20 Songs That Turn 20 in 2020

When you're in the right place, at the right time, this song resonates with you. After the 1997 release of OK Computer, the band was burnt out and had few creative developments. The band's lead Thom Yorke was experiencing a mental breakdown and had moved to Cornwall to get some peace of mind. In the right place at the right time, Thom Yorke wrote this piece at his new home but felt as if his piano skills were lacking. Later adding synthesizers, this piece diverted from the some of Radiohead's more typical music, but was later celebrated as one of the best song in decades by various publications.

One of the most legendary rap songs ever made, the Real Slim Shady was shockingly written only hours before the release of the album The Marshall Mathers LP. Writing it together, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Tommy Coster and Mike Elizondo, were unaware of the cultural impact and legacy it'd have in the music industry. Making #4 on Billboard Hot 100, Eminem went home with many awards for this song including the MTV music award and a Grammy.

Daft Punk has a mysteriousness that is compelling and at the same time bewildering. No one has ever seen what the musicians look like because they're hiding under helmets which they won't even take off to receive a music award. Romanthony's voice in this song goes along with the synthesizers and has an electronic element that creates a cosmic allure that is hard to dance to, but at the same time makes you not want to leave the dance floor. One More Time reached 66 on Billboard Hot 100

So who is Ms. Jackson in this song? It is unknown, but allegedly the song is inspired by Andre's relationship with Erykah Badu and Ms. Jackson represents her mother. It seems to be a commentary on the disapproval of one's spouse in a mother-daughter relationship, and apologizing for hurt feelings. Written on the acoustic guitar, it is one of Outkast's biggest hits before Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Outkast performed at Coachella and 40 other venues in 2014 to celebrate their 20th anniversary

The genius of Chris Martin is that, he is able to look at something beautiful, and create something even more beautiful out of it, kind of like a ripple in the river. This song was believed to have been created when noticing the stars in Rockfield's Quadrangle studio in south Wales, the group was assembled together after having just recorded "Shiver". Like all of Coldplay's music, the melodic incantations of Yellow is heart-wrenchingly moving and profoundly powerful.

Written by band member Courtney Taylor-Taylor after seeing a woman stop at a traffic sign outside his apartment, this song has been featured in many coming of age films including The Replacements, Summer Catch, Igby Goes Down, Clockstoppers, Flushed Away, Little Nicky, Foolproof, Delirious, and Man of the Year. Instantly becoming a hit, its catchy tune and flirty lyrics make it memorable.

A cult-hit in the club scene, 19-2000 has been remixed over and over, only adding to its popularity. The name is a bit elusive but there is a reason for it. Band leader Murdoc Nickels says "I wrote this around the end of the last millennium, as the clocks were changing and the 21st century was dawning. A new age was upon us. It would be ridiculous for the occasion to go unmarked by a band as forward thinking and iconic as Gorillaz. I just needed a title that reflected that change. 19-2000 fitted the bill. It was that or 'Millennium' and that's a s--t name for a song."

Freedom above all else in a relationship is key. In this song, Nelly Furtado sings about her reluctance to commit in romance and how she will always maintain a free spirit. A karaoke go-to song for many, Nelly Furtado performed it at a tribute concert for Princess Diana in 2007. Earlier however, Nelly Furtado won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, beating out Janet Jackson in 2002.

Whether or not you liked high school, this song is a pleasant throwback and reminder of what went on outside of the classroom, showing diverse student body hanging out within their cliques. A High School flashback, this song is the go-to graduation song for high school and middle school graduates and is a twist on Canon in D and Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 30, giving it an uncanny familiarity.

Written and sung by French musician Yann Destagnol, this song became an instant hit topping US Hot Dance Club Songs. Although it was released exactly 20 years ago, it remains more than ever relevant today, still being performed in clubs globally. Its resurgence is in part related to pop singer Austin Mahone, who featuring Pitbull, dropped his own version of "Lady" in 2017. However, with its upbeat melody, and dynamic bass line, it's no wonder "Lady" continues to kill it everywhere.

An uplifting song about tenacity and never giving up, this Grammy-nominated song was a huge hit topping Hot 100 on just airplay alone. Featured in Romeo Must Die, a spin off of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Aaliyah stars alongside Jet Li making her acting debut. In fact, Jet Li is featured in this music video alongside Aaliyah.

Indicative of the obsolete technology, (at least there is SOME technology use however) it is apparent this is set way before 2020. If there were smartphones during the time when this song was released, the entire concept of the music video would be thrown away. However, the song was a major hit, and remains one, the song everyone is belting out to on the dance floor. Bon Jovi says while no one anticipated the success of this song, he knew all along that it'd be a huge hit...and it was, making 33 on US Billboard.

#4 on Billboard Top 100, 'N Sync's already huge fan base grew when this song was released to a cult following spreading across the country. Lead Justin Timberlake made a name for himself, flourishing not only as a musician but also as an actor. The crisp melodic repetition and catchy lyrics make this song a memorable and for sure a cultural staple in the realm of pop music.

The song was inspired by Chicago step dancing, which is an urban kind of dance incorporating swing and bop. A party extravaganza favorite, when this song played everyone hits the dance floor. Catchy, fun, upbeat, this song will get you jumping up and down. While it's considered "Hip-hop", it is still kid-friendly and is played at many bar/bat mitzvahs and dances.

With initial amazing reception, this song did very well upon its release, reaching #2 on US Billboard. However, after a school shooting in which the student left a note with their lyrics, "I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't really matter," there has been some controversy over the intent of the song. The lead singer Chester Bennington writes the lyrics about his own experiences being bullied and picked on growing up. Despite the negative message, seeing as if there's no point of living, the music video, shot in LA, was intended to be uplifting about the cycle of life. The desert is barren, and later the rain comes bringing with it flowers and rivers and butterflies.

Selling over 5.5 million copies in just a year after its release, this song is about how loyalty makes you angelic. The chorus is based on 1968's Merrillee Rush "Angel of the Morning". When Rikrok came to the studio that's when Shaggy got the idea.
In the creation of the song, Shaggy added beats first, then assembled all the missing parts to make it a hit.

Although it may seem female bashing, this hit song has a lot of charisma and is not in fact hateful towards women as singer and writer Anslem Douglas explains in an interview.
"It's a man-bashing song. I'll tell you why. The lyric of the song says, 'The party was nice, the party was pumpin'.' When I said the word 'party' I was being metaphorical. It really means things were going great. The 'Yippie-Yi-Yo,' that's everybody's happy, right? 'And everybody was having a ball.' Life was going great. 'Until the men start the name-callin' / And then the girls respond to the call.' So the men started calling the women 'skank' and 'skettel,' every dirty word you can think of. The men started the name-calling and then the girls respond to the call. And then a woman shouts out, 'Who let the dogs out?' And we start calling men dogs. It was really a man-bashing song."

Starting off his singing career with boy band Take That, Robbie Williams evolved as a musician when he branched off as one of UK's top male pop stars. His song Rock DJ was extremely well received, giving him more visibility in the US, which he is still aspiring to get. His performance in Vegas hosted by Beyonce and Diana Ross at Encore Theatre gave him the exposure he has been looking for.

The first single released by R&B rapper Mystical, "Shake Ya Ass" was a huge success garnering a lot of attention and making it as #13 on US Billboard. Pharrell's cameo appearance in the music video gives it even more clout, as the song has been featured in several movies including Kiss of the Dragon, Crossroads, Down to Earth, Juwanna Mann, Scary Movie 2, Identity Thief, About A Boy, and It's a Boy Girl Thing

Hailing from Ireland, the band came together in 1990 as their popularity in Ireland grew, the American ambassador of the country invited them to perform at the 1994 World Cup in Boston. In an interview, Andrea Corr says the song is about "tempting someone to make the first move - come on and leave me breathless. You know the scene. The daylight is fading and nothing matters but the two people who are there."