My Favorite Songs of 2002

In 2002, as the world deals with the fallout of 911, I spend the entire year living in Oshawa and commuting to work in Markham. That commute would include Howard Stern in the morning, and new rock or classic rock on the drive home.

I begin moonlighting for The Hockey News as their fantasy hockey writer, and though I didn’t know it at the time, but in May of that year I began a friendship with a woman I worked with who would become my wife.

In the world of music, Virgin Records bought out its contract with Mariah Carey for $28 million – paying her that much money to not record for them anymore. Wow. And then three months later she signs with Island Def Jam. This was also the year of R. Kelly and his underage girl sex charges, Britney Spears was ranked by Forbes as the world’s most powerful celebrity – at age 20. Michael Jackson dangles his baby over the balcony, Kelly Clarkson becomes the first winner of American Idol… and Napster is shut down for good.

Unlike most rankings, I haven’t been tossing these up in a numerical order. We can agree that on some days, certain songs kick more ass than other songs – yet other days they do not. It depends on mood and situation. A song ranked 14th today could rank 1st tomorrow if it comes on the radio at the right moment. Instead, I group them rather than present a hard-and-fast order:

Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with some inter-group splitting.

First, videos of the best from that year…

23 Great Songs from 2002

Somewhere Out There – Our Lady Peace

Stop Cryin’ Your Heart Out  – Oasis

The Game  – Motörhead

Song is even better when you watch Triple H emerge from backstage…

Times Like These  – Foo Fighters

The One  – Foo Fighters

Beautiful  – Christina Aguilera

Innocent – Our Lady Peace

Soak Up The Sun  – Sheryl Crow

By The Way  – Red Hot Chili Peppers

No One Knows  – Queens of the Stone Age

You Know You’re Right  – Nirvana

Hurt – Johnny Cash

All My Life  – Foo Fighters

Without Me  – Eminem

The Scientist  – Coldplay

Hero  – Chad Kroeger

Cochise  – Audioslave

Here Without You  – 3 Doors Down

Deny – Default

It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken – The Tragically Hip

The last great song by The Tragically Hip, one of my favorite bands in history. The shift in their style began with their album Phantom Power in 1998. The band seemed to shift towards Gord Downie. It was subtle, but the groundwork was being laid. This became more apparent in Music @ Work, in 2000. They seemed to think that the best music revolved around Gord’s talent as a crooner. But he wasn’t a crooner. He thought he was, perhaps due to Bobcaygeon’s popularity. But he wasn’t. He was a rock singer, and the music was at its best when Downie and the rest of the band worked together on rock music. Music @ Work was a terrible album. In Violet Light, the album that this song appeared on, was even worse. But there is a hidden gem. It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken was easily the best song on this album and the one before (M@W) because it went back to the band’s roots.

Nothing Could Come Between Us – Theory of a Deadman

Why Don’t You And I  – Santana ft. Chad Kroeger

Can’t Stop  – Red Hot Chili Peppers

7 Truly Awesome Songs from 2002

Hold Me Down – Tommy Lee

Underrated song here…

Picture  – Kid Rock with Sheryl Crow

Lose Yourself  – Eminem

Like A Stone  – Audioslave

Make Up Your Mind  – Theory Of A Deadman

I Am Mine  – Pearl Jam

Lonely Road of Faith – Kid Rock

The above songs are put together on a YouTube playlist for your listening enjoyment, here.

Here is the complete list of the best songs from 2002…

Awesome – 1	Lonely Road of Faith	–	Kid Rock
Awesome – 1	I Am Mine	–	Pearl Jam
Awesome – 1	Make Up Your Mind	–	Theory Of A Deadman
Awesome – 4	Like A Stone	–	Audioslave
Awesome – 4	Lose Yourself	–	Eminem
Awesome – 4	Picture	–	Kid Rock with Sheryl Crow
Awesome – 4	Hold Me Down	–	Tommy Lee
Great – 8	Can’t Stop	–	Red Hot Chili Peppers
Great – 8	Why Don’t You And I	–	Santana ft. Chad Kroeger
Great – 8	Nothing Could Come Between Us	–	Theory of a Deadman
Great – 8	It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken	–	The Tragically Hip
Great – 8	Deny	–	Default
Great – 8	Here Without You	–	3 Doors Down
Great – 8	Cochise	–	Audioslave
Great – 8	Hero	–	Chad Kroeger
Great – 8	The Scientist	–	Coldplay
Great – 8	Without Me	–	Eminem
Great – 8	All My Life	–	Foo Fighters
Great – 8	Hurt	–	Johnny Cash
Great – 8	You Know You’re Right	–	Nirvana
Great – 8	No One Knows	–	Queens of the Stone Age
Great – 8	By The Way	–	Red Hot Chili Peppers
Great – 8	Soak Up The Sun	–	Sheryl Crow
Great – 8	Innocent	–	Our Lady Peace
Great – 25	Beautiful	–	Christina Aguilera
Great – 25	The One	–	Foo Fighters
Great – 25	Times Like These	–	Foo Fighters
Great – 25	The Game	–	Motörhead
Great – 25	Stop Cryin’ Your Heart Out	–	Oasis
Great – 25	Somewhere Out There	–	Our Lady Peace
Solid – 31	When I’m Gone	–	3 Doors Down
Solid – 31	Hands Clean	–	Alanis Morissette
Solid – 31	I Am The Highway	–	Audioslave
Solid – 31	Complicated	–	Avril Lavigne
Solid – 31	Clocks	–	Coldplay
Solid – 31	Travelin’ Soldier	–	Dixie Chicks
Solid – 31	Landslide	–	Dixie Chicks
Solid – 31	Superman	–	Eminem
Solid – 31	Rock Your Body	–	Justin Timberlake
Solid – 31	Can’t Get You Out Of My Head	–	Kylie Minogue
Solid – 31	This Love	–	Maroon 5
Solid – 31	Here Is Gone	–	The Goo Goo Dolls
Solid – 31	We’re Going To Be Friends	–	The White Stripes
Solid – 44	In My Place	–	Coldplay
Solid – 44	Where Are You Going?	–	Dave Matthews Band
Solid – 44	Cleanin Out My Closet	–	Eminem
Solid – 44	Death Valley Queen	–	Flogging Molly
Solid – 44	Cry Me A River	–	Justin Timberlake
Solid – 44	The Ketchup Song	–	Las Ketchup
Solid – 44	All The Things She Said	–	t.A.T.u.
Solid – 44	I’m With You	–	Avril Lavigne
Solid – 44	A New Day Has Come	–	Celine Dion
Solid – 44	Scorpio Rising	–	Death in Vegas
Solid – 44	Sing For The Moment	–	Eminem
Solid – 44	What’s Left of the Flag	–	Flogging Molly
Solid – 44	If I Ever Leave This World Alive	–	Flogging Molly
Solid – 44	Still Waiting	–	Sum 41
Solid – 44	A Thousand Miles	–	Vanessa Carlton
Solid – 44	Escape	–	Enrique Iglesias
Solid – 44	Get Busy	–	Sean Paul
Not Bad – 61	Till I Collapse	–	Eminem
Not Bad – 61	Drunken Lullabies	–	Flogging Molly
Not Bad – 61	Rebels of the Sacred Heart	–	Flogging Molly
Not Bad – 61	Tired Of Waiting For You	–	Green Day
Not Bad – 61	Ooh Ahh (My Life Be Like)	–	Grits
Not Bad – 61	She Will Be Loved	–	Maroon 5
Not Bad – 61	Unwell	–	Matchbox Twenty
Not Bad – 61	Don’t Know Why	–	Norah Jones
Not Bad – 61	1/2 Full	–	Pearl Jam
Not Bad – 61	Silver Jet	–	The Tragically Hip
Not Bad – 61	Addictive	–	Truth Hurts Feat. Rakim
Not Bad – 61	Hey Ma	–	Cam’Ron
Not Bad – 61	Headstrong	–	Trapt
Not Bad – 61	Losing Grip	–	Avril Lavigne
Not Bad – 61	The Hindu Times	–	Oasis
Not Bad – 61	I Feel So	–	Boxcar Racer
Not Bad – 61	There Is	–	Boxcar Racer
Not Bad – 61	The Rising	–	Bruce Springsteen
Not Bad – 61	God Put A Smile Upon Your Face	–	Coldplay
Not Bad – 61	Hey Mister	–	Custom
Not Bad – 61	White America	–	Eminem
Not Bad – 61	Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous	–	Good Charlotte
Not Bad – 61	All I Have	–	Jennifer Lopez
Not Bad – 61	Love At First Sight	–	Kylie Minogue
Not Bad – 61	Die Another Day	–	Madonna
Not Bad – 61	Hot In Herre	–	Nelly
Not Bad – 61	The Zephyr Song	–	Red Hot Chili Peppers
Not Bad – 61	I’m Gonna Getcha Good!	–	Shania Twain
Not Bad – 61	Leave	–	The Tragically Hip
Not Bad – 61	In A Little While	–	Uncle Kracker
Not Bad – 61	No Such Thing	–	John Mayer
Not Bad – 92	Sk8er Boi	–	Avril Lavigne
Not Bad – 92	Cat Like Thief	–	Boxcar Racer
Not Bad – 92	Jenny From The Block	–	Jennifer Lopez
Not Bad – 92	Harder To Breathe	–	Maroon 5
Not Bad – 92	Bright Lights	–	Matchbox Twenty
Not Bad – 92	Dilemma	–	Nelly
Not Bad – 92	Come Away With Me	–	Norah Jones
Not Bad – 92	Thumbing My Way	–	Pearl Jam
Not Bad – 92	Can’t Stop Loving You	–	Phil Collins
Not Bad – 92	Steve McQueen	–	Sheryl Crow
Not Bad – 92	Addicted	–	Simple Plan
Not Bad – 92	Electrical Storm	–	U2
Not Bad – 92	Seein’ Red	–	Unwritten Law
Not Bad – 92	I Stand Alone	–	Godsmack
Not Bad – 92	Bother	–	Stone Sour
Not Bad – 92	Dreamer	–	Ozzy Osbourne
Not Bad – 92	Heaven	–	DJ Sammy Feat. Yanou & Do
Not Bad – 92	Days Go By	–	Dirty Vegas

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