Best Songs of 2000

Fifteen years after the fact, even I, maker of this list and fan of these songs, cannot fully comprehend how insanely eclectic this list truly is. Most astonishing might be the fact that I was listening to a very large chunk of these 100 tunes back in the year 2000.

So yeah, this list includes old dudes Steely Dan alongside not-old dudes SoulDecision, and plenty in between. This was a year smack dab in the middle of the teen pop craze, at the height of America’s (paying) music consumption craze, and at the tale end of my college experience. So maybe that explains why there is so much rap, hard rock and and R&B here—genres I have always loved, though to varying degrees, and less and less as the years move on.

Like most things from our college years, some of these songs might seem embarrassing now that I look back. And truth be told, apart from the exercise of making this playlist, there are a few songs on here I would not be able to say that I have heard all that much in the past decade and a half. But when I revisit them, I do not so much as cringe, but remember who I once was, and what I once liked. And that, really, is the point of these lists of mine. (Or at least the ones, like this, with which I can draw upon actual memory and experience.)

So, too, does this process allow me to find hidden gems from a past that I never actually lived, then place them alongside the familiar. It causes a temporal shift that I cannot help but love; sure, these songs were all released in the same year, but their connective tissue is more about how I have lived with them. And I continue to live with these tunes, every last one of them. Each time, fusing new memories with those from my past.

For these year-end lists, I like to undertake the seemingly impossibly task of creating an hours-long mix. The order you see below represents that effort, which you can listen to via Spotify. Sadly all 100 tracks aren't available in either case, but you get the general idea. Track notes to come eventually or—particularly if last year's un-annotated lists are a sign of future action—maybe never.

Show Grid

All the Dirt

Mike Doughty

Skittish

self-released
via past experience (Soul Coughing) / the internet library: 12/7/2004

Notes
Johnny Go Riding

Damien Jurado

Ghost of David

Sub Pop
via TK library: 6/2/2015

Notes
I Love the Unknown

Clem Snide

Your Favorite Music

Sire
via TK library: 12/20/2008

Notes
Flake

Jack Johnson

Brushfire Fairytales

Enjoy
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 10/31/2003 (9/5/2001)

Notes
Baby Seat

Barenaked Ladies

Maroon

Reprise
via contemporary radio library: 10/29/2003 (9/16/2000)

Notes
Hate to Say I Told You So

The Hives

Veni Vidi Vicious

Epitaph
via MTV library: 7/23/2005

Notes
Jesus Came From Outta Space

Supergrass

Supergrass

Capitol
via past experience library: 11/2/2003 (4/15/2000)

Notes
Go Let It Out

Oasis

Standing on the Shoulder of Giants

Epic
via past experience library: 11/24/2006

Notes
Again

Lenny Kravitz

Greatest Hits

Virgin
via past experience library: 11/19/2009

Notes
By Your Side

Sade

Lovers Rock

Epic
via TK library: 12/8/2010

Notes
World Looking In

Morcheeba

Fragments of Freedom

Reprise
via TK library: 9/28/2005

Notes
Mixed Bizness (Cornelius Remix)

Beck

Mixed Bizness

Geffen
via past experience library: 3/4/2013

Notes
Playground Love

Air

The Virgin Suicides

Astralwerks
via past experience library: 11/11/2003 (3/4/2000)

Notes
Fall in a River

Badly Drawn Boy

The Hour of Bewilderbeast

Twisted Nerve/XL
via contemporary radio library: 11/2/2003 (11/29/2000)

Notes
The Pull

The Microphones

It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water

K
via TK library: 7/23/2005

Notes
Svefn-g-englar

Sigur Rós

Ágætis Byrjun

Pias America
via TK library: 7/23/2005

Notes
Flat Beat

Mr. Oizo

Flat Beat

Mute
via Amp on MTV library: 1/23/2008

1999 worldwide; 2000 U.S. release.
The Scrappy

BS2000

Simply Mortified

Grand Royal
via Grand Royal Radio library: 11/10/2003 (1/8/2002)

Notes
The Influence

Jurassic 5

Quality Control

Interscope
via TK library: 11/11/2003 (1/25/2001)

Notes
Gravel Pit

Wu-Tang Clan

The W

Loud
via past experience library: 9/4/2009

Notes
Oooh

De La Soul featuring Redman & Pharaohe Monche

Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump

Tommy Boy
via past experience library: 9/27/2009

Notes
Humble Mumble

Outkast featuring Erykah Badu

Stankonia

La Face
via past experience library: 3/14/2004

Notes
Didn’t Cha Know

Erykah Badu

Mama’s Gun

Motown
via TK library: 8/14/2010

Notes
Plenty

Guru featuring Erykah Badu

Jazzmatazz Vol. 3: Streetsoul

Virgin
via Laura Mason library: 9/19/2009

Notes
The 6th Sense

Common featuring Bilal

Like Water for Chocolate

MCA
via TK library: 11/2/2003 (8/23/2000)

Notes
Tell Me

Slum Village featuring D’Angelo

Fantastic, Vol. 2

Good Vibe
via TK library: 3/15/2014

Notes
Promise

Jagged Edge

J.E. Heartbreak

So So Def
via contemporary MTV library: 11/19/2009

Notes
I Wish

R. Kelly

TP-2.com

Jive
via past experience library: 5/15/2010

Notes
Dance Tonight

Lucy Pearl

Lucy Pearl

BMG
via contemporary MTV / past experience (Raphael Saadiq, et al) library: 3/23/2011

Notes
Get Down

Stephen Simmonds

Spirit Tales

Priority
via a Tower Records free music sampler CD library: 7/23/2005

Notes
Request Line

Black Eyed Peas

Bridging the Gap

Interscope
via TRL on MTV library: 5/30/2012

Notes
Rock DJ

Robbie Williams

Sing When You’re Winning

Capitol
via contemporary MTV library: 11/1/2003 (11/1/2000)

Notes
Don’t Tell Me

Madonna

Music

Maverick
via past experience library: 7/16/2005

Notes
Long Way Around

Eagle-Eye Cherry

Living in the Present Future

Polydor
via past experience library: 10/29/2003 (6/25/2000)

2000 European release. U.S. release arrived in 2001 as Present/Future.
Hey, Man!

Nelly Furtado

Whoa, Nelly!

Dreamworks
via (likely) MTV / a review in Entertainment Weekly library: 10/30/2003 (1/13/2001)

Notes
Ooh It’s Kinda Crazy

SoulDecision

No One Does It Better

MCA
via TRL on MTV library: 11/19/2009

Notes
Bye Bye Bye

*NSYNC

No Strings Attached

Jive
via TRL on MTV library: 6/7/2012

Notes
Never Gonna Come Back Down

BT featuring Mike Doughty

Movement in Still Life

Nettwerk America
via contemporary radio library: 12/7/2004

Notes
Slingshot

On

Shifting Skin

Sony
via contemporary radio (107.7 The End?) library: 10/27/2003 (9/16/2000)

Notes
You Miss the Point Completely I Get the Point Exactly

Harvey Danger

King James Version

Sire
via past experience library: 10/27/2003 (9/16/2000)

Notes
Chemical

Joseph Arthur

Come to Where I’m From

Real World
via TK library: 4/20/2005

Notes
Life Is Bad

Shelby Lynne

I Am Shelby Lynne

Mercury
via contemporary radio (103.7 The Mountain) library: 10/31/2003 (6/1/2000)

Notes
To Be Young

Ryan Adams

Heartbreaker

Bloodshot
via past experience library: 6/19/2006

Notes
Airline to Heaven

Billy Bragg and Wilco

Mermaid Avenue Vol. II

Elektra
via past experience library: 9/5/2006

Notes
Baby

Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise

Time to Discover

RCA
via contemporary radio (103.7 The Mountain) library: 10/29/2003 (6/17/2000)

Notes
One and the Same

Everlast

Eat at Whitey’s

Tommy Boy
via MTV by way of “What It’s Like” library: 11/11/2003 (10/18/2000)

Notes
Poor Girl

Supersuckers featuring Eddie Vedder

Free the West Memphis 3

Koch
via contemporary radio (103.7 The Mountain) library: 11/19/2009

Notes
Hanging by a Moment

Lifehouse

No Name Face

Dreamworks
via contemporary MTV library: 9/11/2011

Notes
Sleepwalker

The Wallflowers

Breach

Interscope
via past experience library: 11/11/2003 (11/29/2000)

Notes
Things Have Changed

Bob Dylan

Wonderboys

Columbia
via past experience library: 8/22/2008

Notes
4th Time Around

Chris Whitley

Perfect Day

Valley
via past experience library: 11/1/2003 (8/23/2000)

Notes
Hard Time Killing Floor Blues

Chris Thomas King

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Mercury
via the movie library: 11/7/2003 (8/19/2001)

Notes
Something She Said

Béla Fleck & The Flecktones

Outbound

Columbia
via past experience library: 10/26/2003 (8/16/2000)

Notes
The Lighthouse’s Tale

Nickel Creek

Nickel Creek

Sugar Hill
via CMT library: 11/9/2003 (2/8/2002)

Notes
My Antonia

Emmylou Harris featuring Dave Matthews

Red Dirt Girl

Nonesuch
via past experience / contemporary radio (103.7 The Mountain) library: 7/9/2005

Notes
Waste

Dave Matthews

Sharin’ the Groove

Mockingbird Foundation
via past experience library: 7/9/2005

Notes
Dirt

Phish

Farmhouse

Elektra
via past experience library: 11/15/2003 (5/16/2000)

Notes
The Cedar Room

Doves

Lost Souls

Heavenly
via TK library: 11/10/2003 (12/26/2001)

Notes
High Speed

Coldplay

Parachutes

Parlophone
via MTV by way of “Yellow” library: 10/31/2003 (1/13/2001)

Notes
3 Libras

A Perfect Circle

Mer de Noms

Virgin
via contemporary radio (107.7 The End) library: 11/23/2010

Notes
Change

Deftones

White Pony

Maverick
via contemporary radio (107.7 The End) library: 10/5/2010

Notes
Hemorrhage (In My Hands)

Fuel

Something Like Human

Epic
via MTV / 107.7 The End library: 10/5/2010

Notes
One Armed Scissor

At the Drive-In

Relationship of Command

Grand Royal
via Grand Royal Radio library: 12/26/2005

Notes
You’re No Rock N’ Roll Fun

Sleater-Kinney

All Hands on the Bad One

Sub Pop
via TK library: 1/7/2009

Notes
Simple Kind of Life

No Doubt

Return of Saturn

Interscope
via past experience library: 12/7/2004

Notes
Waiting

Green Day

Warning

Reprise
via past experience library: 5/8/2012

Notes
Teenage Dirtbag

Wheatus

Wheatus

Columbia
via MTV library: 9/4/2009

Notes
Ride Wit Me

Nelly

Country Grammar

Universal
via MTV library: 10/2/2011

Notes
What’s Your Fantasy

Ludacris

Incognegro

Disturbing Tha Piece
via TK library: 11/21/2009

Notes
Big Pimpin’

Jay-Z

Vol. 3 … The Life and Times of S. Carter

Roc-A-Fella
via MTV library: 11/24/2010

2000 single release.
Stan

Eminem

The Marshall Mathers LP

Interscope
via MTV / past experience library: 4/28/2012

Notes
Demons

Fatboy Slim featuring Macy Gray

Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars

Astralwerks
via past experience library: 1/1/2008

Notes
Scratched

Etienne De Crecy

Tempovision

V2
via Amp on MTV or a promotional CD sampler library: 7/23/2005

Notes
These Things

Looper

The Geometrid

Sub Pop
via my sister library: 1/1/2008

Notes
A Long Walk

Jill Scott

Who Is Jill Scott? - Words and Sounds Vol. 1

Hidden Beach
via TK library: 9/5/2008

Notes
Untitled (How Does It Feel)

D’Angelo

Voodoo

Virgin
via past experience library: 11/19/2009

Notes
That’s Just How That Bird Sings

The Twilight Singers

Twilight

Columbia
via TK library: 10/6/2007

Notes
Hallelujah

Rufus Wainwright

Shrek

Dreamworks
via past experience / the movie library: 6/4/2006

Notes
Easy Way Out

Elliott Smith

Figure 8

Dreamworks
via past experience library: 1/3/2011

Notes
Company Calls

Death Cab for Cutie

We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes

Barsuk
via TK library: 5/14/2008

Notes
Hyperspace

Nada Surf

The Proximity Effect

Elektra
via TK library: 5/3/2007

Notes
Indian Summer

Sunday’s Best

Poised to Break

Polyvinyl
via TK library: 11/10/2006

Notes
Paper Thin Walls

Modest Mouse

The Moon & Antarctica

Epic
via The OC / by way of “Gravity Rides Everything” in that minivan ad library: 2/17/2005

Notes
Freediving

Nigo featuring Ben Lee

Ape Sounds

Mo’ Wax
via live performance by Ben Lee library: 8/24/2006

Notes
Getting Better

Gomez

Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline

Virgin
via past experience library: 10/7/2008

Notes
Letters From an Occupant

The New Pornographers

Mass Romantic

Matador
via a Rolling Stone review library: 12/18/2011

Notes
I’m Gonna Make You Love Me

The Jayhawks

Smile

Columbia
via TK library: 9/5/2009

Notes
I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow

The Soggy Bottom Boys

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Mercury
via the movie library: 11/7/2003 (8/19/2001)

Notes
Sister, Do You Know My Name?

The White Stripes

De Stijl

Sympathy for the Record Industry
via TK library: 10/26/2003 (10/7/2003)

Notes
Porchlight

Neko Case

Furnace Room Lullaby

Bloodshot
via TK library: 9/19/2008

Notes
Hey Porcupine

Josh Rouse

Home

Slow River
via TK library: 11/9/2003 (3/9/2002)

Notes
Silver & Gold

Neil Young

Silver & Gold

Reprise
via past experience library: 11/5/2003 (6/17/2000)

Notes
Parting Ways

Pearl Jam

Binaural

Epic
via past experience library: 10/27/2003 (5/16/2000)

Notes
You on My Mind in My Sleep

Richard Ashcroft

Alone With Everybody

Virgin
via past experience (The Verve) library: 11/2/2003 (7/30/2000)

Notes
Turn

Travis

The Man Who

Epic/Independiente
via MTV library: 11/2/2003 (6/1/2000)

Notes
The Mess We’re In

P.J. Harvey featuring Thom Yorke

Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

Universal
via TK library: 10/3/2005

Notes
Optimistic

Radiohead

Kid A

Capitol
via past experience library: 11/2/2003 (10/15/2000)

Notes
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

David Gray

White Ladder

ATO
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 10/26/2003 (5/23/2000)

Notes
One

Johnny Cash

American III: Solitary Man

Universal
via MTV / past experience library: 12/20/2005

Notes
Beautiful Day

U2

All That You Can’t Leave Behind

Interscope
via past experience library: 10/26/2003 (11/1/2000)

Notes