There have been many memorable and influential albums that have made us the people we are today. To narrow it down to a set list of favorites can be the most difficult thing anyone could ask you to do, but I certainly tried. Here are 30 pop albums from the 2000s that have made an impression on the world, but mainly on me.
The 2000s came in hot with NSYNC's third album, No Strings Attached. The chokehold this album had on me as a kid! Let's just say I had a few of their HitClips back in the day, as there was nothing as exhilarating as listening to one whole minute of your favorite songs! This album held nothing back, giving us the iconic "Bye Bye Bye" and "It's Gonna Be Me" music videos. Also, I just now found out that "Just Got Paid" was a cover from 1988, so while I just dated myself with the HitClips reference, I don't feel as old now. It's difficult to choose a favorite song, but "Space Cowboy (Yippie-Yi-Yay)" featuring Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes still slaps.
My love for Beyonce all began with this album! Coincidentally, it was the first CD I bought and played repeatedly on my boombox. Yes, I used the words "CD" and "boombox" in the same sentence. Of course, I now realize how terrible it probably was for a young girl to be singing along with "Bootylicious" and "Nasty Girl," but what can I say other than I have incredible taste in music?
Before Gwen Stefani became a household name, there was No Doubt. Although they had a few hits with "Just a Girl," "Don't Speak," and "Spiderwebs," their fifth album (and last before an 11-year hiatus), Rock Steady solidified them in the pop genre with a change in their sound. Rock Steady gave us "Hey Baby," "Underneath It All," and "Hella Good," co-written by Pharrell Williams, and for that, we are forever thankful.
Michelle Branch was the singer-songwriter of the 2000s! Her major-label album debut, The Spirit Room, was huge, and we suddenly found her songs popping up, dare I say, "Everywhere." Branch even performed her song "Goodbye to You" on both TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed, which, oddly enough, proved to be a great avenue for exposure for artists back in the day. If you're still trying to place her or need more convincing, her single, "All You Wanted," is also a bop.
When I think of the 2000s, I think of this album. Although, looking back, I may have listened to "Love Don't Cost a Thing" on repeat more than the album itself. To be fair, it was one of my favorite songs on my Now That's What I Call Music CD at the time, so, like, 79 NOW editions ago. Yikes. It's hard to pick just one Jennifer Lopez album that isn't just a compilation of her greatest hits, but since On the 6 is technically from 1999, J.Lo is a close second.
Songs About Jane is... too good. It would've been enough if Maroon 5 had just stopped after this album. Don't get me wrong: I am a fan, but nothing has topped their debut studio album. I enjoyed basically all of their music up until their fifth album, V (2014), and then I got a bit lost. Yes, their sound has changed drastically, but it is nice to be able to come back to humble beginnings. Known for singles "Harder to Breathe," "This Love," "She Will Be Loved," and "Sunday Morning," but this album has zero skips. It's hard to pick a favorite song, so I'll pick "Tangled" and "Through With You."
I would have liked to have added Avril's second, Under My Skin (2004), and third album, The Best Damn Thing (2007), along with Let Go, because her music was just that impactful. For a debut album, she hit it out of the park with singles "Complicated," Sk8er Boi," and "I'm with You." You couldn't go anywhere without hearing her music or seeing her on TV. What a time.
What an iconic album! Christina Aguilera shed her teen pop/good girl image, giving us "Xtina," and basically invented feminism. Who knew? With singles like "Can't Hold Us Down," "Dirrty," "Fighter," "Beautiful," and "The Voice Within," we were blessed. My favorite song(s) other than those previously mentioned is "Cruz."
Though not technically her debut album — her Christmas album, Santa Claus Lane, was released nearly a year before — this album started it all for Hilary Duff. If you were a tween in 2003, odds are you owned Metamorphosis. Singles included "So Yesterday" and a song whose music video you'll recreate every time it rains, "Come Clean." My favorite is "Anywhere But Here," which is coincidentally on the A Cinderella Story (2004) soundtrack.
I was (and still am) a huge Ciara fan! She's vastly underrated in my book. With so many great artists and producers involved, including Lil Jon, it's no wonder Goodies was such a success. Notable singles are obviously "Goodies," "Oh," and "1, 2 Step," and my favorite non-single is "Hotline."
It's so tough to pick a favorite out of all of these incredible albums, but Love, Angel, Music, Baby might be it. Yes, we have Gwen on the list twice; she's too good! I could not stop listening to this album. L.A.M.B. had zero skips and a whopping six singles: "Rich Girl," Hollaback Girl," "Cool," "Luxurious," "Crash," and "What You Waiting For?" As far as my favorite non-single, it would probably have to be "Serious."
I swear, I wanted to be Kelly Clarkson as a kid. I loved this album, and her first single, "Breakaway," having been co-written by Avril Lavigne, just makes me love it more. It is also the album that gave us "Since U Been Gone," "Behind These Hazel Eyes," "Because of You," and "Walk Away." Other songs I played repeatedly were "Gone" and "Addicted." Breakaway is timeless!
Hot Fuss was just the beginning of one of my favorite bands, The Killers. Their first single and karaoke favorite, "Mr. Brightside," will live on as one of the best songs ever. They have had many great albums and songs since, but there is something about hearing "Somebody Told Me," "All These Things That I've Done," and "Smile Like You Mean It" that transport you back to a certain place and time.
From Under the Cork Tree was the second album by Fall Out Boy, but it was my first introduction to the band, and what an introduction it was. Though still technically in the pop genre, this was my first taste of music that was considered to be punk/emo. The super-long song titles confused and intrigued me, but I loved every second of their 2000s reign. "Sugar, We're Goin Down," "Dance, Dance," and "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More "Touch Me" gave us life. Their third album, Infinity on High (2007), also deserves an honorable mention for being awesome.
Speaking of ridiculously long song titles, Panic! At The Disco's debut album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, was basically an extension of Fall Out Boy since the band's bassist Pete Wentz discovered them. That being said, Panic! was very different in its own right, using electronic and classical music elements. Singles and personal favorites include "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" (obviously) and "Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off." Also, the song "Intermission" because, well, electronic. Honorable mention: the group's second album, Pretty. Odd. (2008) is also pretty great.
Mariah's comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi, is arguably her best album of the 2000s. Collaborating with various producers and songwriters, including Pharrell, Snoop Dogg, Nelly, and Kanye West, this album is filled with catchy, upbeat songs, making it stand out and ultimately leaving an impression on the younger generation. Besides the singles, my favorite song was "Mine Again."
The Půssycat Dolls' debut album absolutely killed. I was way too young to listen to this, but I can't be kept from the jams. Nicole Scherzinger's amazing vocals, plus a burlesque troupe-turned-girl group, blew my mind. With producers CeeLo Green, will.i.am, and Timbaland behind the singles "Don't Cha," Beep, and "Wait a Minute," in addition to "Stickwitu" and "Buttons," PCD proved not to be a one-hit-wonder. My favorites, in particular, were "How Many Times, How Many Lies," and "I Don't Need a Man."
This album was most definitely a vibe! As a fan of their previous album, Elephunk (2003), I was excited about Monkey Business and was not disappointed. I remember listening to it in my CD player on the bus ride to and from school because god forbid, I listen to anything age-appropriate. My friends and I would constantly be jamming out to "Don't Phunk with My Heart," "Pump It," and, of course, the ever-popular "My Humps." I can't leave out my non-single favorites: "Dum Diddly," "Disco Club," and "Ba Bump."
The pop genre may be a bit of a stretch, but Amy Winehouse left her mark on the world when she recorded Back to Black . Winehouse was such a unique talent, and her pairing with producer Mark Ronson proved to be a great move for jazz, R&B, and soul fans everywhere. It's hard to believe we got "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Tears Dry On Their Own," "Love Is A Losing Game," and "Back to Black" all in the same album. One of my other favorites, "Me & Mr. Jones," deserves a shout-out. It never gets old and deserves a place in anyone's vinyl collection.
Beyonce's second album, B'Day, being one of my favorites is probably an unpopular opinion, but I don't care. It was great, she's great, everything she touches is just great. This album is bop after bop with singles "Deja Vu," "Ring the Alarm," "Irreplaceable," "Beautiful Liar," and so on. My personal favorites include "Get Me Bodied," "Upgrade U" (both co-written by her sister, Solange), and "Freakum Dress."
Can I just say how much I love a Justin Timberlake and Timbaland collab? Sure, the two of them had collaborated before on Justin's 2002 debut solo album Justified, but FutureSex/LoveSounds is almost entirely co-written and produced by Timberlake and Timbaland, making it one of his best albums ever. The songs were super catchy, making you want to dance and reminding you that this was a work of art using interludes and reprises. I could not stop singing along to "SexyBack," "My Love," "Summer Love," "LoveStoned," and "What Goes Around... Comes Around," and I will continue to do so for the rest of my life. Other favorites were "Chop Me Up," "Until the End of Time," and "Losing My Way."
Speaking of Timbaland, Nelly Furtado's third album, Loose, was a freaking triumph with him as producer. What can I say? The man can do no wrong. If I had to pick the song of the summer for 2006, it would have to be "Promiscuous." This album was more upbeat and dance-y than we were used to seeing from Nelly Furtado, but it is the one I think most people remember her for, besides her song "I'm Like a Bird" from her debut album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000). Of course, we love her other singles, "Maneater" and "Say It Right," but my favorites are probably "Glow" and "Do It."
Pink always gives it her all, so this was honestly a difficult decision to choose her best album of the 2000s. Funhouse holds a special place in my heart because, although I love her fun pop songs, I absolutely live for her ballads, or "power pop," as the genre has been described. "Sober," "Please Don't Leave Me," "I Don't Believe You," and "Glitter in the Air" are so personal and special, and my favorite non-ballad, Funhouse," is funky and puts me in a good mood. Honorable mention: her fourth album, I'm Not Dead (2006).
You're telling me Timbaland was a producer on this one, too? My man. Rihanna's third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, was a clear departure from her first two albums, Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl Like Me (2006), which introduced us to the Rihanna we know and love. I swear, the "Umbrella" music video changed lives. Other singles of note include "Shut Up and Drive" and "Don't Stop the Music," and my personal favorite was "Breakin' Dishes." No skips or complaints here.
You might be wondering why I didn't include Britney much earlier in this list, and yes, it was a tough choice, but her fifth album and comeback, Blackout, deserves to be recognized. I mean, there is a reason it is considered to be one of the most influential albums of all time. Album singles "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me" blew minds. My favorite songs include her third single, "Break the Ice" (that had an awesome anime-style music video, by the way), and "Radar."
Ah, yes, the album that gave the world "Fergalicious," "London Bridge," and "Glamorous" and the incredibly captivating music videos that came with them. As a fan of The Black Eyed Peas, you had to get your hands on Fergie's debut solo album, The Dutchess. I'm proud to say that I can still sing and rap all the words, and I dare anyone to challenge me at karaoke.
I was obsessed with this album! Riding high off the success of Disney Channel's High School Musical (2006), Ashley Tisdale was my queen. Yes, it is very teen pop, but there are some R&B and electronica elements that I couldn't get enough of. I would watch the music video for "He Said She Said" on my iPod Nano every day. You read that correctly. "Be Good to Me" was also a favorite, but I'd have to say my favorite non-single would have to be "Over It."
I heavily identified with Taylor's second album, Fearless. I was about 15 years old and basically felt that "Fifteen" and "Love Story" were based on my life. I wasn't a huge country music fan, but her slow crossover into pop music caught my interest. Although I enjoyed "You Belong with Me" for a little while before it quickly became overplayed, her last single, "Fearless" and "Forever & Always," were my favorites.
I think we all forget how great Katy Perry's first album, One of the Boys, was! Sure, we all have our opinions about her now, but in 2008, Katy Perry was something else. "I Kissed a Girl" came into my little midwestern town guns blazing, and parents did not like it, so naturally, kids blasted it from the rooftops. Other singles included "Hot n Cold" and my favorites, "Waking Up in Vegas" and "Thinking of You."
I loved The Fame (2008) and The Fame Monster and am counting them as one since it was a reissue. Gaga was my obsession in high school, and when I was fortunate to attend The Monster Ball Tour, I nearly died from excitement. This record was everything to me; not only was she different from any performer I had ever seen, but she was also incredibly talented, and not many people saw that back then. I will be super hipster about it and say I liked her before everyone else. "Bad Romance," "Telephone," and "Alejandro" were absolutely iconic, but my favorite songs were "Dance in the Dark," "Monster," and "Speechless."
Shelby Weimer, a Kansas City native, grew up watching way too many comedies and Saturday Night Live, inspiring her to build a career in comedy. When she isn’t writing sketches and pilot scripts, Shelby is always keeping up with the latest in entertainment, with reality TV and all things pop culture being her jam. Find Shelby on Twitter & Instagram @shelbwei3.
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