Which song held the number one spot the longest in 2001?
While the world was reeling from 9/11, in music, 2001 proved to be a revolutionary year.
An odd new product made its way onto the market: the iPod. The rest is ancient history. It can not be underestimated how much this moment has underpinned our modern lives. The very idea that a record collection could be condensed onto a handheld device twisted melons upon release, now it is simply how we live.
Then there was the strange utterances that you’d hear on playgrounds when iPods became commonplace a few years later, ‘Can I have a listen to what you’re listening to’, and the sudden cultural judgement that came with it. Yet again, this is also still how we live in many weird myriad ways, as identities and frivolous moments are open to strange scrutiny.
But away from the emerging tech of the age, there was a different kind of revolution in rock. The Strokes, with their skinny ties, ironic suits, and CGBG-spirited riffs, ignited a wave of indie, and in another cyclical chapter in the ingrained understanding that guitar music will never truly die. Equally, The White Stripes held up the blues’ end of the bargain in that narrative.
But it was also becoming equally apparent that the mainstream and the alternative spheres were continuing their divorce. Throughout history, cultural movements have often been remembered as singular and defining, but now their was a real duplicity to the zeitgeist whereby for me, The Strokes are writ so large across 2001 that I can still remember the feel of felt tip on denim as I scribbled lyrics onto my jeans (I didn’t really, but bear with me), while Lucy from next door may still never have heard of them as she blasted S Club 7 through the walls (that did really happen).
So, what song held the number one spot for the longest in 2001?
Amid this mixed-up melee of unfurling culture, pop still proved to hold commercial sway. In the UK, two separate songs held onto the top spot for four weeks straight: ‘Whole Again’ by Atomic Kitten. But later that year, Kylie Minogue’s frankly incredible ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ matched that feat. Both were blessed with a noted MTV-friendly appeal.
In the US, a sense of newness dominated, tied to the apparent revolutionary feel within music, as 12 separate artists secured their first number one. However, one stood out above the others: ‘Independent Women Part 1’ by Destiny’s Child. Although it was released in 2000, it went on to spend a whopping 11 consecutive weeks at the top, making it still one of the most successful singles of the century so far.
