In 2006, Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister of Israel, suffered a severe stroke and cerebral hemorrhage. Meanwhile, NASA launched the first spacecraft to Pluto, as New Horizons began a nine-year journey and we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birthday of classical pianist and composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
In music, the trend the last few years has been to play the same 30 or so songs over and over for the entire year. In most years of the Rock Era, there were so many good songs waiting in the wings that even the classics dropped off the chart after 20 or so weeks. Now it is quite common for a song to be on the charts for 52 weeks or more. Thus, our salute to the Class of 2006 will consist of 30 songs. Here is the first segment:
Hips Don't Lie
I Write Sins Not Tragedies
Lips Of An Angel
Dance, Dance
What Hurts The Most
Sugar, We're Goin' Down
How To Save A Life
Temperature
Don't 'Cha
What's Left Of Me
In music, the trend the last few years has been to play the same 30 or so songs over and over for the entire year. In most years of the Rock Era, there were so many good songs waiting in the wings that even the classics dropped off the chart after 20 or so weeks. Now it is quite common for a song to be on the charts for 52 weeks or more. Thus, our salute to the Class of 2006 will consist of 30 songs. Here is the first segment:
#30:
Shakira with Wyclef Jean
At #30, we have a worldwide smash that reached #1 in over 55 countries and the Top 10 in every country except Sweden. It has now sold over three million copies in the U.S. and 15 million worldwide. Unfortunately, it has slipped considerably in the last 10 years with little airplay and has more dislikes and the worst like-to-dislike ratio on YouTube of the Top 30 from 2006*.
#29:
Panic! At The Disco
This newcomer from Las Vegas, Nevada scored their first Top 10 hit when this song reached #7. The video captured Video of the Year honors at the MTV Video Music Awards.
#28:
Hinder
This song from the Oklahoma band Hinder reached #1 in Australia and New Zealand and #3 in the U.S., where it has now sold over three million copies.
#27:
Fall Out Boy
This group enjoyed considerable success with their second album From Under the Cork Tree, which yielded two of the top songs of the year. This song hit #3 in Canada, #8 in the U.K. and #9 in the United States. It has been certified Triple Platinum and Fall Out Boy won the Viewer's Choice trophy at the MTV Video Music Awards.
#26:
Rascal Flatts
At #26, one of the top country acts of the 21st century and one of the most successful crossover artists. Rascal Flatts reached #1 on both the Adult Contemporary and Country charts and peaked at #6 overall. When it was certified Double Platinum, Rascal Flatts became the first country group in history to reach that status with two songs. Their peers took notice, nominating "What Hurts The Most" for Best Country Song and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the Grammy Awards.
#25:
Fall Out Boy
This song landed at #8 on both the U.S. and U.K. charts and to date has sold over four million copies. Fall Out Boy was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards.
#24:
the Fray
The song at #24 is tied with "Smooth" by Santana for the seventh-longest-charting single of the Rock Era at 58 weeks, although given the weakness of the year described above, that fact means little by itself. What is relevant is that the powerful song is one of The Most Important Songs of the Rock Era*. Lead singer Isaac Slade wrote the song while he was working as a mentor at a camp for troubled teens. Slade says the song is about all of the people that tried to reach out to the boy but were unsuccessful. It not only hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart but #3 on the Popular chart in the United States, #1 in Australia and Ireland, #4 in the U.K., #5 in Sweden, #7 in New Zealand and #10 in Norway. It has sold over three million copies and earned the Fray a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
#23:
Sean Paul
Song #23* showed good longevity by remaining in the Top 10 for 17 weeks. It topped charts in the U.S., Canada and France and peaked at #5 in Australia, #6 in the Netherlands and #8 in Denmark. Paul won a Grammy Award for Dance Song of the Year.
#22:
Pussycat Dolls
A #1 song in over 15 countries, "Don't 'Cha" has now topped three million in sales. On the downside, the song has one of the lowest like-to-dislike ratios on YouTube of the songs within The Top 30*.
#21:
Nick Lachey
Contrast the song by the Pussycat Dolls with the one ahead of it, in which the like-to-dislike ratio on YouTube for this song is twice as high. It is from the fourth solo album by Nick Lachey, former lead singer of 98 Degrees. "What's Left Of Me" reached #6 in the U.S. and #7 in Australia.
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