3 Pop Songs From the 2000s That Will Actually Make You Smarter

Pop music dominated the 2000s. But not every song was empty calories. Some of the tracks from the era actually wanted to bend your brain and make you that much brighter along the way.

And that’s just what we wanted to explore below. We wanted to highlight three tunes from the decade that sharpened our smarts. Indeed, these are three pop songs from the 2000s that will actually make you smarter.

“Lost!” by Coldplay from ‘Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends’ (2008)

This song carries with it a very important lesson. In fact, it opens with lyrics that are likely mind-expanding. Lead vocalist Chris Martin begins the tune, offering, “Just because I’m losing / Doesn’t mean I’m lost / Doesn’t mean I will stop!” It’s a wonderful thing to keep in mind when life isn’t going well. If things aren’t going your way and you feel lower than low, just remember what Martin sings in this popular song. Indeed, just because the score isn’t in your favor, doesn’t mean you can’t come back and win it all. That’s the lesson Coldplay shares here. And it’s a great one.

“Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley from ‘St. Elsewhere’ (2006)

Life is strange. Humanity is stranger. There are days when each of us feels crazy, when each of us looks in the mirror and wonders how we can get on even for another five minutes. Well, when that happens, look no further than Gnarls Barkley. The duo’s hit 2006 single reminded us all that we are all a little mad. It shed new light on the state of things. Well, when you really get down to it, what is sanity? What is truth? And what does it all matter when you can hear a great song like this one?

“Toxic” by Britney Spears from ‘In The Zone’ (2003)

Sometimes even a few words can make your brain expand. And that’s just what happens here on this 2003 tune by the pop icon Britney Spears. Most of the time, you’d think that a famous person like Spears would want to hype herself up. When it comes to pop, most of the time, you want to seem like royalty—not the opposite. But Spears subverted all that on this tune, calling herself the opposite. She says she is toxic. Hearing that is enough to teach you something fundamental—own your narrative and allow yourself to shapeshift.

Photo by Jo Hale/Redferns