There is no doubt about it, 2004 was an important year for pop music.
It was a time when US modern RnB was at its commercial peak, indie groups from the UK were making their presence felt and The Killers released their second single, setting them on the path to becoming one of the biggest rock bands since U2.
On the subject of Bono's U2, the Irish band scored their own hit and soundtrack to a memorable iPod commercial and Beyonce continued to prove that the success of Crazy in Love was far from a fluke.
Here are 24 songs, in no particular order, that turn 20 this year.
1. Yeah! by Usher
The biggest-selling US single of the year was a sonic make-over for Usher and cemented the crunk subgenre as the dominant hip-hop sound of the day.
Where Usher cultivated a dedicated fanbase for his smooth balladry and RnB slow jams, Yeah! showed that he is just as comfortable playing with blazing synths and heaving club rhythms provided by producer Lil John.
While exploring these up-tempo sounds further in future collaborations with DJ David Guetta and pop producer Max Martin, Yeah! remains Usher’s quintessential club anthem.
2. Gasolina by Daddy Yankee
The song that put reggaeton on the mainstream map.
After a decade in which the genre bubbled away in underground clubs in the US and South America, the popularity of the exuberant track is regarded as the first crossover reggaeton hit.
Thanks to its infectious rhythm and lyrics, the summer anthem laid the seed for the genre's commercial ascendancy.
3. American Idiot by Green Day
This blistering punk missive transformed Green Day from perennial musical pranksters to the voice of their generation.
Marrying potent lyrics of political and social disenfranchisement with barrelling riffs, American Idiot not only heralded a bold new creative phase for the trio, but the track and resultant album – also called American Idiot – became the subject of a successful Broadway production.
4. Somebody Told Me by The Killers
In the follow-up to their record-breaking debut single Mr Brightside, the rockers dial up the synths in a barrelling song about the kind of misbehaviour associated with their home city of Las Vegas.
Strident, decadent and slightly tongue in cheek, Somebody Told Me set The Killers on the road to becoming one of the biggest bands of the era.
5. Toxic by Britney Spears
The best of Britney's club tracks, Toxic is an absolute banger with an East-meets-West production melding bhangra drums and Bollywood strings with darting synths and surf guitars.
Capped off by Spears' arresting vocals, it went on to land the star her first Grammy in 2004 for Best Dance Recording.
6. Call on Me by Eric Prydz
A bellwether for the rising popularity of electronic dance music, this UK chart-topper by the Swedish DJ features a prominent sample of Steve Winwood's 1982 track Valerie.
Where the original was a more genteel and breezy affair, Prydz turned the hook into the kind of jubilant house-disco stomper that’s now a staple of music festivals and New Year's Eve celebrations.
7. What You Waiting For? by Gwen Stefani
The opening track from Gwen Stefani's debut album Love. Angel. Music. Baby is an ambitious and slightly wild ride with its shifting tempos and hybrid of styles ranging between electro-pop, funk and rock.
The eclectic approach is not only thrilling, but a strong affirmation that her career can flourish as a solo artist after the dissolution of her former successful band No Doubt.
8. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
A memorable moment in this giddy track arrives towards the middle, where the strident rhythms slow down to a steady stomp before exploding into a firework display of jagged guitar riffs and call-and-response chorus.
It was a dynamic arrangement rarely heard in indie-music at the time and established this Glaswegian band as the stylish new leaders of the pack.
9. The Reason by Hoobastank
Sometimes a subpar rock song can be saved by an absolutely fabulous chorus, as in this case.
Only problem is, repeating the feat is harder than it looks. Hence, we never really heard from Hoobastank again.
10. 1, 2 Step by Ciara featuring Missy Elliott
Released 10 months after Usher's smash hit Yeah!, Ciara's breakout single acted as a bookend for a year where crunk music dominated the hip-hop charts.
Laced by an incessant synth riff, 1,2 Step is a wickedly fun hit and comes complete with the swaggering rhymes expected from rapper Missy Elliott.
11. She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5
How you feel about this song depends on your view on Maroon 5's career trajectory.
For some, this hit from the band's debut album recalls an era where the material was more organic and not written by a committee of super producers and songwriters.
Newer fans, weaned on Maroon 5's calculated viral and TikTok friendly work like Sugar and Girls Like You, may mistake She Will Be Loved’s majesty for blandness.
12. Somewhere Only We Know by Keane
For a guitar-less band like Keane to form in 2004 seemed like a revolutionary step.
This was the year when the garage rock revival was in full swing with bands like The Strokes, Kings of Leon and The Libertines leading the pack.
Then again the relative success of the single not only had the UK trio lauded as the next Coldplay, but also showed the power of a beautiful vocal paired with an emotive arrangement.
13. Locked Up by Akon
Smooth enough for the radio while equally brawny to appeal to hip-hop fans, Akon's breakout single established a distinctive template carrying him to stardom.
14. Let's Get It Started by Black Eyed Peas
The hit track that sealed Black Eyed Peas' transition from an indie hip-hop crew to an arena-selling pop group.
While some older school fans pined for the more intricate lyrics of past releases, there is no denying the sheer joy of this summer anthem.
15. Naughty Girl by Beyonce
Following 2002's Work It Out, and 2003's Crazy in Love, Baby Boy and Me, Myself and I, Beyonce mixed things up with Naughty Girl. The taut and hypnotic interpolation of Donna Summer's Love to Love You Baby was co-produced by the hitmaker of the moment, Scott Storch.
The track is also defined by an eastern-sounding synth groove more at home in Arabic pop music.
16. Slither by Velvet Revolver
It all started so promisingly for rock-supergroup Velvet Revolver.
Made up of members of Guns N'Roses and Wasted Youth and led by Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, the debut single was a near-perfect distillation of these backgrounds.
Guitarist Slash lays down his meanest groove-ridden riff since Guns N'Roses's You Could Be Mine, while Weiland glides from silky Bowie-like croon to a roar in the powerful and cathartic chorus.
While Velvet Revolver never captured the same intensity before splitting in 2008, Slither can be considered a classic of modern rock.
17. Amazing by George Michael
A late career gem by Michael, the breezy and carefree Amazing not only harkened back to his time with Wham! but provided a much-needed respite in his bloated and turgid final album Patience.
18. If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys
With RnB at the time sounding as slick and club-oriented as ever, Alicia Keys' organic sound was a much-needed elixir.
Taken from the previous year's Grammy Award-winning debut album The Diary of Alicia Keys, the mournful If I Ain't Got You can almost be viewed as a riposte to bling-wearing peers when she declares, "some people think the physical things define what's within, I've been there before but that life's a bore".
19. Take Your Mama by The Scissor Sisters
After their colourful take on Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb, the Scissor Sisters channel the spirit of Crocodile Rock-era Elton John in their euphoric breakout single Take Your Mama.
More than the irrepressible and flamboyant vocals of Jake Shears, it is the songwriting craftsmanship here that’s the real tribute to the band’s seventies pop heroes.
20. Drop It Like It's Hot by Snoop Dogg
More than the brilliantly icy and minimal production from The Neptunes, it's Snoop Dogg's velvet flow and deft switches in cadence responsible for one of his biggest hits.
21. Let Me Love You by Mario
The song was so big that it reduced RnB singer Mario to one-hit-wonder status, despite the later single Here I Go Again being just as good.
That said, Let Me Love You is the kind of timeless single singers dream of and remains a fine example of the time when RnB music was a commercial juggernaut.
22. 1985 by Bowling for Soup
Some forgotten trivia about this pop-punk hit: 1985 was originally written and released by US rock group SR-71 as a new-wave track before Bowling for Soup recorded the successful remake the following year.
The latter's success is probably down to the fact that it ditched some of the ardent new-wave stylings of SR-71 and dialled up the sunny pop-punk riffs and harmonies.
While Blink-182 conceptually did it better five years prior with their 1990s boyband-baiting anthem All The Small Things, Bowling for Soup's infectious ode to eighties-era pop music and pop culture remains a hoot.
23. How We Do by The Game
It was one of the biggest hip-hop singles of the year.
While The Game had the proverbial red carpet rolled out for him courtesy of production by Dr Dre and guest verse by superstar 50 Cent, the Los Angeles rapper more than held his own in his stellar debut.
24. Vertigo by U2
Looking back, it's hard to know what made Vertigo such a success.
Was it down to the band rarely sounding so thrillingly unshackled then and since, or thanks to its position as the soundtrack of the era-defining Apple iPod television advertisements?
Either way, Vertigo remains one of U2's most potent works.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
Copa del Rey final
Sevilla v Barcelona, Saturday, 11.30pm (UAE), match on Bein Sports
Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 34
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20TV%204K%20(THIRD%20GENERATION)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECPU%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20A15%20Bionic%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2064GB%2C%20Wi-Fi%20only%3B%20128GB%2C%20Wi-Fi%20%2B%20ethernet%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%2C%20ethernet%20(Wi-Fi%20%2B%20ethernet%20model%20only)%2C%20IR%20receiver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HDMI%2C%20ethernet%20(128GB%20model%20only)%3B%20Siri%20remote%20(charging%20via%20USB-C)%3B%20accessibility%20features%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SDR%2FDolby%20Vision%2FHDR10%2B%20up%20to%202160p%20%40%2060fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPeripherals%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Compatible%20with%20HD%2FUHD%20TVs%20via%20HDMI%2C%20Bluetooth%20keyboards%2C%20AirPods%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPhoto%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GIF%2C%20HEIF%2C%20JPEG%2C%20TIFF%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColour%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Black%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20TV%204K%2C%20Siri%20remote%2C%20power%20cord%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh529%2C%20Wi-Fi%20only%3B%20Dh599%2C%20Wi-Fi%20%2B%20ethernet%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Results
6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
The%20Sandman
%3Cp%3ECreators%3A%20Neil%20Gaiman%2C%20David%20Goyer%2C%20Allan%20Heinberg%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Tom%20Sturridge%2C%20Boyd%20Holbrook%2C%20Jenna%20Coleman%20and%20Gwendoline%20Christie%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
MATCH INFO
Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)
Manchester United 0
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
Dubai World Cup draw
1. Gunnevera
2. Capezzano
3. North America
4. Audible
5. Seeking The Soul
6. Pavel
7. Gronkowski
8. Axelrod
9. New Trails
10. Yoshida
11. K T Brave
12. Thunder Snow
13. Dolkong
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
