Looking At These 18 Chart-Topping Artists, And You Certainly Feel Ancient
Just because the infantile Gen Z might scowl, frown or roll their eyes at these comments doesn’t make it any less true. The noughties is one of the best eras of music. Each era has its own champion: for the 80s, it’s disco dancing queens. The 90s saw the rise of hip-hop and R&B crooners. The '00s would be dance-pop, R&B, and alternative rock artists. And country singers rule all eras, essentially.
The nostalgia is real with music. Music videos from this time still rake in millions of views; with an equally lively and appreciative comment section. But that doesn’t mean the artists themselves haven’t changed.
Don’t believe us? Here are 18 chart-topping artists who look completely different now, compared to the noughties.
#1 Hilary Duff
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Surprisingly, Hilary still looks like her Disney days. And she is the mother of three nowadays! She recently posed nude in magazines and talked proudly about body positivity.
#2 Joey Fatone
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Now in his 40s, Joey’s ever-present happy-go-lucky face is still there. He is still active in the Entertainment industry, participating in Dancing with the Stars, Family Feud, and The Masked Singer.
#3 Justin Timberlake
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Now in his 40s, Justin has kept his hair shaven, forgoing the curly blond hair he has in N’SYNC. He is also happily in marriage to actress Jessica Biel, and has a son with her, Silas.
#4 JC Chasez
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The teen heartthrob might not have a huge career like his breakout bandmate, but he does just fine. With his name as credit as production, JC Chasez has produced for Girls Aloud, Sugababes, and David Archuleta.
#5 Fergie
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She has then gone solo, with 2 albums under her belt, and her mega-hits Glamourous, Clumsy and Big Girl Don’t Cry are still some of her best work today.
#6 Mariah Carey
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One of the biggest divas of all time, Mariah Carey has sold over 220 million records worldwide. Nineteen of her tracks have charted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. We are still straining trying to sing her signature songs like “My All”, “Hero” and “We Belong Together.”
#7 Celine Dion
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Celine now has her own Las Vegas residency shows, whose tickets still sell out for every show she performs at.
#8 Jessica Simpson
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During the early 2000s, Jessica is pretty hot; enough to give her competitors Britney, Christina, and Mandy a run for their money. Now in her 40s, Jessica is both successful and happy, and she radiates this every time we see her.
#9 Alanis Morissette
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Alanis Morissette looks unrecognizable now a day. But nonetheless glamorous. And only a few days older.
#10 Gwen Stefani
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The now-Gwen is quite different, going from quirky to fashion icon. Gwen also has a very successful solo career, with chart-toppers like Hollaback Girl, Misery, and The Sweet Escape.
#11 Cyndi Lauper
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With over 50 million records worldwide, Cindy is a staple in pop culture. Her hits include the timeless "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "Time After Time", and “I Drove All Night.”
#12 Paula Abdul
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Even now, we are still dancing to her hits like “Straight Up”, “Cold-Hearted Snake” and “Will You Marry Me?” Do you know that Paula choreographs most of her music videos?
#13 Nelly Furtado
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She is now the mother of one, but Nelly Furtado still looks as stunning as ever. And her music has never been better, as Nelly has embraced both her Canadian and Latina heritage and showing them off in her music.
#14 Natalie Imbruglia
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“Torn” will forever be that song where we pretend to weep over salvaging a broken relationship. Natalie is still making music, with her album Firebird released in 2021.
#15 Eminem
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One of the most famous and successful rappers of all time, the Rap God rapper has a very prolific career, with ten number-one albums on the Billboard 200, and estimated worldwide sales of over 220 million records.
#16 Kelly Clarkson
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It has been 20 years since she first appeared on TV, Kelly Clarkson is no longer a 20-years-old hopeful. But she is looking healthier and happier than ever.
#17 Nick Carter
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Now in his 40s, Nick Carter doesn’t have the pretty boyish look he used to have, but he ages like fine wine. As a member of the BSB, Nick has sold over 100 million records worldwide. If you wonder how he used to look, just watch older BSB’s music videos like “I Want It That Way”, “Everybody”, and “As Long As You Love Me.”
#18 Aaron Carter
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Back in the early 2000s, Aaron Carter was quite a teen idol. He has four studio albums, and dominated the radio with songs like "I Want Candy", "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)", and "That's How I Beat Shaq."