Not since Frank Sinatra has there been a better ode to New York City.
Columbia University still plays it at the end of every commencement ceremony.
Was there a sweeter bop that year than a song about getting a thousand
hugs from 10,000 lightning bugs?
The title of this song was inspired by a Frida Kahlo painting, but it’s
about a fallen leader who has done questionable things and therefore knows he
won’t get into "the good place."
Perry co-wrote this
song with Desmond Child and Andreas Carlsson, based on the time she and a friend went to
Vegas and got “fake married.”
This song owes most of its success to the
sample of "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap.
Written by Jessie J, this tune about arriving in LA for the first time
still makes you sing along.
Clarkson had a major beef with co-writer Ryan Tedder, whom she felt used
the same melody from "Halo," his song with
Beyoncé. She even tried to get it
removed from her album and block it as a single, but the label held firm and the song rose to number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Jay Sean was the first British-Asian artist to have a hit single since Freddie
Mercury in 1980.
Blame it on the Henny, but I think Jamie Foxx should have made more
music.
Singer Isaac Slade says the song was about questioning a higher power
after tragedies befell his family.
A music critic called this the best '80s power ballad of 2009.
Of course you probably know Gaga’s other hits from this year, but do you
remember her very first?
The theme song of every 2009 flash mob.
This was the best use of sampling of an '80s new wave song ("You
Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or
Alive) by a hip hop artist in 2009.
Iconic song by an icon. And you can't hear this without doing the dance.
This auto-tune thumper was a departure for West and one of his best
songs.
This F-U anthem is the band's biggest hit to date.
So we’re supposed to believe that just because Swift is wearing glasses
and a t-shirt, some guy is unable to tell how hot she is?
This is still Mraz’s biggest hit to date and will forever be a feel-good
toe-tapper.
"Gossip Girl" star Meester showed her bad side with this track, which was used in the CW drama. She's released a couple of solo tracks since then, but this was her biggest hit.