#20 Alice Deejay “Better off Alone” (2000)
At the turn of the millennium, its impossibly catchy chorus was virtually impossible to  escape. From the club floor to the radio air waves, this simplistic Euro ditty dominated the year 2000… and as a Top 40 Billboard single, it marked one of the last crossover hits of an era when dance was still considered “commercially viable” by mainstream media. Its mass appeal continues to resonate, making it one of those rare, memorable dance crossovers that you’ll still hear at family reunions and weddings. Though these Dutch imports would only produce one album, its gargantuan single is enough to earn them a spot in the Top 20. Better off alone? Nah, better to be in good company.
#19 David Morales with Lea-Lorien “How Would You Feel” (2004)
 Though famed DJ David Morales has only produced two artist albums (he’s mainly known as a prolific remixer), this stomping house number is better than most artists can ever hope to achieve. A strong, danceable beat commands listeners to answer the song’s plaintive, insistent question of a chorus: “How would you feel / How would you know / If it was truly love?” Strong and surging with a touch of drama, this club hit is definitely love at first sight.
#18 Sonique “Feels so Good” (2000)
Another crossover radio hit on the millennial cusp, Sonique’s trancey, dancey single takes us “h igher than we’ve been before.” Peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 – a monumental feat for any dance track – “Feels so Good” casts a sensual spell with its squelching beats and hypnotic melody. She gets extra credit for the accompanying music video, where Sonique escapes the workday grind by retreating to the DJ booth. It’s a fun, if now dated (check out the Contempo Casual fashions!) tribute to early 2000s club culture. Though she’s yet to equal such monumental stateside success, this British DJ has churned out new material as recently as 2006. Here’s hoping she again recaptures that old, feel-good charm.
#17 Angel City “Love Me Right (Oh Sheila)” (2004)
 Dance-pop candy of the highest order; this sugary confection lifts its melody, and its parenthetical secondary title, from Ready for the World’s early 90s hit. But by adding a tarty Euro sound, accelerated BPM, and hottie Lara McAllen’s lithe, sassy vocals, it takes the tune in a totally new direction. A great, guilty pleasure sing-along, it was catchy enough to crack the Billboard Hot 100 (#95) in the face of resistant radio attitude. Angel City’s next two singles, “Touch Me,” and “Do You Know (I Go Crazy)” cribbed from Cathy Dennis and Robert Miles tunes, respectively; while equally scintillating (and the foundation for a killer full-length album), they almost put us into remake overload. But “Love Me Right” still rubs us the right way.
#16 DJ Encore featuring Engelina “See Right Through You” (2001)
Just as the 90s had its own trademark coupling of neutered male rappers with wailing  disco divas (La Bouche, anyone?) the 2000s saw the equally popular pairing of club DJs with sidelined female vocalists. It was indicative of the dance scene’s focal shift, from the microphone to the turntables, that the beats generally prevailed over the belting. While DJ Sammy’s “Heaven” is probably a more memorable example, the DJ Encore and Engelina collaboration “See Right Through You” is by far the better song. While the former was a bigger commercial hit, it was also vastly overplayed and, for God’s sake!, a Bryan Adams retread. “See Right Through You” balanced its inventive, trance-meets-pop melody in a dreamy, intoxicating single with a superb hook. Yet here’s another artist that faded too soon. Come on, Encore: Let’s hear it again!
#15 Basement Jaxx “Romeo” (2001)
Though Ja xx has released more than a few superb singles, “Romeo” defines their sound at its best: Clanging, clattering beats, lilting vocals, and a chorus that just won’t quit. Consistent hit-makers and leaders in the progressive house scene, Basement Jaxx deserves a spot on the list for pedigree, if nothing else. But here’s hoping they stay at the top of their game; their latest album release Crazy Itch Radio, was also – to our ears, anyway – their first disappointment. A return to form is in order, and recapturing the sublime, giddy magic of this energetic anthem is a great place to start. Oh, “Romeo”… Wherefore art thou?
#14 Galleon “So I Begin” (2002)
We ’re not sure what it is that speaks to us about this track. Maybe it’s the unexpected joy of a male vocalist; that alone is music to our ears. Maybe it’s the way it slides and skims its way into our memory, where other dance songs simply pound away. Maybe it’s the cool, shimmering vibe that eschews dance floor stomping in favor of subdued grooving. Or maybe it’s the steamy video that has nothing to do with the song, and everything to do with model Jitga Ogurekova in the shower. How to explain its appeal? We simply can’t begin.
#13 Jonathan Peters featuring Sylver Logan Sharp “All this Time” (2005)
 In 2006, DJ Times awarded Jonathan Peters its first annual “Best DJ” award. No doubt it had something to do with this recent club anthem, its insistent beat, and impassioned vocals. Lyrically forlorn and melodically bittersweet, it’s a sorrowful tribute to lost love. But Sylver Logan Sharp commands the vocals with a diva’s panache, making this one of the latest and greatest in the longstanding dance floor tradition of heartbreak anthems. Little time has passed since its release, but we have a feeling “All this Time” will be a club classic for years to come.
#12 Suzanne Palmer “Home” (2005)
Though probably best known as the lead singer on Peter Rauhofer’s Star 69 project, Suzanne Palmer is a talented vocalist, songwriter and producer in her own right. “Home” is probably her best solo work, a dark, pulsing house track. “Whenever you’re near, I lose my fear,” she sings in its rapid-fire chorus. “I know with you I know that I can’t go wrong.” Indeed, everything is right with this moody little number. Plus, Palmer is one of those rare divas who combines the Fabulous Factor with serious vocal prowess; this “Home” has solid pipes!
#11 Eric Prydz “Call on Me” (2004)
 First of all, Steve Winwood’s schlocky hit “Valerie” was made for the dentist office waiting room, not the dance floor. Second, there’s a very good reason that spandex and leg warmers went out of fashion. So… how did a sample of Winwood’s chorus, and a music video that eroticized 80s aerobics classes, combine to create the perfect dance treat? Unexplainably catchy, “Call on Me” is repetitive as hell… but that’s exactly how it gets under your skin. It rushes by, gives your dancing shoes a workout, leaves you in a sweat, and is out the door before the headband comes off. Plus, it epitomizes the growing trend of reinventing even the most unexpected, long-forgotten chart hits into club anthems. Call us crazy, but we love it.
They’re not over yet, but the 2000s have already produced some fantastic dance tracks. These are the songs we love to listen to in our car, on the dance floor, and on our “gym workout” playlists. It was tough to narrow them down, but we’ve tried our best. Give them a read, and let us know what you think!
Email us with your favorite dance song of the 2000s. Send your choice to top20@divadivodance.com.
And because we know that these songs will reawaken some serious dance music nostalgia, click the album artwork to buy the selections through iTunes.
We’ll tally the votes and announce our readers’ top picks, plus print some of your most interesting words of support (and criticism) for our list.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
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