André 3000’s manic, acoustic-guitar-driven pop masterpiece is less a song and more a sociological experiment. The lyrics detail a failing relationship set to a beat that forces you to dance. "Shake it like a Polaroid picture" became a global catchphrase. It proved that a Southern hip-hop duo could out-Beatle the Beatles in psychedelic pop production.
How did a garage-rock riff with no bass guitar become the most chanted stadium anthem on Earth? Jack White’s minimalist masterpiece transcended rock radio to become a global sports phenomenon. VH1 placed it here as a nod to rock’s final great stand. vh1 100 greatest songs of the 2000s
Upside-down crosses and black nail polish went platinum. It proved that a Southern hip-hop duo could
CeeLo Green and Danger Mouse created a timeless soul record that felt simultaneously retro-futuristic. "Crazy" was the first song to reach #1 on the UK Singles Chart based purely on digital downloads (a sign of the times). Its paranoid, relatable lyric "Does that make me crazy?" made it an anthem for the anxiety-ridden post-9/11 world. VH1 placed it here as a nod to rock’s final great stand
“Crazy” (Gnarls Barkley) is an unusual #1: it was a one-off collaboration, not a legacy act. The song’s theme of losing one’s mind (“I remember when I lost my mind”) resonated deeply with a decade defined by the Iraq War, economic precarity, and the destabilization of traditional media. Sonically, it blends 1960s Motown, 1970s funk, and 2000s digital production (Dangermouse). It is a song about anxiety disguised as a dance track.