Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.
This week we’ll jet back to ‘I Believe’ – the inspirational inaugural release of 2004 ‘American Idol’ winner Fantasia Barrino (known mononymously today). Launched this week 12 years ago, the tune made an impressive debut at #1 on the Hot 100 – standard fare at the time for winners of the juggernaut reality singing competition. Temporarily disrupting the reign of the year’s biggest success story – Usher (and the hits found aboard his blockbuster album ‘Confessions’) – ‘Believe’ only lasted atop the singles chart a week before the Grammy winning crooner reclaimed the spot.
To date, the soaring single may be songbird’s only flight to the Hot 100’s perch, but in 2016 it’s clear the purpose it served: to introduce the world to the magnificent vocalist that is Fantasia. Today, unlike many of her fellow ‘Idol’ alums, the world is still singing her songs (and her praises).
Rewind with us back to 2004 where it all began for the North Carolina-born beauty:
Hot 100 This Week In 2004
Hot 100 This Week
Click here to read this week’s full Hot 100 TGJ Chart Check.
![New Song: Nicki Minaj - 'FTCU (Sleeze Mix)' [featuring Sexyy Red, Chris Brown, & Travis Scott]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/nicki-minaj-thatgrapejuice-2024-ftcu-remix-sleeze-sexyy-red-chris-brown-travis-scott-464x260.jpg "New Song: Nicki Minaj - 'FTCU (Sleeze Mix)' [featuring Sexyy Red, Chris Brown, & Travis Scott].")
When will Ratyonce? The Houston halitosis whorre is too busy bandwagoning the Black Lives Matter movement for album sales but won’t spoke out on the shootings.
If this isn’t the truth.
Lmao Fantasia used to think that haircut was lit ??
@ratyonce shut the hell up. If yo ugly ass would research Beyoncé has spoken out AND provided links to the legislature and the government so we can take a STAND!! So don’t speak on s*** yo b**** ass know nothing about!!!!
Yes Monica. Showing relevance in the 90s & 2000s..
LOL. Take a good look beehive kii cause we all know those charting days are behind her sis. #reminiscingfeelsgoodhuh?
But all Beyonce songs from her last album charted. Rihanna has never.
Just look at that top 20 compared to now. I can’t stand white people.
This my friends was the beginning of the end of good music.
Man, Usher was slaying the charts
Say what you want about Fantasia, but she’s still relevant over a decade later!!! She’s amongst the elite AI winners while most have been dropped or forgotten. She may not sell millions like Bey, but she has been touring (and selling out each and every show) consistently since her last album dropped in 2013. Her voice may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but she has a loyal audience and I foresee her becoming an R&B legend within 10 years . Love Fanny!!!!!
All of her albums have been good quality without compromising her sound. Fantasia is one of the few artists that i await new music from
The only difference I see between then and now is that Alternative Rock music has been replaced with EDM, otherwise it is all mostly the same, lots of Hip Hop and Pop.
‘
I’m surprised Hip Hop has lasted as long as it has.
When will Selena?
The year of Usher. And, actual good urban pop cross over R&B music.
The way Usher bodied the charts in 2004 was just>>>>>>> 2004 was one of the years when ONE artist dominated EVERYTHING that had to do with music – from singles, to album sales and awards and that was Usher. Loved this Fantasia song and I knew she was going to be a star after her performance of ‘Summertime’ on Idol. In addition this was truly a banner year for Urban music because nearly ALL the artists that topped the BB Hot 100 that year accounted for were Black. I’d say that 2004 was the year Urban music became ‘American Music’.
So even in 2004 blacks ruled the charts.. Most of these artists would never see funding nowaday. I swear to you black artists get about the same funding as an inner city school nowadays. And creativity and soul is missing from music everywhere because of it, regardless of what genre your speaking about.. I personally think rock died the same time as r&b. Music is on a lifeline.
Beautiful song!
Fantasia is the queen of R&b soul HANDS DOWN!!
In 2004 was the jam music