It’s been two decades since the year sexy came back, hips didn’t lie and ridin’ was done dirty, with 2006 — and, naturally, all of the songs that it produced — turning 20 years old in 2026.
And to celebrate the occasion, Billboard has selected 100 of the most iconic tracks released as the world shifted into the second half of the aughts, ranking them from great to greater and greatest. Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Shakira and Carrie Underwood all released smashes that would live on to be regarded as some of the key songs in their catalogs, as did Fergie, Gnarls Barkley, My Chemical Romance, The Killers, T.I., Nelly Furtato, Timbaland and so many more.
The year was also when we saw many of this generation’s biggest superstars make their debuts — such as one little-known (at the time) singer-songwriter by the name of Taylor Swift. The future 14-time Grammy winner released her first-ever single in 2006, as did acts such as Aly and AJ, Danity Kane and Paris Hilton.
But now that Billboard has shared staff picks for the best songs that year had to offer, it’s time for you to choose yours. From mid-2000s dance pop to quintessential hip-hop, punk rock and anthemic country, tell us which nostalgic banger lives on in your heart as the defining song of 2006. (And if you need help deciding, consider consulting the year-end Billboard Hot 100 from 20 years ago, which solidified Ri’s “SOS,” Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day,” Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bone’s “Ridin,’” Sean Paul’s Temperature and Fort Minor and Holly Brook’s “Where’d You Go” as the top five biggest commercial hits of ’06.)
Vote for which 2006 song you think is best in the poll below.
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