2001: Woman power on the charts

Where oh where was Ricky Martin in 2001? Was it not only a year or so ago when he and the likes of Marc Anthony were putting an invigorating Latin spin to lifestyles everywhere with their music? Among the new boy groups, only O-Town scored a breakthrough in the US of A and no new singing idol emerged for teeny boppers to swoon for. Lackluster though that might sound, the same thing cannot be said of the girls. Female power was up and running at a breathless clip last year and the men found it incredibly difficult to catch up.

Madonna proved that if you do things right, a forty-something mother can still look devastating in a kilt. Nicole Kidman got divorced from Tom, but found a hit album out of the Moulin Rouge soundtrack and a number one selling duet with Brit pop idol Robbie Williams of Something Stupid. Jennifer Lopez survived Puff Daddy and controversy and got a husband, a film like Wedding Planner that opened number one at the box-office plus a huge seller with J.Lo.

He remains the great Michael Jackson but Jacko was not so invincible in the charts last year unlike his little sister Janet who scored big with All for You. Irish New Age diva Enya also remained on top with A Day Without Rain and got a huge career boost with May It Be from the soundtrack of the Lord of the Rings. Of course, Britney Spears, bare-belly-button and all was as ubiquitous as ever. Not only that, her new release Britney, shows the makings of a major talent crossing over to maturity.

Destiny’s Child, the most successful female trio of all time, barring the legendary Supremes, outclassed all other groups, that means male and female, with Survivor, Sade of Smooth Operator fame made a successful comeback with Lovers Rock. Faith Hill proved that Breathe was no fluke as she scored anew with There You’ll Be from Pearl Harbor.

The leading ladies of R&B continued to come up with compelling albums that dazzle with hip intelligence, Jill Scott and Who is Jill Scott? Words & Sounds; Eve with Scorpion; Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot with Miss E... So Addictive; Mary J. Blige with No More Drama; Erykah Badu with Mama’s Gun; India Arie with Acoustic Soul; Macy Gray with The Id; Aaliyah by the late Aaliyah; Pink with Can’t Take Me Home, who also sang the Moulin Rouge remake of Lady Marmalade with Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim and Mya who had an album of her own, Case of the Ex (Watcha Gonna Do).

And not to forget, there were the new girls, all beautiful, all talented, all with hits, the enchanting Dido with No Angel perky with Nelly Furtado with Whoa, Nelly! and mesmerizing Alicia Keys with Songs in A Minor.

Although it has become a habit among us to bookmark our years with the hit songs of the times, 2001 will never be thought of as that of Survivor or Angel. It will instead be remembered as the year when the Twin Towers fell, when anthrax caused a worldwide scare, when the human genome was finally taken apart and other important events.

So to close this piece, here is the song that echoed across the world after the tragic incidents of September 11. America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates set to the music of Materna by Samuel Ward.

O beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed his grace on thee

And crowned thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet whose stern impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat across the wilderness!

America! America! God mend thine every flaw

Confirm thy soul in self-control thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife

Who more than self their country loved and mercy more than life

America! America! May God they gold refine

Till all success be nobleness and every grain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human tears!

America! America! God shed his grace on thee

And crowned thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!

May the ideals of justice and freedom embodied in this song touch the hearts not only of Americans but all of mankind.

Here’s wishing one and all a peaceful and prosperous 2002.