B40 [09/00s] ::: Closing
2009 was a year of unforgettable moments. Slumdog Millionaire recieved it's fame,
Rihanna &
Chris Brown reminded everyone once again of the serious issue of domestive violence and abuse, and
Lady GaGa smashed onto the scene, reminding us that to be a pop star you have to stand out from the crowd.
Michael Jackson began a tragic series of deaths throughout the year. The loss of the living legend and reigning King of Pop devastated billions of fans worldwide. There's not a doubt that his music has been and will continue to be passed down through the generations, as Jackson joins
Presley as most shocking and tragic deaths. It goes to show that your faves are not immortal; they are humans, like every one of you. That's why this year was an important year of truly respecting music for what it was. Although album sales dropped 13%, the artist spotlight was enormous.
Taylor Swift skyrocketed to worldwide fame, unfortunately do to causes at the MTV Video Music Awards. Also, the
Black Eyed Peas returned onto the scene to remind us that the veterans still know how to make an excellent chart run. Newcomer
Ke$ha also gave us a reason to let loose and just party.
Britney Spears had the highest grossing tour of the year, after overcoming personal obstacles just two years prior. This will be a year always remembered, and couldn't be a better year to close a great decade.
This decade, the 2000s, was one of the best. While it's still unknown what tacky items will be the popular joke in five to ten years, we can appreciate all of the great things in the meantime. The 2000s were more than just music; iPods and cell phones literally changed the world over the past 10 years and proved how important modern tech is in our society. Why type an e-mail when you can get a quicker response via Facebook chat? Literally, our society has changed in every way possible. The unfortunate event of 2001 has made security tighter but has brought Americans closer together. But still, let's not forget about the music! This was the decade that many new artists rose to fame, starting with none other than
Britney Spears. She has been the fan favorite for years, and even after going through many life problems of her own, she made it through it all, and she recorded some of the best music of her career during her negative state. "Blackout" may be her only #2 album, but the music on it proves to be so much more. And with Britney,
Justin Timberlake is associated. After making fame with
*NSYNC, Justin skyrocketed to massive worldwide success with his solo career.
Christina Aguilera has touched many hearts with her ballad anthem "Beautiful" and is still recording music today, while being able to take time out and enjoy the other pleasures of life, including her family.
Beyonce Knowles broke loose of the top girl group of the time, Destiny's Child, to persue her successful solo music and movie career. From "Crazy In Love" to "Single Ladies", Beyonce has achieved a phenomenal discography in a short amount of time. In an even shorter amount of time,
Rihanna made the big time, from her club hits "Pon de Replay", "SOS", and "Don't Stop the Music" to smash singles "Umbrella" and "Disturbia", and even powerful ballads "Russian Roulette", "Take a Bow", and "Unfaithful", Rihanna has shown herself as an extremely likeable, diverse, and powerful pop artist. Even through tough times in 2009, she is continually reminding us of who she is and why she's here. Other males to make the big time were
Ne-Yo and
Kanye West, who without a doubt will still be popular and relevant in the new decade.
Lady GaGa has become the newest icon on the map, with a large amount of singles under her belt in a little over a year, including the infamous "Poker Face" and "Bad Romance". She will most likely continue her huge success throughout the 2010s. Not-so-new artists
Madonna,
Michael Jackson, &
Mariah Carey were able to survive the decade change from 1999 to 2000, with mass success. Although MJ has left behind a legacy, Mariah and Madonna are still writing and recording new material. Bands like
Green Day and
No Doubt have also been able to survive the decade-change-curse. Green Day smashed with singles like "21 Guns" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", while No Doubt added "Hey Baby", "Underneath It All", and "Hella Good" to their collection. Although
Gwen Stefani took time out to persue a solo career with successful "Rich Girl", "Hollaback Girl", and "The Sweet Escape", the band is back in the studio for a 2010 return. And another artist to kick off the 2010s,
Ke$ha is on everyone's radar, as her debut studio album, Animal, is #1 on iTunes and holds the top 2 songs on iTunes top 100, with Blah Blah Blah and TiK ToK at 1 and 2, respectively.
The entire decade, and this year alone, have shown to be important to our culture and history in so many positive and negative ways. I'm glad to be able to share in part of this, and the new decade is sure to bring many new surprises.
Thanks to everyone who has commented or even just viewed my charts. The year and decade were very special to me and it's sad to see them go, but it's time for a nice, clean slate to start off 2010. See you on the other side.