The Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 Hits of the 2000s
R&B and Hip-Hop accounted for almost every one of the top 20 Hot 100 hits from the 2000s.
In honor of Billboard magazine’s 120th anniversary on Nov. 1, we’re revealing the top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hits from each decade since the 1960s (for a total of 120 songs).
R&B and Hip-Hop accounted for almost every one of the top 20 Hot 100 hits from the 2000s. There were two exceptions: Nickelback‘s “How You Remind Me,” at No. 5, and Timbaland‘s collaboration with OneRepublic, “Apologize.” More rappers appeared on the list than ever before: Kanye, Nelly, T.I., and OutKast as lead artists, and several others as featured artists.
The Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 Hits of the 1960s
But R&B singers were the key. T.I. was the only rapper to get into the decade-end Top 20 without the aid of a vocalist. (On “Hey Ya,” Andre 3000 served as his own hooksmith.) Jamie Foxx helped Kanye; Kelly Rowland helped Nelly. Elsewhere Mario, Ashanti, and Alicia Keys crooned their way to the top, and Usher struck twice.
The Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 Hits of the 1970s
A quarter of the songs here involve multiple artists, even more than in the ’80s when duets were so popular. Rap and R&B, once distinct, started merging in the ’90s — or even in the late ’80s, with New Jack Swing — and their union proved successful on the charts throughout the ’00s. Cross-genre pairings like the one between Timbaland and OneRepublic also became more fashionable.
The Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 Hits of the 1980s
After ballads ruled the ’90s, danceable beats came back in to style. Mary J. Blige had the biggest hit of her career with a rare uptempo track. The Black Eyed Peas got into the top 20 with two pounding tracks. OutKast‘s “Hey Ya” is another speedy number.
The Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 Hits of the 1990s
Check out the Spotify playlist of the top 20 below and read on to see when each hit peaked. Don’t miss the top 20 from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s.
1. “We Belong Together” – Mariah Carey
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: June 4, 2005
2. “Yeah!” – Usher Featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: February 28, 2004
3. “Low” – Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: January 5, 2008
4. “I Gotta Feeling” – The Black Eyed Peas
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: July 11, 2009
5. “How You Remind Me” – Nickelback
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 22, 2001
6. “No One” – Alicia Keys
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 1, 2007
7. “Boom Boom Pow” – The Black Eyed Peas
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: April 18, 2009
8. “Let Me Love You” – Mario
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: January 1, 2005
9. “Gold Digger” – Kanye West Featuring Jamie Foxx
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: September 17, 2005
10. “Apologize” – Timbaland Featuring OneRepublic
Hot 100 Peak Position: 2, Peak Date: November 10, 2007
11. “Dilemma” – Nelly Featuring Kelly Rowland
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: August 17, 2002
12. “Family Affair” – Mary J. Blige
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: November 3, 2001
13. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – Fergie
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: September 8, 2007
14. “Maria Maria” – Santana Featuring The Product G&B
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: April 8, 2000
15. “U Got It Bad” – Usher
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 15, 2001
16. “Whatever You Like” – T.I.
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: September 6, 2008
17. “Bleeding Love” – Leona Lewis
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: April 5, 2008
18. “Independent Women Part I” – Destiny’s Child
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: November 18, 2000
19. “Foolish” – Ashanti
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: April 20, 2002
20. “Hey Ya!” – OutKast
Hot 100 Peak Position: 1, Peak Date: December 13, 2003
This top Billboard Hot 100 songs of each decade is ranked based on each title’s performance on the Hot 100 through the chart dated Nov. 1, 2014. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits across multiple decades, time frames are weighted to account for fluctuating chart turnover rates due to different methodologies utilized.
More From Pro
