Special Report

Most Popular Hit Singles of the 21st Century

Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Popular music is ever evolving. Looking back on the decades of the 20th century, each one has a standout popular musical genre, from big band swing in the ‘40s to British invasion rock in the ‘60s, disco in the ‘70s, and alternative/grunge in the ‘90s. (For music history buffs, these are the 40 best pop albums ever made.)

Although we’ve just entered the third decade of the 21st century, a clear trend is emerging, and it’s plain to see that the popular music of the modern age is decidedly not rock and roll. 24/7 Tempo has compiled the most popular hit singles of the 21st century, which mostly span the genres of rap, R&B, soul, dance, and electropop. No matter the genre, one thing almost all of these hits have in common is a danceable electronic beat.

Click here to see the most popular hit singles of the 21st century

To identify the most popular hit singles of the 21st Century, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the singles with the highest certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Artist and release date information also came from the RIAA.

Of all the most popular songs, four are from pop singer Bruno Mars, with three each from Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone, and rapper Eminem. An outlier on the list is the children’s song “Baby Shark” released under the name Pinkfong, a Korean educational brand for kids. 

Two country songs made the cut — one released by the duo Florida Georgia Line and another by Bebe Rexha, featuring that same duo. Some would add a third song in the country category, the crossover megahit “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, even though Billboard pulled it from its country charts. These are the 50 most popular country music stars right now.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Call Me Maybe
> Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen
> Release date: March 1, 2012
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Low (Feat. T-Pain)
> Artist: Flo Rida
> Release date: Oct. 9, 2007
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Not Afraid
> Artist: Eminem
> Release date: June 5, 2010
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Theo Wargo / Getty Images

Lose Yourself
> Artist: Eminem
> Release date: Sept. 5, 2002
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images

Sorry
> Artist: Justin Bieber
> Release date: Oct. 28, 2015
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Michael Loccisano / Getty Images

Stay With Me
> Artist: Sam Smith
> Release date: April 9, 2014
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Rich Fury / Getty Images

Roar
> Artist: Katy Perry
> Release date: Aug. 12, 2013
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

I’m Yours
> Artist: Jason Mraz
> Release date: Feb. 12, 2008
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Tabatha Fireman / Getty Images

Rockstar (Feat. 21 Savage)
> Artist: Post Malone
> Release date: Sept. 15, 2017
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Paul Morigi / Getty Images

Sicko Mode
> Artist: Travis Scott
> Release date: Aug. 3, 2018
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Matt Cowan / Getty Images

Poker Face
> Artist: Lady Gaga
> Release date: Sept. 23, 2008
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Justin Higuchi / Wikimedia Commons

Meant To Be (Feat. Florida Georgia Line)
> Artist: Bebe Rexha
> Release date: Aug. 11, 2017
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

I Gotta Feeling
> Artist: Black Eyed Peas
> Release date: June 9, 2009
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Gustavo Caballero / Getty Images for BET

Bodak Yellow
> Artist: Cardi B
> Release date: June 16, 2017
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Christopher Polk / Getty Images

Royals
> Artist: Lorde
> Release date: March 19, 2013
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Mat Hayward / Getty Images

All About That Bass
> Artist: Meghan Trainor
> Release date: June 30, 2014
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Thrift Shop (Feat. Wanz)
> Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
> Release date: Aug. 28, 2012
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Rich Lam / Getty Images

Radioactive
> Artist: Imagine Dragons
> Release date: March 6, 2012
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Party Rock Anthem
> Artist: Lmfao
> Release date: June 21, 2011
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Stressed Out
> Artist: Twenty One Pilots
> Release date: April 28, 2015
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Shape Of You
> Artist: Ed Sheeran
> Release date: Jan. 6, 2017
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Ian Gavan / Getty Images

Perfect
> Artist: Ed Sheeran
> Release date: March 3, 2017
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com

Hey, Soul Sister
> Artist: Train
> Release date: Aug. 11, 2009
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lunchboxstudios/7550586384/ / Wikimedia Commons

We Are Young (Feat. Janelle Monae)
> Artist: Fun.
> Release date: Sept. 20, 2011
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Party In The U.S.A.
> Artist: Miley Cyrus
> Release date: Aug. 11, 2009
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Blurred Lines
> Artist: Robin Thicke
> Release date: March 21, 2013
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Kevin Winter / Getty Images

That’s What I Like
> Artist: Bruno Mars
> Release date: Nov. 18, 2016
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Para Griffin / Getty Images

Grenade
> Artist: Bruno Mars
> Release date: Oct. 5, 2010
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Theo Wargo / Getty Images

Pumped Up Kicks
> Artist: Foster The People
> Release date: March 14, 2011
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Rich Fury / Getty Images

Shake It Off
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Release date: Aug. 18, 2014
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Ian Gavan / Getty Images

Counting Stars
> Artist: One Republic
> Release date: March 26, 2013
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

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Bennett Raglin / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Trap Queen
> Artist: Fetty Wap
> Release date: April 22, 2014
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum

Coventry City Council / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ / Flickr

Baby Shark
> Artist: Pinkfong
> Release date: June 18, 2016
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)
> Artist: Post Malone & Swae Lee
> Release date: Oct. 18, 2018
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

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Dark Horse
> Artist: Katy Perry
> Release date: Oct. 4, 2013
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

Rich Fury / Getty Images

Congratulations
> Artist: Post Malone
> Release date: Dec. 9, 2016
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

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Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

Bad Romance
> Artist: Lady Gaga
> Release date: Oct. 26, 2009
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

Brian Ach / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Happy
> Artist: Pharrell Williams
> Release date: Dec. 18, 2013
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

Jamie Lamor Thompson / Shutterstock.com

See You Again (Feat. Charlie Puth)
> Artist: Wiz Khalifa
> Release date: March 10, 2015
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

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Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Uptown Funk Feat. Bruno Mars
> Artist: Mark Ronson
> Release date: Nov. 10, 2014
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

Kevin Winter / Getty Images for iHeartMedia

When I Was Your Man
> Artist: Bruno Mars
> Release date: Dec. 3, 2012
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

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Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

The Hills
> Artist: The Weeknd
> Release date: May 27, 2015
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

God’s Plan
> Artist: Drake
> Release date: Jan. 19, 2018
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

Rick Diamond / Getty Images

Cruise
> Artist: Florida Georgia Line
> Release date: April 10, 2012
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum

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Christopher Polk / Getty Images

Love The Way You Lie (Feat. Rihanna)
> Artist: Eminem
> Release date: June 21, 2011
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Baby (Feat. Ludacris)
> Artist: Justin Bieber
> Release date: March 23, 2010
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum

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Firework
> Artist: Katy Perry
> Release date: Oct. 26, 2010
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum

Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Thinking Out Loud
> Artist: Ed Sheeran
> Release date: Sept. 24, 2014
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum

Christopher Polk / Getty Images

Just The Way You Are
> Artist: Bruno Mars
> Release date: July 20, 2010
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum

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Sergi Alexander / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Despacito
> Artist: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee
> Release date: Jan. 13, 2017
> Certification: 13X multi-platinum

Atl360Pic / Shutterstock.com

All Of Me
> Artist: John Legend
> Release date: Sept. 3, 2013
> Certification: 13X multi-platinum

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Cindy Ord / Getty Images

Closer
> Artist: The Chainsmokers
> Release date: July 29, 2016
> Certification: 13X multi-platinum

Jason Merritt / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Somebody That I Used To Know
> Artist: Gotye
> Release date: July 5, 2011
> Certification: 14X multi-platinum

Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

Old Town Road (Feat. Billy Ray Cyrus)
> Artist: Lil Nas X
> Release date: April 5, 2019
> Certification: 14X multi-platinum

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