161 Best Songs Of All Time
Contents
Travis Scott – SICKO MODE ft. Drake
Since the start of his professional career as a rapper, Travis Scott was on an upward trajectory. Working out a publishing deal with Kanye West’s team has done quite a bit to get Scott into the limelight.
It wasn’t until around 2019 that Travis Scott became highly esteemed with the release of his 3rd album. The song that put Travis Scott at the top was SICKO MODE, which featured the pop icon, Drake.
Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, P!nk – Lady Marmalade
Lady Marmalade is a track that has had numerous releases throughout the years. Because of its suggestive nature, almost every version has turned out to be massively successful.
The early 2000s saw some of pop music’s hottest stars teaming up to reinvent the track in a modern way. Needless to say, it was an instant success, partially aided by its feature in the film, Moulin Rouge!
Lily Allen – Smile
It’s hard to understate the importance that Myspace had for music artists during the height of its platform. While it seems that mostly emo groups benefitted from this, pop stars were not exempt by any means.
In fact, Myspace is exactly how Lily Allen was discovered, which quickly snowballed into a massive success. This attention made her debut single, Smile, one of the best-performing tracks of 2006.
Dionne Warwick – Walk On By
Younger generations may not know this, but Dionne Warwick was one of the greatest singers of the 20th century. This soul singer’s family definitely has musical roots as Warwick has relatives including Whitney Houston and Dee Dee Warwick.
Dionne has had a few smash hits throughout her long career, with Walk On By being the most famous. The song has been covered countless times by numerous artists including Isaac Hayes, Cyndi Lauper, and the Average White Band.
Childish Gambino – This Is America
Make no mistake about it, the social climate of the last 10 years has been relatively restless. You only needed to turn the TV on for a few minutes throughout 2020 to ascertain this assumption.
But, in 2018, Childish Gambino highlighted many of the current problems that still exist today in 2023. This Is America was a gigantic hit and it’s a track that will likely continue to be all too relevant.
Kaoma – Lambada
Were you somebody that frequented dance clubs toward the end of the 1980s? If so, you probably cut the rug to Kaoma’s international hit, Lambada.
Kaoma might be a French group, but Lamabada sounds like anything but the sounds commonly associated with France. The track fuses a Latin groove with hints of zydeco in a combination that is quite infectious.
Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah
Another song that really benefited from Myspace is Hey There Delilah, by the Plain White T’s. 2006 was a time when emo bands reigned supreme, especially in instances of stripped-down acoustic nature.
Just about every young guitar player in high school learned how to play Hey There Delilah. This was a necessity if you had hoped to impress the person of your fancy.
Mungo Jerry – In The Summertime
Can a one-hit-wonder be considered one of the best songs of all time? The answer is, absolutely, especially in the case of Mungo Jerry’s In The Summertime.
This upbeat banger has become somewhat of a tradition for people to listen to as summer rolls along. The track embodies the good feelings that the warmer weather often brings with it.
Wu-Tang Clan – C.R.E.A.M.
There have been many successful rap groups throughout the years, but none as ubiquitous as Wu-Tang Clan. The group is best known for including samples from old martial arts movies in their songs.
Their debut album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), is widely considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time. Many of the tracks are bonafide classics, including their hit single, C.R.E.A.M.
J Hus – Did You See
English rappers often do not get the same amount of visibility as their American counterparts. But that doesn’t mean that rap is not currently alive and thriving across the pond.
J Hus proved this to be a reality when he released his debut album, Common Sense, back in 2017. His track, Did You See, ended up becoming one of the biggest hits of the year in the UK.
Nickelback – How You Remind Me
Nickelback gets quite a bit of hate today for the formulaic sound that many of their songs are built from. But the reality is that it is this formula that has made them the greatest band Canada has ever produced.
In 2001, Nickelback released their track, How You Remind Me, quickly becoming a radio hit. From then on, Nickelback would be a staple in mainstream channels for over 2 decades.
Usher – Yeah!
If you watched MTV in the 1990s, you probably remember Usher’s rise to prominence and success. Some of his tracks became the hits of summer throughout the late 1990s.
However, when 2004 came along, Usher rose to even greater heights with his album, Confessions. The track, Yeah!, found its way to every DJ’s playlist, and is a frequent track at weddings and school dances.
Rick Ross – Hustlin’
You know that you have some magical talent when 2 of the biggest record labels in rap broker a deal. Rick Ross had this very thing happen, and funnily enough, he didn’t even sign with either of those labels.
But, this attention definitely trickled out and created a serious buzz about what Rick Ross was about to release. Rick Ross went to bed and woke up famous after he finally released his debut track, Hustlin’.
