10 Years, 10 Iconic Songs: Best Hits of Each Year Throughout the 2000s.

    The 2000s, often referred to as the "Noughties" or "The Aughts," were a time of transformation and creative exploits that defined modern music. It was a time when we said goodbye to boyband dominance and welcomed solo pop stars like Britney Spears and Lady Gaga, and when the internet and the iPod transformed the way we listen to music. The decade's soundtrack was incredibly diverse, including the melancholic guitar riffs of post-grunge, the dancefloor-dominating crunk & B beats, and the emotional R&B revival. Get ready to press play to relive the past as we revisit the biggest and most popular songs that truly defined the years 2000 to 2009.

Mariah Carey, singer of the song "We Belong Together" that reached #1 at the end of 2005.

    Based on data from the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End (the best-performing songs throughout the year, not just those that reached number 1), here are the songs that reached #1 at the end of the year for each year from 2000 to 2009.

Year	Year-End #1 Song Titles	Artist	Genre
2000	"Breathe"	Faith Hill	Country Pop
2001	"Hanging by a Moment"	Lifehouse	Alternative Rock/Post-Grunge
2002	"How You Remind Me"	Nickelback	Post-Grunge/Rock
2003	“In Da Club”	50 Cent	Hip-Hop
2004	“Yeah!”	Usher featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris	Crunk & B/R&B
2005	“We Belong Together”	Mariah Carey	R&B/Pop
2006	“Bad Day”	Daniel Powter	Pop Rock
2007	"Irreplaceable"	Beyoncé	R&B/Pop
2008	“Low”	Flo Rida featuring T-Pain	Hip-Hop/Crunk/Dance
2009	“Boom Boom Pow”	The Black Eyed Peas	Dance-Pop/Electro-Hop

Rock Dominance at the Beginning of the Decade (2000-2002)

    The early 2000s showed that guitar-driven music was still very dominant on the American charts. The most popular songs in the early years of this period came from the Alternative Rock and Country Crossover genres, which marked a shift away from pure Pop. Amazing Country Pop songs like Faith Hill's "Breathe" (2000), which is the most prominent example, as well as legendary post-grunge songs like Lifehouse's "Hanging by a Moment" (2001) and Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" (2002). These three songs defined rock radio at the time, and they also showed how emotional and lyrically powerful songs could successfully penetrate the mainstream market.

Lifehouse, an alternative rock band pioneered by lead singer and songwriter Jason Wade. Their hit single "Hanging by a Moment" became the most played radio track of 2001.

The Golden Age of Hip-Hop and R&B (2003-2005 & 2007)

    Right around the middle of the decade, a major shift transformed pop music worldwide, with Hip-Hop and R&B taking over. Following smash hits like 50 Cent's "In Da Club" (2003) and smash hits like Usher's "Yeah!" featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris (2004), Crunk & B reigned supreme on the dance floor. Powerful R&B ballads complemented the explosive energy of these songs. For example, Mariah Carey's vocal masterpiece "We Belong Together" (2005), showcasing her power as the Queen of Pop, marked the biggest comeback in the decade. Meanwhile, Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable" (2007), which combined heartbreak with addictive melodies, became the year's most popular song.

“In da Club” was the first of seven tracks 50 Cent recorded with Dr. Dre in only five days. Originally planned as a D12 song for the 8 Mile soundtrack, then ended up reached #1 at the end of 2003.

Digital Pop and Dance Expansion (2006, 2008-2009)

    Towards the end of the decade, there was a significant shift in popular music towards Dance and Electro-Hop genres, fueled by the development of the digital age and the internet. While 2006 saw the popularity of simple ballads like Daniel Powter's "Bad Day," the following years were dominated by club-oriented music. For example, Flo Rida successfully brought Crunk/Hip-Hop into the Dance realm with his song "Low" (2008), which set records for sales and digital downloads. The culmination of this decade's shift was The Black Eyed Peas. Their works, "Boom Boom Pow" (2009) and "I Gotta Feeling" (one of the most popular songs of that year), definitively introduced pop music to a new era heavy on Auto-Tune and electronic elements, paving the way for the dominance of EDM and Dance-Pop in the following decade.

Black Eyed Peas, an American hip-hop group, with their songs "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling" became the best hits in 2009.

    When viewed from annual hit lists, the 2000s are remembered as a decade that presented a rich and dynamic mix of genres. During this time, genres such as Country, Rock, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Dance competed and collaborated at the top of the charts. The legacy of this era is a very diverse collection of music, ranging from heartfelt sad songs to never-ending party anthems. Although the music industry is always evolving, music from 2000 to 2009 will remain a timeless soundtrack, representing a time when every genre had the opportunity to produce memorable hits. Which hit song from this decade would you most like to hear again? Let's reminisce together!

Written by Amita Ratu Osswald - October 23, 2025

References :

https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/

https://www.gq.com/story/mariah-carey-has-seen-it-all-it-was-such-a-drama

https://www.last.fm/music/Lifehouse

https://genius.com/50-cent-in-da-club-lyrics

https://lessthanjake.fandom.com/wiki/Black_Eyed_Peas