SONGS BY WOC TURNING 20 THIS YEAR! #TGMTBT
It was recently announced that Alicia Keys will be hosting the 61st annual Grammy Awards, set to air Sunday, February 10th on CBS. This is very special as a woman has not hosted this night in 14 years (Queen Latifa hosted once in 2005). In honor of this huge accomplishment, and a night we hope is full of amazing music and tweet worthy moments, we are reminiscing on some of our favorite hits by some of our favorite women that will be turning 20 this year. We hope you don’t feel too old after reading this.
1. Christina Aguilera – “Genie in a Bottle”
If you weren’t dancing to “Genie in a Bottle” in the mirror as a teen, what were you really doing? While this song came out summer 1999, it was still a bop in the early 2000s' and we most definitely spent hours pretending to master the art of belly dancing. We love how Christina tackled the pressures of teen sex head on by demanding to be treated a certain way in order for the person to be with her. And if you love Genie in a Bottle, go and check out her Spanish rendition “Genio Atrapado”.
2. TLC – “No Scrubs”/”Unpretty”
No way we can mention hit songs without bringing up TLC. They have so many that we couldn’t just pick one favorite from 1999 and had to share 2. “No Scrubs” was and still is a national anthem for boss women demanding men step up their game before approaching. Unpretty addresses the realness of societal beauty standards and the effects it could have on us. We stan a group that can give us both in just a year!
TLC - Unpretty/No scrubs GRAMMYS
3. Jennifer Lopez – “If You Had My Love”
BX stand up! You could not turn on the radio during Summer 1999 without hearing this major bop from J-Lo’s very first album On the 6. Everyone knew Jenny from the block was here to stay when she dropped this song filled with ballads and a great beat to dance to. Can you believe that this was her very first single and it was this good? No wonder Diddy was head over heels.
4. Destiny’s Child – “Bills, Bills, Bills”
Can you pay my bills? Can you pay my telephone bills? Like TLC, Destiny’s Child made sure to remind us to leave broke boys in 1999 with “Bills, Bills, Bills”. With a super catchy beat to match the catchy lyrics, Beyoncé, Kelly, LeToya and LaTavia taught us to keep our standards high and not to let anyone get too comfortable.
Destiny's Child - Bills, Bills, Bills
5. Whitney Houston – “It’s Not Right, but It’s Ok”
We’re so used to songs about cheating to be slow, sad ballads but somehow Auntie Whitney turned this song about an unfaithful lover into a dance worthy bop. With a super upbeat tempo, Whitney let’s her lover and the world know that she’s going to be alright and would rather be alone than with their trifling self. At the time, rumors swirled that this was written about Bobby Brown’s alleged infidelity.
Whitney Houston - It's Not Right, But It's OK
6. Brandy – “Almost Doesn’t Count”
Who else remembers belting out this jam as a pre-teen, pretending we were going through a heartbreak? We do! Brandy came out strong with her debut album 4 years earlier, so the expectations were high for her second studio album and she did not disappoint. This track still reminds us to never settle for almost when you can have a sure thing.
7. 702 – “Where My Girls At”
Whenever a song starts with “See, he’s my property”, you know you’re about to hear some real ish. 702 made it very clear that if you crossed the line in any way with their beaus, they would be stepping to you with the quickness. Fun fact: This song was originally for TLC, but they turned it down and 702 then went on to make it arguably their biggest hit to date. Also, there was no surprise at all when we found out that Missy Elliot co-produced this track.
8. Lauryn Hill – “Everything is Everything”
Let’s be clear: Every single track from “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” was and still is timeless. However, the actual album was dropped in late 1998 but “Everything is Everything” was the 3rd and final track, that actually dropped in May 1999. Lauryn hit us with this inspirational hit, reminding us to keep pushing on, knowing that change will come. And in case you’re wondering who’s playing the piano on this track, it’s a teenage John Legend!
