Songs from the Year 2003

So last week on Music Thursdays, I presented to you a listing of my favorite songs from the year 2002, as well as other songs that were hits in that particular year. This week, I will recap the songs that made it big in 2003. That year saw a variety of artists make it big on the charts, from rap artists to country to pop. By the way, the majority of the songs being recapped by me during these years fall into the pop or the adult contemporary charts. There may be a few country or R&B crossovers, but they are pretty limited. So here's looking back to 2003 in music.

2003 was the year for Outkast and it's popular anthem "Hey Ya!". The song is super catchy and can easily get you up on your feet. I remember hearing it quite frequently on the radio during its peak. Now I hear it very rarely and truthfully, songs that have a tendency to be overplayed tend to fall off in regards to popularity. And I think the same can be said for "Hey Ya!" I compare it to the song "Who Let the Dog's Out" by Baha Men. It was their one true hit and we haven't heard much from them since. The same can be said for Outkast, who had a few other hits from that particular album, but have fallen off the charts since. But that's the way the music industry tends to go.

3 Doors Down released a new album in 2003 after having a big success with their previous album. On their '03 album "Another 700 Miles" came the hit "Be Without You." It's a song that was ranked as the number three song of the year. 3 Doors Down is definitely a modern-day rock band and it mixes between ballads and upbeat songs, but they definitely give their songs that rock feel. "Be Without You" is definitely one of the most memorable songs to come from that group. Meanwhile, Kelly Clarkson began making a name for herself after winning the American Idol crown in 2002. She released the first song from her debut album called "Miss Independent." It proved to be a big hit for Kelly, as it ranked as the fifth biggest song for the year. She was beginning to prove herself to the critics that she truly was the real deal.

Matchbox Twenty had a very popular song in 2003 with "Unwell." It ended up being ranked as the 12th most popular song of the year. And although the groups' songs from the album that "Unwell" came from didn't garner as much critical acclaim as previous songs did, you still heard them on the radio quite often. In addition, Avril Lavigne continued the success she achieved during the previous year when she went on to release the ballad "I'm With You" which ranked as the 15th most popular song of the year. And she didn't stop there, either.

As for other songs which I enjoyed during 2003, they include: "Harder to Breathe" by Maroon 5, "Your Body is a Wonderland" by John Mayer, "Picture" by Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow, "Are You Happy Now" by Michelle Branch, "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)" by Jason Mraz, "Clocks" by Coldplay, "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne, "All the Things She Said" by T.A.T.U., "If You're Not the One" by Daniel Bedingfield, "Headstrong" by Trapt, "Breathe" by Michelle Branch, "Calling All Angels" by Train, and "Bigger Than My Body" by John Mayer, among others. I am sure there are a few songs I missed, but these were ranked within the top 100 songs of 2003. Be sure to check back next week when I may (or may not) review the top songs of 2004.

Songs I Dig - 13

After a few months, it's finally back. I am happy to bring you the very latest edition of the "Songs I Dig" blog. All of these songs have been on the radio for awhile now - so I'm not bringing anything fresh to the table with these picks. Actually, this blog should've been published over a month ago - but I kept putting it off and putting it off. But the good thing is that these songs are still very much current and highly popular. So I am not doing any dis-service to my readers by posting about old songs.

Also as a note, the SID blogs in the past were getting to be quite cumbersome; becoming more of a chore than something enjoyable to write about. That means I have decided to shorten-up the write-ups a bit and talk less about each of the artists/groups past and discuss the song more in-depth. Because after all, it's more about these hot new songs than the actual artists, although a little backstory doesn't hurt either. So I hope you enjoy the more-condensed write-ups of each of the songs featured here.

All American Rejects - "Gives You Hell" : Okay, so this song has been on the radio for quite awhile. My initial reaction when I first heard it played was that it was going to be a total failure. I just didn't think it would do that well for AAR because it wasn't like their previous successful songs. But the song started to grow on me. Then it all came down to actually watching the music video on VH1 when my position on the song completely switched. It's a fun, up-beat song that's enjoyable to sing along to. I can picture this song being played at sports arenas because it's one of those kinds of songs.

Kelly Clarkson - "My Life Would Suck Without You" : You want to talk about a catchy new song? This one is the epitome of catchy songs. I had a similar reaction to this song like that of "Gives You Hell," but my disdain for the song quickly faded the more I listened to it. It's kind of a dysfunctional relationship song with the message that despite all of the trials and tribulations that go on between a certain couple, the fact is that life would be pretty darn boring without him/her. And what's more, I am absolutely thrilled to see the original American Idol winner back on the chart with a #1 record. Go Kelly!

The Fray - "You Found Me" : Does anyone else feel the same way about music released by The Fray when it first comes out - in that it's hard to understand every word that lead vocalist Isaac Slade says? I've come across that with just about every song they've released to the radio, but that's not to say their music isn't good. "You Found Me" ranks right up their with the likes of their previous hits. To me, I think of The Fray as being comprised by a bunch of good guys trying to make the most of their experience in the music industry. And they keep encountering more and more success with each song released. Good for them.

Lady GaGa (f. Colby O'Donis) - "Just Dance" : Lady GaGa is a relative newcomer to the music industry in terms of being successful. I wasn't familiar with her until this song hit the airwaves around here. I remember watching a video of her interact with my favorite American Idolist David Archuleta after a Jingle Ball performance from this past winter. She seems like a friendly gal and she loved being right next to David. I wonder what he thought of her attire at the time? You have to admit that "Just Dance" is an incredibly catchy tune. I can picture all of the older teenagers and young college crowd dancing to this song at dance clubs. It's definitely one of those songs you can dance to.

Pink - "Sober" : Here's a female vocalist that just keeps on going. It seems like each of her songs released to radio become hits in no time. "Sober" is no exception. It certainly has a much different flavor than her previous #1 hit song, "So What." It has a slower tempo and deals with a darker topic. However, I absolutely love the arrangement of the song. The whole overall feel of the song has a sort of haunting touch to it. And the way Pink harmonizes in certain spots of the song is wonderfully done. This is one tune that continues to climb up the charts week after week and I won't be surprised if it soon makes it to #1.

So that does it for this edition of the latest "Songs I Dig" blog. I hope you like the more condensed format - I know I did! Be sure to check back to "Luke's Ponderings" for a new edition of the SID blog very soon.