Unofficial Top 100 Songs of the '00s

[Hot AC Archiver]

Here are the top 100 songs of the decade based on my inverse point system. For songs that were on the chart on the first week of the decade, they had to spend at least half of their chart life in 2000 in order to be eligible.

There is only one song that may make it onto this chart when December is counted, and I'll add it to the list when it happens. For now, enjoy! :)

After the year is done, I'll post another list ranking the top 100 based on peak position.


1. Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) - Train
2. You and Me - Lifehouse
3. Smooth - Santana/Rob Thomas
4. Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
5. Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse
6. Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon
7. Unwell - Matchbox Twenty
8. Why Don't You & I? - Santana f/ Chad Kroeger (Alex Band)
9. If You're Gone - Matchbox Twenty
10. Over My Head (Cable Car) - Fray
11. The Reason - Hoobastank
12. Here without You - 3 Doors Down
13. How to Save a Life - Fray
14. Someday - Nickelback
15. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
16. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
17. Bright Lights - Matchbox Twenty
18. How You Remind Me - Nickelback
19. Bent - Matchbox Twenty
20. A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton
21. One Thing - Finger Eleven
22. Waiting for the World to Change - John Mayer
23. This Love - Maroon 5
24. Superman (It's Not Easy) - Five for Fighting
25. Complicated - Avril Lavigne
26. Love Song - Sarah Bareilles
27. Bubbly - Colbie Caillat
28. Heaven - Los Lonley Boys
29. Collide - Howie Day
30. Your Body Is a Wonderland - John Mayer
31. Calling All Angels - Train
32. Then the Morning Comes - Smash Mouth
33. With Arms Wide Open - Creed
34. Lonely No More - Rob Thomas
35. She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
36. Again - Lenny Kravitz
37. Meet Virginia - Train
38. Drift Away - Uncle Kracker f/ Dobie Gray
39. When I'm Gone - 3 Doors Down
40. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
41. Soak Up the Sun - Sheryl Crow
42. No Such Thing - John Mayer
43. Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield
44. Love Remains the Same - Gavin Rossdale
45. Let Me Go - 3 Doors Down
46. Whatever It Takes - Lifehouse
47. White Flag - Dido
48. Give a Little Bit - Goo Goo Dolls
49. Paralyzer - Finger Eleven
50. Photograph - Nickelback
51. Shattered (Turn the Car Around) - O.A.R.
52. Thankyou - Dido
53. The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
54. Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson
55. Bad Day - Daniel Powter
56. The Remedy (I Won't Worry) - Jason Mraz
57. Ever the Same - Rob Thomas
58. My Immortal - Evanescence
59. Follow Me - Uncle Kracker
60. Who Knew - Pink
61. You Found Me - Fray
62. Never Let You Go - Third Eye Blind
63. First Time - Lifehouse
64. Sorry - Buckcherry
65. One Last Breath - Creed
66. What about Now - Daughtry
67. Feels Like Tonight - Daughtry
68. Far Away - Nickelback
69. Black Horse & the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall
70. Game of Love - Santana f/ Michelle Branch
71. I Try - Macy Gray
72. You're Beautiful - James Blunt
73. Desert Rose - Sting f/ Cheb Mami
74. Standing Still - Jewel
75. Don't Know Why - Norah Jones
76. I'm with You - Avril Lavigne
77. It's Not My Time - 3 Doors Down
78. Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
79. 100 Years - Five for Fighting
80. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
81. Pinch Me - Barenaked Ladies
82. Big Yellow Taxi - Counting Crows
83. Crazy for This Girl - Evan & Jaron
84. It's Not Over - Daughtry
85. Where Are You Going - Dave Matthews Band
86. If Everyone Cared - Nickelback
87. Nothing Left to Lose - Mat Kearney
88. The First Cut Is the Deepest - Sheryl Crow
89. The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani f/ Akon
90. Gotta Be Somebody - Nickelback
91. Drive - Incubus
92. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
93. Absolutely (Story of a Girl) - Nine Days
94. Fallen - Sarah McLachlan
95. Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal) - Fergie
96. Over You - Daughtry
97. It's My Life - No Doubt
98. It's Been Awhile - Staind
99. Higher - Creed
100. Walk Away - Kelly Clarkson

[MostInterestingManInTheWorld]

Thanks for doing this. If I understand your point system correctly, "Smooth" is eligible as it had more than 50% of its run in 2000. However, are you counting all of its 1999 points in its ranking? I would guess not.

If that is the case, I would concur with Train being #1 (although I am primarily focusing on airplay. And not that you're asking me anyway).

How close was "You And Me" to "Drops Of Jupiter"?

And by what margin is "Drops Of Jupiter" ahead of "Walk Away"?

[Jorge_Str [Som3on3]]

6 songs for Nickelback! great!

[MostInterestingManInTheWorld]

Dec 1, 2009 8:07:35 GMT -5 Jorge_Str [Som3on3] said:

6 songs for Nickelback! great!

I had forgotten how long "Someday" had stayed on the chart. The other thing I'd forgotten about Nickelback was that they only had two significant HAC hits until "All The Right Reasons" was released in 2005.

[MostInterestingManInTheWorld]

I'm guessing that the one song that might enter the chart in December would be Daughtry's "No Surprise".

Speaking of Daughtry, how is "Home" not on this list? Maybe in place of "What About Now"?

[gin]

80. Viva La Vida - Coldplay

:)

[Hot AC Archiver]

I'll try to answer all the questions asked so far... :)

- I didn't have time to separate points based on year, so "Smooth"'s full point total is included in this ranking. However, it is still #3. Train spent so many weeks on the chart that it earned enough points to be #1. There's about a 150 point difference between #1 and #3. (There is about a 90 point difference between #1 and #2).

- There is about a 1400 point difference between #1 and #100.

- Daughtry's "Home" is at #106. "What about Now" spent 10 more weeks on the chart, and that helped it rank higher.

"Home"
34-23-18-13-9-7-5-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-3-4-5-5-7-8-10-11
-12-13-15

"What about Now"
38-33-31-22-22-17-15-12-9-9-9-7-6-4-4-4-3-4-4-5-5-6-9-9-7-7-7
-7-7-8-9-9-10-9-10-11-11-12-13-14

- "No Surprise" will be close, but it won't make it since it will be removed in 2 weeks. Kings of Leon could still make the chart though.

[MostInterestingManInTheWorld]

Thanks for answering all my questions, Hot AC Guru!

I hadn't realized that "Home" had a classic chart run in that it never rebounded. Still, it's going to come in at about #70 on my Top 100 of the decade, whereas "What About Now" would be about #120.

For what it's worth, "You And Me" is #1 for the decade with my method, with "Drops Of Jupiter" being #2. "Smooth" would have been #1 if you counted all of its 1999 airplay, but given that I just went by its 2000 record, it comes in at about #28, not too far behind "Why Don't You And I".

I also make all sorts of adjustments to account for the increase in chart positions, recurrent rules, airplay availability, and so forth.

But given the amount of time you've spent posting these, I'll try not to steal your thunder.

[Hot AC Archiver]

I decided to try a different ranking method to see what would happen. To help normalize the results, I took each year and found the average points for a song for that year. Next, I divided all the songs' point totals for that year by the average. That procedure gives an idea of how much a song dominated the chart for that year.

For example, if song A had 3000 points in Year T, and the average for that year was 500, then song A has a point score of 6.0 If song B in year T+1 had 2400 points and the average for year T+1 was only 300, then song B ends up with a score of 8.0. In my original ranking, A would outrank B, but in the revised ranking, B would be higher.

Here is the top 10 from the revised calculation, using only 2000-2008 (since 2009 is not done yet):

1. You and Me - Lifehouse
2. Drops of Jupiter - Train
3. Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
4. Unwell - Matchbox Twenty
5. Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse
6. Why Don't You & I? - Santana f/ Alex Band
7. The Reason - Hoobastank
8. Here without You - 3 Doors Down
9. Over My Head (Cable Car) - Fray
10. Someday - Nickelback

Smooth actually falls to #18!. The #1 song had a point value of 5.76, while Smooth had 3.89

[MostInterestingManInTheWorld]

Dec 2, 2009 22:37:59 GMT -5 Hot AC Archiver said:

I decided to try a different ranking method to see what would happen. To help normalize the results, I took each year and found the average points for a song for that year. Next, I divided all the songs' point totals for that year by the average. That procedure gives an idea of how much a song dominated the chart for that year.

For example, if song A had 3000 points in Year T, and the average for that year was 500, then song A has a point score of 6.0 If song B in year T+1 had 2400 points and the average for year T+1 was only 300, then song B ends up with a score of 8.0. In my original ranking, A would outrank B, but in the revised ranking, B would be higher.

Here is the top 10 from the revised calculation, using only 2000-2008 (since 2009 is not done yet):

1. You and Me - Lifehouse
2. Drops of Jupiter - Train
3. Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
4. Unwell - Matchbox Twenty
5. Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse
6. Why Don't You & I? - Santana f/ Alex Band
7. The Reason - Hoobastank
8. Here without You - 3 Doors Down
9. Over My Head (Cable Car) - Fray
10. Someday - Nickelback

Smooth actually falls to #18!. The #1 song had a point value of 5.76, while Smooth had 3.89

That is more similar to what I did, but you probably noted that this method without additional adjustments results in nine of the top ten being from the first half of the decade. The other issue is that most of the big songs cover more than one year, so what year is the base? I'm guessing you went with whichever year had the most points for that song.

It's too bad that the chart methodologies kept changing for this format - if I were interested I'd do this for CHR, which has been a lot more consistent.

[MostInterestingManInTheWorld]

Another method I've considered is calculating each song's share of the top 40 airplay for each week. For example, for the chart date of 11/30/2009, there were a total of 62,054 plays amongst the top 40, of which 3,975 went to Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone", or 6.405%. Then I'd aggregate each song's total "share" over time, and rank songs accordingly. This would help eliminate the bias that occurs when the number of reporters change.

But in the long run, that probably wouldn't be too different from what you've done.

Ideally, there would be a normal distribution of songs by year, for example 6-8-9-10-10-10-10-11-12-14. But that is almost impossible to program without doing some shady adjustments.

[Young Money]

Nice variety of songs!

[NORTHCOAST]

Thanks for posting your list. Couple things came to mind:

So many great songs that I liked. A lot were by groups that are pretty similar. Boo at so many Nickleback since I really can't stand them.

Yay, at so many Matchbox 20/Rob Thomas songs.

Where has Dido been lately? Loved her hits!

So few female artists' songs. I think I counted about 23 in a quick scan, included No Doubt in that.

Any songs you feel are unworthy of being in the Top 100? My picks would be:

Calling all Angels by Train at #31, Love Remains the Same by Gavin Rossdale at #44, Give a Little Bit by Goo Goo Dolls at #48 (hate remakes), Desert Rose by Sting #73, Viva la Vida by Coldplay #80 (where's Clocks? thought that was a much bigger hit).

[wavetunes]

Cool!! Thanks!! :)

[kylecburke]

great list!! but how could WA be ahead of Hazel eyes/AG and SYBG?

[MostInterestingManInTheWorld]

Dec 8, 2009 9:53:05 GMT -5 kylecburke said:

great list!! but how could WA be ahead of Hazel eyes/AG and SYBG?

I'm assuming that the third song you reference is "Since U Been Gone".

Yes, this is my major issue with this list - songs don't seem to get enough credit for being #1. See "Home"

[kylecburke]

oooooo o well great list

[Hot AC Archiver]

Since the chart based on inverse points caused controversy :o ;) , here is a top 100 list based on peak positions from 2000-2009. For this one, only the peak weeks occurring in the 2000s are counted (so for "Smooth", only 14 weeks at #1 are used). Also, I've assumed that "Already Gone" will spend the rest of the month at #1. Ties were broken by inverse points.

1. Wherever You Will Go - The Calling, #1 for 20 weeks
2. Unwell - Matchbox Twenty, #1 for 20 weeks
3. Bubbly - Colbie Caillat, #1 for 17 weeks
4. Complicated - Avril Lavigne, #1 for 16 weeks
5. Smooth - Santana/Rob Thomas, #1 for 14 weeks (in 2000)
6. Here without You - 3 Doors Down, #1 for 14 weeks
7. Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon, #1 for 13 weeks
8. Bad Day - Daniel Powter, #1 for 13 weeks
9. Bent - Matchbox Twenty, #1 for 13 weeks
10. This Love - Maroon 5, #1 for 13 weeks
11. Photograph - Nickelback, #1 for 13 weeks
12. How to Save a Life - Fray, #1 for 12 weeks
13. You Found Me - Fray, #1 for 12 weeks
14. She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5, #1 for 12 weeks
15. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz, #1 for 11 weeks
16. The Reason - Hoobastank, #1 for 11 weeks
17. Game of Love, Santana f/ Michelle Branch, #1 for 11 weeks
18. Use Somebody, Kings of Leon, #1 for 11 weeks
19. Home - Daughtry, #1 for 11 weeks
20. Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) - Train, #1 for 10 weeks
21. You and Me - Lifehouse, #1 for 10 weeks
22. If You're Gone - Matchbox Twenty, #1 for 10 weeks
23. Love Song - Sarah Bareilles, #1 for 10 weeks
24. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day, #1 for 10 weeks
25. Lonely No More - Rob Thomas, #1 for 10 weeks
26. I'm with You - Avril Lavigne, #1 for 10 weeks
27. Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis, #1 for 10 weeks
28. Why Don't You & I? - Santana f/ Chad Kroeger (Alex Band), #1 for 9 weeks
29. With Arms Wide Open - Creed, #1 for 9 weeks
30. Soak Up the Sun - Sheryl Crow, #1 for 9 weeks
31. It's Not Over - Daughtry, #1 for 9 weeks
32. Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal) - Fergie, #1 for 8 weeks
33. Second Chance - Shinedown, #1 for 8 weeks
34. Give a Little Bit - Goo Goo Dolls, #1 for 7 weeks
35. Thankyou - Dido, #1 for 7 weeks
36. Viva La Vida, Coldplay, #1 for 7 weeks
37. Gotta Be Somebody - Nickelback, #1 for 7 weeks
38. Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse, #1 for 6 weeks
39. Far Away - Nickelback, #1 for 6 weeks
40. Black Horse & the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall, #1 for 6 weeks
41. If Everyone Cared - Nickelback, #1 for 6 weeks
42. Already Gone - Kelly Clarkson, #1 for 6 weeks ****Only 4 weeks as of 12/13/09
43. You're Beautiful - James Blunt, #1 for 5 weeks
44. Follow Me - Uncle Kracker, #1 for 5 weeks
45. Behind These Hazel Eyes - Kelly Clarkson, #1 for 5 weeks
46. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol, #1 for 4 weeks
47. Superman (It's Not Easy) - Five for Fighting, #1 for 4 weeks
48. Only Time - Enya, #1 for 4 weeks
49. Calling All Angels - Train, #1 for 3 weeks
50. Feels Light Tonight - Daughtry, #1 for 3 weeks
51. Savin' Me - Nickelback, #1 for 3 weeks
52. Crazy - Gnarls Barkley, #1 for 3 weeks
53. Sober - Pink, #1 for 3 weeks
54. No Surprise - Daughtry, #1 for 3 weeks
55. Again - Lenny Kravitz, #1 for 2 weeks
56. My Immortal - Evanescence, #1 for 2 weeks
57. It's Not My Time - 3 Doors Down, #1 for 2 weeks
58. Hot N cold - Katy Perry, #1 for 2 weeks
59. When It's Over - Sugar Ray, #1 for 2 weeks
60. Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day, #1 for 2 weeks
61. Breathe - Faith Hill, #1 for 1 week
62. Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's, #1 for 1 week
63. Please Don't Leave Me - Pink, #1 for 1 week
64. Apologize - Timbaland f/ OneRepublic, #1 for 1 week
65. Daughters - John Mayer, #1 for 1 week
66. Her Diamonds - Rob Thomas, #1 for 1 week
67. How You Remind Me - Nickelback, #2 for 17 weeks
68. Who Knew - Pink, #2 for 14 weeks
69. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5, #2 for 11 weeks
70. Then the Morning Comes - Smash Mouth, #2 for 10 weeks
71. Drift Away - Uncle Kracker f/ Dobie Gray, #2 for 10 weeks
72. One Thing - Finger Eleven, #2 for 8 weeks
73. The First Cut Is the Deepest - Sheryl Crow, #2 for 8 weeks
74. Landslide - Dixie Chicks, #2 for 8 weeks
75. Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield, #2 for 7 weeks
76. I Try - Macy Gray, #2 for 7 weeks
77. Absolutely (Story of a Girl) - Nine Days, #2 for 7 weeks
78. Heaven - Los Lonely Boys, #2 for 6 weeks
79. Pinch Me - Barenaked Ladies, #2 for 6 weeks
80. Underneath It All - No Doubt f/ Lady Saw, #2 for 6 weeks
81. Because of You - Kelly Clarkson, #2 for 6 weeks
82. If Today Was Your Last Day - Nickelback, #2 for 5 weeks
83. A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton, #2 for 4 weeks
84. Waiting for the World to Change - John Mayer, #2 for 4 weeks
85. Shattered (Turn the Car Around) - O.A.R., #2 for 4 weeks
86. One Last Breath - Creed, #2 for 4 weeks
87. Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson, #2 for 4 weeks
88. Picture - Kid Rock f/ Sheryl Crow, #2 for 4 weeks
89. You Belong with Me - Taylor Swift, #2 for 4 weeks
90. Love Remains the Same - Gavin Rossdale, #2 for 3 weeks
91. Sorry - Buckcherry, #2 for 3 weeks
92. Ever the Same - Rob Thomas, #2 for 3 weeks
93. The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani f/ Akon, #2 for 3 weeks
94. So What - Pink, #2 for 3 weeks
95. All Summer Long - Kid Rock, #2 for 3 weeks
96. Meet Virginia - Train, #2 for 2 weeks
97. The Middle - Jimmy Eat World, #2 for 2 weeks
98. Where Are You Going - Dave Matthews Band, #2 for 2 weeks
99. Gives You Hell - All-American Rejects, #2 for 2 weeks
100. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson, #2 for 2 weeks

[at40forever]

Where's Over My Head (Cable Car)? I know it never reached the top spot, but it stayed on the chart long enough to be the top Hot AC song of 2006.

[Hot AC Archiver]

"Over My Head" topped out at #3, so it ended up below #100 when going by peak position. Using the inverse point system, it was #10.

[MostInterestingManInTheWorld]

Dec 14, 2009 8:31:18 GMT -5 Hot AC Archiver said:

"Over My Head" topped out at #3, so it ended up below #100 when going by peak position. Using the inverse point system, it was #10.

This is part of the fun with doing these lists... you can sometimes get varying lists when measuring the same thing. When looking at it by this method, I start to appreciate the inverse point method a lot more. I know I feel that way when I see Fred Bronson's all time Billboard lists..... ugh

[hotacfan69]

For the unoffical top 100 songs of the 00's using inverse point system where would Kelly Clarkson "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and Green Day " Wake Me Up Before September Ends" .. my favorite two songs of the decade ranks on the chart. Where would Uncle Cracker "In A Little While" ranks on the list?
The inverse point system is better than going by the number 1's and 2's first like what Casey Kasem did on the yearend countdowns.
I wish there was a top 200 or 300 songs instead of a 100 list. The Hot AC hits were great this year.