"Lucky" by Britney Spears (2000)

Catching up on the year 2000

The year 2000 was a year lost due to my lack of concern or awareness for a few things: Comic books, movies, and music. Thanks to the Internet (particularly Wikipedia and YouTube), money, and my almost photographic memory, I am slowly catching up on the year that I wasted.

Comic books I have. I have bought some Marvel titles of the 2000s from people who sold them at rock bottom prices. Movies, I have watched loads after my mother bought our family's very first VCD player.

Music, I have cassettes and MP3 files. These possessions make me feel better about my lack of both high school and college romance and experience hanging out with young people.

Late love for Britney Spears, pop princess

So let's talk about songs. One of the songs that defined my summer of 2002 was the song "Lucky" by Britney Spears off her record-breaking second album Oops!... I Did It Again, released in 2000.

"Lucky" single cover

One song leads to another, if you ask me. Listening to the album's title track (and thinking it to be a James Bond song) and a trip to my grandmother's place (before she passed away) lead me to "Lucky" in the time when pop music still reigned my consciousness.

In my life, 2002 was a Britney Spears year. I even recalled watching one of her concerts on the day before school started. I later bought two bootlegged cassettes and a CD, all blaring Britney Spears. "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman" from her third album Britney (2002) was the hit that time but in my mind, it was "Lucky", "Stronger" and the title track of the second album, which is my most favorite Britney Spears album. In my mind, things was the year 2000, a year lost.

Screen capture from the music video

From Britney Spears, I then caught up on Westlife, Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC. I later bought their respective 2000 albums (Coast to Coast, Black and Blue, and No Strings Attached), either original or bootlegged. I got my hand on a few music magazines from that year too. I would also gather clippings of 2000's music scene and years later, expand my knowledge with the help of the Internet. I took myself back to 2000.

In my book, 2000 was one of the best years in music. Too bad I wasted it. I was late for the experience. But better late than never.

"Boom" by P.O.D (2002)

Classmate's blunder led to P.O.D

I first learned about P.O.D by mistake. My classmate was supposed to record me NSYNC songs, but recorded songs of Linkin Park, System of a Down, P.O.D, The Calling, and other rock acts instead. But I wasn't angry. It gave me something to listen to other than pop songs. It helped open the door for me to listen to other genres.

"Boom" by P.O.D single cover

Christian or not?

At first, I thought P.O.D (Payable on Death) was a rock band just like Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, System of a Down, Korn, Rage Against The Machine, Incubus, and Slipknot. It was years later I realized they were a Christian act, and they were very comfortable with the label Christian. They were so open about their Christianity, though certain people have doubts about their brand of Christian expression.

To their critics, what's Christian about touring with music acts that despise or mock Christianity? Hmm, I wonder how P.O.D managed to conduct themselves in the secular and sometimes anti-religious music scene. I learned of two rock musicians, one who left his band after converting to Christianity and formed his own (Christian) band and another one who isn't happy about a band mate who mocked his Catholic faith.

What about the R&B group Destiny's Child? Are they still Christian when donning sexy outfit while singing onstage?

The other artist I knew that time to be open about their Christianity was the Christian pop artist Stacie Orrico.

I wonder where would P.O.D position themselves in the same sex marriage debate.

The band. From left, Marcos Curiel, Wuv Bernardo, Sonny Sandoval, and Traa

P.O.D, a band worthy of a listen

I didn't listen much to P.O.D but they have great songs, one of which is the fun, explosive track you're watching right now - my favorite. It seemed that the guys did have some R&R after their regular worship and praise. Why, even Jesus and His disciples needed some rest after a hard day's work among the unbelieving people of their time.

2002 was indeed the year of both rap metal and alternative rock. They had their last glorious stand in the following year, upon the release of Linkin Park's Meteora and Evanescence's Fallen. Their popularity died in 2004, when emo and power pop emerged.

How I wish it was 2002 again.

Here comes the boom!

"Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera featuring Redman (2002)

Christina Aguilera: from sweet to dirrty

The year was 2002. I learned about Christina Aguilera after listening to one of her hits, titled "Come On Over (All I Want is You)". Weeks later, I bought a bootlegged cassette tape of her first album in what was the worst month of my year. Months later, I read about her controversial single and video "Dirrty" and how it spiked sex tourism in Thailand. Next year,my classmate bought me her Stripped album and invited me to his place to watch the controversial video.

"Dirrty" single cover

Man, talk about Christina Aguilera. Talk about memories. After watching her video "The Voice Within", I considered her to be one of the two whitest women in music (the other one was Michelle Branch).

I admit I did not get the best of Miss Aguilera because that time, I was so infatuated with Britney Spears. I missed Aguilera's transformation from teen pop star to sex symbol (due to the image she exhibited during the Stripped period). But it was a drastic or quick change of image, if you ask me.

Aguilera popularizing the "slut drop" dance move

Miss Spears expressed full adulthood and maturity after two albums, reason why I somewhat welcomed her persona after the release of her third album Britney. Well, I looked up to her first two albums to find support for Britney and later albums.

Xtina Aguilera's change of image a shock

About Miss Aguilera, I found just one album, few resources to find support for her drastic change in image. (I am not talking about her Spanish and Christmas albums that Aguilera released before Stripped). It was quick. She had not given her fans - fans of her bubblegum pop persona - enough content to enjoy the best of her. At least, she isn't fake, like Iggy Azalea, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, and Arianna Grande. But I feared she had alienated her pop fans. Here, I recalled the pop rock band The Moffats.

The looks of Christina Aguilera

The change from something teen and innocent to something sexy and racy was necessary to jump-start her career. It was to give music fans something to talk about, and not just about Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, and Vanessa Carlton.

2002 was one of the best years in music, just three years to go before the music would die, and thugs and whores would take over music.

Anytime, I would pick Christina Aguilera over today's artists. She is way more talented than Iggy, Miley, Katy, Arianna, Taylor Swift, Nikki Minaj, and Beyonce combined.