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Best and Worst Songs of 2002:
Our picks...
Christine
Things looked optimistic at first. New artists like Ashanti, Sum 41, and Avril Lavigne were breathing new life into the music scene. Pop seemed to take a rest, thanks to the absence of Britney Spears, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. Rap and R&B took a different approach to things, focusing more on the positive than the negative. But then, things went down the toilet. Ashanti and Avril Lavigne turned out to be big disappointments, and artistic quality took a back seat to one-minute quickie hits that borrowed heavily from older songs (I'm looking at you, J.Lo.). Comebacks from Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, two of the biggest powerhouses of the 1990s, were mediocre at best, and reminded everyone that the good ol' days of music were far behind us. Still, good artists emerged in 2002, and because of lack of worthy competition, shined through. ¤ C.Ho.
The BEST
- "Cry Me A River," Justin Timberlake
- "Walking Away," Craig David
- "Stole," Kelly Rowland
- "Lose Yourself," Eminem
- "In the End," Linkin Park
- "Don't Let Me Get Me," Pink
- "Beautiful," Christina Aguilera
- "Work It," Missy Elliott
- "All You Wanted," Michelle Branch
- "When the Last Time," The Clipse
The WORST
- "Just A Friend '02," Mario
- "Black Suit's Coming (Nod Ya Head)," Will Smith
- "Down 4 U," Murder Inc.
- "Baby," Ashanti
- "Ordinary Day," Vanessa Carlton
- "Girl Talk," TLC
- "Run for Your Life," Jarvis Church featuring Esthero
- "Jenny From the Block," J. Lo.
- "Thug Lovin'," Ja Rule featuring Bobby Brown
- "Boy (I Like You)," Mariah Carey featuring Cam'ron
Michelle
I have been racking my brain on what I thought stood out in music this year, and this is what I came up with.Not being a fan of anything related to pop music, I was looking forward to doggin' Justin Timberlake's solo effort, Justified. True, Christine downloaded the CD a few months ago and told me that she liked it, but I quickly dismissed her since we tend to disagree in music at times.
I heard his first release, "Like I Love You"…loved it…and felt the shame and embarrassment of loving a bubblegum artist [girl, just embrace it! - Chris]. I felt compelled to confide in Christine and rid myself of the guilt. She laughed at me and told me that it was a good CD, and that it was not *NSYNC-esque at all.
Well, I haven't bought the CD yet, but I've downloaded a couple of songs (which I listen to daily), and I have newfound respect for Justin Timberlake. Not only do I still love his first release, I am diggin' the second single, "Cry Me A River," and the video.
If a member from a pop group can make me big up his CD, maybe there is hope for music in 2003! ¤ Michelle
The BEST The WORST