Member-only story
My Favorite Song from Every Year I’ve Been Alive (Part Four: 2000–2009)
The E Street Band Strikes Back
We’ve crossed into a new millennium in my limited series on my favorite song from each year I’ve been alive, and just as it was a transitional decade in my personal life, it was also one with my favorite music. The 2000s saw the arrival of my second daughter, the end of my marriage, the completion of my first novel, and proof (for me at least) that 40 was definitely not the new 30. It was also a significant decade for me from a literary standpoint, with now-beloved novels like The Shadow of the Wind, The Thirteenth Tale, and The Angel’s Game all published during the 2000s.
It was transitional for another reason, as it was the final decade where I would have more impact on my children’s musical taste than they would have mine; in the final installment covering the 2010/2020s, you will clearly see their influence. The 2000s are also a decade that Bruce Springsteen will dominate, though that’s only fair given his total absence from my 1990s list.
As with previous installments, I want to make clear that this is a listing of my personal favorite songs for each year of the 2000s. It is almost certain now that we’ve left the comfort of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s that my favorites will differ greatly from many of yours, and that’s…