5,000-Step Y2K Playlist
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You know those times when you say “How is this stuff supposed to be retro? It’s not that old!” only to realize that this thing that you think of as not that old is a quarter of a century old? Yeah…I get that feeling all the time. I remember my first such meltdown, back when VH1 (I had to look it up; apparently it still exists) aired I Love the ‘90s and I just couldn’t understand how we were looking back on something that just happened.
Lately, everything Y2K is cool again, and I’m struggling with the fact that all of this stuff is back in already—which then leads me to struggle with the fact that I am old.
But…to celebrate the retro value of my young-adult years, I’ve decided to put together a Y2K playlist, full of songs that feel like they came out just a couple of years ago.
So lace up your favorite platform shoes (just kidding—because if you’re old enough to remember the original Y2K, you should definitely walk in something more supportive) and join me on the trail for our latest retro playlist!
A little more about the playlist:
I’ve included a number of different ways to listen. I’ve got YouTube videos posted below. If you want to download the MP3, I’ve also got links to find them on Amazon. Or you can listen to the whole thing by playing the Spotify playlist.
For each song in this playlist, I’ve listed the beats per minute, the pace (in minutes per mile) that you’ll be walking if you’re walking to the beat, and the number of steps that you’ll take during the song if you keep up that pace. We’ll start with an easy pace and work our way up, finishing with a cool-down. The songs here eventually build up to a pretty brisk pace, but take it at a pace that works for you—whether that means moving faster or slower. You’re totally allowed to dance and sing your way through this playlist, too (in fact, it’s almost guaranteed). If you follow the pace of each song, you’ll be over 5,000 steps (or around 2.5 miles) by the time you reach the end. If you’re looking for more steps, feel free to play it again—or move on to another one of my playlists. You can find them all on the Playlists page.
1) “Pon de Replay” by Rihanna
We’re kicking off our Y2K walk with the very first hit by Rihanna. It was a great way to warm up a massive career—and it’s a pretty good way to warm up our walk through the aughts, too!
Find it on Amazon
Beats per Minute: 99
Pace: 20:12
Steps: 408
2) “Jenny from the Block” – Jennifer Lopez
While I was digging up some Monday morning songs for our Walk the Block Challenge month, I came across this song—and, admittedly, it turned out to be a part of the inspiration for this playlist. The dancer-turned-actress-turned-pop-sensation may be a huge name with a whole bunch of movie roles and hit songs (and also a large number of ex-husbands) to her name, but her early years were just the most fun.
Beats per Minute: 100
Pace: 20:00
Steps: 408
3) “Bootylicious” – Destiny’s Child
Speaking of “early years”—before there was Queen Bey, there was Destiny’s Child. And, as with J-Lo, while I can definitely admire all that Beyonce has achieved over the past two decades, I still love those old Destiny’s Child hits…
Beats per Minute: 103
Pace: 19:25
Steps: 357
4) “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” – Jet
This hit by Aussie band Jet is one that I still turn up every time it comes on the radio. There’s just something about the tambourine and the drum beats and guitar riffs that I still love—more than (gasp!) 20 years later.
Find it on Amazon
Beats per Minute: 105
Pace: 19:03
Steps: 375
5) “How You Like Me Now?” – The Heavy
Every once in a while, a song will come on the radio, and I’ll say, “Oh! I totally forgot about this song!” This was one of those songs that popped up recently, and I just had to add it to the playlist. Because maybe you forgot about it, too. (You’re welcome.)
Beats per Minute: 110
Pace: 18:11
Steps: 398
6) “Just Dance” – Lady Gaga
Back in the days when I used to review music in addition to movies and books, a press release for this new pop artist showed up in my inbox. I listened to a track and thought, Yeah…I really like this. I remember requesting a download (or possibly even a physical copy of the CD), but I never got it. And that, my friends, is my story about how I did not help Lady Gaga become the superstar that she is today.
Beats per Minute: 119
Pace: 16:48
Steps: 480
7) “Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes
When I was a kid, the 20-year-old songs of my parents’ day were songs that I knew (thanks to my dad’s 8-track collection) but would never actually consider cool. Now, however, songs like “Seven Nation Army” feel like they’ve just never gone out of style. This one, for instance, is one that I hear at almost every volleyball tournament we attend because players chant it while jumping up and down during the other team’s time-out breaks. But despite being played on regular rotation on the playlist that my daughter and I use for our home workouts, it’s actually from 2003. Who knew?
Find it on Amazon
Beats per Minute: 124
Pace: 16:08
Steps: 479
8) “I Gotta Feeling” – The Black-Eyed Peas
No Y2K playlist would be complete with The Black-Eyed Peas. If you went to any kind of party in the late-aughts or early teens, you heard at least one of their songs. I narrowed it down to just this one for our playlist—because, again, it’s one that still puts me in a good mood every time I hear it.
Beats per Minute: 128
Pace: 15:38
Steps: 617
9) “Get the Party Started” – P!NK
We may be well into our Y2K party, but don’t tell P!NK. She may be an outspoken wife, mom, and artist today, but in the early aughts, P!NK was the tough chick of pop music. And this hit has always been one of my favorites.
Beats per Minute: 129
Pace: 15:30
Steps: 413
10) “Tick Tick Boom” – The Hives
We’re almost to the fasted pace on today’s playlist—and what better time to throw in this explosive hit from Swedish garage band The Hives. You’re almost there—time to push yourself just a little bit harder!
Beats per Minute: 135
Pace: 14:49
Steps: 461
11) “Feel Good Inc” – Gorillaz
Remember when I mentioned that I hear “Seven Nation Army” at every volleyball tournament? Somewhere in the middle of the season, the girls started cheering on a particularly hot server with “Don’t stop, get it, get it,” and I instantly knew where the chant came from. I don’t know if the team of 12- and 13-year-old girls did, but here you have it…
Beats per Minute: 139
Pace: 14:23
Steps: 517
12) “Can’t Stop” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Woohoo! We’ve made it to our Y2K cool down track—from yet another group that’s still out there rocking more than 20 years after this song came out (and also more than 40 years after the band was formed). Despite what the title says, you’re allowed to stop after this song ends—or not…it’s up to you.
Beats per Minute: 91
Pace: 21:59
Steps: 408
Total Time for Today’s Workout: 45:23
Total Steps: 5,321
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of today’s Y2K walk! If you’ve kept up with the beat, you’ve already gotten more than 5,000 steps. That’s more than 2.5 miles! Way to go! But if you want to keep going, feel free to replay the playlist (or jump to another one from the Playlist page)
Do you have any favorite songs from this playlist? And what are your favorite Y2K hits? There are so many good ones that I might just have to make another playlist!
