Billboard's Top Songs of the Decade

Hard to believe it, but in a few weeks, the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close.

To mark the occasion, Billboard Magazine, the leading music industry publication, has just posted its Best of the 2000s lists.

One category is top songs of the decade. This is not an artistic judgment; it's based strictly on sales and airplay. Likewise, I'm not saying these are my favorites, and they might not be yours. But when it comes to pop music, popularity counts -- that's what pop stands for, after all!

Here they are, in order:

• Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling"
• Mariah Carey "We Belong Together"
• Usher with Lil Jon & Ludacris "Yeah"
• Eminem "Lose Yourself"
• Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow"
• Destiny's Child "Independent Women Part I"
• Beyonce "Irreplaceable"
• Ashanti "Foolish"
• Kanye West with Jamie Foxx "Gold Digger"
• Nelly with Kelly Rowland "Dilemma"
• Flo Rida with T-Pain "Low"
• Santana with The Product G&B "Maria Maria"

All of those songs spent at least 10 weeks atop Billboard's Hot 100 chart between 2000 and 2009.

Of these recent mega-hits, the ones I find most requested nowadays at wedding receptions are "I Gotta Feeling," "Yeah," "Irreplaceable," "Gold Digger," and "Low." Of course, I always play the clean edits of these songs.

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