I assembled a list of my favorite pop songs from 1995-2004 for an online poll. Along the way I made a conscious effort to avoid selecting the typical critical favorities like Radiohead, Wilco and The Strokes because they’ll be getting enough love from other people. What you’ll find here is a heavy bias toward club friendly hip-hop, anthemic UK-style pop and the different strains of Continental electronic music. And Pulp. Lots of Pulp.
I’m in the process of ripping everything here from my CD collection. It should make a decent iTunes playlist, so if you want a copy let me know. If not, at least tell me what I’m an idiot for forgetting.
100. Art Brut - Formed a Band
99. Goldfrapp - Pilots
98. Schneider TM - The Light 3000
97. Phoenix - Everything is Everything
96. Oasis - Don’t Look Back in Anger
95. Kelly Clarkson - Since You Been Gone
94. Massive Attack - Protection
93. Ce’Cile - Hot Like We
92. Dizzee Rascal - I Luv U
91. De La Soul - Stakes is High
90. Girls Aloud - Sound of the Underground
89. Pulp - A Little Soul
88. Mylo - Drop the Pressure
87. Bloc Party - Helicopter
86. Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
85. Turbonegro - Denim Demon / (I Fucked) Betty Page
84. Scarface - My Block
83. Go Home Productions - Jet Lady Joe
82. Frou Frou - Let Go
81. Rachel Stevens - Some Girls
80. Basement Jaxx - Where’s Your Head At
79. Jurgen Paape - So Weit Wie Noch
78. Juan MacClean, The - Give Me Every Little Thing
77. Trick Daddy - Dro in Da Wind
76. Vybz Kartel - Sweet to the Belly
75. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Murder on the Dancefloor
74. Super Furry Animals - Juxtaposed With U
73. Pulp - F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.
72. Ted Leo - Me and Mia
71. Primal Scream - Swastika Eyes
70. My Chemical Romance - I’m Not Okay (I Promise)
69. Cam’ron - Hey Ma
68. Roll Deep Crew - Let It Out
67. Plan B f. Wonder - Cap Back
66. Non-Prophets, the - Damage
65. Sage Francis - Makeshift Patriot
64. Felix Da Housecat - Ready 2 Wear
63. Kelis f. Andre 3000 - Millionaire
62. Justin Timberlake - Like I Love You
61. Covenant - Bullet
60. Basement Jaxx - Romeo
59. Nelly - Hot in Here
58. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Mixed Up World
57. Saint Etienne - Heart Failed (In the Back of a Taxi)
56. Wire - Read & Burn 2
55. Wire - Read & Burn 1
54. Tatu - Not Gonna Get Us
53. Turbonegro - I Got Erection
52. Rapture, The - House of Jealous Lovers
51. R. Kelly - Step in the Name of Love (Remix)
50. Ce’Cile - Rude Bwoy Thug Life
49. Scissor Sisters - Comfortably Numb
48. Raekwon - Rainy Days / Remix
47. Super Furry Animals - Something 4 the Weekend
46. Saint Etienne - He’s on the Phone
45. Oasis - Don’t Go Away
44. Rebirth Brass Band - Rebirth Melody / Casanova
43. Pulp - Misshapes / Sorted for E’s & Wizz
42. Phoenix - Too Young
41. Lil Jon and the East Side Boys - Get Low
40. Girls Aloud - Love Machine
39. Alex Gopher - Party People / [Remix]
38. Pulp - This is Hardcore
37. Knife, The - Heartbeats
36. Annie - Heartbeat
35. Girls on Top - I Wanna Dance with Numbers
34. LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge
33. Coldplay - Clocks / Royksopp Remix
32. Coup, The - Me and Jesus the Pimp in a ‘79 Granada Last Night
31. Common - The 6th Sense
30. Junior Senior - Move Your Feet
29. Streets, The - Weak Become Heroes / Royksopp Remix
28. New Radicals, The - Mother, We Just Can’t Get Enough
27. Lightning Seeds - Three Lions
26. Nas f. Jadakiss, Ludacris - Made You Look (Remix)
25. Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On
24. Meanwhile, Back in Communist Russia - Blind Spot / Invisible Bend
23. Tatu - All The Things She Said
22. Basement Jaxx - Good Luck
21. Outkast - Hey Ya!
20. Heiko Voss - I Think About You
19. Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For / Jacques Lu Cont Remix
18. Girls Aloud - The Show
17. !!! - Me and Guiliani Down by the Schoolyard (A True Story)
16. Missy Elliott - For My People [Basement Jaxx Remix]
15. Go Home Productions - Shannon Stone
14. Nelly - Ride With Me
13. Kylie Minogue - Can’t Get You Out of My Head
12. Stardust - Music Sounds Better With you
11. Jay-Z - Girls, Girls, Girls
10. New Radicals, The - You Get What You Give
9. Saint Etienne - Action / Mr. Joshua Edit
8. Basement Jaxx - Red Alert
7. Daft Punk - Digital Love
6. Usher f. Little Jon & Ludacris - Yeah!
5. Pulp - Disco 2000
4. Kylie Minogue - Love at First Sight
3. Jay-Z - Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
2. Yo La Tengo - Tom Courtenay
1. Pulp - Common People