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Not since Shakespeare have so many fake words come together to make something so brilliant. With one of Dr. Dre’s all-time-greatest beats to work off of, Mary J. absolutely owns this thing like the boss that she is. That chorus is so catchy, it almost doesn’t seem real.

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The maximalist “I Love It” feels like it starts at the climax and carries that momentum for 3 straight minutes. Penned by Charli xcx – it’s easy to see the brat-throughline even over ten years later – the unison-scream-singing and the incessant beat thumping feels like a beautiful assault in a way only she could craft. There is only chorus and bridge in this song, no verses, no lyrical variance, but it has the impact of a ten-minute opus.

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To try and nail down Madonna’s true imperial era is a feat, considering she essentially had 25 years of one. But if there was a time, it would have to be right around now – in between the scrunchies/lace and the burning crosses. True Blue. And the crown jewel in a sea of many is “Papa Don’t Preach,” the danceable anthem of teenage pregnancy that might as well have been about a giant orgy…in 1986 terms, at least. The track is daring in content, but endearing in execution, and thus remains one of her most critical works.

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We should be talking about Aaliyah’s long and illustrious career, but it cannot be understated the impact she had in her short lifetime. “Try Again,” a stellar Timbaland production, was the moment she got to be a pop star…and what a moment it was. This is one of the sickest beats of all time, but her laid back and unbothered vocals create one-of-a-kind texture out of it.

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On a global level, this will always be the benchmark moment for K-Pop. It’s not the most inventive, nor the most indicative of what the genre actually is at large, but “Dynamite” is – simply – explosive. The disco-fied instrumental is so craveable on its own, but it’s melodically brilliant as well.; it appears to be a seamless vocal line, but with each member tagging in and out perpetually. And to be fair, I’m not sure lyrically this is much of a departure from, let’s say “Friday” by Rebecca Black, but we’re not hating on either.

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No slow burn success has every been so enriching for the general public as Chappell Roan. The sheer brilliance of dropping THIS when the moment was just right…and the payoff was worthy of it. “Good Luck, Babe!” is actually insane, to be honest. It kind of defies time or space, tempo or key, rhyme or reason, but ends up the most beautiful, bittersweet sapphic pop anthem ever.

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This was a mic drop moment. Danger Mouse and CeeLo (as Gnarls Barkley) delivered one of the most jaw-dropping moments of the 2000s with “Crazy”; some would consider it definitive. This beat has never been touched since, but neither has this melody. Or this vocal. It’s a tactfully compact song, that feels like a rollercoaster without ever actually being one. Few songs could be considered this technically flawless, and it will live on for generations. Someone’s going to find this in ten years and sample it, or prominently feature it in a hit movie or something, just watch.

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No retrospective of 1980s pop is complete without “All Night Long.” This song is like a straight shot of serotonin! The calypso-inspired beat brings the vibe, but it’s the way the chorus plays off the verses that drives the energy. Everything’s always building to something, and yet the payoff is less about height and more about release. The track is such an evergreen party anthem because it’s truly an invitation for everyone, and Lionel really succeeded in the fact that, well, we all showed up.

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Miley Cyrus has forged her own path through the world of pop, one that was often misunderstood until it was in the rearview. Clearly eager to break from the chains of Disney stardom, “Party in the U.S.A.” in many ways was that stepping stone into her “untamed” era. Penned by (the British) Jessie J, the reason this song works is because of how camp it is to have an American sing it. I mean, like HYFR America! Hilarious! Regardless, the song is so endearing and catchy, it ends up coming all the way around to amazing. And although Miley has made much “better” music, and even had bigger hits, this song will live on as the rightful heir to “The Star Spangled Banner.”

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Everything they tried to parody in this music video came right back around to turn them into it. No one is going to say that blink-182 is a pop band, but OMG did they make a pop song with “All the Small Things.” This melody could work on countless types of music, and every single part of it is catchy. The “na-na-na” hook is one of the greats! And now, a quarter of a century later, it sounds as fresh and anthemic as it did then.

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