I’ve previously listed 5 Obscure Songs That I Like from the 1960s; 20 Obscure Pop Songs That I Like from the 1970s; 25 Somewhat Obscure Pop Songs from the 1980s That I Like; and 26 Somewhat Obscure Pop Songs from the 1990s That I Like.
In the early 2000s, the explosion of digital music sharing, downloading, and the emergence of iTunes created a time of expansion of styles of music. Everyone could find music to fit his or her tastes, the problem was digging through the dreck to get to the good stuff. With radio’s diminishing influence in introducing new music, people might look to tv series soundtracks, iTunes recommendations, or YouTube to find popular music that would otherwise be too hard to find.
I consider the 2000s to be the best decade for pop and rock music. Here are 21 songs that may have slipped under your radar:
21. “Don’t Let the Nightlight Dance” by Track a Tiger
Acoustic guitar mixed with electronic drums and synthesizers. A lot of Track a Tiger music is constructed like Smashing Pumpkins songs, but with a softer feel overall. “Don’t Let the Nightlight Dance” is fun and a good introduction to Track a Tiger’s catalog.
20. “Kid” by Still Life Still
Still Life Still is a Canadian alternative band, and to me their best song is “Kid.” This style of music is different than most of the pop music today.
19. “Come On, Come Out” by A Fine Frenzy
A very pretty piano-based pop song.
18. “These Fangs” by Say Hi to Your Mom
A simple, yet energetic song, but with a creepy lyric that reminds me a little bit of “Possum Kingdom” by The Toadies.
17. “Shine a Light” by Wolf Parade
Another energy song. I enjoy finding little treasures like this song while browsing around on iTunes.
16. “After All That, It’s Come to This” by Amos the Transparent
Amy Milan, the lead singer of Stars, has a really inviting singing style. Here, she guest vocals on an obscure song that demonstrates the rise of the man–woman dialog-style duets that seemed to crop up in the 2000s.
15. “Nuclear” by Ryan Adams
I saw Ryan Adams in his famously disastrous First Avenue concert in December 2003. (From a synopsis of that concert: Uff da. Railing against the stage monitors, City Pages, and Paul Westerberg—the latter had said in an interview that Adams “needed to get his teeth kicked in”—our fledgling young rock star unmistakably unraveled in front of a sold-out crowd. He switched from full-volume rock to an all-acoustic set on a whim, broke a cocktail glass on stage, bragged about dating actresses, and weepily confessed toward the end, “I just want to go home for Christmas.” Half the crowd had left in disgust by the time he snidely blurted, “This is one of my worst shows ever, but I like it.”) “Nuclear” is my favorite Adams’ song.
14. “Let’s Roll” by The Stills
The Stills opened for Ryan Adams at the aforementioned concert. They sounded like rock gods by comparison.
13. “Laryngitis Blues” by +/- (Plus/Minus)
An almost great song, but is missing that one element to put it over the top. Still very good.
12. “The Boat Song (We’re Getting Loaded)” by Ike Reilly Assassination
The production is really good on this song, and the tune sings itself.
11. “Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth” by Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah
A weird, but infectious song. I wasn’t a fan on the first listen, but it grew on me. The warbling vocals actually give this song a fun personality.
10. “Summer and Smoke” by Track a Tiger
A quiet, tuneful song with good lyrics. Track a Tiger deserves a bigger audience.
9. “Drink the Night Away” by Romantica
Telling the story of a drunk-driving tragedy, this song ends with a theological question. Structurally it is uncommon—a song in two parts and without a chorus.
8. “Closest (Look Out)” by Matt Pond PA
Matt Pond PA is not a household name, even in alternative music circles. And this song is not one of his hits, but I like it quite a bit.
7. “Tampa to Tulsa” by The Jayhawks
Written by the group’s drummer, this song hearkens back to some acoustic music of the 1970s. For some reason, I am put in the mind of a John Denver song.
6. “Not California” by Hem
The song is slow, but it pulls on you. I have listened to this melancholic song many times and have not grown tired of it.
5. “Untitled Duet #3” by Softlightes
Soft, melodic electronic rock is a narrow genre, but this song sounds great to me.
4. “Fiona” by Romantica
Another wonderful song by the Minnesota-based group, Romantica. I enjoy singing and playing along with this song on my guitar.
3. “Hurry Up Let’s Go” by Shout Out Louds
Howl, Howl, Gaff, Gaff, might be the best album of the decade. Starting with “Very Loud,” “The Comeback,” “Shut Your Eyes,” and this rocker makes that album both deep and excellent.
2. “Wild Mountainside” by Eddi Reader
This song was written by the guitarist from the ’90s alternative group, The Trashcan Sinatras. It is given a beautiful rendition by Eddi Reader. It sounds both ancient and brand new.
1. “Remember When (California)” by Tim Myers
One trend I really liked in the new millennium, was the increased numbers of male–female duets. Here is one of the best. Tim Myers, songwriter and former bassist of One Republic, pairs with Schyler Fisk to make a wistful and nostalgic song.
