The Ten Best Selling Songs in Austria in 2002
2002's biggest hits were light, summery pop numbers, post-grunge, RnB, swing, dramatic ballads and hip hop - a combination of a wide spectre that still gives a good overview of the musical landscape of that time. Also, I grew up with most of the songs even though I did not yet actively listen to the music of the charts, but still, they were all around.
This song was essentially Shakira's international introduction, although she already widely released two fantastic albums before (as well as two rare ones at age 14 and 16, respectively), and turned her into the music star of the year. "Whenever, Wherever", as well as the entire "Laundry Service" album, is far less folk oriented and much poppier than her previous work, but holds up the same quality. The moment the chorus kicks in is one of those moments of 2000s pop that sweep you off your feet. Also, the song revived the popularity of the pan flute.
Here's to the greatest summer hit ever released. It all fits like a glove: the chorus, which is a phonetic recitation of "Rapper's Delight", the fact that its composition in minor prevents it from becoming annoyingly happy, its climactic transition from calm verses to energetic chorus, and the guitar driven instrumentation. It's a song that extremely fun to listen to but that never feels forced at one point, and naturally brings all the good vibes.
Peak position: 1
Having spent 12 weeks on top of the charts, the Latin summer hit was the biggest number 1 hit of the year.
This was the hip hop song that made hip hop heads and non-hip hop heads come together. The ones were digging the earworm sax melody and bouncing beat and laughed a lot about the comical music video, the others were enjoying the outrageous, cleverly provocative lyrics.
An average pop song by one of the more short lived bands formed in the height of the hype around the talent search show "Popstars" (they however paved the way for Ross Anthony who would pursue a moderately successful solo career). Solidly produced, performed and written, it doesn't distinguish much from the other pop songs of its time.
I think it is ironic that it was this song and album that cemented Robbie Williams' status with serious music lovers. He was very successful and acclaimed before, but he was still seen as a pop star. Here he showed that he mastered swing, a more sophisticated genre. The ironic thing is that, while the album is great, it's still a work without original material by an artist whose biggest strength is his incredible songwriting, and who's basically the Elton John of his generation.
One of Nickelback's best songs, powerfully sung, with an edgy, casual guitar-and-percussion background that mark the transition between post-grunge and hard rock in their career, and with good lyrics and an angsty motif. Why do you dislike the band again?
The difference between "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes" as two of the year's biggest hits by the same artist reminds me of the one between "Old Pop in an Oak" and "Wish You Were Here" by Rednex in 1995, although it's admittedly not AS extreme ("Whenever" is not a novelty song and "Underneath" not sad). Still, "Whenever, Wherever" is a positive song for the summer that's thoroughly supposed to make you dance and swing, while "Underneath Your Clothes" is a slow paced, emotionally charged love song that starts off delicate and grows stronger and lusher as it goes on.
A masterpiece. Just as wonderful as the great dramatic ballads of the 90s. The song about a woman realizing that she indeed loves the man she once rejected but gets to learn that it is too late and he moved on, has arguably the most hard hitting climax ever recorded in a ballad. After a tom is heard, the quiet production with soft Spanish guitars and finger snapping sound effects, and whispery singing become massive and powerful. Sarah Connor belts the soul out of her body, accompanied by a choir, and emotionally charged strings, just to turn back to the vulnerable sound at the very end.
It was the big introduction to one of the biggest vocalists of her generation, and what a huge impression that was (there was the midtempo RnB song "Let's Get Bsck To Bed - Boy! " before, which was also successful, but it did not show what Connor's voice was capable of. After this song, people knew she wasn't going to be just another pop star with a short lived hype).
I regard this as one of the greatest songs of the 21st century so far. The sad neo-soul / RnB ballad about the fact that also angels are exposed to negative feelings has one of the most beautiful choruses of the still young century (translated from the German): "Even angels cry, angels suffer / angels sometimes feel alone / they become desperate like everyone else / fall down deep and have enemies".
Both Ben and Gim give a top notch performance, Ben being more extroverted and Gim more introverted in their performance of the chorus (although they each sing the same lyrics in the hook, both sing different notes). They are both delicate in their rendition, and bring in the expression needed to bring the lines to lines. Although Ben's debut album was released to positive reviews and had this major hit, he suffered from having starred in a soap opera before, that's why he never got the recognition as one of the great neo-soul singers that he deserved, and his career was very short lived. Fate was even harsher to Gim: this song was her only exposure to an audience. She was never heard before or afterwards.
And here comes another of the great artists of the century. "Get The Party Started" is a really fun pop song that shows the badass attitude of its singer, although it's not the peak of her music career, and she also didn't write it unlike most of her material (Linda Perry wrote it, who also wrote the biggest song of 1993, "What's Up? ").