Bubblegum Pop from the Mid-2000's

Do you know what I miss? Cheesy bubblegum pop from the mid 2000's. It seems everyone is either in denial about it or just quite frankly, doesn't remember it. I, on the other hand, remember it clearly. It was a short lived era that only had like, a three year life span from 2004 to 2006 but man, it was kinda cool.

Now don't confuse this bubblegum pop with the really early 2000's bubblegum pop. That was a whole different ball game that mainly consisted of two-second short-lived girl groups. *cough*Dream*cough* The mid-2000's bubblegum pop was a nice blend of mainly stand alone girls who were either part of the golden age of the trashy Hollywood scene or dabbled into it from afar. And you'd think the music would be crap but I can still listen to it without cringing (too much).
For example, Lindsay Lohan's song, 'Over'(2004), is a perfect example of lyrics that just get it. They speak out what we all feel when we've been dumped or ended a relationship. It's a really good song that quite frankly, never got air play.

- Other Lindsay Lohan tunes worth mentioning include 'That Girl' (2004), which was written for the amazing-horrible 'Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen' (2004) and 'Confessions of a Broken Heart' (2005). 'Broken Heart' was again, a song that didn't gt air play but it did get recognition for it's dark and powerful video, which also features a cameo from her younger sister. Again, the lyrics are really amazing for a pop song. TEAM LOHAN

Then we have Ashlee Simpon's 'Boyfriend,' that actually was allegedly written towards Ms. Lohan thinking she had her man snatched. The perfect component to the song 'Over.' Even if it is about Wilmer Valderrama. (I KNOW, 2005 GOSS WAS SO 2005)

- Other Ashlee Simpson tunes worth mentioning include 'Lala' (2004) which is a tounge-in-cheek song that hints at sexy-time, 'L.O.V.E.' (2006) which had everything one singing the lyrics, and 'Dancing Alone' (2005) which is a really sweet and cute love song about waiting for the one you truly love. And as the title suggests, it takes cues from well known 80's songs.

Honestly, no list like this can not include the ever so lovely Hilary Duff. I mean, that's just against the code of living in the 2000's. She was in a league of her own, in a way, because she wasn't caught up in the tornado of the trashiness Hollywood was producing. She was actually kind of cast aside because of it and now, ten years later since the height of all that, she's back with new music that's really good. Only Hilary can take a break for that long and still have a job waiting for her.
'So Yesterday'(2003) is the defining break up song you'll ever need to hear. It also, in my opinion, was one of the first songs that had this flavor of bubblegum pop I'm talking about because as we all know, 2003 was a shit year for music.

- Other Hilary Duff tunes I just can't leave out include 'Come Clean' (2004) which we all can't possibly forget about and 'Wake Up' (2006) which never really got the time of day but if you did listen to it, it totally summed up that way you feel when plans to go out spring up on you, on a hazy Saturday afternoon.

But then we have songs that were just about having a good time. Like, letting your hair down, braking into a public pool, and snatching a boy in two (because you're a twin, duh.) The Veronicas were the perfect duo, who hailed from Australia, that got that down perfectly.
Their 2006 break out song, '4Ever' (in the states), got the whole YOLO concept down before anyone else did. And again, there was no pretentious ties to it or a need to make a statement. It's just a fun song.
And P.S. The Veronicas had an amazing sense of style, for the time TBFH

- Other Veronica's tunes you might want to check out include, 'Everything I'm Not'(2005) and 'When It Falls Apart'(2006), which are two other fuck you/miss you melodramatic symphonies.

The Veronicas were one of the last few bubblegum pop-tarts to break into the scene before everyone's attention go snatched up by Timbaland and his clan of producers and musicians. I mean, who can't forget that time we all confused Justin Timberlake's voice for a woman's in 'Sexy Back' (2006) because I sure did. And quite frankly, that basically signaled the end of that short lived era where unless you were under the age of 14 (like me) you didn't really understand it.
It's also not something I long for and miss dearly but it was a time in music that we can't really have again. It was as pure as corporate music will ever be because now it's all about that 'one musician who has it all.'
-KJM