Side 10 of 11
2009
The pregame gets its own genre
8 tracks
- 01
Kiss Me Thru the Phone
Soulja Boy
ringtone rappop-rapFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #3 on the Hot 100; Soulja Boy's biggest follow-up hit.
Why it mattered
Love it or hate it, Soulja Boy had hooks. This was the ringtone era's love song — simple, catchy, and everywhere. The phone number in the song got millions of calls.
- 02
Lights Please
J. Cole
consciousmixtape eraFind similar tracks →On the charts
From The Warm Up mixtape; Cole's breakout moment before his major label debut.
Why it mattered
J. Cole introduced himself as the thinking man's rapper. The Warm Up was the most buzzed-about mixtape of 2009, and this was its centerpiece — introspective, smooth, and undeniably skilled.
- 03
D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)
Jay-Z
hip-hopstatement trackFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #24 on the Hot 100 from The Blueprint 3.
Why it mattered
Jay-Z declared war on Auto-Tune and the whole industry listened. Whether it actually killed the trend is debatable, but the message was clear — real rap is back. No I.D.'s beat was menacing.
- 04
I Love College
Asher Roth
frat rappartyFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #12 on the Hot 100; the college anthem of 2009.
Why it mattered
The most literal college party song ever made. Asher Roth captured the experience of being a freshman who just discovered that nobody's parents are around. Every dorm played this on repeat.
- 05
Blame It
Jamie Foxx
r&bpartyFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #2 on the Hot 100; won a Grammy for Best R&B Song.
Why it mattered
T-Pain on the hook, Jamie Foxx crooning about bad decisions — this was the pre-game anthem and the morning-after excuse rolled into one. The video had everyone in it.
- 06
Every Girl in the World
Young Money
crew cutYoung MoneyFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #10 on the Hot 100 from We Are Young Money.
Why it mattered
Wayne, Drake, and the whole Young Money roster on one track. This was the crew cut that proved Young Money was the most dominant collective in rap. Drake's verse stood out even then.
- 07
How Low
Ludacris
southern rapclubFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #4 on the Hot 100; one of Luda's biggest late-career hits.
Why it mattered
Ludacris proved he still had it. The limbo-meets-twerking concept was simple and the execution was flawless. This was a guaranteed floor-filler at every club and college party.
- 08
Money to Blow
Birdman · feat. Drake, Lil Wayne
Cash MoneystuntingFind similar tracks →On the charts
Peaked at #36 on the Hot 100; a Cash Money family affair.
Why it mattered
Drake singing the hook, Wayne with a verse, and Birdman doing what he does — stunting. This was the celebration song for the Cash Money dynasty's second act. Young Money was taking over.
