The Top Songs of 2002, from How You Remind Me to Lose Yourself

What was the number one song of 2002?

"How You Remind Me" by Nickelback was the number one song of 2002 on Billboard's year-end Hot 100. Ashanti's "Foolish" was second and Nelly's "Hot in Herre" third. "Foolish" and Nelly and Kelly Rowland's "Dilemma" each spent ten weeks at number one, and Eminem's "Lose Yourself" closed the year at the top.

The top 20 songs of 2002

1. "How You Remind Me", Nickelback: the post-grunge hit that topped the year.
2. "Foolish", Ashanti: a ten-week number one built on a DeBarge sample.
3. "Hot in Herre", Nelly: the summer party anthem produced by the Neptunes.
4. "Dilemma", Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland: a Grammy-winning duet.
5. "Wherever You Will Go", the Calling: a soaring rock ballad.
6. "A Thousand Miles", Vanessa Carlton: the piano-pop hit with the unforgettable opening riff.
7. "In the End", Linkin Park: the nu metal breakthrough from Hybrid Theory.
8. "What's Luv?", Fat Joe featuring Ashanti
9. "U Got It Bad", Usher: a slow-burning number one ballad.
10. "Blurry", Puddle of Mudd
11. "Complicated", Avril Lavigne: the debut that made her a star.
12. "Always on Time", Ja Rule featuring Ashanti
13. "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)", Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule
14. "The Middle", Jimmy Eat World: an upbeat anthem of encouragement.
15. "I Need a Girl (Part One)", P. Diddy featuring Usher and Loon
16. "U Don't Have to Call", Usher
17. "Family Affair", Mary J. Blige: her joyful number one produced by Dr. Dre.
18. "I Need a Girl (Part Two)", P. Diddy featuring Ginuwine, Loon and Mario Winans
19. "Gangsta Lovin'", Eve featuring Alicia Keys
20. "My Sacrifice", Creed

More 2002 top songs (21 to 40)

21. "Without Me", Eminem
22. "Hero", Enrique Iglesias
23. "All You Wanted", Michelle Branch
24. "Get the Party Started", Pink
25. "Hero", Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott
26. "Wasting My Time", Default
27. "One Last Breath", Creed
28. "Whenever, Wherever", Shakira
29. "I'm Gonna Be Alright", Jennifer Lopez featuring Nas
30. "Oh Boy", Cam'ron featuring Juelz Santana
31. "Heaven", DJ Sammy featuring Yanou and Do
32. "Hey Baby", No Doubt featuring Bounty Killer
33. "Girlfriend", NSYNC featuring Nelly
34. "Just a Friend 2002", Mario
35. "Soak Up the Sun", Sheryl Crow
36. "Don't Let Me Get Me", Pink
37. "Nothin'", N.O.R.E.
38. "Oops (Oh My)", Tweet featuring Missy Elliott
39. "A Moment Like This", Kelly Clarkson
40. "Addictive", Truth Hurts featuring Rakim

Every number one song of 2002

These songs were number one on the Billboard Hot 100 during 2002, in order: "How You Remind Me" (Nickelback), "U Got It Bad" (Usher), "Always on Time" (Ja Rule featuring Ashanti), "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)" (Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule), "Foolish" (Ashanti), "Hot in Herre" (Nelly), "Dilemma" (Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland), "A Moment Like This" (Kelly Clarkson) and "Lose Yourself" (Eminem). Nelly spent more weeks at number one than anyone that year and became the first lead act since 1994 to follow one number one directly with another.

Lose Yourself and 8 Mile

Eminem wrote "Lose Yourself" for 8 Mile, the film loosely based on his own life in Detroit. It spent twelve weeks at number one, eight of them in 2002, and in 2003 it became the first rap song to win the Oscar for Best Original Song. His album The Eminem Show, with "Without Me", was the best-selling album of 2002 in America. For more hip-hop, see our Nelly songs.

American Idol and A Moment Like This

American Idol premiered in June 2002, and in September Kelly Clarkson won the first season. Her coronation single, "A Moment Like This", jumped from number 52 to number one in a single week, breaking a record held for 38 years by the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love". It was the start of a career that made her one of the decade's biggest stars.

Piano-pop, pop-punk and post-grunge

2002 was a big year for young singer-songwriters with guitars and pianos: Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles", Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" and Michelle Branch's "All You Wanted". On rock radio, Nickelback, Creed, Puddle of Mudd and the Calling carried the post-grunge sound, Jimmy Eat World brought emo to the top ten, and Linkin Park's "In the End" made nu metal a pop phenomenon. For more, see our Staind songs.

Ashanti and Ja Rule

Ashanti was everywhere in 2002. Her debut "Foolish" spent ten weeks at number one, and she also sang on Ja Rule's "Always on Time" and Fat Joe's "What's Luv?", spending much of the spring with several songs in the top ten at once. Her self-titled debut album won the Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Movie songs and global hits of 2002

Films shaped the 2002 chart too. Chad Kroeger and Josey Scott's "Hero" came from the first Spider-Man film, and "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile. Shakira's "Whenever, Wherever" was her English-language breakthrough in America, DJ Sammy's dance version of Bryan Adams' "Heaven" brought Eurodance back to the top 40, and No Doubt teamed up with the dancehall star Bounty Killer on "Hey Baby". Pink reinvented herself as a pop-rock star with "Get the Party Started" and "Don't Let Me Get Me".

Usher and P. Diddy

Usher's 8701 album produced two of the year's biggest R&B hits, the number one "U Got It Bad" and "U Don't Have to Call", which won him a Grammy. P. Diddy's two-part "I Need a Girl" made the top 20 twice in one year, and Mary J. Blige's "Family Affair", a number one from late 2001, was still one of the most played songs in clubs and on R&B radio.

Songs of 2002 for a party or an anniversary

For a throwback party, "Hot in Herre", "Get the Party Started", "Whenever, Wherever", "Complicated", "A Thousand Miles" and "In the End" bring the 2002 energy. For a 2002 wedding anniversary, "Dilemma", "Foolish", "Wherever You Will Go" and "Hero" bring back the year. For more, see our Sheryl Crow songs and No Doubt songs.

Top songs of other years

For more year-by-year hits, see our top songs of 1985, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2012 and 2013.

A song as unforgettable as 2002

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