There is no single authoritative top 50 songs of the Noughties: “best” depends on whether you mean critical judgment, cultural memory or commercial success. Time Out’s 2021 list is an editorial selection spanning rap, pop, rock, R&B, hip hop, dance and indie. Official Charts’ decade rankings, by contrast, measure UK sales using stated but different methods. Here is what each list can—and cannot—tell you.
What does “top 50” mean?
A list of the “best songs” is a judgment unless it explains a measurable selection rule. Time Out’s 50 best songs of the 2000s, published on 8 December 2021, is a curated editorial selection, not a sales chart. Its introduction does not set out a quantitative method, so treat it as Time Out’s considered snapshot of the decade rather than an objective or universal consensus.
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The decade is also called the Noughties or the aughts. Time Out’s selection crosses genres, from Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” and Britney Spears’ “Toxic” to Gorillaz’ “Clint Eastwood,” Robyn featuring Kleerup’s “With Every Heartbeat,” and Arctic Monkeys’ “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor.” Those examples show the list’s range; they do not establish a definitive ranking shared by every listener.
Time Out’s editorial selection and the UK sales charts answer different questions
| Reference | What it measures or selects | Scope and stated basis | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time Out: “The 50 best songs of the 2000s” (8 December 2021) | Editorial selection; no quantitative ranking method is supplied in the introduction. | Cross-genre selection including rap, pop, rock, R&B, hip hop, dance and indie; the page does not define a sales territory or data window. | One publication’s view of notable songs, not a commercial league table. |
| Official Charts: Noughties chart books (24 September 2019) | 40 biggest-selling songs of the decade. | UK chart-book period: 4 January 2000–26 December 2009. The page says the results use physical copies and, after their addition to the chart in 2005, downloads. | Commercial chart performance under the page’s stated sales basis, not critical quality or worldwide popularity. |
| Official Charts: “The Official Top 20 best-selling singles from the 2000s” (2022) | Best-selling singles released from 2000–2009. | UK figures described as physical sales, using Official Charts Company data representing physical sales from 2000–2022. | A separate commercial ranking with a different stated basis from the 2019 article; do not merge the figures into one consistent dataset. |
What the Official Charts decade rankings show
The 2019 chart-book list
In Official Charts’ 2019 top 40, Will Young’s “Anything Is Possible/Evergreen” is first, Gareth Gates’ “Unchained Melody” second, and Shaggy featuring RikRok’s “It Wasn’t Me” third. The page reports eleven million-sellers in its Noughties top 40. It also notes that Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” became the first song to reach UK number one on downloads alone, in 2006. These details describe UK chart history, not global listening or artistic merit.
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Official Charts reproduced Will Young’s reaction to the sales of “Evergreen/Anything Is Possible”: “I cannot believe, and still find it hard to fathom, how many people supported me in buying Evergreen/Anything Is Possible. They are songs I still sing on tour 18 years later! It will forever humble me.” The page attributes the comment to Young speaking to OfficialCharts.com.
The 2022 physical-sales figures
The separate 2022 Official Charts page reports these UK physical-sales totals for singles released in 2000–2009. The figures are from Official Charts Company data described on that page as representing physical sales from 2000–2022; they are not interchangeable with the 2019 page’s physical-plus-download account.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Comprised of fifteen remastered tracks, all recorded since 1998, this powerhouse collection reflects 20 years of cross-genre hits from the superstar during his Warner Music Group era. The tracklisting plays out like the ultimate Kid Rock set, reflecting his indelible imprint on rock, country, pop, and hip-hop. Greatest Hits You Never Saw Coming represents an extensive vision of two decades of Kid Rock and speaks to his enduring popularity.
Rank #3
- This Las Vegas band strives to create a unique sound by blending melody-driven rock with dance. This is a rock record you can dance to; that's fun and sincere at the same time. Produced by Matt Squire (Northstar, The Explosion, The Receiving End Of Sirens). Panic! At The Disco is the first band signed to Pete Wentz's (Fall Out Boy) Decaydance Records, a Fueled By Ramen imprint label. "...Imagine The Faint meets The Postal Service with all of the pop sensibilities of a Blink 182" - Peter Wentz. Touring with Fall Out Boy, The Starting Line, Motion City Soundtrack, and Boys Night Out this fall.
Rank #2
- Features the hit singles "Scar Tissue," "Otherside," and "Californication.
- Includes the return of original guitarist John Frusciante and producer Rick Rubin.
- This is the Brazilian import edition of the album, released by Warner Music.
- Certified multi-platinum, this album marked a major comeback for the band.
- Arrives as a physical CD format for your music collection.
| Rank on the 2022 list | Single | UK physical sales reported by Official Charts Company (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Anything Is Possible/Evergreen” — Will Young | 1.80 million |
| 2 | “I Gotta Feeling” — The Black Eyed Peas | 1.50 million |
| 3 | “It Wasn’t Me” — Shaggy featuring RikRok | 1.45 million |
How to choose a list that fits your question
- Want an editorial mix of memorable songs? Read Time Out’s selection as one critic-curated cross-genre view.
- Want to know what sold most in the UK? Use an Official Charts ranking, but check whether it counts physical sales alone or physical sales plus downloads.
- Comparing lists? Check the territory, release or chart period, data basis and selection scope before treating positions as comparable.
- Looking for the weekly UK chart record? The Noughties Singles book described by Official Charts covers weekly UK charts from 4 January 2000 through 26 December 2009. Official Charts called it a print-on-demand reference volume and linked to Amazon; current stock and listings are not established here.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
