Buzz
Each summer, a song emerges that dominates the airwaves, streaming platforms, and captures the hearts of listeners everywhere. To honor this tradition, the Billboard Hot 100 has been ranking the season’s biggest hits since 1958. Over the years, tracks like 'Old Town Road' have stayed at No. 1 for a remarkable 19 weeks. Here are the iconic summer hits from the last 25 years.
1. 'I’ll Be Missing You' by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 // 1997
Sean Combs (also known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, and Diddy at different points in his career) started his music production journey in the early '90s but didn’t release his own tracks until 1997. 'I’ll Be Missing You' became his second single and a heartfelt tribute to The Notorious B.I.G., quickly climbing to the top of the charts in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Austria, Denmark, and Germany.
2. 'The Boy is Mine' by Brandy and Monica // 1998
'The Boy is Mine' featured on both Brandy and Monica's second studio albums in 1998. It was met with widespread acclaim and spent an impressive 13 weeks on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Although listeners believed the song was about a rivalry over a man between the two singers, this was not the case—though Monica later admitted that the track sparked a division among their fans.
3. 'Genie in a Bottle' by Christina Aguilera // 1999
'Genie in a Bottle'—originally titled 'If You Wanna Be With Me'—was featured on Christina Aguilera's debut album in 1999. It marked the singer’s breakthrough hit, dominating the charts for five weeks at No. 1.
4. 'Bent' by Matchbox Twenty // 2000
Matchbox Twenty's greatest hit came when they released 'Bent' in 2000. Rob Thomas reportedly called it his first love song.
5. 'U Remind Me' by Usher // 2001
This catchy track dominated charts worldwide and earned Usher his first Grammy Award.
6. 'Hot in Herre' by Nelly // 2002
'Hot in Herre' was the lead single from Nelly's second album, Nellyville. It quickly reached the top of the charts, holding the No. 1 spot for seven weeks. The song has since been adopted by activists as an anthem for climate change.
7. 'Crazy in Love' by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z // 2003
Beyoncé had already made her mark as a member of Destiny's Child before launching her solo career. 'Crazy in Love' was her debut single as a solo artist, and it became the first No. 1 hit on Billboard's newly introduced Hot Dance Airplay Chart in 2003.
8. 'Confessions Part II' by Usher // 2004
'Confessions Part II' was released on Usher's fourth studio album. The song tells the story of a man who confesses to impregnating his mistress and serves as a continuation of 'Confessions Part I,' which details a man's affair. Despite mixed reviews from critics, it dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks.
9. 'We Belong Together' by Mariah Carey // 2005
Between 2001 and 2004, Mariah Carey’s fans feared she might be stepping away from music. However, 'We Belong Together' quickly emerged as her comeback anthem. It was featured on her 10th album, The Emancipation of Mimi.
10. 'Promiscuous' by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland // 2006
'Promiscuous' debuted on MTV in May 2006. The track spent 21 days in the countdown before ultimately reaching the No. 1 position. Nelly Furtado described the song as a 'verbal Ping-Pong game,' signaling a new era for her with the release of her third album.
11. 'Umbrella' by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z // 2007
'Umbrella' was released in March 2007 and became an instant sensation. The song quickly climbed the charts, hitting No. 1 on June 9. Interestingly, the song could have sounded very different—it was first offered to Britney Spears, then to Mary J. Blige, before being taken on by Rihanna.
12. 'I Kissed a Girl' by Katy Perry // 2008
'I Kissed a Girl' was Katy Perry's debut single from her second studio album. Perry later revealed that Marvel star Scarlett Johansson inspired the hit. The song marked her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100; today, she has achieved nine top 10 hits.
13. 'I Gotta Feeling' by The Black Eyed Peas // 2009
'I Gotta Feeling' held the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for 14 straight weeks. It was the longest-running No. 1 of 2009 and also won a Grammy. The track even inspired the famous 'Werewolf Bar Mitzvah' sketch on 30 Rock.
14. 'California Gurls' by Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg // 2010
'California Gurls' hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 19, 2010, marking Perry’s second chart-topping hit. She wrote the track as a response to the New York-centric anthem 'Empire State of Mind.'
15. 'Party Rock Anthem' by LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock // 2011
'Party Rock Anthem' ascended to No. 1 in the summer of 2011, topping charts in countries such as Australia, the U.S., the U.K., Denmark, Canada, and Brazil. The song's 'shuffling' refers to a popular Australian dance move.
16. 'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepsen // 2012
'Call Me Maybe' became the best-selling digital single of 2012 and now ranks as the seventh-best-selling digital single in history. Within months of release, its YouTube video amassed over 108 million views.
17. 'Blurred Lines' by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell // 2013
'Blurred Lines' was released in the summer of 2013 and, despite its controversy, became a massive hit. The song reached No. 1 in over 25 countries. However, Marvin Gaye was displeased with its success and even sued the artists, accusing them of copyright infringement over his song 'Got to Give It Up.'
18. 'Fancy' by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX // 2014
'Fancy' marked Iggy Azalea’s first No. 1 hit, with the song holding the top spot for several weeks. The music video paid tribute to the 1995 classic 'Clueless.'
19. 'Cheerleader' by OMI // 2015
'Cheerleader' marked Omi's breakthrough single. The Jamaican artist's debut track dominated the charts for over a month and was featured in 20 countries.
20. 'One Dance' by Drake featuring WizKid and Kyla // 2016
'One Dance' became an undeniable success, reigning at No. 1 for eight weeks. It remains Drake's most iconic song. Surprisingly, Drake never released an official music video for it.
21. 'Despacito (Remix)' by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber // 2017
'Despacito' was originally recorded in 2016, and its remix with Justin Bieber dropped a year later. The song spent an impressive 16 weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. charts.
22. 'In My Feelings' by Drake // 2018
'In My Feelings' racked up over 116 million streams in just one week [PDF]. Despite its immense popularity, it still lives in the shadow of 'One Dance.'
23. 'Old Town Road' by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus // 2019
24. 'Rockstar' by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch // 2020
'Rockstar' marked DaBaby's first time topping the charts. It stayed at No. 1 for eight weeks, only to be dethroned by Ed Sheeran.
25. 'Butter' by BTS // 2021
BTS, the South Korean boy band that has taken the world by storm, released their 2021 summer anthem, 'Butter,' which swiftly surpassed Olivia Rodrigo’s 'Good 4 U' to claim the top spot. The pandemic played a key role in its creation: 'We never actually expected that we were going to release another single, but the virus is getting longer and longer, so we thought we need another summer song,' explained band member RM.
Bonus: 2022 Contenders
The title of the top song of the summer is awarded after the warm months have passed, and it’s still too early to predict who will take the crown in 2022. However, so far, 'As It Was' by Harry Styles has held the No. 1 position the longest. Other strong contenders include Jack Harlow’s 'First Class,' Future’s 'Wait for U,' and Lizzo’s 'About Damn Time.'
