The Best 2000s Singers Of All Time Ranked
In American culture, various styles of the late 20th century remained popular, such as in rock, pop, metal, hip hop, R&B, EDM, country and indie. As the technology of computers and internet sharing developed, a variety of those genres started to fuse in order to see new styles emerging. Terms like “contemporary”, “nu”, “revival”, “alternative”, and “post” are added to various genres titles in order to differentiate them from past styles, nu-disco and post-punk revival as notable examples. The popularity of teen pop carried over from the 1990s with acts such as *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera dominating the charts in the earlier years of the decade. Previously established Pop Music artists such as Michael Jackson and Madonna made a comeback in the early 2000s with successful releases such as Invincible and Music. Contemporary R&B was one of the most popular genres of the decade (especially in the early and mid-2000s), with artists like Usher, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, and Rihanna. In 2004, the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 had 15 of its top 25 singles as contemporary R&B. Here are the best 2000’s Singers 00’s ranked.
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20. Billie Joe Armstrong
“Billie Joe Armstrong co-founded Green Day with Mike Dirnt in the late 1980s. Armstrong is the brains behind most of the band’s music, but he also fronts the group with vocals and guitar skills. They made waves in the punk and alternative music world during the 1990s with a series of albums, including Dookie but didn’t find mainstream success until the 2000s. “
19. Justin Timberlake
“When Justin Timberlake first entered the pop culture scene as the young heartthrob in The All-New Mickey Mouse Club and then in the widely famous boy band NSYNC, few probably envisioned him to go on to have the success he did. In 2002, Timberlake broke with NSYNC with his first solo single, “Like I Love You.”
18. Shakira
“In the 1990s, Shakira established herself as a major diva in Spanish-speaking countries. But, in 2001, she made the crossover to English with her hit record, Laundry Service. She followed this up with 2005’s Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, which included her mega-hit, “Hips Don’t Lie.””
17. Usher
“In 2004 with the release of his album Confessions Usher evolved into one of the best-selling musical artists of the 2000s. The hit single “Yeah!” became a staple in clubs nationwide. Rolling Stone magazine characterized the album as having a “sweet soul with something new: brutal honesty.”
16. Lady Gaga\
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While Lady Gaga only came on the scene at the end of the decade, she made a monstrous impact. With her 2009 record, The Fame, she became a household name with hits like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face.” The album rose to number two on the Billboard 200. In 2009, she re-released the album The Fame Monster. The re-worked album featured eight new songs, including some of her most iconic, like “Bad Romance” and “Alejandro.”
15. Rihanna
“Rihanna was a household name when her album A Girl Like Me was released. Never one to be satisfied, Rihanna continued to redefine her musical style, experimenting with dubstep and rock music. Her album Good Girl Gone Bad was hugely successful and received a two-times Platinum by RIAA. She has known nearly as much for her fashionista style as her music.”
14. Avril Lavigne
“The Pop Punk Queen catapulted herself to the top of the charts with her debut 2002 album Let Go. Featuring iconic tracks like “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi,” Avril Lavigne dominated the airwaves throughout the decade. She continued to release hit records throughout the 2000s, including 2004’s Under My Skin and 2007’s The Best Damn Thing.“
13. Madonna
“By the 2000s, Madonna was a household name with fans worldwide. She even piped the title song of a James Bond film, Die Another Day, placing herself on the iconic levels as music celebs Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, and Shirley Bassey. Forever known for provocatively, during the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, she kissed the “Princess of Pop” songster Britney Spears sparking controversy and continuing her legacy.”
12. Bono
“The lead singer of the Irish rock band, U2 is as well known for his music as he is for his activism. By the end of the 2000s, U2 had won six MTV Video Music Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, and 22 Grammy Awards.”
11. Michael Bublé
“When Bublé’s self-titled debut album was released in 2003, he soared to the top of the charts and the top of many people’s hearts. Bublé’s songs meld smooth jazz with pop, driving listeners to giggle, cry, and love. In 2007 Bublé won his first Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and hasn’t slowed down.”
10. Alicia Keys
“The talented vocalist and pianist Alicia Keys introduced herself to the world with her 2001 debut album, Songs In A Minor. The single “Fallin’” reached the top of the Billboard charts, and the album earned her five Grammy wins. She followed this up with 2003’s The Diary of Alicia Keys, which included hit singles like “If I Ain’t Got You” and “You Don’t Know My Name.”
9. will.i.am
“will.i.am, the stage name used by William James Adams Jr., is typically seen as the frontman of the Black Eyed Peas. As the founding member, he brought an impressive history of music production and collaborations to the group. The group delighted 2000s music fans with their 2003 hit “Where Is the Love?” and did not stop smashing hits. Becoming certified three times Platinum, their fourth album, Monkey Business, featuring “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling,” there was no refuting that the Black Eyed Peas were a force like no other. “
8. Chad Kroeger
“Chad Kroeger is the lead singer and guitarist for the Canadian rock band Nickleback. The group started as a cover band, but by the 2000s, they found success with their own songs. Defined as anything from hard rock to pop rock to heavy metal, Nickelback has relished commercial triumph unlike any other band from Canada. The combination of Kroeger’s throaty vocals and songwriting prowess played a massive role in propelling the band up the charts.”
7. Norah Jones
“Norah Jones released her debut record, Come Away With Me, in 2002, establishing her as one of the best jazz and pop artists in the world. The record earned her the Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best New Artist.”
6. Pink
“In 2000, she released her first top-ten single, “There You Go,” and her debut album Can’t Take Me Home reached double platinum status. Pink marched through the 2000s, releasing hits such as “Get the Party Started,” “Just Like a Pill,” and “So What.” Defined by MTV as “a fabulously fearless pop artist,” “
5. Beyoncé
“After rising to prominence in the 1990s as the lead singer of Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé Knowles would establish herself as the queen with her 2003 album, Dangerously In Love. Her 2006 records B’Day and 2008 I Am… Sasha Fierce would establish her as one of the greatest divas of all time. She was also a movie star, playing roles in movies like Dreamgirls and Cadillac Ranch.“
4. Britney Spears
“At the start of the 21st century, no pop star was bigger than Britney Spears. With her first two albums, 1999’s …Baby One More Time and 2000’s Oops!… I Did It Again, she established herself as one of the most popular and best-selling musical artists of all time.”
3. Chris Martin
“Coldplay, the rock band across the pond, might not have quite the following if not for Chris Martin’s soulful lead vocals. The lead singer and pianist helped Coldplay win over listeners in the 2000s with their distinctive style and sound. Even though the band originated in 1998, they did not release their first album, Parachutes, until 2000.”
2. Chester Bennington
“Linkin Park claimed fame relatively quickly, largely thanks to Chester Bennington’s impressive vocals. Bennington initially fronted Grey Daze but ultimately got a call to audition for an LA-based group, Xero. He auditioned in 1999, the band changed its name to Linkin Park, and released a debut studio album, Hybrid Theory, in 2000.”
1. Eminem
“Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, signed with Dr. Dre’s label in the late 1990s, but it was his first two releases of the 2000s—The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002)—that catapulted him to international superstardom. In 2002, he starred in a fictionalized version of his life in the film 8 Mile, and he gave the world his biggest hit on the soundtrack, “Lose Yourself.””