on air: 2008 year in music, pt. I

Each year, I come up with a tally of singles that garnered the most hits on my media player. 2008 was no exception.

The previous year saw album releases from the music industry's top caliber stars such as Mariah Carey, Madonna and Usher, the rise of British sensation Leona Lewis, American Idol winner David Cook and finalist David Archuleta, the reunion of New Kids On The Block and Boyzone, the crossover to country music of Jewel and Jessica Simpson, the tenth year anniversary of both Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears in the industry; with the latter having the most celebrated comeback since Carey's emancipation in 2005.

Listed below are the top 100 pop songs of the previous year. Sadly, tracks like It's Over (Jesse McCartney), What I Cannot Change (LeAnn Rimes), Apologize (Timbaland feat. OneRepublic), Teenage Love Affair (Alicia Keys), In My Arms (Kylie Minogue), Sandcastle Disco (Solange), Chasing Pavements (Adele), and Sober (Kelly Clarkson) failed to make it to the cut even though they have become personal favorites.

*******

100. MAGIC, Robin Thicke
099. HEADLINES (FRIENDSHIP NEVER ENDS), Spice Girls
098. SNEAKERNIGHT, Vanessa Hudgens
HM4EVAH: You might want to rethink where your career is headed when you're asked to sing about footwear.
097. AMERICAN BOY, Estelle feat. Kanye West
096. HOLD IT DON'T DROP IT, Jennifer Lopez
095. CIRCUS, Britney Spears
094. MISS INDEPENDENT, Ne-Yo
093. CAN'T SPEAK FRENCH, Girls Aloud
092. OUTTA MY HEAD (AY YA YA), Ashlee Simpson feat. Timbaland
091. LAST NAME, Carrie Underwood

090. BOTTLE IT UP, Sara Bareilles
089. NOTHIN' BETTER TO DO (REMIX), LeAnn Rimes
088. BEATING MY HEART, Jon McLaughlin
CONTEMPORARYGIRL23: Two words: Abercrombie Model.
087. LOW, Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
086. MOVING MOUNTAINS, Usher
085. CALL THE SHOTS, Girls Aloud
084. I HATE THIS PART, The Pussycat Dolls
083. UNTIL THE END OF TIME, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce
082. GOTTA GO MY OWN WAY, Vanessa Hudgens
081. SO SMALL, Carrie Underwood

080. WHATEVER IT TAKES, Lifehouse
079. LOVEBUG, Jonas Brothers
078. HANDS ON ME, Vanessa Carlton
077. ABOUT YOU NOW, Sugababes
076. SINGLE, New Kids On The Block feat. Ne-Yo
075. FOREVER, Chris Brown
074. JUST A DREAM, Carrie Underwood
073. I KISSED A GIRL, Katy Perry
072. SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING ON IT), Beyonce
DREALSASHA: Damn bitch took my name!
071. JUST FINE, Mary J. Blige

070. WE BREAK THE DAWN, PART II, Michelle Williams feat. Flo Rida
069. HELPLESS WHEN SHE SMILES, Backstreet Boys
068. TEARDROPS ON MY GUITAR, Taylor Swift
067. SHOULDA LET YOU GO, Keyshia Cole feat. Amina
066. THE GREATEST, Michelle Williams
065. CLUMSY, Fergie
064. ONE WORD, Elliott Yamin
063. WHAT HURTS THE MOST (YANOU'S CANDLELIGHT MIX), Cascada
062. 7 THINGS, Miley Cyrus
ALBQRQGIRL: I don't need seven, I just need one reason to hate you - you're Miley Cyrus!
061. SAY, John Mayer

060. DANCE LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW, Randy Jackson feat. Paula Abdul
059. LOVE STORY, Taylor Swift
058. GARDENIA, Mandy Moore
057. NOW OR NEVER, High School Musical 3 Ensemble
056. HEAVEN SENT, Keyshia Cole
055. SO WHAT, Pink
054. TAKE A BOW, Rihanna
053. JUST STAND UP, Artists Stand Up To Cancer
ARCHANGEL07: Miley Cyrus? WTF. She sounds like a duck.
052. ONE STEP AT A TIME, Jordin Sparks
051. LOVE LIKE THIS, Natasha Bedingfield feat. Sean Kingston

050. IF I WERE A BOY, Beyonce
049. I DO, Jewel
048. BURNIN' UP, Jonas Brothers
IHRTJOE: OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG.
047. MERCY (REMIX), Duffy feat. The Game
046. BUBBLY, Colbie Caillat
045. SOMEBODY'S ME, Enrique Iglesias
044. ALL-AMERICAN GIRL, Carrie Underwood
043. IS IT YOU?, Cassie
042. I'M YOURS, Jason Mraz
041. I STAY IN LOVE, Mariah Carey

040. BABY LOVE, Nicole Scherzinger feat. Will.I.Am
039. JUST DANCE, Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis
038. OUR SONG, Taylor Swift
037. KARMA, NLT
036. 4 MINUTES, Madonna feat. Justin Timberlake and Timbaland
KICKTHEBABY101: Madonna is too old to be wearing next to nothing. Good song though, she did it again.
035. DAMAGED, Danity Kane
034. PIECE OF ME, Britney Spears
033. OVER YOU, Daughtry
032. IT'S OVER, Daughtry
031. WHEN YOU LOOK ME IN THE EYES, Jonas Brothers

030. FEEDBACK, Janet Jackson
D00PWII: "Something heavy like a first day period." Nasty.
029. NO ONE, Alicia Keys
WERTHEONE: I smell ten Grammys.
028. DON'T STOP THE MUSIC, Rihanna
FOURHEADS: Rihanna's like the black and more annoying version of Britney.
027. STRONGER WOMAN, Jewel
DOODIEBEAR95: Jewel's knack for creating lyrical poetry shines through regardless of which genre she's in.
026. BREATHLESS, Shayne Ward
BLUESTAR1990: Yummmmmm!
025. TATTOO, Jordin Sparks
KRISSYJESHI: Very beautiful but I still LOVE Blake's single better.
024. WOMANIZER, Britney Spears
123456MINUTESWITHOUTYOU: I wish I could fry a square egg.
023. LIKE YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN, Alicia Keys
ARCHANGEL07: This song made me cry when I first heard it.
022. KEEPS GETTIN' BETTER, Christina Aguilera
MADDONNA857: Why is she copying Lady Gaga's style? So unoriginal.
021. POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE, Natasha Bedingfield
SHARE1924: Shouldn't there be like an age requirement for pop stars?

TO BE CONTINUED.

*******

POSTSCRIPT. The account names and the respective side comments on a few select songs are actual users/comments lifted from various related YouTube videos.