Maneater Pop Culture Column: The 10 Year Anniversary Edition
In case you haven’t heard, The 2000s (Y2K, The Aughts; I will refer to them as all 3 henceforth, from here on) are back, baby! And while an Austin Powers 4 hasn’t been announced yet, it has to be just around the corner, right? 10 years ago today, I published my first column in Mizzou’s student paper, The Maneater. I haven’t written much since. During my time there, I wrote a column about how the 90s were back swinging. History only repeats itself. It doesn’t have an original bone in its body, but as a total nostalgia junkie, I don’t really care.
If you’ve listened to the radio, or a hits station on Spotify or Apple Music lately, you probably couldn’t help but notice that the sound of the Aughts is back in full force. Obviously Olivia Rodrigo is the major touch point here. Good 4 U sounds like it was written by Hayley Williams in 2008, and I mean that as complimentary as possible. Even if you listen to Drivers License for the 2,000th time (See what I did there?), you notice it’s A Thousand Miles for a new generation. (Also a giant compliment). The whole album could have been released in 08 and not even be nominated for Album of the Year, this year? It’s the current front runner to win.
It’s not just Olivia though. Machine Gun Kelly should truly get the shout out for bringing Pop Punk back to the mainstream. But isn’t just rock music. Kiss Me More by Doja Cat and SZA sounds like it came out of the early aughts as well. It hits that Rap/Sung sweet spot made so popular by songs like Dilemma, Over and Over, and anything else Nelly ever released. Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga brought dance pop back full swing last summer, and it’s only gonna get “dancier” from here. Lil Nas X, well, I can’t gush about him enough. He knows this trend too and is doing exactly what he needs to do.
Movies are starting to look reminiscent of the Y2K Era too. The Rom Com is making a comeback, but with a twist. Movies like Together Together and Here Today take the formula we all know and love so well and make the story about a platonic love instead. And yes, both Patti Harrison and Tiffany Haddish would be fantastic Golden Globe nominees if the Globes weren’t canceled. Even horror movies are looking like they did in the 2000s. A Quiet Place II is the best movie M. Night Shyamalan never made and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It looks to be a Horror/Courtroom Drama hybrid on par with The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Jungle Cruise looks like it will hit that Pirates of the Caribbean sweet spot. They even rebooted the 2002 flop Sprit: Stallion of the Cimmeron. It comes out this Friday. And finally, and most importantly, the movie musical is BACK. Starting with The Prom and going straight through In The Heights, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Dear Evan Hansen, Tick, Tick… Boom!, Cinderella, and last but certainly not least, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Honestly, Cats walked so these films could run!
The 2000s resurgence in TV can maybe be pointed back to the Malcolm in the Middle tribute episode of WandaVision, but can actually be traced much further. The HBO Limited Series is in its hey day, just like Y2K era. American Idol is great again. SNL is funniest its been since 2004. Why Women Kill on Paramount+ hits that Desperate Housewives spot (Thanks Mark Cherry). All is well. Now it’s just time for VH1 to reboot The Surreal Life and Best Week Ever and we’ll be good. (Look for a post about my dream casts for both, this week).
Lastly, video games are completely nostalgic for the Aughts right now. Nintendo has been releasing anniversary editions of their games for years now and games like Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider, and Uncharted continue to release new titles that make you think of the good ole days.
Well, I beat my deadline by just one minute. It’s time for me to get some sleep. I hope whoever read this got some enjoyment out of it. Til next time, David.
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