‘L’Amour Toujours’ N°108 – Vintage 2000s Music Videos

1 . Daniel Bedingfield – Gotta Get Thru This

“Gotta Get Thru This” showcases Daniel Bedingfield’s knack for turning raw emotion into a sonic jolt, albeit through the somewhat crowded lens of early 2000s UK garage.

Recorded in his bedroom with just a home computer and the software Reason, the track embodies a DIY ethos rarely associated with its commercial triumph. Bedingfield’s aching falsetto rides over a jittery, sped-up disco beat, a combination that feels both innovative and unpolished, like an uncut gem spinning on a club turntable.

The inspiration—a moment of frustration over his long-distance relationship with a red-haired girlfriend, Gina, from Leeds—grounds the song in personal stakes. Yet, its hyperactive rhythm seems oddly mismatched with such a vulnerable theme, as if trying to mask heartbreak with a relentless desire to move forward.

Gaining traction first in underground circles and on Cyprus’s club scene, it catapulted to mainstream attention, leading to a £400,000 label deal and significant chart success. Topping the UK Singles Chart in late 2001, the song sold 35,000 copies on its first day, an impressive feat but one that invites scrutiny of whether its appeal lies more in the novelty of its production than the depth of its composition.

The music video, directed by Little X, adds a layer of visual disorientation with scenes of Bedingfield wandering through London in search of someone who always seems just out of reach. A North American version starts with an acoustic tease, a move that feels like a half-hearted attempt to reshape its identity for a different audience.

Despite its Grammy nod for Best Dance Recording and double platinum certification in the UK, the track leaves a lingering sense that its success is a time capsule of a specific era rather than a timeless exemplar of the genre. Its frenetic energy signals Bedingfield’s undeniable ambition, but whether that ambition is matched with enduring artistry remains debatable.

Featured on the 2002 album “Gotta Get Thru This “.

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2 . Boogie Pimps – Somebody to Love

Released on April 7, 2003, Boogie Pimps’ “Somebody to Love” takes Darby Slick’s 1967 classic and funnels it through a kaleidoscope of early-2000s electronic production.

Mark J. Klak and Mirko Jacob, the duo behind Boogie Pimps, clearly found inspiration in Jefferson Airplane’s countercultural anthem, reimagining its soulful yearning with a club-ready urgency.

The idea to revisit the track was sparked by the duo’s viewing of the 1998 film “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” where the original version echoes through the hallucinogenic chaos. This passing nod becomes a core element of the remix, blending nostalgia with the duo’s unmistakable modern sheen.

Initially circulated as an underground white-label production, the track’s momentum propelled it onto the German label Superstar Recordings before reaching international charts. It peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 7 in Ireland, No. 10 in Australia, and climbed into the upper tiers across countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany. The chart success, however, masks a creative gamble—turning a rock protest song into a neon-drenched floor-filler doesn’t leave much room for subtlety.

The track’s global tenure spanned 88 weeks across nine charts, a testament to its infectious appeal, but the transformation strips the song of its original rebel spirit. The pulsating beat and polished production feel expertly crafted yet oddly risk-averse, veering more toward dancefloor functionality than artistic exploration.

As their definitive release, “Somebody to Love” remains Boogie Pimps’ commercial zenith, though the tepid reception of their follow-up single, “Sunny,” suggests their knack for reinvention didn’t translate into a sustainable formula.

This cover deftly captures the hedonistic pulse of the era it was released in, but it ultimately leaves Darby Slick’s poetic heart beating faintly beneath layers of glossy synth and bass.

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3 . Sugababes – Push The Button

“Push the Button,” the lead single from Sugababes’ fourth album *Taller in More Ways,* bursts onto the scene as a slick exercise in electropop and R&B, crafted under the deft hand of Dallas Austin.

The brisk tempo of 126 beats per minute forms the song’s taut backbone, while a cocktail of drums, bass guitar, keys, and electronic effects lend it its propulsive shimmer. Yet for all its polished production and club-ready rhythm, the song’s lyrical core focuses on an all-too-relatable story of sexual frustration—a plea for clarity from a man too tentative to act on his intentions.

Keisha Buchanan’s infatuation-turned-lyrical-muse adds a curious layer of specificity to the otherwise universal theme, grounding the track in a moment of personal inspiration while avoiding overt navel-gazing. Here, the group manages to balance individual narrative with pop accessibility, though the execution occasionally feels more efficient than evocative.

Commercially, the song performed like a juggernaut, reigning atop the UK Singles Chart for three weeks, claiming number-one positions in countries as disparate as New Zealand and Poland, and securing platinum status in Australia. Such triumphs might indicate a formulaic brilliance, but they also suggest a certain froideur—its appeal engineered rather than organic.

The accompanying video, directed by Matthew Rolston, is remarkably self-aware in its setting of an elevator, using physical proximity and cheeky flirtation to amplify the lyrical tension. As with the song itself, the clip’s sleek minimalism mirrors the focused yet slightly detached vibe of the track.

Ultimately, “Push the Button” showcased the Sugababes at their peak commercial prowess, earning accolades like a Brit nomination for Best British Single. But while critics arguably over-lauded it as one of the 2000s’ defining pop singles, its calculating precision leaves questions as to whether it truly pushed any buttons—or just hit all the ones it knew would work.

Featured on the 2005 album “Taller in More Ways”.

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4 . Houston – Ain’t Nothing Wrong

“Ain’t Nothing Wrong” from Houston’s 2004 album *It’s Already Written* offers a polished slice of mid-2000s R&B, its DNA firmly embedded in the production trends of its time.

Produced by Roy “Royalty” Hamilton, the track glides along a smooth instrumental foundation, blending gentle grooves with understated rhythm—a sound that positions it as a subdued counterpart to the album’s flashier offerings. Clocking in at 4:08, the song occupies the fifth position on an album that charted impressively, reaching number 14 on the US Billboard 200 and number 8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Yet within these confines, “Ain’t Nothing Wrong” feels more like a filler than a centerpiece.

Chart-wise, the track’s modest performance—peaking at number 70 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 33 on the UK R&B Singles Chart—suggests it never fully capitalized on Houston’s vocal potential or the album’s commercial momentum.

Vocally, Houston’s talent is apparent, yet the song’s structure doesn’t fully challenge or showcase the rich dynamic range hinted at in his breakthrough single, “I Like That.” That debut hit, featuring Chingy, Nate Dogg, and I-20, briefly brought him to the forefront with its infectious blend of R&B and hip-hop, unlike “Ain’t Nothing Wrong,” which retreats into safer territory.

In the broader context of *It’s Already Written*, certified Gold less than two months after its release, the song feels overshadowed by more ambitious contributions from producers like Jazze Pha and The Trak Starz. While Hamilton’s work ensures sleek execution, it lacks the punch needed to elevate this track beyond a serviceable album cut.

Given Houston’s short-lived career—a trajectory tragically halted by his personal struggles in 2005—it’s hard not to view “Ain’t Nothing Wrong” as emblematic of missed opportunities. Its polished but tepid delivery underscores why his album, while solid, failed to carve out a lasting legacy in an already crowded R&B marketplace of the early 2000s.

Featured on the 2004 album “It’s Already Written”.

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5 . Mariah Carey – Don’t Forget About Us

“Don’t Forget About Us” situates itself in Mariah Carey’s catalog as a bittersweet echo of earlier ballads, driven by a blend of R&B and hip-hop soul textures that balance intimacy with nostalgia.

Penned by Carey alongside Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johntá Austin, the track examines the post-breakup terrain with a lyrical specificity that’s both personal and universal. Lines like “Late nights, playin’ in the dark” manage to cut to the core of romantic loss, though they risk veering into the well-tread territory of wistful clichés.

The production, helmed by Carey, Dupri, and Cox, leans heavily on lush arrangements without ever pushing into overindulgence. Although competent, it doesn’t stray far from the sonic blueprint of its predecessors, making it more of a continuation than a reinvention. This isn’t necessarily a flaw, but it does leave you wondering where surprise might have fit into the equation.

On the charts, the song’s success was undeniable, tying Carey with Elvis Presley for seventeen number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100—a piece of pop history as momentous as it is statistical. Two weeks at the peak and an eighteen-week run in the top forty signify more than just popularity; they point to Carey’s tenacity in maintaining relevance within a saturated landscape. Internationally, the reception was respectable, with highlights in Finland, Belgium, and Hungary, though its UK placement just outside the top ten slightly tempers its global triumphs.

The accompanying music video juxtaposes the present with sepia-toned flashbacks. The imagery effectively underscores the song’s themes of longing but remains visually subdued, providing no groundbreaking narrative interpretation.

Ultimately, “Don’t Forget About Us” captures the emotional weight of its subject matter without veering into melodrama, yet its polished execution leaves you craving a bolder edge. As one more notch in Carey’s already storied career, it neither soars to new heights nor falters, walking the line between familiar comfort and restrained innovation.

Featured on the 2005 album “The Emancipation of Mimi”.

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6 . Roxette – A Thing About You

Roxette’s “A Thing About You,” released on October 14, 2002, lands squarely in the duo’s tried-and-true balladry—a moody addition to their compilation album “The Ballad Hits.”

Written by Per Gessle, the track revisits the melancholic territory Roxette often mined, but this time trades the soaring anthems of “Listen to Your Heart” for a subtler emotional pull.

Chart-wise, it performed modestly; its peak at number 14 on the Sweden Top 60 Singles chart marks its strongest showing, with middling rankings such as number 35 in Italy and Switzerland and number 37 in Germany.

That said, the inclusion of the song not only in “The Ballad Hits” but also in the follow-up compilation “The Pop Hits” suggests confidence in its versatility, though it arguably leans more toward pop-lite than unforgettable balladry.

Gessle’s songwriting offers a muted sophistication here but lacks the lyrical resonance of their better-known tracks.

The duo’s signature chemistry—Gessle’s understated delivery juxtaposed with the late Marie Fredriksson’s emotive power—feels restrained, perhaps a reflection of their shift into nostalgia-driven projects like compilation albums.

In terms of global recognition, its showing at number 25 on the United World Chart Singles and Airplay feels emblematic of Roxette’s ability to stay globally relevant even when their creative peak arguably lies behind them.

While the production is polished and recognizably Roxette, “A Thing About You” runs the risk of fading into the realm of inoffensive background music—a fine ballad, but one that struggles to step out from the shadows of the duo’s more iconic releases.

Featured on the 2002 album “The Ballad Hits”.

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7 . LMC – Take Me To The Clouds Above

“Take Me to the Clouds Above” by LMC is a curious artifact of early 2000s dance music, a genre-hopping cocktail that selectively borrows from two towering figures in pop music history—Whitney Houston and U2.

Released on 26 January 2004, its ingredients are almost absurdly disparate on paper: Houston’s effervescent “How Will I Know” vocal line juxtaposed with the aching melancholia of U2’s “With or Without You” bassline, both held together by the muscular production trio of LMC—Lee Monteverde, Matt Cadman, and Cris Nuttall.

If dance music is often about finding ecstasy in repetition, Rachel McFarlane’s vocal presence adds the necessary humanity to the euphoria. Once a core member of N-Trance and Loveland, McFarlane delivers a performance that feels equal parts nightclub anthem and pop-theatrical showstopper.

The track’s UK chart dominance, securing the No. 1 spot for two weeks in February 2004, says more about the public’s taste for fusion than it does about the song’s depth. Sampling “With or Without You” could have easily descended into sacrilege, but even U2’s bassist Adam Clayton gave an approving nod, appreciating the track’s rhythm and driven bassline—perhaps the only unequivocally fresh spin in an otherwise clinical execution.

Commercially, its success is incontrovertible—certified Platinum in the UK with 600,000 units sold and hitting the top 20 on Billboard’s U.S. dance chart after its April release. Still, its core appeal lies less in originality and more in calculated nostalgia, splicing 1980s pop and rock icons into something fit for turn-of-the-century radio playlists.

LMC’s remixing pedigree is evident, having previously worked with Dannii Minogue and Scooter, but “Take Me to the Clouds Above” feels like a cautious, algorithmic act rather than daring reinvention. It’s a well-polished platter of borrowed genius, serving the public exactly what it craved—safe escapism set to a relentless beat.

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8 . S Club 7 – Have You Ever

Released on 19 November 2001, “Have You Ever” by the British pop collective S Club 7 typifies the polished sentimentality of early-2000s chart balladry.

As part of their third studio effort, *Sunshine*, the track wears its mainstream ambitions plainly, leaning on a glossy, radio-friendly production helmed by Stephen Lipson.

Co-written by Cathy Dennis, Andrew Frampton, and Chris Braide, the song’s emotional core feels carefully calibrated, if a little overly neat, straddling the line between heartfelt and formulaic.

The song ascended to the pinnacle of the UK Singles Chart on 25 November 2001, marking the group’s fourth and final number-one single in their home territory.

Its longevity was further bolstered by its tie to the Children in Need charity campaign, with a notable live performance featuring pre-recorded vocals from primary school children across the UK—a detail not just sentimental but logistical, earning it a mention in the *Guinness Book of World Records* for sheer scale.

Despite its UK triumph, the track didn’t quite generate the same fervor elsewhere, peaking modestly at 49 in Australia and reaching a respectable number 4 in Ireland.

Such geographic disparities underscore its transient appeal, more a moment than a movement.

Visually, the single cover, shot at the striking Sheats Goldstein Residence near Los Angeles, complements the song’s sleek ambition, though the image itself arguably outpaces the track’s conceptual depth.

The B-side, “Dangerous,” suggests the group hedged their bets stylistically, contrasting the pensive tone of “Have You Ever.”

As for S Club 7, their formation by Simon Fuller in 1998 and subsequent rise on a wave of bubblegum pop hits—”Bring It All Back,” “S Club Party,” and “Don’t Stop Movin'”—cements their role as archetypes of pre-millennial pop gloss.

“Have You Ever” fits neatly into this legacy, encapsulating both their peak and a forewarning of their 2003 disbandment.

Featured on the 2001 album “Sunshine “.

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9 . Kylie Minogue – Please Stay

“Please Stay,” the final single from Kylie Minogue’s seventh studio album “Light Years,” is a slick fusion of disco and Latin-pop, underscored by its deliberate use of Spanish guitar, castanets, and an undeniably buoyant rhythm.

Written by Minogue alongside Richard Stannard, Julian Gallagher, and John Themis, and produced by Stannard and Gallagher, the track leans heavily on its Latin influences but opts for a polished, radio-friendly sheen rather than diving too deeply into its cultural inspirations.

Chart-wise, “Please Stay” peaks respectably, hitting number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and staying there for seven weeks, with a gold certification in Australia for over 35,000 copies sold. Internationally, its performance was scattershot, with underwhelming initial placements, including number 69 in the Netherlands and number 47 in Sweden, further suggesting a track that charmed select markets but failed to make a significant global impact.

The accompanying music video, directed by James Frost and Alex Smith, positions Minogue in a sultry yet playful setting, as she transitions from a bedroom scene to an enigmatic underground gathering. Though visually appealing, the concept feels somewhat confined, providing style without substantially enhancing the song’s narrative.

On stage, “Please Stay” finds its footing more convincingly, woven into the setlists of Minogue’s “KylieFever2002” and “Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour.” Here, Minogue’s charisma ensures the song translates with more vitality than its relatively safe studio production suggests.

While “Please Stay” captures elements of Minogue’s versatility, it falls shy of delivering the transformative energy she so often achieves, settling for a polished but restrained charm. Its polished Latin-pop approach entertains but doesn’t entirely excite, reflecting craftsmanship over distinction. B-

Featured on the 2000 album “Light Years “.

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10 . Justin Timberlake – What Goes Around……Comes Around

Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around…/…Comes Around (Interlude)” from his 2006 album *FutureSex/LoveSounds* is an elaborate, seven-minute meditation on betrayal, karma, and the cyclical nature of relationships.

Written and produced with Timbaland and Danja, the song integrates psychedelic pop and sophisti-pop textures into a largely restrained ballad, with Timberlake’s voice traversing a range from B2 to C5. Its melodic backbone leans on minimalism, following an Am-C-G-D chord sequence that remains unbroken by any bridge—an omission that seems deliberate, favoring a fluid, almost hypnotic continuity.

The arrangement begins with a striking use of Turkish bağlamas, their harmony line lasting just five seconds, juxtaposed against an oud that tempers the sharpness of the guitar riff. That blend of Middle Eastern folk instruments with Timberlake’s Western pop sensibilities gives the track an exotic allure, without veering into stylistic overreach. With a slow tempo of 76 BPM and a key rooted in A Dorian, the song achieves technical simplicity while evoking emotional complexity.

Commercially, “What Goes Around… Comes Around” charted as high as it aspired, becoming Timberlake’s third consecutive U.S. number one on the *Billboard* Hot 100 and securing top-ten positions in diverse markets, including the UK, Germany, and New Zealand. Certifications, notably double platinum in Australia and gold in the U.S., underscore its global appeal. Yet behind its success lies a taut clinicality—its polish at times feels too pristine, teetering near overproduction.

The music video, directed by Samuel Bayer and starring Scarlett Johansson, complements the song with high drama, earning an MTV award for Best Direction but falling short of securing Video of the Year. Timberlake’s Grammy performance, in which he accompanied himself on piano, highlighted his live vulnerability but didn’t necessarily elevate the song’s core dynamics.

In stripping the composition down to its essentials yet extending it with a two-minute interlude, Timberlake and his collaborators create a piece as much about structure as sentiment. While the resulting work impresses in its craftsmanship, its emotional resonance might depend on how much one sees the ouroboros of love and betrayal as revelation rather than repetition.

Featured on the 2006 album “FutureSex/LoveSounds“.

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11 . Ronan Keating – She Believes [In Me]

Ronan Keating’s version of “She Believes (In Me)” exists as both homage and reinterpretation, though it never fully liberates itself from the shadow of Kenny Rogers’ iconic rendition.

Recorded for his 2003 album “Turn It On” and released as a single in early 2004, the track bears the undeniable production polish of Mark Taylor, whose previous work with Enrique Iglesias looms large. Despite this sleekness, Keating’s vocal delivery feels measured, occasionally veering into restraint where the original exudes vulnerability.

The slight alterations to Steve Gibb’s original lyrics may ostensibly modernize the narrative, but they dilute its emotional simplicity. Where Rogers’ version carries the weight of quiet desperation, Keating leans into a smoother sincerity, a choice that suits his post-Boyzone trajectory but lacks the gravitas the song demands.

Chart performance seems to confirm its middling impact: peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart and scattering across the top 30 in Austria, Germany, and Ireland, it served as a competent but hardly groundbreaking addition to Keating’s solo catalog.

This single’s package includes BBC Radio 2 live sessions of “First Time” and “Lovin’ Each Day,” alongside a Metro remix and updated radio version of “If Tomorrow Never Comes.” These extras offer context to Keating’s pop-ballad sensibilities but ultimately spotlight his safe, calculated approach.

“She Believes (In Me)” may thrive on the familiarity of its composition, yet as a cover, it struggles to distinguish itself, settling instead as a well-produced but derivative take. A competent echo, if not a voice of its own.

Featured on the 2003 album “Turn It On”.

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12 . Plain White T’s – Hey There Delilah

“Hey There Delilah” compresses a specific brand of longing into three spare minutes, carried by little more than Tom Higgenson’s acoustic guitar and plaintive tenor.

The track, recorded in 2004 in North Hollywood and later incorporated into the band’s *Every Second Counts* album from 2006, thrives on its starkness, using its simplicity as both charm and pretense.

The string arrangement by Eric Remschneider, sprinkled delicately into sections, feels like an afterthought, gilding a melody that aims for intimacy but occasionally teeters on monotony.

Inspired by Delilah DiCrescenzo, a muse whose connection to the songwriter was brief at best, the lyrics thread together a series of long-distance platitudes that border on kitschy with lines like “Oh, it’s what you do to me,” repeated ad nauseam as though to pad out the sentiment.

Delilah’s presence in the song seems more symbolic than personal, a vessel for Higgenson’s imagined romance rather than a fully realized figure.

Its chart-topping success in ten countries can be attributed less to lyrical insight than to its universality, which is shorthand for generic relatability.

The music video, directed by Jay Martin, attempts to amplify the song’s intimacy but settles into a visual gimmick—a split screen showing Higgenson crooning alongside model Melissa McNelis portraying Delilah, who might as well be anyone, anywhere.

Praised for its sincerity, it’s hard not to wonder if that sincerity veers toward calculated sentimentality. After all, nominations for two Grammy Awards and inclusion as one of *Time* magazine’s “The 10 Best Songs of 2007” suggest a song more engineered than organic, tugging at heartstrings with precision rather than spontaneity.

Featured on the 2005 album “All That We Needed”.

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