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2009 Music Hits: Top Songs, Radio Favorites, and Pop Classics

2009 music was a loud, glossy mix of dance-pop, electropop, hip-hop, pop-rock, country crossover, TV soundtrack moments, and internet-friendly novelty hits. The Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Jay Sean, Pitbull, Owl City, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West, and Katy Perry helped define a year when radio and digital downloads were still king, but YouTube and social media were already changing how songs spread.

This PopCultureMadness guide starts with the Top 10 songs of 2009, then groups more 2009 music hits by style so you can browse the year by sound, mood, and memory. It was the year Lady Gaga became unavoidable, the Black Eyed Peas turned pop into a robot dance party, and Glee helped make show-choir covers suddenly seem like chart business.

Quick Answer: What Music Was Popular in 2009?

Popular music in 2009 included dance-pop, electropop, hip-hop, R&B, pop-rock, country-pop, alternative rock, and TV soundtrack songs. Songs like I Gotta Feeling, Just Dance, Party in the U.S.A., Boom Boom Pow, Poker Face, You Belong with Me, and Bad Romance helped define 2009 music.

Top 10 Songs of 2009

  1. I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
  2. Just Dance – Lady Gaga
  3. Party in the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
  4. Boom Boom Pow – The Black Eyed Peas
  5. Poker Face – Lady Gaga
  6. You Belong with Me – Taylor Swift
  7. Fire Burning – Sean Kingston
  8. My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson
  9. Love Story – Taylor Swift
  10. Good Girls Go Bad – Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester

More 2009 Music Hits by Style

Beyond the Top 10, 2009 music gets more useful when grouped by style. The year had massive club-pop records, dramatic pop ballads, hip-hop crossovers, country hits, Disney and TV-linked songs, alt-rock singles, and early internet comedy music that felt tailor-made for repeat clicks.

2009 Pop, Dance-Pop, and Big Radio Hits

Pop music in 2009 was bright, theatrical, and increasingly electronic. Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, and Beyoncé helped make the year sound bold and highly repeatable. This was pop with giant hooks, shiny production, and enough Auto-Tune sparkle to be visible from space.

I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
Just Dance – Lady Gaga
Party in the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
Boom Boom Pow – The Black Eyed Peas
Poker Face – Lady Gaga
You Belong with Me – Taylor Swift
My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson
Love Story – Taylor Swift
Good Girls Go Bad – Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester
Bad Romance – Lady Gaga
3 – Britney Spears
Paparazzi – Lady Gaga
LoveGame – Lady Gaga
If U Seek Amy – Britney Spears
Thinking of You – Katy Perry
Waking Up in Vegas – Katy Perry
Favorite Girl – Justin Bieber
One Less Lonely Girl – Justin Bieber
Meet Me Halfway – The Black Eyed Peas
Halo – Beyoncé
Radar – Britney Spears
Battlefield – Jordin Sparks
She Wolf – Shakira

2009 Dance, Club, and Electropop Hits

Dance music was a major part of 2009’s sound. The Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, David Guetta, Pitbull, Cascada, LMFAO, Flo Rida, and The Pussycat Dolls helped push club beats into mainstream pop. The year did not merely invite people to dance; it practically filed the paperwork for mandatory movement.

I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
Boom Boom Pow – The Black Eyed Peas
Just Dance – Lady Gaga
Poker Face – Lady Gaga
Fire Burning – Sean Kingston
I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) – Pitbull
When Love Takes Over – David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland
Evacuate the Dancefloor – Cascada
Day ‘n’ Nite – Kid Cudi
Sugar – Flo Rida featuring Wynter
Hush Hush; Hush Hush – The Pussycat Dolls featuring Nicole Scherzinger
Don’t Trust Me – 3OH!3
I’m in Miami Trick – LMFAO
If We Ever Meet Again – Timbaland featuring Katy Perry

2009 Hip-Hop, Rap, and Pop-Rap Favorites

Hip-hop and pop-rap had a strong 2009, often blending into dance-pop and R&B. Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, T.I., Justin Timberlake, Soulja Boy, Kid Cudi, Eminem, Jamie Foxx, T-Pain, Asher Roth, and New Boyz helped shape the year’s crossover sound. Rap was moving through clubs, radio, ringtones, and YouTube, which is about as 2009 as it gets.

Down – Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne
Heartless – Kanye West
Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
Dead and Gone – T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake
Kiss Me Thru the Phone – Soulja Boy Tell’em featuring Sammie
Knock You Down – Keri Hilson, Kanye West & Ne-Yo
Day ‘n’ Nite – Kid Cudi
Sugar – Flo Rida featuring Wynter
I’m on a Boat – The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain
We Made You – Eminem
Blame It – Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain
I Love College – Asher Roth
You’re a Jerk – New Boyz
Young Forever – Jay-Z featuring Mr. Hudson

2009 R&B, Soul-Pop, and Big Vocal Songs

R&B and soul-pop gave 2009 some of its smoothest and most emotional songs. Beyoncé, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Keri Hilson, Jamie Foxx, T-Pain, Jeremih, Jay Sean, and Alicia Keys helped balance the year’s dance-pop flash with vocal drama and slow-burn hooks. This section is where 2009 briefly turned down the strobe lights and let the feelings have a solo.

Birthday Sex – Jeremih
Down – Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne
Chasing Pavements – Adele
Knock You Down – Keri Hilson, Kanye West & Ne-Yo
Love Sex Magic – Ciara featuring Justin Timberlake
I Hate This Part – The Pussycat Dolls
Mad – Ne-Yo
Russian Roulette – Rihanna
Halo – Beyoncé
Blame It – Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain
At Last – Beyoncé

2009 Rock, Alternative, Pop-Rock, and Modern Rock Hits

Rock and alternative music were still strong in 2009, with Linkin Park, Shinedown, Muse, Green Day, Paramore, Cage the Elephant, My Chemical Romance, Bon Jovi, Weezer, The Offspring, and Thirty Seconds to Mars keeping guitars in the year’s mix. The sound ranged from polished pop-rock to heavier modern rock, with plenty of soundtrack energy along the way.

Kids – MGMT
Second Chance – Shinedown
New Divide – Linkin Park
Gives You Hell – The All-American Rejects
Love Drunk – Boys Like Girls
Uprising – Muse
Untouched – The Veronicas
You Found Me – The Fray
Careless Whisper – Seether
Decode – Paramore
We Weren’t Born to Follow – Bon Jovi
Not Meant to Be – Theory of a Deadman
Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked – Cage the Elephant
Desolation Row – My Chemical Romance
21 Guns – Green Day
This Is War – Thirty Seconds to Mars
Her Diamonds – Rob Thomas
(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To – Weezer
You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid – The Offspring
Kings and Queens – Thirty Seconds to Mars
You’re Going Down – Sick Puppies

2009 Country and Country-Pop Hits

Country and country-pop had a strong place in 2009, with Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Jessie James bringing Nashville-friendly songs into wider pop culture. Taylor Swift was especially important here, bridging country storytelling and pop appeal before fully stepping into pop stardom. Nashville had hooks, heartbreak, and boots firmly planted in the mainstream.

You Belong with Me – Taylor Swift
Love Story – Taylor Swift
Toes – Zac Brown Band
Cowboy Casanova – Carrie Underwood
Sweet Thing – Keith Urban
Wanted – Jessie James

2009 TV, Movie, Disney, and Pop Culture Favorites

TV, movies, and Disney-adjacent pop had a big 2009 moment. Glee turned Don’t Stop Believin’ into a renewed chart presence, Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana remained part of the pop culture conversation, and New Divide connected Linkin Park to the blockbuster soundtrack lane. This was the part of 2009 where music, television, and fandom kept bumping into each other in the hallway.

Don’t Stop Believin’ – Glee Cast
The Climb – Miley Cyrus
Hoedown Throwdown – Hannah Montana
Ice Cream Freeze (Let’s Chill) – Hannah Montana
New Divide – Linkin Park
Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) – A.R. Rahman & The Pussycat Dolls
I Dreamed a Dream – Susan Boyle

2009 Viral Hits, Comedy Songs, and Internet Favorites

Internet-friendly music was becoming harder to ignore in 2009. The Lonely Island made comedy songs feel like real chart events, I’m on a Boat became a pop culture catchphrase, and dance-pop tracks spread easily through video platforms and social sharing. The internet was not fully driving music yet, but it had definitely stolen a set of keys.

I’m on a Boat – The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain
I’m in Miami Trick – LMFAO
Hoedown Throwdown – Hannah Montana
That’s Not My Name – The Ting Tings
You’re a Jerk – New Boyz
Ice Cream Freeze (Let’s Chill) – Hannah Montana

How PopCultureMadness Looks at 2009 Music

PopCultureMadness looks at 2009 music through chart activity, radio presence, downloads, YouTube impact, TV and movie connections, cultural memory, and long-term trivia value. Some songs were official chart giants, some were TV-driven revivals, some were internet jokes, and some captured the exact moment when pop music was turning louder, shinier, and more connected to online culture.

PCM’s 2009 Top 100 Music Hits Chart

  1. I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas
  2. Just Dance – Lady Gaga
  3. Party in the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus
  4. Boom Boom Pow – The Black Eyed Peas
  5. Poker Face – Lady Gaga
  6. You Belong with Me – Taylor Swift
  7. Fire Burning – Sean Kingston
  8. My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson
  9. Love Story – Taylor Swift
  10. Good Girls Go Bad – Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester
  11. Bad Romance – Lady Gaga
  12. Down – Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne
  13. 3 – Britney Spears
  14. I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) – Pitbull
  15. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Glee Cast
  16. Birthday Sex – Jeremih
  17. Paparazzi – Lady Gaga
  18. Fireflies – Owl City
  19. LoveGame – Lady Gaga
  20. When Love Takes Over – David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland
  21. Say Hey (I Love You) – Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring Cherine Anderson
  22. If U Seek Amy – Britney Spears
  23. Kids – MGMT
  24. Heartless – Kanye West
  25. Second Chance – Shinedown
  26. Thinking of You – Katy Perry
  27. Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
  28. Dead and Gone – T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake
  29. Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) – A.R. Rahman & The Pussycat Dolls
  30. Chasing Pavements – Adele
  31. Kiss Me Thru the Phone – Soulja Boy Tell’em featuring Sammie
  32. Evacuate the Dancefloor – Cascada
  33. Waking Up in Vegas – Katy Perry
  34. Favorite Girl – Justin Bieber
  35. One Less Lonely Girl – Justin Bieber
  36. Meet Me Halfway – The Black Eyed Peas
  37. New Divide – Linkin Park
  38. Knock You Down – Keri Hilson, Kanye West & Ne-Yo
  39. Gives You Hell – The All-American Rejects
  40. Love Sex Magic – Ciara featuring Justin Timberlake
  41. I Hate This Part – The Pussycat Dolls
  42. Day ‘n’ Nite – Kid Cudi
  43. Sugar – Flo Rida featuring Wynter
  44. Hush Hush; Hush Hush – The Pussycat Dolls featuring Nicole Scherzinger
  45. Love Drunk – Boys Like Girls
  46. Paranoid – Jonas Brothers
  47. 1, 2, 3, 4 – Plain White T’s
  48. Uprising – Muse
  49. Sober – Pink
  50. Untouched – The Veronicas
  51. Mad – Ne-Yo
  52. The Climb – Miley Cyrus
  53. You Found Me – The Fray
  54. Welcome to the World – Kevin Rudolf featuring Rick Ross
  55. Russian Roulette – Rihanna
  56. Don’t Trust Me – 3OH!3
  57. I’m in Miami Trick – LMFAO
  58. Halo – Beyoncé
  59. Radar – Britney Spears
  60. Careless Whisper – Seether
  61. If We Ever Meet Again – Timbaland featuring Katy Perry
  62. Toes – Zac Brown Band
  63. I’m on a Boat – The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain
  64. We Made You – Eminem
  65. Decode – Paramore
  66. Blame It – Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain
  67. We Weren’t Born to Follow – Bon Jovi
  68. Cowboy Casanova – Carrie Underwood
  69. Sweet Thing – Keith Urban
  70. Not Meant to Be – Theory of a Deadman
  71. Battlefield – Jordin Sparks
  72. She Wolf – Shakira
  73. At Last – Beyoncé
  74. Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked – Cage the Elephant
  75. I Dreamed a Dream – Susan Boyle
  76. Desolation Row – My Chemical Romance
  77. 21 Guns – Green Day
  78. This Is War – Thirty Seconds to Mars
  79. Her Diamonds – Rob Thomas
  80. The Fear – Lily Allen
  81. Goodbye – Kristinia DeBarge
  82. (If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To – Weezer
  83. I Love College – Asher Roth
  84. Wanted – Jessie James
  85. You’re a Jerk – New Boyz
  86. Good Life – OneRepublic
  87. Hoedown Throwdown – Hannah Montana
  88. You & Me – Dave Matthews Band
  89. Young Forever – Jay-Z featuring Mr. Hudson
  90. S.O.S. (Let the Music Play) – Jordin Sparks
  91. You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid – The Offspring
  92. Kings and Queens – Thirty Seconds to Mars
  93. The Wind Blows – The All-American Rejects
  94. F**k You – Lily Allen
  95. You’re Going Down – Sick Puppies
  96. Heaven Can Wait – We the Kings
  97. Hot Mess – Cobra Starship
  98. Show Me What I’m Looking For – Carolina Liar
  99. That’s Not My Name – The Ting Tings
  100. Ice Cream Freeze (Let’s Chill) – Hannah Montana