Music is often considered a great unifier. When two people enjoy music from the same genre, they automatically feel more connected to each other. With so many talented music artists alive today, reflecting on the talent of the early 2000s is a treat.
The artists on this list are so well-established that they’ve lived beyond one-hit wonders. They are still highly respected to this day. Click here to uncover the biggest one-hit wonders from the 2000s you can get out of your head.
To compile this list of talented musicians from the 2000s, 24/7 Tempo consulted several music and entertainment websites. These include Hello Music Theory, Top 40 Weekly, and Singers Room.
Eminem
Eminem started releasing music in the late 90s, and his talent carried over into the early 2000s. Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, has gone on to release some of the biggest rap songs of this generation. His hits include “The Real Slim Shady,” “Lose Yourself,” and “Not Afraid.”
Britney Spears
Britney Spears is another talented artist who thrived in early 2000s after releasing her debut single in the late 90s. 1998 was certainly a moment for Spears thanks to the release of her song “… Baby One More Time.” The very next year, she released “Oops!…I Did It Again.” The latest album she dropped was in 2016.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé was making moves in the music industry way before the 2000s. She knew she wanted to be a successful singer when she was still super young! She performed with a girl group call Destiny’s Child before becoming a bona fide solo artist with the album “Dangerously in Love.” It was released in 2003.
Justin Timberlake
*NSYNC is a boy band that garnered loads of national attention throughout the 90s. Justin Timberlake was the lead singer, and he went on to pursue a wonderful solo career. He dropped his first solo studio album in 2002. That was the year he dropped the iconic break up song “Cry Me a River” that was allegedly written about Britney Spears.
Miley Cyrus
The early 2000s was a top-tier era for Miley Cyrus. She landed the titular role in Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana” starting in 2006. She stayed with a show for four seasons, but also pursued a career as a singer separate from the kid-friendly sitcom. Her debut album “Meet Miley Cyrus” was released in 2007.
Chester Bennington (Lincoln Park)
The late Chester Bennington passed away on July 20, 2017, in Palos Verdes, California. Before his death, he served as a lead vocalist in the rock band, Lincoln Park. The band started releasing music in the late 90s gearing them up for a successful era throughout the 2000s. Following Bennington’s death, Lincoln Park has remained on hiatus.
Usher
2004 was a big year for Usher because he released the song “Yeah!” The party-friendly rap song was played at get togethers and nightclubs throughout the early 2000s on a regular basis. It was part of his album “Confessions.” To this day, fans still enjoy listening to Usher perform “Yeah!” along with the rest of his discography on stage at his shows.
Katy Perry
Katy Perry released “I Kissed a Girl” in 2008. The song was thought of as incredibly edgy, but it had talking about her! 15 years later, the music video has amassed over 279 million views. Perry’s an award-winning talent who is taking home the Billboard Music Award for Top Female Artist, the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video, and the American Music Award for Favorite Pop or Rock Female Artist.
Drake
The rap music genre moved in a positive direction when Drake started releasing music. Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, release his first song “Replacement Girl” in 2007 as a collaboration with Trey Songz. He’s gone on to record music with Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, and many other big names in the hip-hop community.
Norah Jones
Norah Jones became a household name in 2002 after releasing a song called “Come Away With Me.” It checked all the boxes by falling into the pop music genre, the blues genre, and the country genre. Since the early 2000s, she’s sold more than 50,000 records worldwide.
This award-winning musician has taken home several awards, including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and the Porin Award for Best International Album Outside of Classical and Jazz Music.
Hilary Duff
Just like Miley Cyrus, Hilary duff is another talented singer who got started on the Disney Channel. She starred on “Lizzie McGuire” in 2001 for one season. One season was all it took to create a fan base for herself. Duff released a Christmas album called “Santa Claus Lane” in 2002 followed up by an album of regular pop songs called “Metamorphosis” in 2003.
Alicia Keys
Although listening to Alicia Keys’s music might trick you into thinking her music has been around much longer, his first hit song wasn’t released until 2001. Once “Fallin’” started playing on radio stations everywhere, she became a full-fledged household name.
Keys is an award-winning super star as well. As of now, she can claim the Grammy Award for Song of the Year, the Billboard Music Award for Top Female Artist, and the American Music Award for Favorite Pop or Rock Album.
Shakira
When Shakira released “Hips Don’t Lie” in 2005, it had just about everyone dancing and shaking their hips! A few years before that in 2001, she released another popular song called “Whenever, Wherever.” Her vocal abilities paired with her dancing skills turned her into one of the most beloved pop stars ever.
Chris Martin (Coldplay)
Coldplay is a band that’s still heavily adored to this day. Chris Martin, the lead singer of the band, was an important part of the team when they released their first single “Brothers and Sisters.” Their debut album followed soon after in 2000 titled “Parachutes.” Since it included the hit love song “Yellow,” it was easy for them to win music lovers over.
Kanye West
Kanye West’s career has come a long way since the early 2000s, but it’s impossible to forget about his origins. He started collaborating with other big names in the music industry like Jamie Foxx and Twista in 2003. It was then that he was featured on a song called “Slow Jamz” with them. His debut album, “The College Dropout” followed in 2004.
Carrie Underwood
The country music genre was never the same after Carrie Underwood won “American Idol.” She took on the winning title in 2005 during the fourth season. Some of her biggest songs today include “Before He Cheats,” “Jesus Take the Wheel,” and “If I Didn’t Love You.”
The award-winning star has taken home accolades like the Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year, Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and the Academy of Country Music Award for Album of the Year.
Avril Lavigne
The punk music genre wholeheartedly benefited from Avril Lavigne’s contributions. Her debut studio album titled “Let Go” was released in 2002. At the time, songs like “Sk8ter Boi,” “Complicated,” and “My Happy Ending” helped her sell millions of concert tickets.
Kelly Clarkson
Before Carrie Underwood won “American Idol,” Kelly Clarkson was the original victor during Season 1 when it premiered on television in 2004. Some of Clarkson’s biggest songs at the time included “Because of You,” “Break Away,” and “Since You’ve Been Gone.”
Lady Gaga
The first song Lady Gaga released was called “Just Dance.” It premiered in 2008 along with an edgy music video of the singer dancing around in different costumes. Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, certainly rose to fame in early 2000s as a musician, but she’s been dipping her toes into the acting industry as well.
Some of her films are “A Star is Born” and “House of Gucci.” She’s set to star in an upcoming movie called “Joker: Folie à Deux” in 2024 as well! Click here to uncover the most highly anticipated movies of 2024.