The Ten Best Noughties Music Videos To Work Out To

Oh, the noughties. As more and more time passes, we feel ourselves becoming more and more nostalgic for this fabulous era, which encompasses the years between 2000 and 2009. We’ve got to admit, we miss the days of Paris Hilton, T-Mobile Sidekicks and the simplicity of a work without social media and dating apps.

Above all else, we miss the music of the noughties. The music of the early 2000s was different than the music we hear on the radio today. It was less influenced by electronica and more influenced by hip-hop and R&B. It was fun, catchy and optimistic.

This is why it’s the perfect soundtrack for just about any workout. Next time you work out, ditch today’s tracks and sweat it out to music from the era of boybands and pop princesses. To help you craft your next gym playlist, here are the ten best noughties songs to work out to.

10 – Everytime We Touch – Cascada

This pop-techno love ballad has a deliciously infectious, sugary sweet beat, making it perfect for your next cardio workout. If you’re looking for something to zen out to during your post-workout stretch, try the stripped down candlelight mix, which remains one of the noughties’ biggest tearjerking tracks.

9 – Forever – Chris Brown

Okay, so we know that Chris Brown isn’t exactly the same wholesome, family-friendly star he once was. But this poppy R&B song is the complete embodiment of early 00s wholesomeness. Load it on your workout playlist and time-travel back to when Brown was still America’s sweetheart.

8 – Southside – Moby ft Gwen Stefani

This 2000 Moby song is a great pick if you’re looking for a break from the saccharine sweetness of most noughties jams. It’s a dark electronic pop song about an apocalyptic future, performed to perfection with noughties icon Gwen Stefani.

7 – How You Remind Me – Nickelback

Yes, we know. People hate Nickelback so much that there have been scientific studies devoted to trying to figure out why. But admit it: When this song first came out in 2001 and you had no idea who the band was, you freaking loved it. Its intense alt-rock sound makes it perfect for any weightlifting session, if you can get over the embarrassment of listening to Nickelback in public.

6 – Ain’t It Funny – Jennifer Lopez

We’re ready for a second wave of the “Latin invasion” of the early 00s. For now, we’ll just rock this Latin-pop jam while doing endless squats in pursuit of a J.Lo booty.

5 – Work It – Missy Elliot

No self-respecting noughties girl would even think of heading to the gym without at least an hour of Missy loaded onto her baby blue iPod Mini. This 2007 track is everything we love about the queen of early 00s hip-hop.

4 – Fighter – Christina Aguilera

This was the go-to breakup song for any early 00s girl. This pop track features a hard rock-inspired bass and drums and the best “I don’t need him anyways” lyrics we’ve ever heard. If this doesn’t push you to do an extra 10 minutes on the treadmill, nothing will.

3 – Bye Bye Bye – Nsync

It’s okay if the boybands of today do nothing for your millennial ears. None of them can hold a candle to the boybands of the noughties. This track encompasses everything we love and miss about early 00s pop music. Sure, Justin Timberlake’s solo music is pretty much the soundtrack of Generation Z, but we all know his true place is with his fellow Nysyncers.

2 – Crazy In Love – Beyonce ft Jay-Z

Yes, we know that the consensus is that Lemonade Beyonce is the best Beyonce. But we can’t help but feel nostalgic for early 00s Beyonce and her iconic debut as a solo artist, leaving behind Destiny’s Child to take her place as queen of the music industry. Beyonce has since released this song as a moody jazz track for the film Fifty Shades of Grey, but the OG version will forever be a staple on our “sweat it out” playlists.

1 – I’m A Slave 4 U – Britney Spears

We can’t imagine a world where this list wasn’t topped with Britney. Back in the noughties, Taylor Swift was still learning how to play a guitar and Britney reigned supreme as the ultimate princess of pop. This iconic track is the perfect song for doing crunches in a quest for those immaculate Britney abs.

Of course, this list couldn’t include every single amazing noughties workout jam. Do you have a favorite track from the early 00s that’s not on this list? Let us know in the comments.