23 Songs That Prove How Much The World Has Changed In 10 Years

Times have changed!

1. "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter

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Back in 2006: This was the BIGGEST SONG OF 2006. Let that sink in for a moment. Sure, it probably benefited from being played on the biggest show of the time, American Idol (each time a contestant was voted off). But still, shame on us. SHAME ON US!!!

2. "Don't Forget About Us" by Mariah Carey

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Back in 2006: OK, moving on to an actual bop. This was Mimi's 17th chart-topping hit. And while the music might have been different a decade ago, it's reassuring to know Mariah still doesn't know who Jennifer Lopez is.

3. "Check on It" by Beyoncé featuring Slim Thug

Sony Music/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: Let's just say Beyoncé has come a LONG way from starring in The Pink Panther remake and recording a song for the soundtrack. Also LBH, Bey would NEVER make a video today with so much pink in it that it would even make Barbie say "too much." Having said that, this song STILL is a bop.

4. "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt

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Back in 2006: What the hell was in the water 10 years ago that so many white male singers felt inspired to write moody tracks? And like Daniel Powter's "Bad Day," this was one of those songs you couldn't ESCAPE. It was literally everywhere. 😑

5. "So Sick" by Ne-Yo

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Back in 2006: Remember when Ne-Yo used to be a thing? Ne-Yo needs to be a thing again. He most definitely has the range. That's all we have to say about "So Sick."

6. "Temperature" by Sean Paul

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Back in 2006: Weirdly enough, Sean Paul is kind of having a comeback, as he's featured on the radio edit of Sia's smash "Cheap Thrills." So maybe the world hasn't changed that much in 10 years? But "Temperature" is very much a song of its time.

7. "SOS" by Rihanna

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Back in 2006: Again, maybe things haven't changed *THAT* much in 10 years — it feels like every other song on the radio today is either "Needed Me" or "Too Good," so it's not exactly like we were lacking for Rihanna in 2006 or 2016. But something about the "Tainted Love" sample feels SO early-era Rihanna. OK, things have changed.

8. "Ridin'" by Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone

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Back in 2006: This song spent TWO ENTIRE WEEKS at the top spot on the charts. That's 14 days! An entire fortnight! 2006 was wild, y'all.

9. "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

Sony Music/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: You could not escape this song in the summer of 2006 even if you lived in an underground soundproof bunker, and that's fine, because "Hips Don't Lie" is like junk food for your ears. Admit it, you STILL know the lyrics.

10. "London Bridge" by Fergie

A&M Records/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: Fergie broke from the Black Eyed Peas and went solo with a sexy lead single about a historic monument — this basically sums up music in 2006 pretty well.

11. "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield

Sony Music/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: "Unwritten" was released in 2004 but it charted in 2006, the same year it was chosen as the title song for The Hills. Admit it: Back then you wished you could blast the song in a convertible in LA just like Lauren Conrad.

12. "Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige

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Back in 2006: While this is still an epic fuck-you anthem, it's totally a 2000s song. Thank you, Mary J., for gifting us with this gem of a TRL mainstay. We were not, and still are not, worthy.

13. "Grillz" by Nelly, Paul Wall, and Ali & Gipp

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Back in 2006: Nelly singing about grills with a stylized "z," along with Paul Wall? Ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you the year 2006!

14. "Me & U" by Cassie

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Back in 2006: This is one of those sleeper hits that you forget about loving, and it still sounds so good 10 years later. And the music video! So sensual, so sexy!

15. "Over My Head (Cable Car)" by The Fray

Sony Music/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: If you were feeling angsty in 2006, you probably loved this song. It also fit perfectly with other melancholy alt anthems at the time being put out by Coldplay and Keane. NEXT!

16. "Buttons" by the Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg

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Back in 2006: Before Fifth Harmony, the de facto girl group of choice was the Pussycat Dolls. Nicole Scherzinger may be an X-Factor judge now, but back in 2006 she and her girls were churning out sexy hits like "Buttons" left and right. TBH, we kinda miss it!

17. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" by Panic! at the Disco

Fueled By Ramen/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: Those string plucks at the beginning? ICONIC!!! This song totally spoke to your emo self in 2006. And even though times have changed, you can still headbang to it now.

18. "Money Maker" by Ludacris featuring Pharrell

DTP Records/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: This was the song that you grinded to with your crush at the school dance in 2006. And the lyric "backstroke, breaststroke, stroke of a genius" still is so amazing. 2006: What a time to be alive!

19. "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake

Sony Music/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: Before he recorded songs for the soundtrack to the Trolls movie 😒 JT dropped one of the sexiest tracks of 2006. While the title makes no sense grammatically, you could not get away from this song if you tried. And that was fine, because this song bangs.

20. "I Wanna Love You" by Akon featuring Snoop Dogg

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Back in 2006: In the year of our Lord 2006, Akon was a *THING* and one of his biggest hits was "I Wanna Love You" (the edited version, at least). And God was good, because this song was a bop.

21. "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance

WMG/ youtube.com

Back in 2006: Another song that spoke to your emo self in 2006. Maybe you want to leave that era of your life in the past, but admit it — this was YOUR song back then if you went through an ~emo phase~. No shame!

22. "When You Were Young" by The Killers

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Back in 2006: The Killers were one of the hottest bands in 2006, and rightfully so — they dropped anthems that you could scream along to whether you were riding in the car or at the bar. "When You Were Young" is one of those songs.

23. "Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland

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Back in 2006: In 2006, the easiest way to get a hit track was to have Timbaland produce it. Times have since changed, but there was a brief moment when Nelly Furtado of all people was the hottest pop star in the world — and it was amazing while it lasted.

And here's a playlist of the good, the bad, and the ugly songs from 2006. Bye!