Just a (very short) list of some time-honored throwback tunes to bring back this summer on those very long car rides and very late beach nights:
1. ‘N Sync: Bye Bye Bye
A classic early 2000’s boyband tune that you’re going to end up involuntarily lipsynching to because (admit it) it’s catchy and you love it. Reminisce about Justin Timberlake’s blond curly locks and feel better about your own awkward phase. Thankfully, now you and JT both look fantastic!
2. Backstreet Boys: I Want it That Way
You can’t talk about boy bands without including the Backstreet Boys, who produced the perfect upbeat ballad that we could belt our faces off to. Listen and indulge in your most dramatic self.
3. Spice Girls: Spice Up Your Life
Lucky for all of us millenials, the girl groups were also excellent in the late 90’s early 2000s. Everyone loves the Spice Girls and this is the most hype Spice Girls song and an excellent soundtrack to your beach road trip. Don't forget to have a heated debate with your friends as to which Spice you each are.
4. Destiny’s Child: Bills Bills Bills
That one friend needs you to cover them for that ice cream? Again? Play this while you and your other responsible friends shame that one friend through perfectly executed choreography and accusatory facial expressions.
5. Foundations of Wayne: Stacy’s Mom
As catchy as it was scandalous, Stacy’s Mom is always throwback favorite. The only kinda downer part of this song is that you inevitably end up feeling bad for Stacy, who has to deal with this little dweeb and his weird crush on her mom. You’ll still sing along though. You love it.
6. Gwen Stefani: Hollaback Girl
This song a) made you feel like the toughest girl this side of the bagel cafe and b) helped you figure out how many “anananana”s are in bananas. Blast it in the car with your friends to relive that power high.
7. MC Hammer: U Can’t Touch This
I’m pretty sure that this song will still be popular in 2090 because it transcends time and space. "U Can’t Touch This" is a cultural artifact that has inspired so many references and trends that it’s about as well known as the Happy Birthday song at this point.
8.Britney Spears: ...Baby One More Time
This was Brit in her prime, and this song single handedly started the button-down-knotted-beneath-the-chest trend. It was integral to you middle school playlist, right along with "Oops!...I Did it Again" and "Stronger".
9. ABBA: Dancing Queen
A favorite tune at bowling alleys and middle school dances, "Dancing Queen" was one of the many ABBA songs that you still know all the words to. And even if you hadn’t listened to the song in years, it was the most relevant thing in the world on your 17th birthday.
10. Hilary Duff: Come Clean
We all wanted to be Hilary Duff. We still all kinda want to be Hilary Duff. She was the original Disney actress/singer and any bad day could be fixed (at least for a little bit) by popping this into your combination radio and CD player.
11. Fergie: Fergalicious
Fergie was edgy, had that badass eyebrow piercing, and invented a word off her name! She was super cool and her song taught a whole generation how to spell “delicious” correctly on the first try (not an easy task).
12. We The Kings: Check Yes Juliet
I love my Shakespeare in the form of upbeat pop songs. Still waiting on a song for Hamlet but I am confident we’ll get there eventually.
13. Aly & AJ: Potential Breakup Song
More Disney channel stars turned musicians, back and angstier than ever. Most of us wanted to get boyfriends just so we could break up with them and have this song play while we walked coolly away in black skinny jeans.
14. Cheetah Girls: Amigas Cheetahs
Yas queens! Yas Spanish guitar player! Yas amigas Cheetahs friends for life!
15. Atomic Kittens: The Tide is High
This was somehow featured in the opening credits of every single Disney Channel Original movie while the the camera established the bird’s eye view of the location before zooming in on one house in suburbia, then the main character, most likely in their bedroom writing in a journal.
Bop along to these songs while you wonder why you remember all these tunes but not where you put your keys this morning.
