# Best #1 single of the decade: The 2000s **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670 "2014-12-19T15:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/1 "2014-12-19T15:37:36Z")
We come now to the penultimate semi-final poll, featuring your choices for the best songs of the previous decade. Keep in mind that you still have time to vote in any of the other decade polls, or any of the 2010s polls, for the final semifinal and the best-of-all-time polls coming up in a few days. From this list, what’s your favorite? Previous polls: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739360) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739525) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739880) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740122) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740302) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740497) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740709) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740859) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741047) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741267) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741450) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741604) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741730) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741915) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742069) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742147) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742282) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742467) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742676) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742846) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743899) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743046) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743240) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743399) [1980s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743597) [1990s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743803) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/2 "2014-12-19T15:49:22Z")
None of them jump out at me, so I went with Beyonce. I never heard _Gold Digger_ before, but listening to it didn’t help its rating. Others I have heard of, but never liked - I’m looking at you, _Hey There Delilah_. And _Poker Face_ is not LGG’s best work. So, _Single Ladies_ it is. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/3 "2014-12-19T16:06:59Z")
Can I take votes away from Hey there Delilah? If that song had a face I would punch it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/4 "2014-12-19T18:33:18Z")
Went with the hometown boy, Slim Shady. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/5 "2014-12-19T19:05:10Z")
Forgot to mention that the first time I heard _Hey Ya!_ I was not sure it was a serious song and not a parody. I’m still not. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/6 "2014-12-19T19:40:59Z")
Just to be an old co(d)g(er) in the works, I went for the only one I’ve ever heard - “Poker Face”. And get that poll off my lawn, sonny! ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/7 "2014-12-19T19:44:56Z")
“Hey Ya” is the classic and will most likely win, and I voted for it in 2003. I voted for the 2001 Outkast single instead. The Matchbox 20, Justin Timberlake are runner ups. Worst has to be Kanye West and Jamie Foxx or Beyoncé. Terrible I tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/8 "2014-12-19T19:51:58Z")
I really like “Hey Ya.” Like it a lot. However, I strongly feel that Beyoncé owns the decade, and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” is the single single that stands out above all the rest of this list. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/9 "2014-12-19T20:03:48Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Can I take votes away from Hey there Delilah? If that song had a face I would punch it. You are a person I would like to know better. I went with Eminem. He won half the century with “Lose Yourself.” ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/10 "2014-12-19T20:04:28Z")
I made the Sophie’s choice between “Hey Ya!” and “Lose Yourself”, and I went with the latter. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/11 "2014-12-19T20:09:26Z")
_Hey Ya for me, it’s a great song. Miss Jackson_ would have been my next choice. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/12 "2014-12-19T21:37:02Z")
> [@Eddie\_F](#): > > I made the Sophie’s choice between “Hey Ya!” and “Lose Yourself”, and I went with the latter. Same here, same dilemma, same outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/13 "2014-12-19T22:24:04Z")
“Lose Yourself” wins my vote fairly easily over second-place “Hey Ya.” In dead-ass last place by a WIDE margin is “Hey There Delilah.” I don’t understand how anybody could think it’s a good song. It was by far the worst #1 song of 2007, but somehow it advanced to this round. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/14 "2014-12-19T23:13:34Z")
If that piece of shit hypocritical asinine vomit-induction known as Single Ladies wins I will lose all faith in humanity. You been married for like 5 years and you make a song about being single messing around with other dudes because your man won’t ask for your hand? And you do so over that middle-school marching-band piece of shit beat that was conceived solely to give your ass a rhythm to dance along? Fuck that shit to hell. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/15 "2014-12-19T23:17:37Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > If that piece of shit hypocritical asinine vomit-induction known as Single Ladies wins I will lose all faith in humanity. > > You been married for like 5 years and you make a song about being single messing around with other dudes because your man won’t ask for your hand? And you do so over that middle-school marching-band piece of shit beat that was conceived solely to give your ass a rhythm to dance along? > > Fuck that shit to hell. Seriously you described it very well, and to the point. Amazed that people consider it a great song, or even a good song. Come up with something with a beat, and millions of sheep will like it. I never understood the appeal of Beyoncé. I don’t. So glad that she has not had a #1 song since that time. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/16 "2014-12-20T00:18:33Z")
“Ms. Jackson”, because not only is the song awesome (ooh, I am for REAL), the baby mama drama it describes is very 2000. And the video is beautiful and hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/17 "2014-12-20T00:59:29Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Seriously you described it very well, and to the point. Amazed that people consider it a great song, or even a good song. Come up with something with a beat, and millions of sheep will like it. I never understood the appeal of Beyoncé. I don’t. > > So glad that she has not had a #1 song since that time. Flo Rida had a better beat and song with “Low.” Plus, he had T-Pain. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/18 "2014-12-20T07:48:18Z")
Plain White T’s, ahead of Lady Gaga, for me. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/19 "2014-12-20T10:41:38Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Can I take votes away from Hey there Delilah? If that song had a face I would punch it. We can virtually cancel out our votes, since I’m not voting in the poll because I can’t say for _certain_ I’ve heard any of these songs in their entirety. But I have probably heard Hey There Delilah considering I’ve seen the PWTs in concert (opening for Panic at the Disco and Dashboard Confessional) and they weren’t bad. I just don’t remember any song in particular. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670/20 "2014-12-20T12:16:24Z")
That’s a lot more Outkast songs than I knew even existed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-decade-the-2000s/707670.md?page=2)