70. Alicia Keys - "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart"
Courtesy J Records
Alicia Keys returned with all of her elegant soulfulness intact. This song has a unique sway that catches a listener's attention instantly.
69. Mariah Carey - "Obsessed"
Courtesy Island Records
Although never confirmed, the best guess is that Mariah Carey is settling scores with Eminem here. The song is memorable and includes clever lyrics, but it was a commercial disappointment.
68. Taylor Swift - "Fifteen"
Courtesy Big Machine
Taylor Swift warns fellow teens here to not invest too much in boys and instead focus on building their own potential. This song was reportedly inspired by Taylor Swift's best friend Abigail Anderson.
67. Pitbull - "Hotel Room Service"
Courtesy Sony
Sure, this song is not far removed from Pitbull's breakthrough "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)," but it is an irresistible groove. This song ranks among the top party music of the year.
66. Miley Cyrus - "The Climb"
Courtesy Hollywood Records
Although it doesn't rank among the top inspirational pop ballads of all time, Miley Cyrus did prove she can handle slower songs here. Reportedly, this song became a favorite audition piece for the ninth season of American Idol.
65. The Fray - "You Found Me"
Courtesy Epic
Lyrically "You Found Me" is solid and emotional. It's loosely based around the concept of questions of why bad things happen to good people. The Fray's lyrics are some of the best and most thought provoking in mainstream pop music today.
64. Drake - "Best I Ever Had"
Courtesy FD Entertainment
Drake is the musician name used by Aubrey Drake Graham, an actor best known for an ongoing role in the TV show Degrassi: The Next Generation. Here he makes a strong crossover into the pop market.
63. Madonna - "Celebration"
Courtesy Warner Bros.
If you are looking for an effortlessly breezy dance tune to support your own celebratory party, "Celebration" will perfectly fit the bill. It even features a slightly naughty spoken word section, "I don't recognize you with your clothes on." Madonna might be marking time, but this is a reminder that she has no parallels among other dance-pop artists.
62. Rihanna featuring Jeezy - "Hard"
Courtesy Def Jam
61. Britney Spears - "3"
Courtesy Jive Records
Yes, she is again courting controversy here with lyrical content, but the bottom line is this is another irresistibly catchy pop confection that beats out most everything else on pop radio today. Britney Spears and producer Max Martin are an unbeatable pop combination.
