call to Action Against Poverty” campaigns. Diverse acts performed in eleven venues around the world. Occurring days before the G8 conference, the event inspired the gathering to propose billions in aid to countries in need. With a continued focus on helping Africa, the benefit drew praise and criticism for its charitable proposals. Along with the money raised, the event was a stunning show of solidarity among the world’s musicians.

Consuming music went a long way in ten years. Apple's iTunes made buying individual songs or albums the norm. Free download sites, such as Megaupload, were forcibly shut down due to copyright infringement. Years later, companies like Spotify generated the next great breakthrough, subscription-based streaming. Disrupting the entire industry, consumers could stream everything for a fraction of the cost. Why pay for an album when you could stream an entire catalog for a monthly fee? While consumers embraced the new format, artists put up a fight. Competitors such as Tidal offered more robust deals in favor of the artists themselves. Needless to say, the battle over artist compensation elicited strong rebuttals from musicians. Ultimately, it’s undeniable that streaming changed music forever.