2008 was a truly memorable year when it comes to pop culture. In the year that Barack Obama was elected President of the United States and Beijing hosted the Olympics, we were treated to a whole host of iconic moments.
David Cook beat David Archuleta on American Idol whilst Alexandra Burke beat JLS to win The X Factor. 2008 also saw Britney Spears make her mighty comeback, whilst The Jonas Brothers were at the height of their career, quickly gaining an even larger fanbase thanks to their role in Camp Rock.
In terms of movies, 2008 delivered some of the most talked-about offerings in years, including Mamma Mia!, WALL-E, Slumdog Millionaire, and Twilight. We also saw the final installment of High School Musical hit the cinemas. Another huge hit this year was The Dark Knight, however, the world was left stunned by the untimely passing of Heath Ledger, who played The Joker. His performance was so well received by fans and critics, that it led to him winning a posthumous Ocsar for Best Supporting Actor.
Whilst film appears to have dominated proceedings, one thing’s for certain – 2008 also produced a string of iconic bops. From artist breakthroughs to world class collaborations, a number of our favourite artists released some incredible songs which have stood the test of time. However, the terrifying reality is that in 2018, these songs will be turning ten years old!
To make you feel as old as we do, we’ve put together a list of 18 of your favourite 2008 songs which will be turning ten years old in 2018.
Beyoncé – ‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)’
Bops don’t come much more iconic than Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)’, and it’s hard to believe that it will soon be ten years old. Released as a double-A side along with ‘If I Were a Boy’, ‘Single Ladies’ showcases Queen Bey’s fierce side. Teamed up with one of the most memorable and parodied music videos in history, ‘Single Ladies’ was a successful hit across the globe.
Britney Spears – ‘Womanizer’
After a turbulent start to 2008, Britney Spears made a triumphant return at the end of the year with ‘Womanizer’. Taken from her sixth studio album Circus, ‘Womanizer’ was armed with a catchy hook and empowering vibe. Unsurprisingly, the track was a hit for Brit and the start of a new era for the popstar.
Duffy – ‘Mercy’
Whatever happened to Welsh songstress Duffy? Back in 2008, she truly made her mark on the music industry with the smash hit ‘Mercy’, which topped the charts in the UK, Austria, and Germany among others. The track was nominated for a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was also the third-best-selling single of 2008 in the United Kingdom.
Estelle and Kanye West – ‘American Boy’
‘American Boy’ is the iconic collaboration between Estelle and Kanye West, which went on to win a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Over the years, the track has been covered and parodied by many. However, one of the most memorable appeared during a 2009 episode of Gavin & Stacey where James Corden and Sheridan Smith (Smithy and Rudi) performed Kanye’s infamous rap.
Girls Aloud – ‘The Promise’
‘The Promise’ is arguably one of Girls Aloud’s most successful singles. The 2008-released track channels a retro sound and proved that Cheryl, Nadine, Kimberley, Sarah and Nicola were a forced to be reckoned with. ‘The Promise’ earned the girls their fourth UK number one single and won them their first BRIT Award for Best British Single.
Jonas Brothers – ‘Burnin’ Up’
Whilst 2008 saw the Jonas Brothers continue their domination by starring in Camp Rock, Joe, Nick and Kevin also blessed us with some amazing new music. ‘Burnin’ Up’ became their highest charting song in the US, and its hilarious music video received nominations for Video of the Year and Best Pop Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.
Katy Perry – ‘I Kissed A Girl’
‘I Kissed A Girl’ was Katy Perry’s breakthrough hit in 2008, taken from her album One Of The Boys. The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven consecutive weeks, whilst also topping the charts worldwide in countries such as the UK, Italy and Germany. ‘I Kissed A Girl’ is currently certified 5x Platinum in the US, selling over 4.7 million copies.
Kings of Leon – ‘Sex On Fire’
Despite already having three successful albums under their belt, 2008 was the year that Kings of Leon truly gained global status. Partly due to the success of their single ‘Sex On Fire’, the track became their first number-one single in Australia, Finland, Ireland and the United Kingdom. ‘Sex On Fire’ also led to the group’s first Grammy nominations, where they won the award for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
Lady Gaga – ‘Poker Face’
‘Poker Face’ was Lady Gaga’s second single, following breakthrough 2008 hit ‘Just Dance’, and to this day is one of the best-selling singles of all time (shifting over 14 million copies). The infectious song was nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 52nd Grammy Awards, whilst it took home the award for Best Dance Recording.
Madonna and Justin Timberlake – ‘4 Minutes’
In another smash collaboration from 2008, ‘4 Minutes’ saw music icon Madonna team up with the pop prince of the moment, Justin Timberlake. The track, which also featured Timbaland, gave Madonna her 37th top-ten single in the US. Overseas, ‘4 Minutes’ was a number one hit in 21 countries including the UK, Australia and Spain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHHUhcV2eVY
Miley Cyrus – ‘7 Things’
‘7 Things’ was the lead single from Miley Cyrus’ 200 album Breakout. An iconic break up track listing seven traits she hates about an ex-boyfriend, ‘7 Things’ was a big hit for Miley, charting in the top ten in the US. The track is also certified gold in Australia and charted on Japan’s Hot 100, Miley’s first song to chart in an Asian country. The fun music video raised speculation over the inspiration behind the song – if you’re still hot on your 2008 pop culture, then you’ll know who the track was rumoured to be about!
Ne-Yo – ‘Closer’
‘Closer’ was the lead single from Ne-Yo’s third studio album Year of the Gentleman. Thanks to its slick dance-pop beat, the track was a success for Ne-Yo across the globe, most notably in the UK. In fact, according to BBC Radio 1’s chart of the year, ‘Closer’ was the fifteenth biggest selling single in the UK in 2008.
Pink – ‘So What’
With its child-like “na na na na na na na’s” and tongue in cheek lyrics, Pink’s ‘So What’ was the anthem of 2008. Written during her short-term separation from husband Carey Hart, the track focuses on the singer’s rebellious side and was teamed up with an equally iconic music video. We for sure aspire to reach Pink’s level of sassiness during any future break ups.
Rihanna – ‘Disturbia’
2008 was a stunning year for Rihanna. Having released both ‘Take A Bow’ and ‘Disturbia’ during that glorious year, we found it tough to pick just one to share with you on this ten year trip down memory lane. Whilst ‘Take A Bow’ was an iconic RnB ballad, we cannot oversee the total pop banger that was ‘Disturbia’. The track is certified 6x Platinum in the US.
Take That – ‘Greatest Day’
‘Greatest Day’ was the lead single from Take That’s fifth studio album, The Circus. The track became the band’s eleventh UK number one single and has since been certified Gold. Despite turning ten years old in 2018, the track remains a huge fan favourite to this day and continues to be a staple hit on their tour setlists.
The Pussycat Dolls – ‘When I Grow Up’
‘When I Grow Up’ marked The Pussycat Dolls’ first single as a five-piece. Taken from their second (and last) album Doll Domination, the electro-pop jam was all about the desire to be famous. Since its release, ‘When I Grow Up’ has sold over two million digital copies in the States. The song’s sassy music video, directed by Joseph Khan, was filmed on Hollywood Boulevard.
The Script – ‘The Man Who Can’t Be Moved’
It’s hard to believe that the timeless ‘The Man Who Can’t Be Moved’ will be turning ten in 2018. The track, released in the UK in 2008, was the second single to be taken from The Script’s self-titled debut album. The song debuted at number two in the UK, after being denied the top spot by Katy Perry’s ‘I Kissed A Girl’.
will.i.am and Cheryl – ‘Heartbreaker’
The final song on our list is another collab, this time featuring Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am and Girls Aloud’s Cheryl. ‘Heartbreaker’ was the UK’s 31st biggest selling single of 2008 and peaked at number four in the charts. The collaboration led to the pair working together in the future too, with ‘3 Words’ and ‘Heaven’ featuring on Cheryl’s 2009 debut solo album, 3 Words.