Electronic Anthems from Turn-of-the-Century MTV We're Still Not Over

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Electronic Anthems from Turn-of-the-Century MTV We're Still Not Over

The years 1997 to 2003 were intergalactic AF.

This article originally appeared on THUMP Colombia.

If you were one of the kids who came straight home after school to turn on your TV, drink Nesquik, while away an entire afternoon flipping between MTV and Cartoon Network, this one is for you. In the late 90s—a time when the music industry was still ruled by pop princesses and boy bands—MTV began incorporating acts like Moby, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other electronic music artists into its regular programming. For those of us who grew up watching MTV shows like Total Request Live and Latin America's Los 10+ Pedidos, these videos are imprinted onto our retinas, and these melodies are our go-to tracks to hum whenever we're lost in memories of simpler times. We selected a dozen songs that turned into cult classics for those of us who grew up listening to them on repeat.

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1. Beastie Boys - "Intergalactic" (1998)

For many of us, "Intergalactic" was our introduction to the unique humor and theatrical performance style of the Beastie Boys. This video was perfect for those of us who were still obsessed with the Power Rangers because—even if we didn't understand any of the damn lyrics or the actual narrative—we did speak the language of a giant robot fighting a squid (or something to that effect) while destroying an entire city à la Godzilla.

2. Fatboy Slim - "Praise You" (1998)

This happy song fit perfectly with its music video, which had a homemade feel and depicted something akin to a street flashmob. Smooth vocals and an upbeat piano melody were the main ingredients Slim used to turn this song into a hit that we keep listening to today.

3. Eiffel 65 - "I'm Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (1999)

We're going to let you in on one of life's biggest secrets: "I'm blue da be dee da be dai de da be deedee da be da dabe di da be daiiii…"

4. Darude - "Sandstorm" (1999)

Some people know this song from MTV or because it was was on constant rotation on the radio; other people know it thanks to merciless 9gag users. Both reasons are perfectly valid.

5. Moby - "Porcelain" (2000)

One of the lightest, most successful songs in history. The video is as calming and beautiful as the song, which came as no surprise when it appeared on the soundtrack for The Beach, the iconic film starring Leonardo DiCaprio in his golden years.

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6. Gorillaz - "19-2000" (2001)

Tina Weymouth's completely random verses on this track might be the brilliant touch that makes this song feel increasingly more iconic with every passing year.

7. Gorillaz - "Clint Eastwood" (2001)

This is the first and only time someone has sung the words "I'm useless" with such enthusiasm. People were—and always will be—totally in love with lead singer Damon Albarn's voice. That voice, when paired with epic songs like this one, is the thing that will make Gorillaz's legacy live forever.

8. Daft Punk - "One More Time" (2001)

The stories and characters in Daft Punk's videos were always beautiful. "One More Time" is a celebration of community, freedom, euphoria, and party culture that makes you intoxicated with youthful feelings upon each listen. We could listen to the riffs on this song on repeat for centuries and never get tired of them.

9. The Chemical Brothers - "Star Guitar" (2002)

"You should feel what I feel / You should take what I take" might be one of the most catchy and soothing choruses of all time. It's almost like the rhythmic patterns on this song were designed to make listeners feel happy and at peace. The great Michel Gondry also directed this peculiar and entertaining video.

10. Dirty Vegas - "Days Go By" (2002)

All we wanted to do whenever this song came on was clear away all the furniture in our living rooms and try to imitate this guy's dance moves. "Days Go By" is an auditory treat that should seriously be remembered as one of the genre's great gems, not just some song that played on MTV.

11. Kylie Minogue - "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" (2002)

We get it: This song somehow managed to infiltrate much deeper into each of our respective psyches than we'd like to admit. If we heard this song today, it'd probably be impossible to resist nostalgically singing along to the lyrics without even realizing it. Minogue is a goddess in this video, which is evident in the Kraftwerk-esque dancers who follow her every move.