Song · Missy Elliott
“Work It” by Missy Elliott
From the album Under Construction (2002)
“Work It” by Missy Elliott appears on 5 radio countdowns from 4 stations between 2003 and 2025. It was first released in 2002 on the album Under Construction. Its best result is #57 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2003. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #455 alternative song of 2003.
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"Work It" launched Missy Elliott's fourth album, Under Construction, as its first single in 2002, and it's a gleeful raid on old-school hip hop. Elliott wrote and produced it with her frequent partner in crime Timbaland, and the pair built it out of vintage parts: Run-DMC's "Peter Piper", Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three's "Request Line", and a synth pattern lifted from the intro of Blondie's "Heart of Glass".
The result is sly, filthy fun, Elliott bossing the beat with total command while the production hiccups and squelches around her. It sat in the Hot 100's runner-up spot for ten weeks, won her a Grammy for Best Female Rap Solo Performance, and its Dave Meyers video, all breakdancers and tributes to Aaliyah and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, took Video of the Year at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 57 | Triple J Australia (national) | Triple J Hottest 100 of 2003 | 100 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 79 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the 2000s | 907 |
| 2024 | 667 | The Colorado Sound | The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Songs of the 21st Century | 1055 |
| 2024 | 146 | WXPN | WXPN The 885 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century (2024) | 885 |
| 2025 | 132 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the 21st Century | 909 |
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