These are the ten songs in the Songfacts database released in 2009 which have been viewed the most over the past year. Some of the songs on the list were technically released in 2008 but if they received the majority of their airplay in 2009, they are deemed eligible for this list. Clicking the title will take you to the Songfacts.
10. Just Dance by Lady GaGa This was the song that introduced us to the extraordinary world of Lady Gaga. The New York dance/pop star told us to "just dance" and we certainly did. As this club anthem was Lady Gaga's first release, you wanted to find out more not only about the song, but also where Ms. Stefani Germanotta got her stage name from. (For those of you not in the know, it was the Queen song "Radio Ga Ga").
9.You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift To say Taylor Swift had a remarkable 12 months is a massive under statement. She had the top selling album of the year and became the youngest woman to win the Country Music Association's entertainer of the year award. Most notably she had "You Belong With Me" placed #9 on The Songfacts Top 10 of 2009, which could be troubling Kanye West as he's nowhere to be seen on the list. This country-pop number was the teenage singer-songwriter's most successful song to date, peaking at #2 on the Billboard 100 and staying for nearly for half the year on the chart.
8. Gives You Hell by All American Rejects This was the most successful song to date for pop punkers, The All-American Rejects, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. A lot of you really identified with the tongue-in-cheek lyrics and you wanted to know who the song was directed to and to find out more about the warring neighbours video.
7. Fireflies by Owl City The surprise #1 of 2009, this song seemed to come from nowhere to top the Billboard Hot 100. We told you the totally useless fact that it was the first chart-topper with an animal in its title by an artist with an animal in his/her's name since the Chipmunks' "The Chipmunk Song" in 1958. You loved the way lyrically this number by Minnesota native Adam Young, a.k.a. Owl City, made you think and you also appreciated the way it was sonically crafted.
6. Paparazzi by Lady Gaga This treatise on the nature of fame is the second entry on the list for the headline-grabbing fashionista from New York. Many of you have been going gaga over this Lady and "Paparazzi" is the second by her on this list. Interestingly the country with the third most visitors to this song's Songfacts page after the Americans and the Brits were the residents of the island city state of Singapore. "Sing-a-more Gaga" was their cry-actually it wasn't, that was just our weak idea for a pun but you get the drift.
5. USe Somebody by Kings of Leon Already popular in the UK and several other countries, 2009 was the year when Kings of Leon broke through into the rock premier league in their homeland. It was the success of "Use Somebody" and "Sex on Fire," which catapulted the three Followill brothers and their cousin into the mainstream. The latter song was released in 2008 and is therefore not eligible for this survey, but this power ballad about longing for someone to hold close clearly captured your imagination in a big way.
4. Sissy's Song by Alan Jackson Alan Jackson This is the surprise entry on our list. In fact folks outside of America might be wondering- who the heck is Alan Jackson and how did this guy that I've never heard of get on the Songfacts Top 10 of 2009? Well, for the uninitiated, this country song was written for the funeral of the Jackson family's housekeeper and it evidently grabbed your interest in a big way, as many of you tried to find out more about the story behind Sissy. Also people who had lost loved ones were deeply moved by the song's lyrical content and it is thus surprising that it was not a greater commercial success and only reached #61 on the Hot 100.
3. You Found Me by The Fray This was the first single from piano-rock band The Fray's second album and their third Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hit. Many of you wanted to find out what prompted frontman Isaac Slade to pen this tune about the let downs that come with life and asking God the question "why"? This is an educated guess, but from what we can ascertain, more people googled for the meaning of "You Found Me" than any other song released in 2009. We do know that a fair percentage ended up on Songfacts- we hope you found what you were looking for.
2. 21 Guns by Green Day 21 Guns by Green Day 21st Century Breakdown was to many the most awaited album of 2009 so it was of no surprise that the most successful single from the set generated so much interest. Were we to do Songfacts Top Hundred of 2009 the Berkeley-bred punk/pop trio would have had several more songs on the list. A number of you noted this 'cell-phones-in-the-air anthem's' chorus was similar to those of Mott The Hoople's "All the Young Dudes" and ELO's "Telephone Line" but that didn't prevent it being nominated for Grammies for Best Rock Performance by a Duo/Group with Vocals and Best Rock Song.
1. Poker Face by Lady Gaga "Just Dance" may have introduced Lady Gaga to the world, however "Poker Face" took her into the stratosphere. It is therefore of no surprise that this tune comes top of The Songfacts Top Ten of 2009. On the face of it Pah-Pah-Pah "Poker Face"was just a catchy tune with an addictive hook, but as you dug deeper into the lyrics you wanted to find out more. Was it merely comparing playing with guys to playing poker or did it have another meaning with hints of bisexuality? Whatever your views are, it cannot be denied that Gaga played a crafty hand with this song.
Ed Pearce, who wrote this piece, is an author and film extra (credits include The Dark Knight, Garfield 2, Sherlock Holmes and Nowhere Boy). Ed has always been interested in collecting trivia and has been contributing to Songfacts for several years. In 2004 he had his first book published, a lighthearted blend of cookery, history, trivia and humor, Food for Thought: Extraordinary Little Chronicles of the World.
"Lady GaGa" is vastly over-rated. There is no love in her songs ... there is no gift for song-writing ... there is a calculated pandering to sick sexual fantasy. "Ga Ga" says it all.
John from Sydney
And again, I will listen to most music. Lady GaGa... well let's just say that... no, never will she become a "classic," a lot of this radio station I listen to(102.1 "The River") will play Lady GaGa and just marvel at how great she is. People have no taste in music anymore. It Makes me sick, it really does. No Originality anymore, even from the bands I like. And when people run out of ideas, they just do covers. Some sound better than the original. Others-- not so much. But people have no mind for themselves anymore. Just go out and look at the cars in the street. Toyota Yaris looks like Ford Focus. No, I will not bash anybody, but when was the last time you heard a really great song from before 2006? I mean a popular song, like say, "Feel Good Inc." They even featured it in Guitar Hero! Now it's stuff like that which makes me sad... And yes "Feel Good Inc." is from 2004 but just think for a minute will you?
J.C. from WVA
Everyone's missing the point, Music/song is translation of emotions, so if you don't have them emotion, even the ones you like will not be appropriated all given time, leave alone the emotion of bubbling young generation that are high in hormonal drifts. I like these song from their point of perspective. I'm 50 this year with a range of music genre that is criticized by all generations but admired by the same when it comes to their music. I love to listen them all no mater what others think.
Manoj K. Lal from Kuwait
Granted the all-syths music and the auto-tuned voice can distract, but GaGa has a lot more substance in her music than a lot of pure dance music. There is lyrical deoth to her music. An' I'm an old MF! But I do love some quality in my pop music.
fredthepig from North Cackalacky
The test of time. In 20 years, will artists pay homage to Lady GaGa, Green Day, etc. as they do with the greats (you fill in the blank here)? I think NOT. POP does not equal talent. It's simply short for POPular at the time.
Jaime from San Antonio
Here's a Lady Ga Ga hater with a preferred taste for music that isn't rap or scream-o. I think that most music today is just a bunch of people off the streets jumping around stage to background music or screaming at the top of their lungs, OR just repeating catchy lyrics while hiding behind fake music, whether they can sing or not, as i feel Lady Ga Ga does. Maybe she can sing, but from what I've ever heard it's all just synthesized voice. I could be wrong. Hell, it's just my opinion, and i feel i should stick up for it. I also feel that if anybody feels strongly against my opinion they should stick up for theirs. After all, that's what these comment areas are for. Enjoy the discussion everyone, i won't see more of it.
Whomever from Here
I'm not a lady gaga hater or whatever but I just don't think she is very genuine. All her music is is synthesized pop music. I think she got way to popular way too fast. It makes me feel bad for all the bands and artists that work hard to put out quality music and then can't top the charts because of lady gaga's mediocre music. But that's just my opinion.
Cassie from Australia
Well some rock is not all that bad man. I mean look at the 90s Creed. "Higher" and "One Last Breath" topped the BILLBOARD Top 100 for a couple of weeks. If you listen to music people have different tastes. I'll listen to all types of music except some classical. But the one thing that bothers me: Why do artist repeat ideas anymore? Compare Creed's "Overcome" which was 2009, and Lady Gagas "Disco Stick" song(also 2009). You will see a LOT of differences, but a lot of similarities too. I still think that people have no original minds anymore...... Look at Cobra Starship....
J.C. from WVA
Chuck from NY: Yes, I do have a brain and no, it's not filled with bubble gum, thank you. I enjoy researching my favorite songs from different genres and eras just like everyone else who comes to this site. All music has a meaning for someone, somewhere. Please respect that.
Sarah from CA
Green day totally deserves #2 for 21 guns they work really hard !! <3
John from Sydney
J.C. from WVA
Manoj K. Lal from Kuwait
fredthepig from North Cackalacky
Jaime from San Antonio
Whomever from Here
Cassie from Australia
J.C. from WVA
Sarah from CA
Cassie from Australia