Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x
What were the biggest hits when iTunes launched?
Paul Warner/WireImage/Getty Images 

What were the biggest hits when iTunes launched?

It has been 15 years since Apple opened the digital doors of its iTunes Store for the very first time on April 28, 2003. A lot has changed since then, including the fact that iTunes has since become the most popular music store in existence — a distinction it has held for a decade. iTunes has now sold more songs than it can count (current estimates are around 50 billion), so in honor of the store’s 15th birthday, we’d like to look back at what the most popular tracks were at the time of its launch. Here were the 20 biggest hits when the iTunes Store launched.

 
1 of 20

“Beautiful” - Christina Aguilera

“Beautiful” - Christina Aguilera
Getty Images

In between the release of Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” and the debut of the iTunes store, she released another song, “Fighter.” Although the latter song performed well in sales and on the charts, “Beautiful” still remained incredibly popular throughout 2003, eventually peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning Grammy nominations for both Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, winning the later.

 
2 of 20

“Beautiful” - Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell and Uncle Charlie Wilson

“Beautiful” - Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell and Uncle Charlie Wilson
Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

That’s right, 2003 featured two hit songs named “Beautiful.” While Aguilera’s was a pop tune, the other was a rap track by Snoop Dogg that featured Pharrell and Uncle Charlie Wilson. In addition to being a featured vocalist, Pharrell also co-produced and co-wrote the song with his counterpart from The Neptunes, Chad Hugo. “Beautiful” ended up being a sleeper hit, as it reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and even earned a Producer of the Year Grammy, in addition to two nominations for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. 

 
3 of 20

“Beer for My Horses” - Toby Keith & Willie Nelson

“Beer for My Horses” - Toby Keith & Willie Nelson
KMazur/WireImage

Not only was “Beer for My Horses” the highest-charting song of Toby Keith’s career at the time it was released, but it made Willie Nelson, then 70, the oldest artist to top the country charts. The track, from Keith’s seventh studio album, “Unleashed,” was also Willie’s first No. 1 since 1989, and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

 
4 of 20

“Bring Me to Life” - Evanescence

“Bring Me to Life” - Evanescence
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

“Bring Me to Life” was released on April 22, 2003 and was an instant hit among rock music fans. In fact, the nu-metal/rap-rock track was so popular that it had crossover appeal to fans of other genres as well and was praised for the dueling vocals of lead singer Amy Lee and guest musician Paul McCoy of 12 Stones. Although it failed to win Best Rock Song at the 2004 Grammys, “Bring Me to Life” earned Evanescence a win for Best Hard Rock Performance.

 
5 of 20

“Clocks” - Coldplay

“Clocks” - Coldplay
KMazur/WireImage

“Clocks” was already popular when the iTunes Store opened, as it was released as a single a month prior and on Coldplay’s incredibly successful second album, “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” in August 2002. However, nobody knew the piano-dominated song would eventually become one of the British band’s most iconic songs. “Clocks” went on to top the alternative charts, become gold-certified and win Record of the Year at the 2004 Grammys.

 
6 of 20

“Cry Me a River” - Justin Timberlake

“Cry Me a River” - Justin Timberlake
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Although “Rock Your Body” was released a few weeks before the iTunes Store launched, Justin Timberlake was still getting an incredible amount of attention for his previous single, “Cry Me a River.” The latter song was released at the end of 2002, but its popularity carried through well into the next year with “Cry Me a River” eventually reaching No. 3 on the Hot 100 and earning Timberlake a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

 
7 of 20

“Excuse Me Miss” - Jay-Z

“Excuse Me Miss” - Jay-Z
KMazur/WireImage for Island Def Jam Music Group

2003 was a busy year for The Neptunes. In addition to writing and producing Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful,” the duo also co-wrote and co-produced Jay-Z’s “Excuse Me Miss,” the third single from “The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse.” Like “Beautiful,” “Excuse Me Miss” also featured Pharrell on vocals and earned a Best Rap Song nod.

 
8 of 20

“Get Busy” - Sean Paul

“Get Busy” - Sean Paul
Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage

Jamaican rapper Sean Paul spent most of 2003 telling folks to “shake that thing” in his hit single “Get Busy” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and eventually ranked No. 50 among all charting songs between 2000 and 2009. To date, “Get Busy” is still one of Sean Paul’s most successful singles.

 
9 of 20

“I Can” - Nas

“I Can” - Nas
Theo Wargo/WireImage

“I know I can / Be what I wanna be / If I work hard at it / I'll be where I wanna be.” Although it has been 15 years since the release of “I Can” by Nas, few people can forget these lyrics even if the remainder of the song remains a blank. Unlike the rest of Nas’ “God’s Son” album, this track did not feature a parental advisory when released as a single because it was aimed at kids. However, adults also seemed to enjoy “I Can” plenty, as the song hit No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and still remains Nas’ highest charting single as a lead artist.

 
10 of 20

“I’m with You” - Avril Lavigne

“I’m with You” - Avril Lavigne
Peter Pakvis/Redferns

Pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne followed up her first two hits, “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi,” with the surprisingly slow and soulful song “I’m with You.” Despite barely sounding like the Avril people were still getting to know, the song rocketed to the top of the charts, reached platinum status and earned two Grammy nominations.

 
11 of 20

“Ignition (Remix)” - R. Kelly

“Ignition (Remix)” - R. Kelly
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

For those wondering: R. Kelly did, in fact, record a song called “Ignition,” but the album on which it was set to appear on was leaked prior to its release, so the rapper decided to scrap the record and instead put together a different album featuring new material and remixes. The end of “Ignition” eventually became the intro to “Ignition (Remix)” which eventually became one of R. Kelly’s most popular and recognizable songs.

 
12 of 20

“In da Club” - 50 Cent

“In da Club” - 50 Cent
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

For most of 2003, it was impossible to avoid hearing 50 Cent’s “In da Club” especially in the club. When the iTunes Store launched, this track was the No. 1 song on Billboard’s Hot 100, a spot it held for nine weeks. At the 2004 Grammys, “In da Club” received nominations for both Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song, but failed to cash in on either.

 
13 of 20

“Lose Yourself” - Eminem

“Lose Yourself” - Eminem

Although it was actually released six months prior to the opening of the iTunes store, Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” was still one of the most popular downloads once the shop opened. Thanks to its inclusion in the film “8 Mile” (and also because it’s just a really good song), “Lose Yourself” ruled all of 2003 and eventually won Grammys for both Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song as well as an Oscar for Best Original Song.

 
14 of 20

“Magic Stick” - Lil’ Kim

“Magic Stick” - Lil’ Kim
Theo Wargo/WireImage/Getty Images

Just three weeks before the iTunes store opened, Lil’ Kim released the soon-to-be incredibly popular hip-hop track “Magic Stick,” the second single from her third studio album, “La Bella Mafia.” Although a music video was never released for the platinum-certified song, it was wildly successful in the charts, reaching No. 2 on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip Hop songs charts and No. 1 for both Hot Rap Songs and Radio Songs.

 
15 of 20

“Miss You” - Aaliyah

“Miss You” - Aaliyah
Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Although Aaliyah tragically perished in an August 2001 plane crash, a posthumous compilation album, “I Care 4 U,” was gifted to the world the following year. The most popular song on the late artist’s final album was coincidentally called “Miss You,” and its video featured tributes to Aaliyah from various artists. Interestingly, the song was actually written by Ginuwine, but Aaliyah asked to re-record and release it, even though it didn’t make it onto her self-titled third album.

 
16 of 20

“Picture” - Kid Rock feat. Sheryl Crow/Allison Moorer

“Picture” - Kid Rock feat. Sheryl Crow/Allison Moorer
Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Although “Picture” was written and original recorded as a duet featuring Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow on the former’s album “Cocky,” Atlantic was unable to get the rights to the song as a single from Crow’s record label, so Rock re-recorded it with alt-country singer Allison Moorer. Both versions ended up being commercial successes with the single selling nearly a million copies.

 
17 of 20

“Seven Nation Army” - The White Stripes

“Seven Nation Army” - The White Stripes
Larry Marano/Getty Images

“Seven Nation Army” came out 15 years ago, yet everyone still recognizes (and gets excited for) the first few notes every time it comes on in a car, bar, party, sporting event or anywhere else it plays. The song was released as the lead single from The White Stripes’ fourth studio album, “Elephant,” and eventually won Best Rock Song at the 46th Annual Grammys.

 
18 of 20

“Somewhere I Belong” - Linkin Park

“Somewhere I Belong” - Linkin Park
KMazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Linkin Park released the first single off of their second studio album, “Meteora,” on March 17, 2003, and it was already abundantly clear that the rock band was destined for greatness. “Somewhere I Belong” topped both the Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock charts and, along with tracks like “Faint,” “Numb,” and “Breaking the Habit,” it helped “Meteora” sell 27 million copies worldwide and become the most successful album in the history of the Alternative Songs chart. RIP Chester.

 
19 of 20

“When I’m Gone” - 3 Doors Down

“When I’m Gone” - 3 Doors Down
Mick Hutson/Redferns/Getty Images

For the six months prior to the debut of the iTunes Store, no rock song was more popular than “When I’m Gone” by 3 Doors Down. It didn’t match the success of the band’s debut single, “Kryptonite,” but came pretty close as it reached gold status and had not one, but two separate music videos. The more memorable version was set on the USS George Washington and featured a plethora of military personnel. 

 
20 of 20

“Your Body is a Wonderland” - John Mayer

“Your Body is a Wonderland” - John Mayer
Shawn Ehlers/WireImage for New York Post/Getty Images

John Mayer matched the success of his breakout hit, “No Such Thing,” with an equally popular song in early 2003: “Your Body is a Wonderland.” As most music fans will recall, although the song was ubiquitous, it was also very divisive. “Your Body is a Wonderland” won Mayer a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, but Blender magazine also named it No. 28 on the publication’s list of the 50 Worst Songs Ever.

Matt Sulem

Matt Sulem has been writing and editing professionally for more than a decade. He has worked for BubbleBlabber, The Sportster, and The Daily Meal, among other publications, but has called Yardbarker home since 2006. Matt’s writing combines a love for nostalgia with a passion for promulgating interesting, informative, and lesser-known facts about pop culture

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

TODAY'S BEST

WNBA legend Lisa Leslie had three words for Angel Reese
WNBA

WNBA legend Lisa Leslie had three words for Angel Reese

Now in her second WNBA season, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese is averaging a league‑leading 12.5 rebounds along with 13.8 points, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. She recently returned from injury and immediately picked up where she left off, posting her 16th double‑double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds) on Tuesday night even as her Chicago Sky fell, 91-68, to the Minnesota Lynx. Then, on Wednesday, Reese showcased her brand power on Instagram, posting a pregame photo dressed head‑to‑toe in Gucci with the caption, "Don’t worry about me… life is GUCCI @gucci #guccipartner." The image quickly lit up her feed and drew an immediate response from one of the game’s all‑time greats, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, who commented, “Yessss it is❤️." Despite flashes of elite play, the Sky have struggled mightily, standing at just 7-17 and sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. Their 76.7 points per game rank 12th in the WNBA, and opponents are torching them for 86.8 a night (12th in the league). With head coach Tyler Marsh searching for consistency, every bright spot has been a welcome reprieve for a franchise that won the title as recently as 2021. Front and center among Chicago’s bright spots is Reese. Off the court, Reese has quickly built a burgeoning portfolio of endorsement deals, including Reebok, Calvin Klein, Beats by Dre, Amazon and now Gucci, underscoring her status as one of the WNBA’s brightest personalities. On the other side, you have Leslie, whose voice carries more weight than arguably anybody in women’s basketball. A three‑time league MVP, two‑time WNBA champion and Finals MVP and eight‑time All‑Star, Leslie helped define the league’s early years with the Los Angeles Sparks, including driving home the first dunk in WNBA history in 2002. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (class of 2015), she remains a global ambassador for the sport.

All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
MLB

All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe

With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit into the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .217/.288/.408 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability, and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts, and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.

Top moments from 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame inductions
MLB

Top moments from 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame inductions

The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame class had its day in Cooperstown on Sunday. This year's class included Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, who were elected by the eligible voters from the Baseball Writer's Association of America, and Dave Parker and Dick Allen, who were elected by the Classic Baseball Era Committee. Here are some of the top highlights from Sunday's induction speeches. Dave Parker's son reads poem written by Hall of Fame father Parker's induction into the Hall of Fame was long overdue, and he sadly did not have the opportunity to enjoy the moment of seeing his name in the Hall of Fame as he died June 28. That left his speech in the hands of his son, Dave Parker II, who read a poem written by his dad. Parker spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he was an MVP winner, two-time batting champion and World Series champion with the 1979 "We Are Family" team. Dick Allen's wife remembers his kindness Allen was the other veterans committee inductee, and his widow, Willa Allen, spent the majority of her speech remember the kindness of Allen off the field as much as his ability on the field. Allen is going into the Hall of Fame as a Phillie but won the 1972 American League MVP with the Chicago White Sox. He led the league in OPS four times and was the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year. A reminder that Billy Wagner wasn't naturally left-handed Being left-handed is a huge advantage (and money-maker) for pitchers, and Wagner was one of the most dominant left-handed relief pitchers to ever step onto a mound in the big leagues. But he wasn't always left-handed. Wagner was a natural-born right-handed person but taught himself how to throw left-handed after fracturing his right arm twice as a kid. It led to quite a career. Wagner made a name for himself with the Houston Astros but also spent years with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox. CC Sabathia takes playful dig at Ichiro Sabathia accomplished a ton in his 19-year big league career. He won 251 games, won the 2007 American League Cy Young Award, was the 2009 ALCS MVP and a World Series champion. He still has apparently not gotten over the one individual award he did not win — the 2001 American League Rookie of the Year Award, which went to fellow 2025 inductee Ichiro. Sabathia made sure to make a playful dig at that. Sabathia was the only American League rookie outside of Ichiro — who also won the American League MVP that year — to get a first-place vote. He received one. The others all went to Ichiro. Ichiro stole the show Ichiro stole 509 bases in his Hall of Fame career, and on Sunday, he added one more steal to his list of accomplishments by absolutely stealing the show at Cooperstown. He delivered two of the best lines of the day, first by calling out the one lone writer who did not vote for him, keeping him from being just the second unanimous Hall of Fame inductee ever (after Mariano Rivera). His best line of the day, however, might have been when he referenced his brief time as a member of the Miami Marlins toward the end of his career. Ichiro played 14 of his 19 seasons with the Seattle Mariners while also spending time with the Marlins and Yankees.

Longtime Maple Leafs Defenseman in Serious Contract Dispute With His New Team
NHL

Longtime Maple Leafs Defenseman in Serious Contract Dispute With His New Team

The longtime former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins is in a serious contract dispute with his new team, the Buffalo Sabres. Nobody appears happy to stay with the Buffalo Sabres organization. Most of the talented players on the team were included in trade or free agency rumors, and now, Timmins doesn't appear too excited to sign with the team. Indeed, the Restricted Free Agent, who was traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Sabres earlier this offseason for Connor Clifton and a second-round pick, isn't close to reaching a deal in Buffalo. With arbitration hearings set to take place over the coming days, Timmins and the Sabres are likely to meet for that reason soon. Unless a deal is reached before then, the hearing will take place on August 2nd. The Ontario native is coming off a rocky season, where he played 51 games for the Leafs and 17 more in Pittsburgh after being traded. In those 68 games, the 26-year-old defenseman tallied 15 points, including three goals. After seeing three players around the NHL reach deals before their hearing date, some fans hoped to see the Sabres and Timmins sign a contract soon, but multiple reports confirmed that there hasn't been any 'traction' between both camps. As of now, five more players are scheduled to have salary hearings. Here's the full list, per PuckPedia: Arvid Soderblom (Chicago Blackhawks) - July 28 Maksim Tsyplakov (New York Islanders) - July 29 Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg Jets) - July 30 Conor Timmins (Buffalo Sabres) - August 2 Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Maple Leafs) - August 3 Jayden Struble (Montreal Canadiens) - August 3 It'll be interesting to see what kind of contract Timmins would get in a hearing, or if a deal will be reached before the date. With the Sabres' reputation, it's not surprising to see that he appears reluctant to sign in Buffalo. Hopefully for their fans, massive changes will be done to the team to make sure they can attract top talent and convince them to stay with the team.