Think jeans pocket iPods and burned CDs. One 2000s hit appears, four names glow. Only one matches the original single from that decade. Tap it and slide to the next memory.
Let nostalgia do real work. You can feel Max-sized choruses, Neptunes snap, Timbaland shuffle, RedOne lasers; emo radio confessions; country-pop shine; dance-punk weekends. The palette places the year before the credits do.
If your thumb can “scroll-hear” the singer before you read the list, you’re already there. Choose that name, breathe, and keep the wheel spinning.
[B] Flo Rida with T-Pain | T-Pain's vocoder mastery turned everyday slang into melodic gold. Apple Bottom jeans became fashion statements thanks to this strip club anthem's mainstream crossover.
2/30
Kryptonite?
[D] 3 Doors Down | 3 Doors Down's post-grunge accessibility conquered rock radio completely. The Superman metaphor resonated with everyday heroes feeling underappreciated everywhere.
3/30
Hot N Cold?
[C] Katy Perry | Katy Perry's bipolar romance metaphor struck gold again. The hot-and-cold dynamic everyone's experienced made this relatable despite its silliness.
4/30
Right Round?
[C] Flo Rida & Ke$ha | Flo Rida sampled Dead or Alive's spinner for new generation. Ke$ha's guest verse added bratty energy to already unstoppable club momentum.
5/30
Hero?
[A] Enrique Iglesias | Enrique Iglesias abandoned Latin sound for mainstream success. The power ballad formula worked regardless of his accent or origin.
6/30
Take Me Out?
[C] Franz Ferdinand | Franz Ferdinand made art rock danceable for indie crowds. The Scottish band's angular guitars and cheeky lyrics defined mid-2000s alternative scenes.
7/30
Feel Good Inc.?
[A] Gorillaz with De La Soul | Gorillaz and De La Soul merged virtual and real hip-hop. Damon Albarn's production created dark carnival atmosphere perfectly.
8/30
Lady Marmalade?
[C] Christina Aguilera with Lil' Kim, Mya, & Pink | Christina Aguilera assembled pop's greatest girl group for this cover. The Labelle classic got modern production while maintaining its sass and power.
9/30
Love Song?
[B] Sara Bareilles | Sara Bareilles rejected love song demands by writing one. The meta-commentary on songwriting became her biggest hit ironically.
10/30
Boom Boom Pow?
[D] Black Eyed Peas | Black Eyed Peas embraced futuristic production before everyone else. The repetitive structure hypnotizes while will.i.am's talk-box effect predicted autotune's dominance.
11/30
Dilemma?
[B] Nelly with Kelly Rowland | Nelly and Kelly Rowland's chemistry made this Dilemma irresistible. The Patti LaBelle sample adds soul while the Nokia phone scene became iconic.
12/30
Fallin'?
[B] Alicia Keys | Alicia Keys's classical training shines through gospel-influenced progressions. The piano-driven production stood out against early 2000s synthetic sounds remarkably.
13/30
Beautiful Day?
[A] U2 | U2's optimism after 9/11 provided global healing through music. The Edge's guitar effects create cathedral-like atmosphere while Bono preaches hope.
14/30
Rehab?
[D] Amy Winehouse | Amy Winehouse refused rehab, making this ironic anthem timeless. Mark Ronson's retro production highlighted Amy's jazz influences while keeping things contemporary.
15/30
In Da Club?
[A] 50 Cent | 50 Cent's birthday anthem features Dr. Dre and Eminem's production chemistry. The minimal beat allows Curtis's flow to dominate every club system worldwide.
16/30
Ms. Jackson?
[D] OutKast | OutKast apologized to Erykah Badu's mother through funky excellence. André and Big Boi's chemistry over organized noize production created Southern classic.
17/30
Toxic?
[B] Britney Spears | Britney Spears's Swedish producers crafted pop's most dangerous song. The Bollywood strings and surf guitar created intoxicating sonic cocktail literally.
18/30
Promiscuous?
[D] Nelly Furtado with Timbaland | Nelly Furtado's reinvention with Timbaland shocked folk fans wonderfully. The flirtatious wordplay over bhangra-influenced beats created multicultural dance floor magic.
19/30
Umbrella?
[D] Rihanna with Jay-Z | Rihanna's breakthrough hit features that unforgettable 'ella ella' hook. The song's rain metaphor works because everyone understands needing emotional shelter sometimes.
20/30
Music?
[B] Madonna | Madonna proved her relevance by embracing electronic music early. Mirwais's production stripped away everything except groove, showing restraint creates power.
21/30
Vertigo?
[C] U2 | U2's return to rock basics proved their adaptability. The counting introduction and driving guitars showed they could still rock.
22/30
Clocks?
[B] Coldplay | Coldplay's piano loop creates urgency through repetition. Chris Martin recorded vocals lying down, creating the breathless quality that defines the track.
23/30
Lose Yourself?
[A] Eminem | Eminem's Oscar-winning masterpiece captures determination through internal rhyme schemes. The guitar riff samples from his own song adds meta layers of genius.
24/30
Get Ur Freak On?
[B] Missy Elliott | Missy Elliott's innovative production techniques revolutionized hip-hop's sonic palette. Timbaland's backwards vocals and Eastern influences made this impossibly ahead-of-time.
25/30
Just Dance?
[D] Lady Gaga with Colby O'Donnis | Lady Gaga wrote this in ten minutes during studio downtime. RedOne's production bounces between disco and techno, establishing Gaga's dance floor dominance.
26/30
Love Story?
[D] Taylor Swift | Taylor Swift modernized Romeo and Juliet for country-pop audiences. Her teenage perspective captured first love's intensity while staying radio-friendly throughout.
27/30
Since U Been Gone?
[D] Kelly Clarkson | Kelly Clarkson's rock transformation shocked American Idol fans positively. Max Martin's production balanced pop sensibilities with genuine rock energy throughout.
28/30
Without Me?
[D] Eminem | Eminem dissed everyone while creating undeniable pop magic. The controversial lyrics couldn't overshadow Dr. Dre's elastic beat and Em's flow.
29/30
Hot in Herre?
[A] Nelly | Nelly's temperature-rising hit samples Chuck Brown's go-go classic. The St. Louis rapper brought Midwest swagger to coastal-dominated hip-hop scenes permanently.
30/30
I Hope You Dance?
[A] Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert | Lee Ann Womack brought traditional country values to modern radio. The mother-to-daughter advice resonated across generations through timeless wisdom.