The non-stop radio play of 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” made it clear, if any doubt remained: rap was now popular music’s dominant style. And gangsta rapper 50 Cent was the genre’s king: shot nine times (and stabbed a few times for good measure), with his mother killed in a drug deal – 50 lived the life he rapped about. But his desperate upbringing was soon behind him as he sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. Also getting heavy radio play were the highly produced R&B of Beyonce and the soft-edged rock of Matchbox Twenty and 3 Doors Down. Finding runaway success was dark alt-rock outfit Evanescence, with the emotional peaks and valleys of “Bring Me To Life.”
100. Red Dirt Road, Brooks & Dunn
99. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop, Young Gunz
98. Have You Forgotten, Darryl Worley
97. No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem, Kenny Chesney
96. I Want You, Thalia and Fat Joe
95. Come Over, Aaliyah
94. Sick Of Being Lonely, Field Mob
93. What Was I Thinking, Dierks Bentley
92. Sing For The Moment, Eminem
91. Superman, Eminem
90. Real Good Man, Tim McGraw
89. Step In The Name of Love, R. Kelly
88. 19 Somethin’, Mark Wills
87. Don’t Know Why, Norah Jones
86. Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop), Erykah Badu and Common
85. Say Yes, Floetry
84. Put That Woman First, Jaheim
83. Like A Stone, Audioslave
82. Thugz Mansion, 2Pac
81. Fighter, Christina Aguilera
80. Hell Yeah, Ginuwine and Baby
79. Suga Suga, Baby Bash and Frankie J.
78. If You’re Not The One, Daniel Bedingfield
77. My Front Porch Looking In, Lonestar
76. The Jump Off, Lil’ Kim and Mr. Cheeks