Arts, Music, and Recreation Music Top 100 Pop Songs 2008 Share Flipboard Email Print Music Pop Top Picks Basics Genres & Styles Reviews Top Artists 80s Hits 90s Hits Rock Alternative Music Classical Country Folk Rap & Hip Hop Rhythm & Blues Dance Music World Music Punk Music Heavy Metal Jazz Latin Music Children's Music Christian Music Oldies Music Education View More by Bill Lamb Bill Lamb is a music and arts writer with two decades of experience covering the world of entertainment and culture. Updated March 18, 2017 This is admittedly a subjective list based on judgments of quality instead of sales figures or radio airplay. A number of songs have expanded reviews - click on the word 'Review' to read more information about the song. This list should be a great conversation starter and feel free to agree or disagree. Either way there is a lot of great pop music to be found here. 100 of 100 Colbie Caillat - "Realize" © Republic Colbie Caillat followed her breakthrough hit single "Bubbly" with a more downbeat, reflective hit. Watch Video 99 of 100 New Kids on the Block - "Summertime" New Kids on the Block - Summertime. Courtesy Interscope 14 years after their last chart hit, New Kids on the Block returned with a nostalgic song aimed squarely at their original fans who have aged a bit as well. Watch Video 98 of 100 Chris Brown and Jordin Sparks - "No Air" Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. Courtesy Underdog Entertainment This big hit almost feels a bit like corporate matchmaking with 2 of the music world's biggest teen stars singing a lightweight love song. Watch Video 97 of 100 Britney Spears - "Womanizer" Britney Spears - "Womanizer". Courtesy Jive Records Yes, the title is repeated a few too many times, but Britney Spears proved her comeback was no fluke as this hit roared into the upper reaches of the pop singles chart. Watch Video 96 of 100 Danity Kane - "Damaged" Danity Kane - Welcome to the Dollhouse. Courtesy Bad Boy Entertainment Diddy proteges Danity Kane proved they are no one-hit wonder by unleashing this solid hit single. Watch Video 95 of 100 Tokio Hotel - "Monsoon" Tokio Hotel. Courtesy Universal Few groups were hyped more to American teens this year than the German pop-rock group Tokio Hotel. However, it looks like all of the effort may have been fruitless. While it is an appealing power ballad, "Monsoon" barely made a dent on the US pop singles chart. Watch Video 94 of 100 Shwayze - "Corona and Lime" Shwayze - "Corona and Lime". Courtesy Geffen This was the mellow, laidback, sun-splashed hit of the summer. Celebrity buddy Cisco Adler kicks in some assistance here for newcomer Shwayze. Watch Video 93 of 100 Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson - "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" Paula Abdul - Dance Like There's No Tomorrow. Courtesy Concord Records American Idol judge and former pop superstar Paula Abdul made a brief and thoroughly charming return to the pop charts this year. Watch Video 92 of 100 Thriving Ivory - "Angels on the Moon" Thriving Ivory. Courtesy Wind-Up Records Thriving Ivory's lead vocalist Clayton Stroope has one of the most distinctive new voices of the year in pop music. Watch Video 91 of 100 Seether - "Rise Above This" Seether. Courtesy Wind-Up Records Celebrated producer Howard Benson adds a strong pop sheen to this single from South African rockers Seether. Watch Video 90 of 100 Maroon 5 featuring Rihanna - "If I Never See Your Face Again" Maroon 5 - Call and Response: The Remix Album. Courtesy Octone Everything that Rihanna touched this year seemed to turn to gold including this reworked version of a Maroon 5 song. Don't miss the tastefully sexy accompanying video. Watch Video 89 of 100 Fall Out Boy - "I Don't Care" Fall Out Boy - "I Don't Care". Courtesy Decaydance Fall Out Boy failed to ignite their usual level of excitement among fans with this lead single from the album. However, it is still a solid pop-rock turn by the group. Watch Video 88 of 100 Saving Abel - "Addicted" Saving Abel - "Addicted". Courtesy Virgin Records This is the breakthrough top 40 pop single by the Mississippi base rock band Saving Abel. File this one close to songs by Daughtry. Watch Video 87 of 100 Brandy - "Right Here (Departed)" Brandy - "Right Here (Departed)". Courtesy Epic After a raft of bad publicity related to a recent automobile accident, former teen star Brandy returned to the charts with this cheerful, upbeat R&B love song. Watch Video 86 of 100 Rehab - "The Bartender Song" Rehab - "Bartender Song". Courtesy Universal Republic Take a wry, humorous story, match it with easy, laidback Southern-edged rock, and lyrics easy to sing with, and you have a breakthrough hit. Watch Video 85 of 100 Metro Station - "Seventeen Forever" Metro Station - Metro Station. Courtesy Red Ink Records The second hit single from this Hollywood-based emo-pop band is a bit on the reflective side. Watch Video 84 of 100 Gavin DeGraw - "In Love With a Girl" Gavin DeGraw - In Love With a Girl. Courtesy J Records 4 years after his breakthrough top 10 smash "I Don't Want to Be," you might have wondered what happened to Gavin DeGraw. He came back this year with another catchy, lightly rocking love song. Watch Video 83 of 100 Fall Out Boy featuring John Mayer - "Beat It" Fall Out Boy - Beat It. Courtesy Island Records "Beat It" is a standard cover in Fall Out Boy shows. For this recording of the Michael Jackson classic, John Mayer, one of the most skilled guitarists in the pop world, lends his talent. Watch Video 82 of 100 Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon - "Dangerous" Kardinall Offishall - "Dangerous". Courtesy Geffen Canada's top rapper rode assistance from Akon to the upper reaches of the US pop singles chart. Watch Video 81 of 100 Usher featuring Young Jeezy - "Love In This Club" Usher featuring Young Jeezy - Love In This Club. Courtesy LaFace Records 4 years after his 10 million selling album Confessions, Usher made a somewhat disappointing return with this club-themed hit. Watch Video 80 of 100 Leona Lewis - "Better In Time" Leona Lewis - "Better In Time". Courtesy Sony Leona Lewis further established herself as a pop star on both sides of the Atlantic with this beautiful ballad. Watch Video 79 of 100 Pussycat Dolls - "When I Grow Up" Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up. Courtesy Pussycat Dolls It can get a bit irritating (see the 2008 Annoying Songs list), but the Pussycat Dolls big hit of the year is also very catchy. Enjoy in small doses. Watch Video 78 of 100 Lesley Roy - "I'm Gone, I'm Going" Lesley Roy. Courtesy Jive Records For those missing Avril Lavigne this year, Irish singer Lesley Roy was a breath of fresh air. Watch Video 77 of 100 Matt Nathanson - "Come On Get Higher" Matt Nathanson - "Come On Get Higher". Courtesy Vanguard In a big year for solo male singer-songwriters, Matt Nathanson was one of those who stood out. The use of his music on various TV shows didn't hurt his career at all. Watch Video 76 of 100 Jonas Brothers - "Burnin' Up" Jonas Brothers - "Burnin' Up". Courtesy Hollywood Records The Jonas Brothers were red hot in 2008, and this glitzy rocker was a significant part of the success equation. Watch Video 75 of 100 Boys Like Girls - "Thunder" Boys Like Girls. Courtesy Columbia / Red Ink The first song ever written by Boys Like Girls as a group climbed aboard pop radio and became the group's 3rd top 40 pop smash. Watch Video 74 of 100 Colby O'Donis featuring Akon - "What You Got" Colby O'Donis. Courtesy Konvict Music Colby O'Donis was one of 3 breakthrough artists this year (Kardinal Offishall and Lady GaGa were the others) to benefit from an Akon boost. Watch Video 73 of 100 Eric Hutchinson - "Rock & Roll" Eric Hutchinson. Courtesy Warner Bros. If Eric Hutchinson's laid back, cheerful pop-soul doesn't make you smile, I'm not sure there is any pop music that can. Watch Video 72 of 100 O.A.R. - "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" O.A.R. - Shattered (Turn the Car Around). Courtesy Atlantic After 10 years together, O.A.R. have broken into the mainstream with a song that simply would not let go once it began to sink into the consciousness of pop fans. Watch Video 71 of 100 New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo - "Single" New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo - "Single". Courtesy Interscope Ne-Yo lends his magic touch here and the results are significantly better than New Kids on the Block on their own. Watch Video 70 of 100 Plain White T's - "Our Time Now" Plain White T's - Big Bad World. Courtesy Hollywood Records It certainly was not anywhere close to "Hey There Delilah" in chart and sales success, but "Our Time Now" did show off the upbeat side of Plain White T's. Watch Video 69 of 100 Gavin Rossdale - "Love Remains the Same" Gavin Rossdale - Wanderlust. Courtesy Interscope Gavin Rossdale successfully stepped out from the shadow of being former leader of the band Bush and husband to Gwen Stefani with this slow rising solo smash. Watch Video 68 of 100 David Cook - "Light On" David Cook - Light On. Courtesy RCA This year's American Idol champion David Cook shows off his respectable power ballad chops. Watch Video 67 of 100 Akon - "Right Now (Na Na Na)" Akon - Right Now (Na Na Na). Courtesy Universal Motown Proving he's not just a man behind the scenes for other emerging artists, Akon returned with his own mellow hit single. Watch Video 66 of 100 Nickelback - "Gotta Be Somebody" Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody. Courtesy Roadrunner Veteran producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange nudged Nickelback in a somewhat glitzier, more mainstream pop-rock oriented direction. Watch Video 65 of 100 Robin Thicke - "Magic" Robin Thicke - Something Else. Courtesy Interscope Robin Thicke's sweet R&B heads in a distinctively retro direction on this R&B tune with a disco-ish feel. Watch Video 64 of 100 Jack Johnson - "If I Had Eyes" Jack Johnson - If I Had Eyes. Courtesy Brushfire Records This fluffy single failed to signal the slightly more serious direction for feel good singer/songwriter Jack Johnson on his #1 smash album Sleep Through the Static. Watch Video 63 of 100 The Fray - "You Found Me" The Fray - "You Found Me". Courtesy Epic Colorado-based band The Fray once again looked to TV for a boost as this single was featured in advertisements for a new season of the hit show Lost. Watch Video 62 of 100 Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne - "Let It Rock" Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne - "Let It Rock". Courtesy Cash Money Records This anthemic first hit single from guitarist Kevin Rudolf was a left-field unexpected top 10 smash. Watch Video 61 of 100 Coldplay - "Lovers in Japan" Coldplay - "Lovers in Japan". Courtesy Capitol Records Though not as flashy as the album's title cut, this second single from Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends is a classic, slowly building Coldplay tune. Watch Video 60 of 100 Sara Bareilles - "Bottle It Up" Sara Bareilles - Little Voice. Courtesy Epic Records "Love Song" was a bigger hit, but "Bottle It Up," with close listening, possibly reveals even more of the cleverness in the songwriting of Sara Bareilles. Watch Video 59 of 100 Taylor Swift - "White Horse" Taylor Swift - Fearless. Courtesy Big Machine One of the keys to Taylor Swift's successful crossover from country to pop audiences is her impressive skill as a songwriter while still a teenager. Watch Video 58 of 100 Mariah Carey - "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time" Mariah Carey - "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time". Courtesy Island Records Mariah Carey's light, frothy tribute to enduring love is guaranteed to put a smile on your face if the song doesn't just float away first. Watch Video 57 of 100 David Archuleta - "Crush" David Archuleta - "Crush". Courtesy Jive Records He may have finished second on American Idol, but teenager David Archuleta won the first round of competition for the hearts of mainstream pop audiences with this thoroughly charming piece of pop candy. Watch Video 56 of 100 OneRepublic - "Stop and Stare" OneRepublic. Courtesy Interscope OneRepublic emerged from the Timbaland shadow to show they are quite capable of generating a big pop hit with a catchy chorus on their own. Watch Video 55 of 100 Mariah Carey - "Bye Bye" Mariah Carey - Bye Bye. Courtesy Island Records This tearjerker was possibly unfairly overlooked in the wake of crushing publicity about Mariah Carey's career chart success. This gentle tune about saying goodbye is well worth another listen. Watch Video 54 of 100 Jennifer Hudson - "Spotlight" Jennifer Hudson - "Spotlight". Courtesy Arista After years of waiting we were finally treated to Jennifer Hudson's solo debut. Her vocal talents are undisputable on this smooth midtempo R&B tune. Watch Video 53 of 100 Shontelle - "T-Shirt" Shontelle - Shontelligence. Courtesy Universal Motown Rihanna is no longer the only pop star from the island nation of Barbados. Shontelle's elegance and beauty could give her counterpart a run for the pop spotlight. Watch Video 52 of 100 Paramore - "Decode" Soundtrack - Twilight. Courtesy Atlantic For the sountrack of the hit movie Twilight, Paramore put together one of their most expansive, polished efforts yet. Watch Video 51 of 100 We the Kings - "Check Yes Juliet" We the Kings. Photo by Shane McCauley, courtesy S-Curve Records A heavy touring schedule paid off for these Florida pop-rockers as their reference to the classic Romeo and Juliet story rode into the pop top 40. Watch Video 50 of 100 Miley Cyrus - "7 Things" Miley Cyrus - "7 Things". Courtesy Hollywood Records Miley Cyrus' clever pop romp about teen romance generated significant speculation about who the target of the song's lyrics may be. Watch Video 49 of 100 Kanye West - "Heartless" Kanye West - "Heartless". Courtesy Roc-a-Fella Kanye West uses auto-tune technology to deepen the sense of emotional pain. Watch Video 48 of 100 Lil Wayne - "A Milli" Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III. Courtesy Cash Money Records The only man this year to sell one million copies of an album in one week celebrates himself and his money. Watch Video 47 of 100 Duffy - "Warwick Avenue" Duffy - Rockferry. Courtesy Mercury Duffy wraps a soulful caress around the song's lyrics that makes the record instantly unforgettable. Watch Video 46 of 100 Flobots - "Handlebars" Flobots - Fight With Tools. Courtesy Universal Republic How does riding a bike without using handlebars lead to widespread oppression? Listen to the Flobots and find out. Watch Video 45 of 100 Secondhand Serenade - "Fall for You" Secondhand Serenade - A Twist In My Story. Courtesy Glass Note Records Secondhand Serenade is the name used by singer/songwriter John Vesely for his recordings. "Fall for You" is a heartfelt ballad of a relationship in trouble. Watch Video 44 of 100 John Mayer - "Say" John Mayer - Say. Courtesy Aware Records "Say" was recorded by John Mayer for the soundtrack of the film The Bucket List. Watch Video 43 of 100 All-American Rejects - "Gives You Hell" All-American Rejects - Gives You Hell. Courtesy Interscope All-American Rejects aim for memorable anthem status here. The song is perfect for all those with revenge fantasies. Watch Video 42 of 100 Britney Spears - "Circus" Britney Spears - Circus. Courtesy Jive Records The title song of Britney Spears' latest album is a ramped up electronic stomper that easily outdistances the first single "Womanizer." Watch Video 41 of 100 Metro Station - "Shake It" Metro Station - Metro Station. Courtesy Red Ink Records Miley Cyrus' half-brother Trace became a household name among pop fans when his band Metro Station rolled into the top 5 of the pop singles chart with this irresistible pop-rock tune. Listen for the unmistakable influence of 80's pop-rock band the Cars. Watch Video 40 of 100 John Legend featuring Andre 3000 - "Green Light" John Legend featuring Andre 3000 - "Green Light". Courtesy Sony The singing talent on display here is irresistible as is the sunny mood. Watch Video 39 of 100 Jesse McCartney - "Leavin" Jesse McCartney. Courtesy Hollywood Records As if co-writing a massive hit like "Bleeding Love" wasn't enough, Jesse McCartney dove headfirst into R&B to generate the biggest pop hit single of his career. Watch Video 38 of 100 will.i.am - "It's a New Day" will.i.am - "It's a New Day". Courtesy Interscope In a flood of songs celebrating President-Elect Barack Obama, will.i.am's effort stands out. Watch Video 37 of 100 Jordin Sparks - "One Step at a Time" Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks. Courtesy Jive Records In case you thought she couldn't move beyond the hit single "Tattoo," American Idol winner Jordin Sparks delivered another upbeat pop hit. Watch Video 36 of 100 Panic at the Disco - "Nine In the Afternoon" Panic at the Disco - Pretty. Odd. Courtesy Fueled by Ramen Wearing Beatles influences on their sleeves, Panic at the Disco returned with this charming slice of baroque pop. Watch Video 35 of 100 Michael Cera & Ellen Page - "Anyone Else But You" Juno Soundtrack. Courtesy Rhino Records Cheerful, minimalist pop songs were at the heart of the success of the Academy Award nominated movie Juno. This is perhaps the most memorable of those. Watch Video 34 of 100 Lady GaGa featuring Colby O'Donis - "Just Dance" Lady GaGa featuring Colby O'Donis - Just Dance. Courtesy Interscope Rising swiftly out of the New York club underground, Lady GaGa is an unapologetic advocate of pop music. Just try not singing along to this smash. Watch Video 33 of 100 Rihanna - "Take a Bow" Rihanna - Take a Bow. Courtesy Def Jam You can hear the bitterness seething just below the surface in this masterful performance from Rihanna. Even if she does not possess the most powerful pipes in pop music today, her interpretive skills continue to impress. Watch Video 32 of 100 Mariah Carey - "Touch My Body" Mariah Carey - Touch My Body. Courtesy Island Records Don't miss Mariah Carey's sexy sense of humor in this #1 smash single. Watch Video 31 of 100 Death Cab for Cutie - "I Will Possess Your Heart" Death Cab for Cutie. Courtesy Atlantic Records The original 8-minute version of this song has one of the longest instrumental introductions in recent memory. However, a radio-friendly edit gets to the intriguing lyrics of obsessive love much more quickly. Watch Video 30 of 100 Ne-Yo - "Miss Independent" Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman. Courtesy Def Jam Ne-Yo continues to prove he is a master of sweet, smooth R&B here. Watch Video 29 of 100 Duffy - "Mercy" Duffy - Mercy. Courtesy A&M Records 60's pop star Dusty Springfield is smiling from beyond every time Duffy opens her mouth to sing. Watch Video 28 of 100 Daughtry - "What About Now" © RCA Records The final hit single from Daughtry's massively successful debut features a video that is an inspiring call to create meaning in life through volunteer work. Watch Video 27 of 100 The Veronicas - "Untouched" The Veronicas - "Untouched". Courtesy Sire Records Somewhere in the musical land between Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus, you are likely to find the Australian twins that bill themselves as the Veronicas. Watch Video 26 of 100 T.I. - "Whatever You Like" T.I. - Paper Trail. Courtesy Atlantic Records This huge single from rapper T.I. inspired an instant parody Weird Al Yankovic, master of the art form. Watch Video 25 of 100 Yael Naim - "New Soul" Yael Naim. Photo by Francois Durand / Getty Images Advertisements for Apple's Mac Air computer brought this French-Israeli singer-songwriter into the pop spotlight. "New Soul" is utterly charming and is well deserving of the attention. Listen 24 of 100 Natasha Bedingfield - "Pocketful of Sunshine" Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine. Courtesy Epic It seemed to be a struggle to put together the album, but when the project was finally put together, the title song became one of the most memorable pop hits of the first half of 2008. Natasha Bedingfield looks like she is here to stay. Watch Video 23 of 100 Rihanna - "Disturbia" Rihanna - "Disturbia". Courtesy Def Jam Creepy sounds kick the song off, and it is accompanied by a weird freak show of a video. Rihanna is one of the very few pop artists big enough right now to get radio programmers to take a song as offbeat as "Disturbia" seriously. Few pop fans are likely to forget this recording any time soon. Watch Video 22 of 100 Pink - "Sober" Pink - "Sober". Courtesy LaFace Pink is likely to make more than a few parents happy with the sentiments of this song celebrating the value of partying sober. She is one of the most consistent artists in the pop mainstream today. Watch Video 21 of 100 Taylor Swift - "Love Story" Taylor Swift - "Love Story". Courtesy Big Machine Taylor Swift's lyrical mastery continues to impress. She is one of the most talented singer-songwriters at work today. Watch Video 20 of 100 Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours" Jason Mraz - I'm Yours. Courtesy Atlantic Records Fans of Jack Johnson and Colbie Caillat may have found a new favorite. It took awhile for this song to rise up the charts, but once it began its ascent, it could not be stopped. The feel-good sound swept countless pop fans up in its wake. Jason Mraz has taken a leap into the elite group of today's top pop stars. Watch Video 19 of 100 Jonas Brothers - "Lovebug" Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit Longer. Courtesy Hollywood Records The Jonas Brothers want nothing more than to make you smile here. "Lovebug" is pure charm sounding like the guys next door improvising on your front porch steps. Watch Video 18 of 100 Chris Brown - "Forever" Chris Brown - Forever. Courtesy Jive Records Take a slice of trance dance music and weave Chris Brown's sweet, soulful vocals over the top. The result is a huge smash hit single that goes down so gloriously easy. Watch Video 17 of 100 Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos - "Superstar" Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos - Superstar. Courtesy Atlantic Records If you wanted to know what Coldplay would sound like if they hooked up with a rapper, "Superstar" gives you a good idea. Watch Video 16 of 100 Katy Perry - "Hot 'n Cold" Katy Perry - One of the Boys. Courtesy Capitol Records Katy Perry shows off both her edgy humor and her 80's musical roots here. "Hot 'n Cold" is a well-deserved second chart-topping hit. Watch Video 15 of 100 Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake - "4 Minutes" Madonna and Justin Timberlake - 4 Minutes. Courtesy Warner Brothers Madonna borrowed the talents of Justin Timberlake and Timbaland to prove to American pop fans she still knew how to connect with them. Those horns are among the most memorable sounds of the year. Watch Video 14 of 100 The Ting Tings - "Shut Up and Let Me Go" Ting Tings. Photo by Chris Jackson / Getty Images An Apple iPod commercial first introduced American pop audiences to the Ting Tings. However, the pair's instincts for a punky pop melody are likely to maintain the attention of music fans. Watch Video 13 of 100 Ne-Yo - "Closer" Ne-Yo - Closer. Courtesy Def Jam With hints of an Off the Wall era Michael Jackson obsession, Ne-Yo proved he saved some of his best songs for himself. Watch Video 12 of 100 T.I. featuring Rihanna - "Live Your Life" T.I. featuring Rhianna - "Live Your Life". Courtesy Atlantic Records Who would have guessed sounds borrowed from a Moldovan pop song would top the US pop singles chart? Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Watch Video 11 of 100 The Killers - "Human" The Killers - Human. Courtesy Island Records Dr. Hunter S. Thompson is the unlikely subject of the Killers' latest anthemic pop hit. You won't be able to get the chorus out of your head. Watch Video 10 of 100 Beyonce - "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" Beyonce - "Single Ladies". Courtesy Columbia Records Beyonce uncorked the live pop performance of the year when she took the stage at the American Music Awards with her 2 dancers and delivered a scorching version of "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)." Watch Video 09 of 100 Adele - "Chasing Pavements" Adele - 19. Courtesy XL You won't forget the video that accompanies this debut hit from UK singer Adele, and you are unlikely to forget the stunning song and vocal performance either. This recording should have been in heavy rotation on US pop radio as well. There are some signs it may finally get there with Grammy nominations for Record and Song of the Year. Watch Video 08 of 100 Kid Rock - "All Summer Long" Kid Rock - "All Summer Long". Courtesy Atlantic Records Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" is great. Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" is great. Put them in the pop music blender and add Kid Rock. What comes out is an instant classic. Watch Video 07 of 100 Estelle featuring Kanye West - "American Boy" Estelle featuring Kanye West - American Boy. Courtesy Atlantic Records The most effervescent, bubbly R&B hit of the year. After you listen to this, you will want to hang out with Estelle and Kanye. It sounds like endless fun. Watch Video 06 of 100 Katy Perry - "I Kissed a Girl" Katy Perry - I Kissed a Girl. Courtesy Capitol Records Brush the petty controversies aside and you have an irresistibly in your face, perky pop classic. You will never see a tube of cherry chapstick in the same light. Watch Video 05 of 100 Beyonce - "If I Were a Boy" Beyonce - "If I Were a Boy". Courtesy Columbia Records Whether or not you agree with the sentiments of the song or not, Beyonce's performance is stunning and the song is gutsy. This is a textbook example of pop music that is challenging and meaningful. Watch Video 04 of 100 Pink - "So What" Pink - "So What". Courtesy LaFace Records Personal pain and tragedy frequently generate some of the most memorable pop music, and "So What" is no exception. However, Pink's big-hearted sense of humor effectively brushes off any sense of bitterness. Watch Video 03 of 100 Kanye West - "Love Lockdown" Kanye West - Love Lockdown. Courtesy Rockafella Kanye West sings! And he wraps the singing in one of the most artfully constructed records of the year. Those drums will blow you away time and time again, and this is auto-tune in the hands of someone who knows how to use it as enhancement not replacement. Watch Video 02 of 100 M.I.A. - "Paper Planes" M.I.A. - "Paper Planes". Courtesy Interscope U.S. pop radio needs songs like this to expand the consciousness of listeners and programmers alike. M.I.A. proves that pop music is truly a world art form. Watch Video 01 of 100 Coldplay - "Viva La Vida" Coldplay - Viva La Vida. Courtesy EMI Coldplay simply get better with each album released, and this is a single for the ages. There is a majesty here that no other band today approaches. Watch Video Continue Reading