Things tend to change when the calendar switches over to a new millennium. And when the world went from the 1900s to the 2000s, it was no different. Not only was there a Y2K scare, but music tastes shifted. New ideas were in the air. Here below, we wanted to highlight three songs from earlier in the millennium that marked a big evolution compared to the decade prior. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 2000s that 1990s kids weren’t ready for.
“Smooth Criminal” by Alien Ant Farm from ‘Anthology’ (2001)
Even though this song came out just a few years after the 1990s, it was shocking in the moment. Michael Jackson was his own thing. To take on his songs and do it with a brash rock style—well, that was unheard of. And yet, here was Alien Ant Farm. They seemed to combine the MMA sensibilities of backyard brawls with 1980s pop music to create something all new. And fans loved it. Anyone who watched shows like MTV’s Total Request Live knows—this music video was on every day for what seemed like years.
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“The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)” by Las Ketchup from ‘Hijas Del Tomate’ (2002)
This song has been out for almost 25 years, and it still makes no sense. Perhaps it’s a testament to the power of that red condiment. Ketchup is not only good on hot dogs and hamburgers, but it makes for great pop fodder, too. If you had told someone in the 1990s about this song, they wouldn’t have known what to say. They might have just walked out of the room. In some ways, this offering is a more modern “Macarena”. In another, it’s just odd!
“Lean Back” by Terror Squad from ‘True Story’ (2004)
Rap music was huge in the 1990s. And rap music was huge in the 2000s. But there was something unique and different about the genre in the 2000s compared to the decade prior. Rap songs had a strong pop bent in the 2000s, but they were also windows into a lifestyle that few ever got to be a part of. Enter: “Lean Back” by the Terror Squad. The song is a time capsule of the early 2000s attitude. Put it on, and you’ll be transported back to the luxurious era.
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