25 years has passed and now we look back at 5 albums that have stood the test of time. Let’s venture back in time to revisit these iconic pieces of music history. Dust off your iPods and wired headphones as we experience a blast from the past. Starting with number 5, is this the most nostalgic album or what?
5.Oops!…I Did It Again by Britney Spears
Fifth on our list is the pop princess herself, Britney Spears. She released her second studio album, OOPS… I Did It Again. on May 16, 2000. In the United States, it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 1.319 million copies. This album held the record for the fastest-selling album by a female artist. It was, however, surpassed by Adele’s album 25 in 2015, which sold over 3.38 million copies in its first week. Britney Spears’ album received Best Pop Vocals at The Grammys in 2001, making her album go diamond. It sold over 20 million copies, making it one of the best-selling album of all time. Singles off the albums such as ‘Lucky’ got to number 23 on the US Billboard, and ‘Stronger’ peaked at number 11.
4.Black and Blue by Backstreet Boys
Up next we have one of the most iconic boybands of all time, the Backstreet Boys. On November 21, 2000, they put out their fourth studio album Black & Blue. Black & Blue sold over 5 million copies globally in its first week of sales, making this one of the most iconic albums of all time. BSB became the first group to sell 1.5 million in the US, making Soundscan history. Who can forget singles such as ‘Shape of My Heart’, the iconic ‘The Call’, and ‘More than That’ ? The Black & Blue tour was one of the most successful tours in history.
3.The Marshall Mathers EP by Eminem
The famous rapper Eminem put out his third studio album The Marshall Mathers LP on May 23, 2000. Unfortunately, the album received some backlash. Many criticized the EP’s controversial lyrics and content. In spite of its divisive content, the album was on Billboard 200 for eight consecutive weeks, becoming the fastest-selling studio album in the first week. It sold 1.78 million copies.
To this day, the album is considered Eminem’s most iconic album of all time. It has sold 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, and is certified 12× platinum and Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was nominated for Album of the Year and won Best Rap Album at the 2001 Grammy Awards, while The Real Slim Shady won Best Rap Solo Performance.
2.No Strings Attached by *NSYNC
Another boyband on the list! This time we have *NSYNC! *NSYNC’s album No Strings Attached is their third studio album. It was released March 21, 2000, and is a mixture of pop and R&B. Within its first week of sales, it sold 2.4 million copies, setting records throughout the country and making it one of the most popular albums of all time. Its lead single ‘Bye Bye Bye’ became the hype song for the album’s eventual landmark success. No Strings Attached was the best-selling album of 2000. *NSYNC promoted the album through the No Strings Attached Tour in 2000, which was the second highest-grossing tour in North America of that year. Almost beating Backstreet Boys at their most successful tour of all time during the time
1.Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park
Last but not least we have the most iconic album of all time, Linkin Park’s Hybird Theory. This album was released on October 24, 2000. Their iconic singles, ‘One Step Closer’, ‘In the End,’ ‘Crawling’ and ‘Papercut,’ launched the band into mainstream popularity. Hybrid Theory became a strong commercial success and peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200. It was certified 12× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and it soon became Diamond certified, which is rare in the industry. It also reached the top 10 in 15 other countries and has sold 32 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling debut album since Guns N’ Roses’s Appetite for Destruction (1987). At the 44th Grammy Awards, the group won Best Hard Rock Performance for “Crawling.”
Honorable Mention: Stankonia by Outkast
Although we looked back at 5 historical albums, we had to include Stankonia as one of the most iconic albums of all time. This is the fourth studio album by the American hip hop duo Outkast, released on October 31, 2000. This album contains an eclectic mix of funk, rave, psychedelia, gospel and rock. Stankonia received excellent reviews from music critics and has since been considered one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 530,000 copies the first week. The Single ‘Ms. Jackson’ became the group’s first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. At the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, Outkast won Best Rap Album for Stankonia and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Ms. Jackson.”
What Will You be Listening To?
What a list, I can’t believe we made it this far. I wish I could add more, but for now, this is it! These are the top five albums plus a bonus that are still relevant to this day. Comment down below if we left out another amazing album turning 25 this year, I am sure we can add more, maybe a part 2 for sure, I could go on and on!
