Ten Summer Jams That Turn 10 This Year

BreakingModern — We’re deep in the summer season, and you’ve spent your time driving around with the AC blasting and the newest summer hits thumping on your radio. Maybe you got a little nostalgic. Maybe you pined a while for the decade gone by.

What were you listening to back then, while you rode around in your old car (or attended summer camp, depending on your age)? We have some pretty good guesses.

jams

“Oh” — Ciara

Ten years ago, a fresh-faced, 20-year-old Ciara dropped her third single, the simply titled “Oh” (brevity is the soul of wit, right?). Ci ci and her fellow southerner Ludacris wrote the record as an ode to their hometown of Atlanta.

You remember this as the prime make-out song of the summer, and the music video made you yearn to wear teeny-tiny shirts and gigantic cargo pants.

You also wanted Ciara’s abs and the ability to use the term “crunk” without sounding ridiculous. You achieved neither.

jams

“Pon de Replay” — Rihanna

Speaking of fresh-faced artists that are still relevant today, Rihanna’s debut single burst into our lives during the summer of 2005. Back then she was marketed mainly as an “Island Girl” in a sequined midriff (stomachs were the body part du jour in 2005, the way butts are in 2015). She certainly had star power, though. If you could look past the slightly nasally voice and bland clap-clap beat, you knew this kid was a serious star in the making.

You totally jammed out to this song while driving around town with your friends. And admit it — you tried to accomplish the Rihanna butt twitch from the music video.

jams

“Best of You” — Foo Fighters

Can you believe it’s been 10 years since we first got up close and personal with Dave Grohl’s nose hair in the “Best of You” music video?

With this song at the helm, the swarthy ex-Nirvana rocker and his band screamed and strummed through their fifth studio album, In Your Honor. The song was at least partially inspired by former presidential candidate and current Secretary of State John Kerry. Go figure.

You definitely sang “Best of You” at the top of your lungs at multiple slumber parties, in your car, in your room after your first breakup, and maybe at a Bat Mitzvah or two. Who cares what the song is really about? This was pure passion personified! Dave Grohl truly understood your moody teenage soul.

jams

“Incomplete” — Backstreet Boys

Oh yes, the Backstreet Boys’ comeback single. Now that was a ballad with a killer piano intro.

This song marked a new, moodier turn for the formerly dissolved boy band. Their sweet melodies had turned gritty with passion, with a sand-covered “artistic” music video to match. It was a cheese-fest, and it was beautiful.

You literally cannot get through this song without singing. Even today. It’s impossible.

jams

“Lose Control” — Missy Elliott

Missy Elliott was one of the greats, and we all knew it. Maybe we forgot for a while, until her recent super bowl performance jarred our memories, but she was an absolute queen in the early 2000s. The song featured Ciara, professional hype man Fat Man Scoop, and an eerie music video. Oh, and at least a dozen dark blue tracksuits. What could be better?

You definitely had “I’ve got a cute face, chubby waist, thick legs, in shape” as your away message on AIM. Or you wrote it somewhere on your MySpace page.

jams

“Bad Day” — Daniel Powter

You. Could not. Escape this song. It was everywhere — TV shows, checkout lines, your best friend’s iPod (ex-best friend, now). It wasn’t a bad song, per say. It was just … everywhere.

But even though you can still sing the whole song from start to finish, you still have no idea who Daniel Powter is. The Canadian pianist hasn’t had a hit since “Bad Day,” and was even named the decade’s #1 one-hit wonder by Billboard magazine.

You sang along with this song, although you won’t admit it to anyone. And you kinda-sorta liked it when you first heard it. But that, too, is a secret. In fact, you’re living a lie — you actually kind of still like this song, now that you don’t hear it everywhere. You still listen to it when you’ve had, well, a bad day.

jams

“We Belong Together” — Mariah Carey

This was Mariah Carey’s comeback single, and after “We Belong Together” came out you told your friends you’d been rooting for Mimi all along. Yes, even when you were making fun of her in Glitter.

The song broke records, spending 14 weeks at the top of the billboard singles chart and achieving the highest number of plays on American radio in a one-week period. Mariah Carey was back in full form, and we loved it.

Even before “We Belong Together,” you would sometimes “perform” Mariah Carey songs in the shower. Once this song came out, though, you acted out the shower scene from the music video basically every morning. You had to. It was a compulsion.

jams

“You’re Beautiful” — James Blunt

Such a sad song. Such a high-pitched voice. Such a boring video (do we really need a three-and-a-half-minute video of Mr. Blunt getting ready to dive into the sea?)

The song, which Blunt wrote about seeing an ex-lover with her new fling, was perfect for mourning the dissolution of your own summer romance, or perhaps for pining after a crush that will never reciprocate your affections.

The song won several Grammy awards and was the first song by a British artist to reach the #1 spot in America since Elton John’s re-release of “Candle in the Wind” in 1997. Who knew, right?

jams

“Since U Been Gone” — Kelly Clarkson

Once you finished crying into your pillow to James Blunt, it was time to pop on a more optimistic breakup song. You were better off without your ex-lover, after all. This empowering anthem was perfect for hopping around your room singing into a hairbrush at the top of your lungs.

Since “Since U Been Gone,” the American Idol champ became the reigning queen of breakup songs, giving us “Because of You,” “Already Gone,” “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” “Walk Away” and many others. If you wanted to feel good about yourself post-breakup (and maybe have a good cry), Kelly Clarkson was your girl.

You sang this song unsuccessfully at karaoke night. Unless you have a voice like Clarkson, the song sounds more like a series of differently pitched screams than an actual melody.

jams

“Wake Me Up When September Ends” — Green Day

This song was some heavy stuff. Written about the death of lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong’s father and re-appropriated for everything from the Iraq War to Hurricane Katrina, “Wake Me Up When September Ends” is the ultimate song about loss. The song is proof that tragedy and wailing guitar solos can work perfectly in unison.

Billy Joe was definitely your favorite emo rocker crush … even though he was old enough to be your father. You thought you were so cool for liking Green Day too. Not everyone understands the depth of the band’s lyrics, right?

You put this song on repeat when you thought about the coming school semester. Why can’t summer last forever?

For BMod, I’m .

All Screenshots: BMod Staff

Alison Maney

Author: Alison Maney

Based in NYC, Alison Maney covers lifestyle, trends and movies for BreakingModern. Follow her @sheepandcake on Twitter.

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