Number Ones at 1:00: 2000-2004

All this week at 1:00 we are going to countdown the years with number ones.  Number one songs or albums from each year.  We'll talk about the songs, artists, and history of rock at that time as we countdown to Memorial Day weekend.

Here is some of what I am playing and a bit of rock history from that year.
Check out 1995-1999 here.

2000 - 3 Doors Down - Loser (21 weeks at #1)

We survived Y2K and made it to the new milenium.  What happened in 2000?  Rage Against the Machine broke up as "Nu Metal" (man I still hate that term) was peaking in mainstream popularity.  However, even with..sigh...nu metal cranking rock radio was still not all in.  Bands that held the number one spot in 2000:  Creed, Metallica, AC/DC, 3 Doors Down and Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Metallica's "I Disappear" spent 3 weeks at number one.  However, it would go down in infamy as the song that brought Metallica's rath upon Napster.

2001 - Staind - It's Been Awhile (20 weeks at #1)

Another year with heavier music being created in the nu metal scene, yet softer songs like Staind, Nickleback, Creed, 3 Doors Down and Tantric would control the number one spot for most of the year.  Godsmack had their first number one, for one week.  Meanwhile a lot of people seemed to be quitting their bands.  Jason Newsted left Metallica.  Fallon Bowman leaves Kittie.  And Wes Borland left Limp Bizkit.

2002 - System Of A Down - Aerials (1 week at #1)

Yeah, SOAD was only number one for a week while 3 Doors Down had another 17 week long run, but it was a big deal to have a band like System reach number one in the US billboard charts.  Even for only one week.  The rest of 2002 sucked.  Layne Staley dies from a heroin overdose.  Dave Mustaine disbands Megadeath.  Drowning Pool singer Dave Williams dies of cardiomyopathy.  At least Dave Lombardo rejoined Slayer.

2003 - Audioslave - Like A Stone (12 weeks at #1)

A year that included a lot of new names taking the number one spot in the charts.  Linkin Park, Audioslave, Chevelle and A Perfect Circle would all reach the top spot for the first time this year.  Metallica got back to work when the hired Robert Trujillo as the bands new bass player.  MTV2 brought back Headbangers' Ball in 2003, right in time for the mainstream rock scene to start a decline.

2004 - Velvet Revolver - Fall To Pieces (11 weeks at #1)

Velvet Revolver controlled 20 weeks of the year between Fall To Pieces and Slither.  The rest of the year would be held by Linkin Park, Nickleback, Jet, Three Days Grace and Chevelle.  In Decemeber of 2004, Dimebag Darrell was killed while performing on stage with his band Damageplan.  Three others were killed that night at the Columbus, Ohio nightclub.