2009 was a fun year in music. From pop anthems and dancefloor bangers to soulful ballads and boundary-pushing hip-hop, 2009 had a wide range of hits that made the sound of a generation. Many of the chart-topping songs from 2009 still ring true, acting as nostalgic time capsules for millennials and Gen Z alike.

We’re going to take a comprehensive journey through 2009: not just the biggest hits to hit the Billboard chart, but the cultural influences, rising stars and more that made the musical landscape of the year.

The Music Scene in 2009

Before discussing the individual tracks, it’s worth establishing the context. In 2009, the music industry was in flux. iTunes and digital downloads were flourishing, streaming services like Spotify were just emerging, and social media platforms like MySpace and YouTube were central to artist promotion.

Pop music dominated, but hip-hop, R&B, rock, and electronic dance music (EDM) were making healthy showings. Artists such as Lady Gaga, Beyoncé,é and Taylor Swift were dominant, while others, like Drake and Kesha, were on their way up.

Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Singles of 2009

Presenting the top 15 songs of 2009 according to Billboard’s Hot 100 Year-End Chart, the stories behind their impact and their legacy:

1. “Boom Boom Pow” — The Black Eyed Peas

This futuristic track had hits of catchy beats and heavy Auto-Tune. It dominated for 12 straight weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the mainstream acceptance of EDM and electronic-inflected hip-hop.

2. “Poker Face” – Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga burst onto the scene in 2008 with “Just Dance,” but it was “Poker Face” that cemented her status as a pop icon. With its catchy chorus and flamboyant style, the song topped charts around the world, becoming a cultural phenomenon.

3. “Just Dance” — Lady Gaga ft. Colby O’Donis

Gaga’s first single became a favorite in clubs and an anthem for getting loose. It helped usher in a new era of dance-pop and was exemplary of her unique mix of performance art and music.

4. “I Gotta Feeling” – The Black Eyed Peas

Undoubtedly one of the most iconic party songs of all time, “I Gotta Feeling” served as the perfect weekend party anthem. It spent 14 weeks at No. 1, becoming one of the decade’s longest-running chart-toppers.

5. “Love Story” – Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift was still in her country-pop era, and “Love Story” cemented her as a pop icon. The song, inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, won over audiences across the globe and presaged her future pop supremacy.

6. “Right Round” – Flo Rida ft. Kesha

Built over a sample of Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round,” this song was a commercial juggernaut. It introduced the world to Kesha, who would soon become a pop sensation in her own right.

7. “I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz

This laid-back track, with reggae influences, was a feel-good favorite. Its easygoing groove made it a summer staple — and gave Mraz Grammy nominations.

8. “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” — Beyoncé

Released at the end of 2008, the iconic video and the “Single Ladies” dance craze kept this empowering anthem alive in the cultural conversation well into 2009.

9. “Heartless” – Kanye West

From his genre-defying album 808s & Heartbreak, “Heartless” displayed Kanye’s emotional range and innovative use of Auto-Tune, leaving a mark on a generation of artists.

10. “Gives You Hell” — The All-American Rejects

Pop punk was alive and well in the late 2000s, and “Gives You Hell” was among the best in that era. With its infectious chorus and defiant lyrics, it became a teen favorite.

11. “You Belong With Me” — Taylor Swift

This tender story of unrequited love struck gold for Swift again. It netted her multiple award nominations and solidified her place as a storytelling powerhouse.

12. “Dead and Gone” — T.I. ft. Justin Timberlake

This moody track from T.I. detailed pain and redemption, and Justin Timberlake’s falsetto chorus turned it into a runaway hit.

13. “Knock You Down” — Keri Hilson ft. Kanye West & Ne-Yo

A smooth mix of R&B, pop, and hip-hop, this song was as much about the combination of vocals and rap as the song’s actual lyrics, and it became Keri Hilson’s biggest hit.

14. “Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain

The Auto-Tune-heavy “Blame It” was a club favorite, displaying Jamie Foxx’s musical prowess and T-Pain’s dominance over late-2000s pop.

15. “I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz

Because of its longevity, “I’m Yours” appeared on the year-end chart twice, as one of the most-streamed and most-downloaded songs of the year.

Other Notable Songs of 2009

Top 20 aside, 2009 was defined by plenty of other tracks:

1. “Use Somebody” — Kings of Leon

An exhilarating rock anthem that crossed over to mainstream popularity, garnering a Grammy for Record of the Year.

2. “Fireflies” – Owl City

This synth-pop song became a viral sensation and introduced a goofy sound that was somehow both old-fashioned and new.

3. “TikTok” – Kesha

Despite being officially released in late 2009, “TikTok” ruled well into 2010. Its irreverent lyrics and party feel made it an instant classic.

4. “Bad Romance” – Lady Gaga

Another late 2009 release, “Bad Romance,” was neon and brash, visually and musically, and it rapidly became one of Gaga’s definitive songs.

5. “Empire State of Mind” — Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys

A love letter to New York City, the anthem was at once aspirational and iconic, marrying hip-hop and soulful vocals to perfection.

6. “Battlefield” – Jordin Sparks

An anthem about emotional resilience and the war’s love can start.

7. “My Life Would Suck Without You” – Kelly Clarkson

An upbeat breakup-makeup anthem that highlighted Clarkson’s powerhouse vocals.

8. Emerging Artists of 2009

2009 was more than just a whole lot of big hits — it was a year that helped launch future superstars into the world:

• Drake began breaking through with “Best I Ever Had,” a precursor to the era of rap/R&B hybrid, which would reign through the 2010s.
• Kesha broke through with “Tik Tok,” kicking off her reign as the party queen of pop.
• Justin Bieber had just released “One Time,” winning the hearts of teenagers all over the world and laying the groundwork for his ascent to stardom.
• It was also a big year for music videos and viral moments. (YouTube itself became a go-to App for browsing and sharing content.) Lady Gaga’s videos were cinematic and fashion-forward; Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” dance became a global phenomenon, imitated and parodied across the social media landscape.
• Kanye West’s infamous interruption of Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs also became one of the year’s most famous pop culture moments, further propelling both artists to the top.

2009 Hits Influencing Future Music

A lot of the sounds and trends popularized in 2009 had a lasting impact:

1. Electronic dance music (EDM) cracked mainstream pop thanks to the likes of The Black Eyed Peas and David Guetta.

2. Autotune remained a glaringly proud production tool for Kanye West, T-Pain, and people who wanted to sound like them.

3. Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s lyricism initiated a renaissance of pop storytelling.

4. The success of those digital platforms in launching these songs into the pop culture ether also marked a permanent turning point in how music itself would be consumed and marketed going forward.

Takeaway: A Year to Remember

It’s hard to believe it’s been a full decade since 2009, a flowering time in pop music history. It was a year that was a bridge between the old and the new, where conventional chart success collided with the dawn of digital disruption. The songs of that era still receive airplay today, and many of those artists who shot to fame in 2009 are still at the top of the industry.

Whether you were moving to “I Gotta Feeling,” singing your heart out to “Love Story,” or vibing along to “Use Somebody,” the most popular songs of 2009 had something for everyone — and their sounds still define an indelible era.

What Were Your Favorites?

Did we overlook your favorite 2009 jam? Have your top tracks from 2009 — what are they? Let us know in the comments what songs you find the most memorable!