My obsession with “forgotten pop”

We’re losing ancient texts.

If you’ve ever gone on a long drive with me, I’ve probably insisted we listen to my “forgotten pop” playlist on Spotify. It’s my magnum opus. My one contribution to the world. It’s the pop songs you know but forgot about.

Forgotten pop isn’t universal. It might be so personal that you had to be born in 1991, raised in Michigan, and named Katelyn Gray for it to resonate. But if you listen to this playlist, I bet there will be a bunch of songs, where, at first you’re like “hmm don’t think I know this,” but when the first chorus hits, you go “oooh yeah, I do know this one” and you time travel. That’s forgotten pop.

Forgotten pop manifests in a few ways. Sometimes you’ll think an artist is a one-hit wonder, like Dream with "He Loves U Not" or Hoobastank with “The Reason,” but you’re forgetting about “This is Me” and “Running Away.” Forgotten pop songs may have charted at #44 on Billboard and played on the radio when my mom drove me to soccer practice, but probably didn’t rule TRL for weeks on end.

Forgotten pop can be songs by reasonably popular artists (your Colbie Caillats, your Michelle Branches) overshadowed by their bigger hits. We all remember “Bubbly” and “Everywhere” but there’s also “Brighter Than The Sun” and “You Get Me.” When you hear them, you know them.

Forgotten pop is totally subjective. You might think it’s crazy that I included a song like “I Want You” by Savage Garden on this playlist because who could forget “chic-a-cherry cola”?? Guess what, a lot of people did.

Maybe these songs didn’t pass the test of time but if you’re a nostalgia addict like me, they’re worth remembering. I started this playlist in 2018 and almost 600 songs later, I still add to it when my forgotten pop feelers are triggered. Not because I want to hear these songs all the time but because I want to remember my life.

I’m like an anthropologist if an anthropologist cared about Stacie Orrico and Baby Bash.

Some of my fave forgotten pop songs

“Another Dumb Blonde” by Hoku

This is the ultimate forgotten pop. It’s overshadowed by “Perfect Day” in the Legally Blonde opening credits but this is an it girl song. I ascend to another dimension at the "That's alright, that’s okay, you never loved me anyway" part. Sabrina Carpenter wishes she made this.

“Standing Still” by Jewel

This feels like the midpoint between her “Intuition” rebrand and her “You Were Meant For Me” roots, and I was here for both versions of Jewel. This song is a masterpiece. Don’t get me started on the bridge: “Doooo youuu love me, liike III looove youuu.”

Songs you have to hear to remember

“Counting Blue Cars” by Dishwalla

Simply seeing the title of this song, I’m like nope, idk this. Even when the song starts, you’ll think you’ve never heard this. Be patient and wait for the chorus to hit.

“Lullaby” by Shawn Mullins

You have to get to the nugget to remember it: “Eeeverything’s gonna be alright.”

“Sunny Came Home” by Shawn Colvin

Two forgotten Shawns. Not every 90s Shawn was as iconic as Shawn Hunter. This is an example of when the cadence of the music is more memorable than the words.

Time-capsule collabs

“Over and Over” by Nelly ft. Tim McGraw

What made these two get in the studio together? And why did it work so well?

“True To Your Heart” by 98° & Stevie Wonder

Mulan!

“Music of My Heart” by Gloria Estefan and NSYNC

Thank you for producing this song, David Foster. You must watch his doc if you haven’t already. He’s a monster.

Songs by American Idol alumni

People don’t care enough to vote in their local elections but we used to pick up the phone without fail to vote for Diana DeGarmo each week. That was democracy. Remember “8th World Wonder” by Kimberly Locke? “The Real Thing” by Bo Bice? “Sorry 2004” by Ruben Studdard. Every song by Daughtry. His entire discography is forgotten pop but he had hitsss in 2006.

“In a Little While” by Uncle Kracker

I like this one as much, if not more than “Follow Me.” My heart soars at “Something is gone here, something is wrong here, I don’t belong here.”

“Flake” by Jack Johnson

Oh, this isn’t Dave Matthew Band? It’s better. Makes me feel like I’m in a post-breakup movie montage. I found out my surfer boyfriend cheated, now I’m living alone in a little beach shack, rain’s pouring down on the roof and I’m sad!

Lesser works by iconic pop girls

“Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know” by Britney Spears

I should’ve included this music video on my sexual awakening list —way more iconic than the actual song.

“Most Girls” by Pink

Remember when Pink was marketed as racially ambiguous? And how she got the name Pink? Now she’s like the biggest touring act in Australia, beloved by moms who still have the Kate Gosselin cut, and doing Cirque du Soleil shit, but I miss the Pink who was like, “Shorty got a job, shorty got a car, shorty can pay her own rent.”

“Turn Off the Light” by Nelly Furtado

Buried by Like a Bird and Promiscuous, but this is a triumph.

“A Public Affair” by Jessica Simpson

This is actually the song that inspired me to make forgotten pop. Was anyone more naturally gorgeous than Jessica Simpson, simultaneously embodying and punished by the impossible ‘00s beauty standard?

A bunch of middling white guy bands

No disrespect to white guys (for once), this is one of my favorite genres. Bland in a good way. If all you eat is buttered noodles, there’s something wrong with you, but who wouldn’t enjoy a bite of buttered noodles. Is that a good metaphor? In this category, I’m thinking of:

• “The World I Know” by Collective Soul (it takes 2 minutes to get to the recognizable part!)

• “First Time” by Lifehouse

• Every Gin Blossoms song

• “You Wanted More” by Tonic

• “Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)” by Vertical Horizon

Covers you didn’t know were covers

If you’re trash like me, you heard these versions way before the original:

• “More Than Words” by Frankie J

• “Heaven” by DJ Sammy

• “The Boys of Summer” by The Ataris

“Caramel” by City High

Everyone remembers City High’s "What Would You Do?" but this one never left my rotation. Before Missy Elliott was 5’2” and wanted to dance with you, the singer in City High (sorry, don’t know her name) was 5'5” with brown eyes, smile like the sunrise.

“Gotta Tell You” by Samantha Mumba

You have to watch the :44 mark in the music video to see this exact moment when they swap Samantha for a male stunt double.

Nickelback-core

White trash rock, another one of my favorites. Thanks, dad. If all these bands got together for a festival, I’d want to go despite the MAGA vibes. Take a second to revisit these:

• “Away From the Sun” by 3 Doors Down

• “Wasting My Time” by Default

• “Blurry” by Puddle of Mudd

“It Feels So Good” by Sonique

This song is what takes me higher.

“Missing” by Everything But The Girl

Puts me in a trance. Something about the repetition, combined with memories of listening to it staring out the window of my mom's van.

“Walkin’ On the Sun” by Smash Mouth

Read the lyrics, they’re oddly prescient. The emptiness of modern life and consumerism, with an inevitable sense of doom. But catchy!

“Where’d You Go” by Fort Minor

Where’d Fort Minor go? I miss them so.

Would love to hear your favorite forgotten pop examples! My only criteria when adding to the playlist is a song needs to be at least 10 years old.

Drew’s birthday weekend

Today is Drew’s birthday, he’s 34! Can’t believe I’m old enough to have a 34-year-old boyfriend husband. Our life together is like one giant sleepover with attraction and the occasional “can you snake the shower drain?” He really is my true love.

On Friday, we used Valentine’s Day as an excuse to get pizza and see Sunset Blvd on Broadway, which I saw in October but needed Drew’s take on it. I’ve never been more blown away by a single performance than Nicole Scherzinger’s (there are several Pussycat Dolls songs on forgotten pop btw) and have never been to a show with multiple standing ovations during the performance.

Sunset makes such cool directing choices, from the bare staging to its use of live video and projector screens and even the lighting design. The “opening credits” literally take my breath away and I’m not someone to describe something as breathtaking ever!! Even if you’ve had the beginning of act II spoiled on TikTok, it’s not the same as experiencing it IRL. Highly recommend you see it before July.

Yesterday, I surprised Drew and took him to the winter spa at the William Vale hotel in Williamsburg to sauna on their outdoor deck. It was snowing the entire time, so it felt like we were in a humid snow globe. Very cozy. Then got drinks at the hotel’s rooftop before dinner and a movie. Today I’m letting him draw me — oh, the life of a muse. Holding poses is not easy. I need to take a barre class or something.

Misc.

• This makes me mad because I’m jealous.

• Fun list! Love seeing Himesh Patel for Station Eleven, Kaitlyn Dever for Unbelievable, Maya Erskine for Pen15, even Emma Stone in The Curse!

• Excited for White Lotus tonight!!