It was the year we were introduced to a talented singer called Alicia Keys and seasoned Colombian artist Shakira.
It was when Destiny's Child got their revenge and strong women dominated the charts individually – or collectively as they sang Lady Marmalade.
The year 2001 was also when Apple introduced the game-changing platform iTunes, RnB was a commercial force, Enrique Iglesias became a pop prince and Atomic Kitten began to implode.
Let's take a trip down memory lane and revisit, in no particular order, 21 songs that turn 20 in 2021.
1. 'Hanging by a Moment' by Lifehouse
The biggest-selling US single of the year was initially a slow burn for pop-rock group Lifehouse.
Released to radio in 2000, it only premiered on the charts in February 2001 and hung around long enough to achieve tremendous sales without ever reaching number one.
While going on to be moderately successful, Lifehouse never managed to top their debut single.
2. ‘All For You’ by Janet Jackson
With commercial RnB riding strong on the airwaves at the time, Janet Jackson switched lanes with this euphoric slice of pop music.
While, let's face it, Jackson's voice has never been her strongest point, regular producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis surrounded her with sun-kissed production owing as much to vintage disco as contemporary soul.
The song became a global hit and a mainstay of Jackson's tours ever since.
3. ‘Drops of Jupiter’ by Train
By the time this anthem dropped in early 2001, Train were in the last-chance saloon.
Their make-or-break second album, also titled Drops of Jupiter, was their last shot. Luckily, the lush power ballad did the trick and established Train as a leading pop-rock band of the 2000s.
Chatting with The National in 2013, singer Patrick Monahan expressed mixed feelings regarding the hit and rued how the money generated was swallowed up in a previous divorce.
Fortunately, eight years later, the even bigger single Hey Soul Sister arrived to balance the books.
4. 'Family Affair' by Mary J Blige
Mary J Blige's work has mostly been a fans-only affair, but, for a brief moment in February 2001, the soul singer was the biggest name in pop music with this heaving club anthem.
Powered by irresistible production from Dr Dre, Family Affair had Blige dialling down the vocal fireworks and cooing on a global hit dominating charts and clubs worldwide.
5. 'Clint Eastwood' by Gorillaz
What a calling card from one of the most innovative groups of their generation.
Clint Eastwood is a bewitching melange of dub, hip-hop and Spaghetti Western soundtrack.
With verses by enigmatic rapper Del the Funky Homosapien and Blur frontman Damon Albarn on the hook, Gorillaz went on to form a sound all their own.
6. ‘Whenever, Wherever’ by Shakira
Better late than never for Shakira. After four well-received albums of Spanish pop, the Colombian singer focused on the US and UK market with Laundry Service, her first English release.
The album's lead single, Whenever, Wherever, is a perfect transitional single.
Co-written by Latin pop pioneer Gloria Estefan, the track maintains Shakira's sound while injecting flashy production fit for the era.
The song also introduces us to one of the many nonsensical lyrics to become a hallmark of Shakira’s English pop tracks: “I would climb the Andes solely to count the freckles on your body.”
7. 'Lady Marmalade' by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya and Pink
A star-studded track fit for a blockbuster movie, this updated version of Labelle's 1974 hit was taken from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack.
Also, considering the four big egos involved, each singer got their chance to shine.
Aguilera anchors the track with powerhouse vocals, Lil' Kim is boisterous, while Mya and Pink ram home the girl-power message.
The track went on to become a global hit and helped set the stage for the future stardom of Pink.
8. ‘Survivor’ by Destiny’s Child
It is advised not to make any moves when mad – unless you are Beyonce, of course.
In response to a US radio show comparing Destiny's Child's revolving door of former members to an episode of reality game show Survivor, Beyonce corrals the girls in the studio for an emphatic self-empowerment anthem.
Not only was it a massive hit, but it nabbed the group their first Grammy Award in 2002.
9. ‘Whole Again’ by Atomic Kitten
As Atomic Kitten member Natasha Hamilton told The National in 2020, the trio were "just girls who just left high school and then happened to be successful".
It is an understatement, of course.
By the time Whole Again was released in January 2001, Atomic Kitten's place as one of the UK's greatest girl groups was assured.
The ballad was the fifth and biggest-selling single from debut album Right Now (2001) and went on top the UK and a range of European charts.
As it turned out, the period was as good as it got for the group with member Kerry Katona acrimoniously leaving shortly after the song’s release.
10. ‘Don’t Stop Movin'’ by S Club 7
British group S Club 7 first found fame on the back of Miami 7, a 1999 scripted series following their quest to make it in the US.
While the septet was rarely afforded industry respect because of their contrived beginnings, they managed to produce strong material.
Don't Stop Movin' is the best of the lot: a smashing disco number hearkening back to the work of Boney M. No wonder it was a hit across Europe.
11. 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' by Kylie Minogue
After a forgettable period in the mid-1990s dabbling in alternative pop and trip-hop, Minogue realised her appeal lies on the dance floor.
Can't Get You Out of My Head is the kind of blissful pop rarely heard again until Dua Lipa came along with this year's Grammy-winning Future Nostalgia.
Slinky, sensual and powered by a hypnotic groove, Minogue's hit is not so much a disco retread but a harbinger of the clubby pop sounds Ariana Grande and Lipa would forge ahead today.
12. ‘Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger’ by Daft Punk
Daft Punk truly embrace their robot personas in this track.
Built around a buoyant piano melody taken from funk singer Edwin Birdsong's 1979 track Cola Bottle Baby, the duo injected house beats, funk guitar riffs and signature robotic vocals that tell us to work "harder, better, faster, stronger".
This all would have sounded dystopian if it wasn't for the infectious spirit coursing through the groove-tastic affair.
13. 'I'm a Slave 4 U' by Britney Spears
With this heady single, Britney Spears ditches past Mickey Mouse Club stylings for a more adult sound.
This means bright harmonies jettisoned for heaving beats and sweet vocals making way for sultry and panting sounds.
As well as being a global hit, the track is responsible for one of the great MTV VMA Awards performances, when Spears arrived on stage in 2001 draped with a white python.
14. ‘Hero’ by Enrique Iglesias
After tasting success with first English single Bailamos, Iglesias teamed up once again with the same writers for this power ballad.
As well as Iglesias's silky croon, the song's resilient message meant that it was used by New York radio stations in tribute campaigns after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
15. ‘Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)’ by Blu Cantrell
The first of US RnB singer Blu Cantrell's two big hits (the other is 2003's Breathe), Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!) is known for its brilliant memorably chorus.
This is one of those songs that becomes an ear worm upon the first listen and made Cantrell a star in the US and Europe.
16. ‘Where’s Your Head At’ by Basement Jaxx
An absolute banger still invigorating us 20 years on.
A frenetic melange of punk, hip-hop and garage music, the track destroyed festival stages across Europe and catapulted Basement Jaxx to pop-star status.
Another reason for its popularity is the chilling video featuring monkeys in a science experiment gone awry.
17. ‘I’m Real’ by Jennifer Lopez
This is an underrated JLo song.
A collaboration with hip-hop star of the moment, Ja Rule, I'm Real works as more a mood piece than radio fodder.
Built upon a sensual synth riff, the duo complement each other with Lopez's sweet vocals contrasting against Rule's guttural raps.
The smooth chorus, in which Lopez reaffirms her quest for authenticity in a material world, is unexpectedly moving.
18. ‘Fallin'’ by Alicia Keys
Just 20 years old at the time, Alicia Keys came across as an old soul with this debut hit single.
Listen carefully and you realise the intricacies of the production. The song is powered by a tasteful sample of James Brown's It's a Man's Man's Man's World and staccato drum machines. Meanwhile, Keys's bluesy vocals make all that lyrical heartache feel real.
Fallin' was the beginning of Keys's rise to being one of the important RnB artists of her generation – a fact Saudi Arabian school students witnessed when she performed the song during a recent visit to the kingdom.
19. ‘Blurry’ by Puddle of Mudd
Rarely has a rock song captured the anguish of divorce.
A lot has been said about Wes Scantlin's voice being similar to Nirvana's Kurt Cobain's, but it is not a distraction here.
From the hollow-eyed verse to the crushing chorus, Scantlin channels rage and sorrow, making Blurry stand alongside Harry Chapman's Cats in the Cradle as one of the defining songs on family regrets.
20. ‘Get Ur Freak On’ by Missy Elliott
Brilliant, bizarre and bonkers, Get Ur Freak On is cutting-edge, even today.
Timbaland's production is built upon Indian bhangra rhythms and a Hindi song sample from Solitude, a track by German world music artist Karunesh.
Elliott more than matches the adventurous sounds with percussive raps full of quotable lines, including "hush your mouth" at the start of the final verse.
Get Your Freak On remains a reference point for peak hip-hop production.
21. ‘Chop Suey!’ by System Of A Down
A modern rock masterpiece that really shouldn't work, as it is several songs in one.
From hip-hop and metal to sweet balladry, Chop Suey! ricochets all over the place with gut-punching abandon.
What keeps it all from falling apart is the conviction by the American-Armenian group, even if we don't exactly know what they are all talking about.
_________________
Read more:
20 songs that turn 20 in 2020: from Coldplay to Creed and Britney to Baha Men
'Oops, I Did it Again': Ten songs that showcase the musical evolution of Britney Spears
Let's dance: The 10 songs that best showcase Lady Gaga’s musical journey
_________________
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Central%20Bank's%20push%20for%20a%20robust%20financial%20infrastructure
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ECBDC%20real-value%20pilot%20held%20with%20three%20partner%20institutions%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPreparing%20buy%20now%2C%20pay%20later%20regulations%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPreparing%20for%20the%202023%20launch%20of%20the%20domestic%20card%20initiative%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPhase%20one%20of%20the%20Financial%20Infrastructure%20Transformation%20(FiT)%20completed%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The%20Killer
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EDavid%20Fincher%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMichael%20Fassbender%2C%20Tilda%20Swinton%2C%20Charles%20Parnell%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Why are you, you?
Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
We are a twenty first century wonder.
Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
Here, through art, new possibilities are born. And
new answers are given wings.
Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
Because together we create new worlds.
Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.
Ben Okri,
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
The five pillars of Islam
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Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day – 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227-4 at the close.
Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Valencia v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Mallorca v Alaves (4pm)
Barcelona v Getafe (7pm)
Villarreal v Levante (9.30pm)
Sunday
Granada v Real Volladolid (midnight)
Sevilla v Espanyol (3pm)
Leganes v Real Betis (5pm)
Eibar v Real Sociedad (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (midnight)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
BAD%20BOYS%3A%20RIDE%20OR%20DIE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Adil%20El%20Arbi%20and%20Bilall%20Fallah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWill%20Smith%2C%20Martin%20Lawrence%2C%20Joe%20Pantoliano%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
