In the mood for some Millennial nostalgia? The following three pop-punk songs from the 2000s were big hits back in the day, and they still sound insanely fresh despite being more than 20 years old.
“Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne from ‘Let Go’ (2002)
I revisit Let Go often, considering it was one of my favorite albums as a preteen. Tons of songs from that record still hit so good, from “Tomorrow” to “I’m With You”. But when it comes to well-aged classics, the pop-punk anthem “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne still has the kind of teenage angsty energy with a hefty dose of pop goodness that even young listeners today can vibe with.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne was a Top 40 hit across the globe, peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
“Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy from ‘From Under The Cork Tree’ (2005)
If you’re a Millennial, you might remember seeing the music video for this song for the first time on the hot new platform known as YouTube. I know I did. And while the music video is a fine low-budget piece of work, “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” as a song is what keeps me coming back for more. This was such a good era for the genre. And Fall Out Boy was dominating the charts with their pop-punk stylings for most of it.
“Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy was a No. 8 hit on the Hot 100. The track also reached the Top 40 on numerous other US charts in 2005.
“Holiday” by Green Day from ‘American Idiot’ (2005)
Green Day often leaned more toward punk over pop-punk. But the American Idiot gem “Holiday” does have that bouncy, poppy sound that was so popular in the mid-2000s. This entry on our list of pop-punk songs from the 2000s that still sound fresh today is a protest anthem for the ages, one with a melody and riff that will get stuck in your head, no matter when you hear it.
“Holiday” by Green Day topped the Alternative Airplay and Mainstream Rock charts in the US. It was a crossover hit, too, peaking at No. 19 on the Hot 100 chart.
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
More The List
-
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – DECEMBER 10: Vince Gill performs at the Ryman Auditorium on December 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) -
American singer Donna Summer performing at 'The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song' benefit concert held at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, 9th January 1979. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) -
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – JUNE 8: Michael Jackson performs at Amsterdam Arena on June 8, 1997 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Paul Bergen/Redferns) -
Photo by Jorgen Angel/Redferns -
Crash Test Dummies on 8/17/91 in Chicago, Il. in Various Locations, (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage) -
Country music star Conway Twitty sings at a concert in Richmond. (Photo by © Wally McNamee/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) -
Daryl Hall and John Oates of Hall and Oates, posed outside of the TopPop Studio Hilversum, Netherlands, January 1976. They were recording a video for their hit single 'Sara Smile'. (Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns)
