It’s crazy to think that 20 years have already passed since 2004, especially when considering some of your favorite songs are now that old. The year produced a plethora of nostalgic hits, some of which are still played on repeat to this day. Giving a snapshot of the monumental year, Pop Passion has compiled a list of Hit Pop Songs Turning 20 in 2024 that may or may not make you feel ancient by the end of it.
1. "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane
Released as the first single from their debut album, Hopes and Fears, Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” graced our ears 20 years ago on February 16, 2004. The track peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, resulting in it becoming Keane’s biggest hit single to date and signature song. “Somewhere Only We Know” blends elements of alt-rock, pop, folk, and post-Britpop, driven by a hammering piano that Keane’s Tim Rice-Oxley compares to David Bowie’s “Heroes.” Though the track was released 2 decades ago, it is still prominent to this day as it has been used on film/TV soundtracks, like He’s Just Not That Into You (2009) and Winne the Pooh (2011), and has been making a resurgence on social media via short-form videos.
Released as the lead single from his fourth studio album, Confessions, Usher’s “Yeah! (ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris)” celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024. The track was released January 10, 2004, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks until it was dethroned by Usher’s follow-up single, “Burn.” “Yeah! (ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris)” was the longest-running number one single in 2004, later topping the year-end chart on the Hot 100. Adding to the wild success of the song, “Yeah! (ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris)” won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards and was nominated for Record of the Year. As of February 2024, the ever-popular song has sold over 13 million copies in the US and is still a fan-favorite to this day.
3. "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5
Serving as the third single from their 2002 debut studio album, Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved” is celebrating 20 years of commercial success since its July 27, 2004, release. The track was used to help promote Songs About Jane, peaking at number five on the US charts and receiving a nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. Though it feels like an eternity has passed since its release, “She Will Be Loved” is still one of Maroon 5’s top songs on Spotify and has garnered well over a billion streams to date.
4. "I Don't Want to Be" by Gavin DeGraw
Technically from his 2003 debut album, Chariot, Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Want to Be” is celebrating a 20th year anniversary since its release as a radio single in February 2004. The track's popularity skyrocketed after it was featured as the opening theme to One Tree Hill, leading to it becoming a hit single following the album’s release. “I Don’t Want to Be” peaked at number 10 on the US charts and is certified gold, having sold over 500,000 downloads.
5. "1985" by Bowling For Soup
Originally written and recorded by American pop-punk band SR-71, Bowling For Soup released their infamous version of “1985” on July 26, 2004. The group changed some of the lyrics to make it their own, including more pop culture references like nods to St. Elmo’s Fire, Ozzy Osbourne’s The Osbournes and the band Duran Duran. During the time of its release, “1985” reached number 23 on the Billboard 100 and debuted at number 1 on Hot Digital Tracks with 15,500 paid downloads. “1985” continues to be a staple for pop-punk enthusiasts to this day, reaching over 346 million streams on Spotify.
6. "Accidentally In Love" by Counting Crows
Written for the opening scene of Shrek 2, Counting Crows’ “Accidentally In Love” celebrates its 20th anniversary alongside the beloved DreamWorks animated film. The iconic track was released on May 3, 2004, two weeks prior to the movie’s theater premier. “Accidentally In Love” was a commercial success, charting in the top 40 of several charts and being nominated for Best Original Song at the 77th Academy Awards. Just as many people’s love for Shrek will never die, the love for this song lives on as it has garnered over 409 million streams on Spotify.
7. "Toxic" by Britney Spears
Though it was included on the 2003 album In the Zone, Britney Spears’ “Toxic” was released as a single on January 12, 2004. The track was used to promote In the Zone, being the second single to come from the singer’s fourth studio album. “Toxic” is one of Spears’ most notable songs, reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 in March of that year and becoming certified 6x platinum by the RIAA in 2023. Leaving a lasting impression, “Toxic” has also reached over one billion streams on Spotify, becoming Spears’ first billion-streaming single.
8. "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson
Coming from her second studio album of the same name, Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway” was released July 19, 2004. The power ballad was originally intended for Avril Lavigne’s debut studio album, but it was deemed as unsuitable for the project and passed to Clarkson. “Breakaway” was recorded for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement soundtrack and the song’s success resulted in it being included on the artist’s second studio album. Being a commercial success, “Breakaway” charted at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the US Adult Contemporary for twenty-one consecutive weeks.
9. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day
Hitting a 20-year milestone since the release of their infamous American Idiot, Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was released as the second single from the album on November 29, 2004. The well-known power ballad won both the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and MTV Video Music Award for Video of the year. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Green Day’s most successful song in the US. Continuing to be one of the pop-punk band’s signature songs, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is still one of Green Day’s top songs on Spotify and has garnered over 850 million streams to date.
Do you remember when these songs came out? What are some of your favorites from 2004? Let us know on our socials!
Written By Cheyenne Johnson
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