The year? 2009. As high schoolers, I’m sure it’s a little bit harder to imagine yourself around eight or four years old, stumbling around and listening to the bops of those days. So many amazing songs were released in 2009 that many people listened to growing up. Believe it or not, these songs are turning 10 years old in 2019. I loved listening to these songs and 10 years later, I still find myself dancing to them. For many artists, these were some of their first-ever singles that made them superstars. Let’s take a look at some of the most iconic songs of 2009 and the impact they made on the music industry.
“Boom Boom Pow” by The Black Eyed Peas
“Boom Boom Pow” was the first single released off of The Black Eyed Peas fifth album “The E.N.D.” The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, making it the group’s first U.S. No. 1 single. Besides reaching the top spot in the U.S., it also topped the Australian, Canadian, and UK singles chart. “Boom Boom Pow” has sold over six million copies and was ranked the No. 1 song on the Billboard Year-End Chart in 2009. As of January 2019, the music video has over 323 million views on Youtube.
“Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga
“Bad Romance” was released Oct. 26, 2009, from Lady Gaga’s second album “The Fame Monster.” The song received praise, critics calling it the main highlight of the album. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has sold 5.8 million digital downloads as of Feb. 2018, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song spent seven consecutive weeks at its peak on the Billboard Hot 100. Kesha’s “Tik Tok” held the No. 1 spot at the time on the Billboard Hot 100, preventing “Bad Romance” from reaching No. 1. “Bad Romance” topped the charts in more than 20 countries and has sold 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling singles of all time.
“Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus
“Party in the U.S.A.” was released Aug. 11, 2009, from Miley Cyrus’ EP “The Time of Our Lives.” The song was originally written for Jessie J, but her record label thought that the lyrics weren’t “edgy” enough, so it was given to Cyrus. The song was originally going to be about a girl coming from London to America, since that is where Jessie J is originally from, but some of the lyrics changed to fit Cyrus because she is American. “Party in the U.S.A.” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the seventh best-selling digital single in 2009. As of Dec. 2017, the song has sold seven million copies, according to the RIAA.
“I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas
“I Gotta Feeling” was the second single released off of The Black Eyed Peas album “The E.N.D.” The song was released June 23, 2009, and debuted at No. 2 on the Canadian and Billboard Hot 100, behind the group’s own “Boom Boom Pow.” Later, “I Gotta Feeling” went on to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts along with twenty other charts worldwide. The song spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, making it the No. 1 single in 2009.
“Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga
Released on July 6, 2009, “Paparazzi” was the fifth and final single off Lady Gaga’s debut album “The Fame.” Gaga co-produced and wrote the song alongside Rob Fusari. While writing the song, she wanted to show the struggles of being in the spotlight while also trying to manage love and success at the same time. Paparazzi was critically acclaimed for its “fun-filled” and club-friendly nature when it was first released. The song reached the top ten charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the U.S., and topped the charts in the Czech Republic and Germany.
“Fireflies” by Owl City
“Fireflies” was released July 14, 2009, as the lead single from Owl City’s debut album “Ocean Eyes.” According to the producer, Adam Young, the song was described as “a little song about bugs and not being able to fall asleep”. Fireflies reached the top of the Hot 100 after its 10th week and stayed at the top for two non-consecutive weeks. As of January 2019, the music video for “Fireflies” has over 300 million views.
“Tik Tok” by Kesha
“Tik Tok” was the debut single from singer Kesha’s first album “Animal,” released Aug. 7, 2009. The song has been compared to works from Lady Gaga, Uffie and Fergie. “Tik Tok” received commercial success and topped the charts in 11 different countries. In the U.S., it broke the record for the biggest single-week debut of all time for a female artist, selling 610,000 digital downloads its very first week. To this day, the song has sold 6.8 million copies in the U.S. and even topped the Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks. Even the following year, the song managed to sell 12.8 million copies. “Tik Tok” has now sold over 16 million copies worldwide, making it the fifth best-selling single in digital history. On the Billboard Hot 100 of All-Time chart, the song has been listed at No. 61.
“You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift
“You Belong With Me” was recorded by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and was released April 18, 2009. The song was the third single off of Swift’s second album, “Fearless.” It became a smash hit in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S. At the time, the song became Swift’s highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 and was her third best-selling single. It is one of the best-selling singles worldwide, and the music video has over 900 million views on Youtube as of Dec. 2018. Not to mention, the song is the most viewed country music video of all time.
“Down” by Jay Sean
“Down” was released as the lead single off of Jay Sean’s debut album “All or Nothing.” The single features rapper and label mate Lil Wayne. “Down” was the seventh best-selling single in 2009 and has been certified platinum in several countries including the U.S. The single went on to sell six million copies in the U.S. its first year alone and received heavy airplay worldwide. “Down” officially topped the Billboard Hot 100 on Oct. 17, 2009, knocking the Black Eyed Peas off of the top of the after their 26-week reign. The music video for “Down” has more than 225 million views as of January 2019.
Even 10 years later, many of these songs released in 2009 are still being played on the radio and are being listened to by so many people, including myself. Many artists such as Taylor Swift, Kesha, and Lady Gaga have gone on to become some of the biggest artists of all time. These singles really helped their careers to new heights. 2009 was an amazing year for song that helped shape music to what it is today.
