2020-2029: Top 50 Songs of the Decade So Far

Top 50 Songs of the Decade (so far): 2020-2029

These are the top 100 songs from the 2020s according to Dave’s Music Database. Rankings are figured by combining sales figures, chart data, radio airplay, video airplay, streaming figures, awards, and appearances on best-of lists. Check out other “songs of the decade” lists here. Miley Cyrus “Flowers” (2023) Harry Styles “As It Was” (2022) The Kid Laroi with Justin Bieber “Stay” (2021) Dua Lipa with DaBaby “Levitating” (2020) Glass Animals “Heat Waves” (2020) Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License” (2021) Shaboozey “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (2024) The Weeknd with Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears” (2020) Adele “Easy on Me” (2021) Olivia Rodrigo “Good 4 U” (2021) Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson.Paak) “Leave the Door Open” (2021) Alex Warren “Ordinary” (2025) Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP” (2020) Xiao Zhan “Spotlight” (2020) Teddy Swims “Lose Control” (2023) Benson Boone “Beautiful Things” (2024) Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” (2021) 24K Goldn with Iann Dior “Mood” (2020) Kendrick Lamar “Not Like Us” (2024) BTS “Dynamite” (2020) Hozier “Too Sweet” (2024) Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero” (2022) SZA “Kill Bill” (2022) Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits” (2021) Morgan Wallen “Last Night” (2023) Billie Eilish “Birds of a Feather” (2024) Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow “Industry Baby” (2021) Lizzo “About Damn Time” (2022) Noah Kahan “Stick Season” (2022) Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars “Die with a Smile” (2024) Sabrina Carpenter “Espresso” (2024) Chappell Roan “Good Luck, Babe!” (2024) Post Malone & Morgan Wallen “I Had Some Help” (2024) Justin Bieber with Daniel Caesar & Giveon “Peaches” (2021) BTS “Butter” (2021) DaBaby with Roddy Ricch “Rockstar” (2020) SZA “Snooze” (2022) Huntr/x “Golden” (2025) Olivia Rodrigo “Vampire” (2023) Steve Lacy “Bad Habit” (2022) Billie Eilish “What Was I Made For?” (2023) Sam Smith & Kim Petras “Unholy” (2022) Beyoncé “Texas Hold ‘Em” (2024) Zach Bryan with Kacey Musgraves “I Remember Everything” (2023) Rema with Selena Gomez “Calm Down” (2022) Megan Thee Stallion with Beyoncé “Savage” (remix) (2020) Jack Harlow “First Class” (2022) Kendrick Lamar & SZA “Luther” (2024) Jawsh 685 with Jason Derulo “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” (2020) Encanto Cast “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (2021) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “‘Songs of the Decade’ lists” Dave’s Music Database: “‘Albums of the Decade’ lists” First posted 10/12/2024; last updated 1/21/2026.

Billboard - Songs of the Year (1958-2024)

Billboard: Songs of the Year, 1958-2024

Each year since the inception of the Billboard Hot 100, the magazine has named a “song of the year” determined by chart performance. Here are those songs from 1958 to present. Check out other “songs of the year” lists here. 2024: Teddy Swims “Lose Control” 2023: Morgan Wallen “Last Night” 2022: Glass Animals “Heat Waves” 2021: Dua Lipa with DaBaby “Levitating” 2020: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” 2019: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” 2018: Drake “God’s Plan” 2017: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” 2016: Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” 2015: Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass” 2014: Pharrell Williams “Happy” 2013: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop” 2012: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” 2011: Adele “Rolling in the Deep” 2010: Ke$ha “Tik Tok” 2009: Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” 2008: Flo Rida with T-Pain “Low” 2007: Beyoncé “Irreplaceable” 2006: Daniel Powter “Bad Day” 2005: Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” 2004: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” 2003: 50 Cent “In Da Club” 2002: Nickelback “How You Remind Me” 2001: Lifehouse “Hanging by a Moment” 2000: Faith Hill “Breathe” 1999: Cher “Believe” 1998: Next “Too Close” 1997: Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)” 1996: Los Del Rio “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” 1995: Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise” 1994: Ace of Base “The Sign” 1993: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” 1992: Boyz II Men “End of the Road” 1991: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” 1990: Wilson Phillips “Hold On” 1989: Chicago “Look Away” 1988: George Michael “Faith” 1987: Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian” 1986: Dionne & Friends “That's What Friends Are For” 1985: George Michael “Careless Whisper” 1984: Prince “When Doves Cry” 1983: The Police “Every Breath You Take” 1982: Olivia Newton-John “Physical” 1981: Kim Carnes “Bette Davis Eyes” 1980: Blondie “Call Me” 1979: The Knack “My Sharona” 1978: Andy Gibb “Shadow Dancing” 1977: Rod Stewart “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” 1976: Paul McCartney & Wings “Silly Love Songs” 1975: Captain & Tennille “Love Will Keep Us Together” 1974: Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were” 1973: Tony Orlando & Dawn “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” 1972: Roberta Flack “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” 1971: Three Dog Night “Joy to the World” 1970: Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” 1969: The Archies “Sugar, Sugar” 1968: The Beatles “Hey Jude” 1967: Lulu “To Sir with Love” 1966: SSgt Barry Sadler “The Ballad of the Green Berets” 1965: Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs “Wooly Bully” 1964: The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” 1963: Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs “Sugar Shack” 1962: Mr. Acker Bilk “Stranger on the Shore” 1961: Bobby Lewis “Tossin’ and Turnin’” 1960: Percy Faith “Theme from “A Summer Place” 1959: Johnny Horton “The Battle of New Orleans” 1958: Domenico Modugno “Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blue)” Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “‘Songs of the Year’ lists” Dave’s Music Database: “Billboard: Best-of Lists” First posted 12/29/2014; last updated 12/23/2024.

Glass Animals “Heat Waves” hit #1 after 59 weeks

Heat Waves Glass Animals

Writer(s): Dave Bayley (see lyrics here) Released: June 29, 2020 First Charted: November 14, 2020 Peak: 15 US, 16 BA, 11 AC, 12 A40, 17 AA, 13 MR, 5 UK, 12 CN, 15 AU, 3 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 10.0 US, 3.0 UK, 18.29 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 1024.82 video, 3157.87 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” set some of the most significant chart records in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. It entered the chart in January 2021 at #100 and, 42 weeks later, had climbed into the top 10 – the longest any song had taken to reach those heights. On March 12, 2022, the song ascended to the pinnacle in its 59th week on the chart – a record for most weeks before hitting #1. It wasn’t finished, though. The song stuck around for more than 30 more weeks to land another landmark chart achievement – more weeks on the Hot 100 than any other song in history (surpassing The Weekend’s 90-week chart run with “Blinding Lights”). The indie rock band formed in Oxford, England, in 2010. They released their first album, Zaba, in 2014 and their sophomore effort, How to Be a Human Being, two years later. It got all the way to #20 in the US and #23 in the UK, but didn’t have any chart success when it came to the singles’ front. However, 2020’s Dreamland became the group’s first top-10 album in the UK and United States, thanks to the success of “Heat Waves.” The song is “about a man who’s failing at a romantic relationship. He doesn’t feel like he’s giving his partner the life that she deserves. It differs from the typical heartache song in that all of the angst is directed inwardly. Frontman Dave Bayley never blames or condemns his partner – only himself.” SF He explained it “is about loss and longing, and ultimately realizing you are unable to save something.” WK He also said,it “is about memories and it’s very nostalgic…Maybe that’s part of the reason this song’s hung around for so bloody long.” WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Glass Animals SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 10/13/2022; last updated 10/13/2024.