24 songs turning 20 in 2024.

by Nicola O’Connell

So I thought it would be fun to go on a search of what songs are turning 20 this year and in the process I made my 30 year old self feel very old. As I was compiling my list I was sat thinking “you’re joking” as I’d reach certain songs, I just don’t think my brain realises how long it’s been since I was in school and first heard this music.

2004 was probably the year I started to discover my taste in music. Especially once Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ came out and suddenly I wanted to learn electric guitar. Despite swaying more toward the rock genre, I had no shame in loving near enough everything charting that year. Researching for this list really makes you miss how good the 2000s was, even the corny stuff.

The list goes in no specific order and it was quite a lot longer so if we’re missing some classics you loved then I’m sorrrrryyy. Though I do think it’s a pretty solid selection of music from that year.

So join me in this nostalgic trip down memory lane, rediscover some songs you might not have listened to in a while. I’m definitely going to have to make this list into a Spotify playlist for myself.

1. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
   (September 2004) - The American Idiot album as a whole was epic. Boulevard of Broken Dreams was released November that year and went on to win six awards at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2005. The categories being ‘Video of the Year’, ‘Best Group Video’, ‘Best Rock Video’, ‘Best Cinematography’, ‘Best Direction’ and lastly ‘Best Editing’.

2. Baby Cakes - 3 of a Kind
   (August 2004) - This song was aggressively catchy for no good reason. This song still pops into my head out of no-where 20 years later and honestly, I’m not mad about it. The song went straight to number 1 in the UK upon release. I love a one-hit-wonder.

3. My Happy Ending- Avril Lavigne
   (June 2004) - ‘My Happy Ending’ peaked at 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent 25 weeks total on the charts. Avril Lavigne also released ‘Don’t Tell Me’ and ‘Nobody’s Home’ in the same year from the album ‘Under My Skin’. As a kid I loved Avril and I couldn’t imagine those years without her music. I still gravitate back to these songs, they’re great.

4. Bless The Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
   (November 2004) - So I was convinced this song was older than 20 years and I was correct as it was originally released in 1994 by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, but the version by Rascal Flatts is the only one I can truly re-call. This is one of those guilty pleasure kind of songs but I have no shame in saying it. I think we all love it really. So despite being older than 20, we’re letting it stay on the list because I love the Rascal Flatts cover, there’s just something about Gary LeVox’s voice and how he sings it.

5. My Place - Nelly
   (July 2004) - When I think of the 2000s, Nelly is one of those artists that comes to mind. Especially with his album Nellyville which was released 2 years before. Nelly had so many hits over the noughties and ‘My Place’ topped the UK Singles Charts. The album Suit was actually nominated for a Grammy Award in the category ‘Best Rap Album’ but unfortunately lost to Kanye West’s ‘The College Dropout’.

6. Somebody Told Me - The Killers
   (March 2004) - Somebody Told Me was from the iconic album ‘Hot Fuss’ by The Killers. I feel like there’s so many songs on this list that are staple songs in British Culture and this is one. Alongside ‘Mr Brightside’ (2003) which no matter what will get a crowd singing.

7. All That I’ve Got - The Used
   (December 2004) - When I say I am STILL obsessed with this song 20 years later. I listen to this song at LEAST monthly. When I put this song on it’s like I return to my teenage self. It never gets old, I love it. I love the music video. It’s of such an era. It makes me want to listen to Good Charlotte and My Chemical Romance. I want to flick to Kerrang! and spend hours binge watching. Memories. The Used are to perform at Download Festival this year on the Sunday.

8. Bedshaped - Keane
   (August 2004) - This was a rediscovery for me, I completely forgot about this song and I’m super mad about it because it’s bloody fantastic. The music video was great. Looking back at it now gives me Nightmare Before Christmas/Coraline vibes with its stop-motion style. Other songs turning 20 from the 2004 album ‘Hopes and Fears’ are ‘Somewhere Only We Know’, ‘Everybody’s Changing’, and ‘This Is The Last Time’. I 100% need to revisit this album.

9. The Reason - Hoobastank
   (January 2004) - This. Song. It’s another that doesn’t get old for me. It’s such a great song. I remember butchering the ever loving god out of this for years on the SingStar game. Hoobastank are actually set to play Download Festival this year alongside a superb line-up. I hope to go and if I do I’ll be eagerly awaiting this song.

10. Roses - OutKast
    (March 2004) - OutKast are another staple of the 2000s for me with songs like ‘Ms. Jackson’, ‘The Way You Move’, and ‘Hey Ya!’. I actually think ‘Roses’ may have been my favourite from them. It was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for ‘Best Video of the Year’ but the award ultimately went to Jay-Z for ‘99 Problems’.

11. She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
    (June 2004) - Maroon 5 was another that had an absolute grip on me during the 2000s. ‘Songs About Jane’ gave us several more hits with ‘This Love’, ‘Sunday Morning’, and ‘Harder To Breathe’ (2002). I still love and listen to these songs.

12. Burn - Usher
    (March 2004) - 2004 gave us Usher’s album ‘Confessions’. Other hits turning 20 with ‘Burn’ are ‘Yeah!’, ‘Confessions Part II’ and ‘My Boo’. Usher was nominated for 8 categories at the 47th Grammy Awards ultimately winning in 3.

13. Drop It Like It’s Hot - Snoop Dogg ft. Pharrell
    (September 2004) - This song is iconic. I don’t care what music you’re into, if you were born in the 90s or earlier, you know this song. I refuse to believe otherwise. It topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks.

14. Lose My Breath - Destiny’s Child
    (October 2004) - ‘Lose My Breath’ was the lead single from the album ‘Destiny Fulfilled’. The song itself actually went Platinum in the UK, US and Australia. ‘Soldier’ from ‘Destiny Fulfilled’ is also joining the 20s club.

15. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
    (November 2004) - Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Breakaway’ was a work of art. I had many of the singles from this album on my MP3 player at the time. ‘Since U Been Gone’ being one of them.
    There’s something currently called the Kelly Clarkson Effect where she takes songs and covers them so well.. too well.. & sometimes, dare I say, better than the original? She has a phenomenal voice, I’ll always revisit ‘Breakaway’.

16. Everybody’s Fool - Evanescence
    (May 2004) - I actually thought ‘Bring Me To Life’ would be on this list but it came out in 2003 as did the singles ‘Going Under’ and ‘My Immortal’ from the ‘Fallen’ album. ‘Everybody’s Fool’ was the only one to be released the year after in 2004. The ‘Fallen’ album was nominated for several awards at the 2004 Grammy’s. Categories included ‘Best Rock Album’, ‘Album of the Year’, ‘Best Rock Song’, ‘Best Hard Rock Performance’ and ‘Best New Artist’ winning 2 of the awards overall.

17. Breaking The Habit - Linkin Park
    (June 2004) - Breaking The Habit is one of the songs on the list that hits me with nostalgia. I remember watching this music video for the first time and being in love with the animation, it made it felt like a mini movie. This is actually my favourite Linkin Park song in general. I can listen to it on loop forever. The music video itself won the MTV Music Video Award for Viewers Choice in 2004. & rightly so.

18. Everytime - Britney Spears
    (May 2004) - Released May of 2004, Everytime was the third single to be released from Britney’s album titled ‘In The Zone’. This is one of the most beautiful but sad songs. She knocked the ball out of the park with this one and it’ll never age, especially with artists like Lewis Capaldi, Kelly Clarkson and Glen Hansard covering it.

19. Just Lose It - Eminem
    (September 2004) - Lead single from the album ‘Encore’ went Platinum in the UK & Australia and then double Platinum in the US. The music video received a fair bit of backlash due to some of the topics included but despite its controversy the MV wasn’t pulled and actually became a popular requested video on MTV.

20. Leave (Get Out) - JoJo
    (February 2004) - From the self-titled album ‘JoJo’, ‘Leave (Get Out)’ was JoJo’s debut single. Spending 12 or more weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, it went Platinum in Australia and Gold in New Zealand, the UK and US. Aged 13, JoJo became the youngest female solo artist to have a number 1 single in the US at the time.

21. Let’s Get It Started - Black Eyed Peas
    (June 2004) - Let’s Get It Started was nominated for ‘Record of the Year’ and ‘Best Rap Song’ at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards but ultimately won the group ‘Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group’. The song done amazingly going triple Platinum in the US.

22. My Band - D12
    (March 2004) - My Band was the first single from the album ‘D12 World’. The song received nominations for ‘Video of the Year’, ‘Best Group Video’, and' ‘Best Rap Video’ at the MTV VMA’s (2004). Despite not winning any, the song went Platinum & Gold in several countries.

23. Accidentally In Love - Counting Crows
    (May 2004) - This is oddly another song that I was convinced was older but this time it’s not. It actually was released 2004. It appeared in the Shrek 2 soundtrack but I never actually realised that the song was written for the film specifically. The song spent 20 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100.

24. Yeah! - Usher ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris
    (January 2004) - I know we’ve already seen Usher on this list but I had to put ‘Yeah!’ somewhere on here too because it’s another iconic song of the time. Everyone knows it. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks before being knocked down by another of his own, ‘Burn’. ‘Yeah!’ went Platinum THIRTEEN TIMES. I want to say I can’t believe that because it’s insane but also I believe it. Usher won ‘Best Dance Video’ and ‘Best Male Video’ at the MTV VMA’s with this song.