In 2000, mini keychain-sized audio toys became a hot item for young millennials. HitClips predated the iPod and were much smaller than our portable CD players. Though mp3 players had been introduced in the late 90s, they hadn’t caught on quite yet. HitClips contained microchips with roughly 60 seconds of a hit song, which attached like a keychain. You could detach the clips and trade them with friends at school to listen to different songs. Here are four Y2K pop songs that millennials had attached to their HitClips.
Honorable mentions include Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way”, Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out”, Faith Hill’s “This Kiss”, Hilary Duff’s “Come Clean”, and Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi”.
“stronger” by britney spears
“Stronger” was the HitClip promotional song through McDonald’s, where many young millennials received their HitClips. Released as the third single for Spears’ sophomore album, Oops!… I Did It Again, Jive Records teamed with McDonald’s for a special ad campaign. Spears’ “Stronger” was released as a HitClip on August 11, 2000, a little over a month before the full HitClips lineup appeared in retail stores.
Other Britney Spears tracks that became HitClips are “…Baby One More Time”, “I’m a Slave 4 U”, “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman”, “Lucky”, “Oops!…I Did It Again”, “Overprotected”, and “(You Drive Me) Crazy”.
“it’s gonna be me” by NSYNC
The McDonald’s and Jive Records promotional campaign also released this track on August 11, 2000. NSYNC had become one of the leading boy bands at the turn of the century. Much like Spears, multiple NSYNC tracks became 60-second HitClips. Those include “Bye Bye Bye”, “Bringin’ Da Noise”, “Celebrity”, “Girlfriend”, “No Strings Attached”, “Pop”, and “This I Promise You”.
“i want candy” by aaron carter
Aaron Carter became everybody’s favorite little brother in the late 90s and early 2000s. His older brother, Nick Carter, was famously a member of the boy band the Backstreet Boys. In 1997, Aaron Carter released a self-titled debut album, which sold one million copies worldwide. His sophomore album in 2000, Aaron’s Party (Come Get It), placed him among the top teen pop stars in the nation. Carter’s massively successful cover of “I Want Candy” became a popular HitClip in late 2000.
Other Aaron Carter songs turned into HitClips include “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)”, “Leave It Up To Me”, “Not Too Long, Not Too Old,” “Oh Aaron”, and “That’s How I Beat Shaq”.
Photo by Tim Roney/Getty Images
The post 3 Y2K Pop Songs That Millennials Were Listening to on HitClips Before the iPod appeared first on VICE.
