The Top 30 Songs of 2006*: #30-21

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:

#30:

Hips Don't Lie

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:

I Write Sins Not Tragedies

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:

Lips Of An Angel

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:

Dance, Dance

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:

What Hurts The Most

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:

Sugar, We're Goin' Down

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:

How To Save A Life

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:

Temperature

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:

Don't 'Cha

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:

What's Left Of Me

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.