There’s this set of memories that feel as if they’re filed under “Important” when it comes to music. Late at night, either driving back to a hotel or home as a kid, felt like a different world. From the backseat, the drives were usually quiet except for the car radio blasting.
Rihanna, Nelly Furtado and David Guetta can hit you with a wave of nostalgia when encountering them out in the wild. If you’re unprepared and forced to handle the aux for a gathering, early 2000s pop is a safe choice.
Starting off with Nelly Furtado’s “Say It Right,” this set goes on to alternate between Rihanna hits like “S&M” and “Umbrella” with cornier songs like “Shake It” by Metro Station. On top of being a nice throwback, these songs are guaranteed to get at least one person singing along at the top of their lungs.
A lot of these songs, while popular, are definitely skewed by my own childhood and encounters with these songs in the last few years. If you’re looking for more nostalgia from your own youth or a different mood/genre from this era, you can customize your own set.
Copy this playlist or start from scratch and add with songs you remember and any suggested additions by Spotify or Apple Music. While this playlist is under an hour, you can always use the “enhance” feature on Spotify, opening a virtual radio station based on the playlist, or trying your hand at exploring old albums to put together your own perfect playlist for any time.
“Say It Right” by Nelly Furtado
“Where Them Girls At (feat. Nicki Minaj & Flo Rida)” by David Guetta
“S&M” by Rihanna
“Paper Planes” by M.I.A.
“In My Head” by Jason Derulo
“You Make Me Feel… (feat. Sabi)” by Cobra Starship
“Only Girl (In The World)” by Rihanna”
“Umbrella” by Rihanna
“Shake It” by Metro Station
“Just Dance” by Lady Gaga
“Promiscuous” by Nelly Furtado (feat. Timbaland)
“Disturbia” by Rihanna
“Glad You Came” by The Wanted
“Give Me Everything (feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer)” by Pitbull
“The Way I Are” by Timbaland (feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)