For this updated rundown of the best pop songs of all time, we’ve recalibrated the canon and focused solely on 21st-century hits. Yes, really: the 10 songs on this list were all released between 2000 and 2021. We’ve excluded straight-up rock, alternative (whatever that means), and hip-hop bangers and focused instead on radio-friendly popular songs that even the stodgiest music snob will sing along if nobody’s looking.
These are the buzzy, zeitgeisty songs that no millennial or Gen Z music fan can get enough of; each one proudly carries on the pop tradition laid out by Motown, MJ and Madge. And once they reach a certain age, they’ll fit snugly on a “best songs of all time” playlist alongside the likes of The Beatles and The Supremes. These are the 21st-century pop songs that stand tall among the greatest of all time.
1. “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” by Beyoncé
Sure, we could have picked “Crazy in Love” instead, but there’s something even more transcendent about Queen Bey’s ode to flying solo. The super-sleek beats and catchy vocal hooks combine to create such an instant classic that even Liza Minnelli has covered it. And pretty well, too.
2. “Umbrella” by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
Recently minted billionaire Rihanna has become part of pop’s DNA over the past two decades thanks to her singular persona and the strength of her powerful voice. Choosing one Rihanna song for the pop hall of fame is a fool’s errand, but if we HAD to choose, the safe choice is the best. “Umbrella” not only introduced the world at large to one of pop’s biggest stars, but it also ushered in a pop-culture dynasty, with fellow mogul Jay-Z on board to co-sign.
3. “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift
The “1989” album marked a clean break from Swift’s country roots, with the singer emerging as a pop diva for the ages on the strength of a front-to-back record of bangers. This lead-off single had former haters shaking their heads over their unexpected conversion into T-Swift fandom. Even if you rolled your eyes at her awkward dancing in the video, you were involuntarily grooving in your desk chair. Swift would continue morphing her image in the wake of its success, but this is the singer at her most purely joyous.
4. “Toxic” by Britney Spears
On this iconic 2003 single, Britney transforms into a stealthy femme fatale, her voice soaring and dipping over a unique synth-string arrangement that wouldn’t seem out of place in a Hitchcock film. Even now, nearly two decades later, it’s a disorienting stunner of a pop masterpiece.
5. “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
The London diva exploded to international fame with this stunning tune, released when she was just 21 years old — though her voice carries the expertise of a woman decades older. High-reaching vocals, a bone-chilling opening note and the ever-relatable subject matter of tarnished love scored Adele two Grammy Awards as fans around the world cried to the breakup anthem.
6. “Firework” by Katy Perry
Part dance floor anthem, part inspirational power song, “Firework” was Katy Perry’s third release from 2010’s “Teenage Dream” album and a huge elevation point in her career. It won MTV’s 2011 VMA for Video of the Year and earned two Grammy nominations.
7. “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
The Weeknd has been a pop heavyweight since 2015. But the Canadian superstar took things to another level with “Blinding Lights”, a synth-driven monster that somehow managed to brighten up the summer of COVID, blasting out of cars everywhere as people escaped their bubbles. More than a year later, its power has only grown.
8. ‘Dancing on My Own’ by Robyn
Perhaps the most electrifying breakup anthem ever, “Dancing on My Own” is an undisputed modern masterpiece. Even if you’ve played it a bazillion times, Robyn’s synth-driven tune will instantly lift your mood. It’s a welcome reminder that however bad things get, you’ll always find joy on the dance floor.
9. “Hey Ya!” by Outkast
Outkast ATLien André 3000 took a break from changing the rap game for this unexpectedly sunny ’60s throwback that sees the superstar hit pause as an emcee to play bandleader. In a discography of unexpected twists and turns, it was a move nobody could have seen coming from the “Ms. Jackson” legend. Truly cooler than a polar bear’s toenails.
10. “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean
Topping her global breakthrough hit “Whenever, Wherever” was always going to be a tall order, but Shakira managed it in 2005 with this colossal reggaeton bop. More than 15 years later, “Hips Don’t Lie” still gets everyone on the dance floor, though not everyone manages to echo Wyclef’s “Shakira, Shakira” shoutout quite on the beat.
