Jay-Z: Top 50 Songs

Jay-Z Top 50 Songs

Rap singer, record executive, and entrepreneur born Shawn Corey Carter on 12/4/1969 in Brooklyn, NY. He grew up in a public housing project, raised by his mother. His father abandoned the family. He dropped out of high school during his sophomore year, started selling drugs, and was shot three times. He founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1994 and released his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. He holds the record for most #1 albums by a solo artist (14) on the Billboard album chart. He has sold 140 million records and won 24 Grammy Awards. In 2023, he was named the greatest rapper of all time by both Billboard and Vibe magazines. As an entrepreneur, he founded the clothing retailer Rocwear in 1999 and 40/40 Club, a luxury bar chain, in 2003. In 2008, he launched Roc Nation, a multi-disciplinary entertainment agency. In 2019, he became the first hip-hop billionaire. As of 2023, he has a net worth of 2.5 billion, making him the wealthiest musical artist in the world. In 2008, he married R&B/pop singer Beyoncé Knowles. Above information based on Wikipedia bio. Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Jay-Z Bio on Wikipedia Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists”

Awards:

Top 50 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs on which Jay-Z appeared as a guest artist are noted with an asterisk (*). DMDB Top 1%: 1. Crazy in Love (with Beyoncé, 2003) * 2. Umbrella (with Rihanna, 2007) * 3. Empire State of Mind (Jay-Z with Alicia Keys, 2009) DMDB Top 2%: 4. 99 Problems (2003) 5. N****s in Paris (with Kanye West, 2011) DMDB Top 5%: 6. Drunk in Love (with Beyoncé, 2003) 7. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (1998) 8. Run This Town (with Rihanna & Kanye West, 2009) 9. Big Pimpin’ (with UGK, 2000) DMDB Top 10%: 10. Numb/Encore (with Linkin Park, 2004) 11. Suit & Tie (with Justin Timberlake, 2013) * 12. Izzo (H.O.V.A. (2001) 13. Holy Grail (with Justin Timberlake, 2013) 14. Heartbreaker (with Mariah Carey, 1999) * 15. ’03 Bonnie & Clyde (with Beyoncé, 2002) 16. Otis (with Kanye West & Otis Redding, 2011) 17. Déjà Vu (with Beyoncé, 2006) * DMDB Top 20%: 18. Monster (with Kanye West, Rick Ross, Bon Iver, & Nicki Minaj, 2010) * 19. Dirt Off Your Shoulder (2003) 20. Can I Get a… (with Amil & Ja Rule, 1998) 21. Clique (with Kanye West & Big Sean, 2012) * 22. Apeshit (with Beyoncé, 2018) 23. All the Way Up (remix) (with Fat Joe, Remy Ma, French Montana, & Infrared, 2016) * 24. Beware of the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke) (with Pan’Jabi MC, 2003) * 25. Frontin’ (with Pharrell Williams, 2003) * 26. The Story of O.J. (2017) 27. Swagga Like Us (with Kanye West & Lil Wayne, 2008) 28. Lost! (with Coldplay, 2008) * 29. I Just Wanna Luv U (Give It 2 Me) (2000) 30. No Church in the Wild (with Kanye West, 2011) 31. Talk That Talk (with Rihanna, 2011) * 32. Roc Boys (And the Winner Is) (2007) 33. DOA (Death of Auto-Tune) (2009) 34. Show Me What You Got (2006) 35. Change Clothes (2003) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 36. Young Forever (with Mr. Hudson, 2009) 37. Excuse Me Miss (2003) 38. On to the Next One (with Swizz Beatz, 2009) 39. 4:44 (2017) 40. H*A*M (with Kanye West, 2011) 41. Fiesta Remix (with R. Kelly, Boo & Gotti, 2001) * 42. Girls Girls Girls (2001) 43. God Did (with DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Lil’ Wayne, John Legend, & Fridayy, 2022) * 44. Mood 4 Eva (with Beyoncé , Childish Gambino, and Oumou Sangaré, 2019) * 45. Love All (with Drake, 2021) * 46. Get By (with Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Kanye West, & Busta Rhymes, 2002) * 47. What’s Free (with Meek Mill & Rick Ross, 2018) * 48. Pound Cake (with Drake, 2013) * 49. Talk Up (with Drake, 2018) * 50. I’ll Be (with Foxy Brown, 1997) * Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Jay-Z Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 12/3/2023; last updated 12/4/2023.

Rihanna: Top 50 Songs

Rihanna Top 50 Songs

Born February 20, 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known as Rihanna, has become one of the biggest pop singers of all time with 14 #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. On February 11, 2023, she performed at the Super Bowl halftime show. For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry. Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists. Spotify Podcast: Check out the Dave’s Music Database podcast episode The Best of Rihanna, 2005-2022 based on this list. Premiere: February 14, 2023 at 7pm CST. New episodes based on Dave’s Music Database lists are posted every Tuesday at 7pm CST.

Awards:

Top 50 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to charts.) DMDB Top 1%: 1. Umbrella (with Jay-Z, 2007) #1 US, UK, CN, AU 2. We Found Love (with Calvin Harris, 2011) #1 US, RR, UK, CN 3. Love the Way You Lie (with Eminem, 2010) #1 US, RR, CN, AU 4. Work with Drake, 2016) #1 US, RB, CN 5. Only Girl in the World (2010) #1 US, RR, UK, CN, AU 6. Diamonds (2012) #1 US, RB, UK, CN 7. Disturbia (2008) #1 US, RB, RR DMDB Top 2%: 8. The Monster (with Eminem, 2013) #1 US, RR, RB, UK, CN, AU 9. Live Your Life (with T.I., 2008) #1 US, RR 10. Don’t Stop the Music (2007) #1 AU 11. Take a Bow (2008) #1 US, RR, RB, UK, CN 12. Stay (with Mikky Ekko, 2012) #1 RR, CN 13. This Is What You Came For (with Calvin Harris, 2016) #1 CN, AU DMDB Top 5%: 14. S.O.S. (Rescue Me) (2006) #1 US, RR, CN, AU 15. Rude Boy (2010) #1 US, AU 16. Wild Thoughts (with DJ Khaled & Bryson Tiller, 2017) #1 RB, UK 17. What’s My Name? (with Drake, 2010) #1 US, UK 18. S&M (2010) #1 US, RR, CN, AU 19. Four Five Seconds (with Kanye West & Paul McCartney, 2015) #1 RB, AU 20. Needed Me (2016) #1 RB 21. Pon De Replay (2005) DMDB Top 10%: 22. Unfaithful (2006) #1 CN 23. Love on the Brain (2016) 24. Where Have You Been (2011) 25. Too Good (with Drake, 2016) 26. All of the Lights (with Kanye West & Drake, 2010) 27. Take Care (with Drake, 2011) 28. Bitch Better Have My Money (2015) 29. Lift Me Up (2022) #1 RB 30. Run This Town (with Jay-Z & Kanye West, 2009) #1 UK 31. Hate That I Love You (with Ne-Yo, 2007) 32. Russian Roulette (2009) 33. Shut Up and Drive (2007) 34. Loyalty (with Kendrick Lamar, 2017) DMDB Top 20%: 35. Can’t Remember to Forget You (with Shakira, 2014) 36. Lemon (with N*E*R*D, 2017) 37. Pour It Up (2013) 38. California King Bed (2011) 39. Rehab (with Justin Timberlake, 2008) 40. Cheers (Drink to That) (2010) 41. You Da One (2011) 42. Hard (with Jeezy, 2009) 43. If I Never See Your Face Again (with Matchbox 20, 2008) 44. Man Down (2011) 45. Who’s That Chick? (with David Guetta, 2010) 46. Princess of China (with Coldplay, 2011) 47. Kiss It Better (2016) 48. Te Amo (2010) 49. What Now (2013) 50. Fly (with Nicki Minaj, 2010) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Rihanna Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 2/20/2017; updated 2/14/2023.

The Top 50 Songs of 2007

Dave’s Music Database: Top 50 Songs of 2007

These are the top 50 songs for the year based on their overall performance in Dave’s Music Database, which is determined by combining chart data, sales figures, streaming, video views, and aggregates from year-end lists and charts. Check out “Top Songs and Albums of the Year” lists here. DMDB Top 1%: Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella” Flo Rida & T-Pain “Low” Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love” Alicia Keys “No One” Kanye West with Daft Punk “Stronger” Soulja Boy Tell’em “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” M.I.A. “Paper Planes” DMDB Top 2%: Kid Rock “All Summer Long” Sara Bareilles “Love Song” Rihanna “Don’t Stop the Music” Avril Lavigne “Girlfriend” Timbaland with Keri Hilson & D.O.E. “The Way I Are” Cupid “Cupid Shuffle” Chris Brown “Forever” Foo Fighters “The Pretender” DMDB Top 5%: Colbie Caillat “Bubbly” Sean Kingston “Beautiful Girls” Maroon 5 “Makes Me Wonder” Finger Eleven “Paralyzer” Akon “Don’t Matter” The White Stripes “Icky Thump” T-Pain with Yung Joc “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” Linkin Park “What I’ve Done” Chris Brown “With You” MGMT “Time to Pretend” Feist “1234” Timbaland with Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake “Give It to Me” Mike “Grace Kelly” Beyoncé with Shakira “Beautiful Liar” Chris Brown with T-Pain “Kiss Kiss” LCD Soundsystem “All My Friends” Seether “Fake It” Mims “This Is Why I’m Hot” Sugarland “Stay” Michael Bublé “ “Everything” MGMT “Kids” Da Shop Boyz “Party Like a Rock Star” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss “Please Read the Letter” Kaiser Chiefs “Ruby” Brandi Carlile “The Story” Paramore “Misery Business” Linkin Park “Shadow of the Day” Bruce Springsteen “Radio Nowhere” One Republic “Stop and Stare” Jack Johnson “If I Had Eyes” Fall Out Boy “Thnks fr the Mmrs” Silverchair “Straight Lines” Marc Ronson with Amy Winehouse “Valerie” Rihanna with Ne-Yo “Hate That I Love You” Foo Fighters “Long Road to Ruin” Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Top Songs and Albums by Year lists Dave’s Music Database: Songs of the Decade lists First posted 1/4/2024.

 

Rihanna hit #1 with “Umbrella”

Umbrella Rihanna with Jay-Z

Writer(s): Terius “The-Dream” Nash, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart/Jay-Z (see lyrics here) Released: March 29, 2007 First Charted: April 8, 2007 Peak: 17 US, 14 BA, 15 DG, 2 RR, 28 A40, 4 RB, 110 UK, 14 CN, 16 AU, 7 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 8.0 US, 1.2 UK, 11.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.5 radio, 1127.2 video, 1205.67 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Rihanna had a string of hits throughout the decade, but “this song was 2007, plain and simple” PE and “may be the track that most defined pop music in the ’00s.” PD While constructed around a hip-hop beat and given a slick R&B-style production, it also had “an edgy rock sound” AB and a “quasi-yodeled chorus” CBC “so toweringly great it transcends genre boundaries.” NME Rihanna told Q magazine “’it was one of the most original sounds that I’d heard for a while. But a lot of people didn’t really understand it. They thought the repetition was annoying. But I knew that was what people would catch on to right away, because that’s what stuck in my head.’” SF As Adam Graham notes in the Detroit News, “just try to deny that you’ve added your own ‘ella… ella… ay’ every time you’ve heard or used the word umbrella since.” DN The song was first sent to Britney Spears, who had recorded “Me Against the Music,” which Nash also helped pen, but after her people rejected it as not having hit potential, it was offered to Mary J. Blige. However, Jay-Z aggressively pursued the song, deciding it was perfect for Rihanna. SF He even added “a fairly unnecessary, but marketable, guest rap.” PD The song also works as a metaphor as Rihanna sings to a partner about being there for him through good and bad. SF She says, “‘an umbrella is protection, it protects you from rain. The rain in this case is negativeness and vulnerability.’” SF Rihanna told the Daily Mirror umbrellas have now cropped up in mass quantities at her shows and dancefloors. SF The song became the longest-running #1 of the decade in the U.K. and topped the charts in multiple other countries. Resources: AB About.com: Top 100 Pop Songs of the 2000s by Bill Lamb. CBC CBC News (11/6/2009). “The 10 Defining Singles and Albums of This Decade” DN Detroit News (12/26/2009). “The Top 10 Songs of the ‘00s Grapevine” NME NME.com (11/11/09). 100 Tracks of the Decade PD Popdose.com (11/24/2009). “The Popdose 100: The Best Songs of the Decade” PE PopEater.com (11/24/2009). “Best Pop Songs of the Decade” Related Links: Last updated 7/23/2023.