The warm-weather months of the 2000s apparently had people feeling a bit lascivious, if the tunes that topped Billboard‘s Songs of the Summer chart that decade are any indication. Sure, there were the romantic declarations of love thanks to Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” featuring then boyfriend and now husband Jay-Z, and Mariah Carey’s yearning “We Belong Together.”
But to borrow a line from Nelly, “it’s gettin’ hot in here”! His lusty 2003 hit “Hot in Herre” off sophomore album Nellyville was one of several sexy tunes to become Billboard‘s Song of the Summer that decade. Usher’s “Confessions Part II,” about admitting bad behavior including cheating and getting a mistress pregnant, and Nelly Furtado’s playful “Promiscuous” featuring Timbaland also earned the honor.
And of course, there was Katy Perry’s super catchy 2008 lead single “I Kissed a Girl” off One of the Boys. The massive hit was named Billboard‘s Song of the Summer that year, and made the singer a household name.
Yes, the summers of the 2000s had some serious hits (who can forget Rihanna’s “Umbrella”?) that earned the Song of the Summer title, so it might be tough to pick a favorite, but we’re going to ask you to anyway. Vote in our poll below, and if you need another listen of the Songs of the Summers for the decade, check out our playlist before casting your vote.
Prior to 1992, Songs of the Summer were calculated from their Hot 100 chart performance during the summer months based on an inverse points system — with weeks at No. 1 earning the most value, and weeks at No. 100 raking in the least. After 1992, the songs are ranked based on each track’s performance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer.