The Ten Best Selling Songs in Austria in 2004
2004, when I was 8 years old, was the first year that I actively started listening to music and check out what was on the charts. The music channel VIVA, which was essentially the German answer to MTV (which also existed over here though), became one of my favorite TV channels.That year, the charts pretty much found a decent mixture of all relevant genres: dance, pop rock, pure rock, RnB, Latin, and hip hop. It's a nice cocktail of hits.
"Dragostea din tei" didn't need YouTube to become an insanely huge hit over here. I still recall this song having been everywhere in 2004, and I loved it back then. And still today, this is much fun. When a song's chorus, bridge AND verses are instantly recognizable, you won.
Peak position: 1
Having spent 13 weeks on top of the charts, the dance pop song was also the biggest number 1 hit of the year.
I don't think anyone expected the follow up to a talent search show participant's pop rock debut single to be heartbreaking, daring comment on the Iraqean war told from the perspective of a young Iraqean child that does not understand what is going on around, asking her mother, who runs away with her, what those shooting stars (jets) are and where the thunder (bombs) comes from. The last few lines, also aimed at the mother, of the third verse are gut wrenching "Why don't you say anything anymore? Why are your eyes empty? Say, is this my fault? I'm sorry". Ouch. Very much ouch.
Peak position: 1
I have no idea why an almost identical sound-alike cover of the year's biggest hit was almost as successful as the original at the exact same time. But it was the case. And I still recall that both versions were played equally often, sometimes right after each other. The original version by O-Zone sounds better though in vocal style (yes, this song actually sounds better with autotune) and production.
Fun fact: the audio sample of the O-Zone version starts right where this audio sample ends. Just to highlight how similar they are.
Peak position: 1
This and "Don't Phunk With My Heart" are the BEP's two greatest songs. Not only is this song musically very good - very melodic in its beat and chorus, it's also a good audio play following a concept about domestic problems, Fergie playing the role of the wife and will.I.am and taboo sharing the role of the husband.
Peak position: 1
The beat and music are awesome (the background singers sound great), but the lead vocals and lyrics are ridiculous. I think I haven't heard this song since it was big, fifteen years ago - it's not one of the songs that became classics (and no, its lack of airplay has nothing to do with the lyrics - Bloodhound Gang, Serge Gainsbourg and Frank Zappa all have regular airplay). I can't really decide whether I like it or not. My first reaction after all this time was... it's bewildering, but it has something about it.
Peak position: 1
Peak position: 1
Ladies and gentleman: the most instantly recognizable beat of all time!
I think this was the first time Austria got confronted with the hip hop leaning end of RnB - before, the popular RnB songs were much closer to pop or neo-soul.
Peak position: 1
I think it's funny how extremely different this song - and the band itself for that matter - is received in America and Austria, because Limp Bizkit's cover of "Behind Blue Eyes" is actually very well liked over here. Although The Who are really popular, LB's version is far more often played, it's heard every other day. As I told earlier on another list, my father, who only really loves a handful of 21st century songs and hates covers (favorite bands Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen,...), considers this one of the best songs of its time, and almost as good as the original. He's not alone with this opinion.
Personally, I think both versions are very good. Roger Daultry is the better singer, but Fred Durst does a fine job as well. Although both start off close to each other, they go different directions as it goes on - The Who add more hard rock and Limp Bizkit add electronic elements that blend well with the soft rock, as well as a new verse. ...more
Peak position: 3
Peak position: 1
THE masterpiece of this list - and one of the best songs of the 2000s. Melody, instrumental and lyrics would have been an absolute smash hit no matter who performed it, even if it was just a so-so singer. But it was performed by Anastacia, one of the greatest artists of her generation, someone whose singing is soulful, funky, dramatic, strong, vulnerable, all at once, and who has the ability to make people stop whatever they are doing when the song is on and just make them listen to her voice. This is sheer perfection. One of those songs that are pop by definition, but for whose artistry the term "pop" sounds far too trivial.
Peak position: 1