In Britain, we were temporarily distracted by “landfill indie” (ubiquitous skinny boys with scratchy guitars) and a kind of epic soft rock (Coldplay and their brothers in cardigans, from sensitive singer-songwriters to coffee-table rock bands) but little of it sounded fresh. Women increasingly came to the fore, some with authentically soulful voices and striking characters, some blow-dried, sexed up and autotuned to within an inch of their lives.  It seems a bitty, fragmented decade. Yet somehow pop has continued to do what it does best. There are still songs we all share, just not disseminated in familiar ways. You could hear them on TV, films, adverts and video games, in shopping malls and pubs, or at festivals. They were sung in crass cover versions by TV talent show wannabes and blared by tuneless amateurs in karaoke sessions.  These are 100 songs that define the decade. It is not a critic’s list, and not strictly a hit list; rather it’s one of tunes you find yourself humming whether you approve of them or not, the universal songs that infiltrated popular culture and provided a soundtrack to our lives. And laid out like this, it strikes me the decade doesn’t seem quite so bad.  Dido’s song of gentle yearning dominated the decade’s early stages.  99. Never Gonna Give You Up (1987)  This lovable Eighties hit “Rickrolled” to new popularity in 2007, via an internet prank.  Johnson’s wonderings about the bad stuff on TV was an easy-going joy.  The R&B star’s inaugural hit was a gospel-tinged classic about romantic confusion.  96. In Da Club (2003)  Crunching Dr Dre beats launched the humorless Fiddy. Sadly irresistible.  95. Thou Shalt Always Kill (2007)  Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip  Hilarious London satirist with Christopher Howse beard skewers noughties foibles.  Girls are basically cars, sings Stevie Wonder of the bling generation.  93. Where Is The Love? (2003)  For a brief moment, Fergie didn’t mean Sir Alex.  Drunk + crazy = 'crunk’, a sound Mr Smooth made radio-friendly  Texan smoocher, influenced by cough-syrup. Pronounced like Ford Sierra.  He samples Bobby Vinton, becomes first housewives’ choice of hiphop.  89. I Believe In A Thing Called Love (2003)  Stadium rock returned, complete with spandex trousers and Justin Hawkins’s ludicrous falsetto.  The lurching anthem for a distinctly Noughties tribe: heedlessly boozing suburban teens.  87. In For The Kill (2009)  The apotheosis of Eighties revivalism: pouting and make-up mask flimsy electro-pop.  Histrionic mega-hit that finally substantiated Johnny Borrell’s claims for his own talent.  A cover version of excruciating poignancy, outshining even Tears For Fears’s original.  The groundbreaking New Yorkers here fused indie-rock with African pop.  Grime’s amply-staffed pioneers delivered this club smash, before crumbling amid gang violence.  82. What You Waiting For? (2004)  In which the ska-punk princess metamorphosed into a Madonna-rivalling, hi-tech pop-disco queen.  81. Don’t Stop Believin’ (1981)  A 2007 slot on the Sopranos made this 1981 power ballad an iTunes sensation  Shimmering Malian pop on this Damon Albarn-produced gem.  79. Since I Left You (2000)  Sweet Australian one hit wonder. File under charity shop sample soul.  78. Standing In The Way of Control (2006)  Big-lunged, punk-soul self empowerment anthem.  77. Can’t Stand Me Now (2004)  The song where Pete Doherty’s rock chicaned into soap opera  Jamaican dancehall topped the charts with this celebration of dancing.  The affecting howls of a heartbroken man, recorded in a Wisconsin cabin.  74. Crank That (Soulja Boy)  A ringtone-friendly hook, and silly dance made this impossible to avoid.  73. No More Drama - Mary J Blige (2001)  Let’s all be calm, sang the Blige with ascending hysteria.  Loony blast of Washington go-go. She looked lush in hotpants.  71. Mundian To Bach Ke (2002)  'Knight Rider’-sampler sent bhangra worldwide. Title means: 'beware the boys’  70. Push The Button (2005)  Come-hither pop from the fractious but chart-conquering girlband.  69. Hope There’s Someone (2004)  21st century vulnerability, achingly exposed, in a piano-backed, humanist prayer.  US R&B collides with European electro-rave to create semi-clad party pop.  67. Over and Over (2006)  Electronic geek squad wittily capture the “joy of repetition” in raving.  The sweeping highlight of the Oxonians’s pay-what-you-please album.  The closest mainstream American rock came to a Bush-baiting anthem.  64. Do You Really Like It? (2001)  DJ Pied and the Masters of Ceremonies  The sound of hedonistic Britain decamping to Ayia Napa.  63. All the things she said (2002)  Pin-sharp pop and a controversy-stoking lesbian kiss  62. Is This The Way To Amarillo (2005)  Peter Kaye video helped 70s toe-tapper strike charity record gold.  A trans-Atlantic love story that revitalised Estelle’s career.  60. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad (1999)  Techno-gospel stand-out from Moby’s best-selling 'Play’ album.  Her Madgesty, in the cowboy hat, with the beepy noises.  Steamy but unsisterly hit from the American former burlesque troupers.  57. One More Time (2000)  Parisian duo autotune singer Romanthony to oblivion on robot disco classic.  Symphonic epic that keeps its bearded French maker in TV usage fees.  Face-painted US duo more than match contemporary European synth-pop.  From iffy flick 'The Beach’, William Orbit sends the alt-Spice Girls Balearic.  53. Call On Me (2004)  Steve Winwood-sampling romp boosted by super-lewd gym-porn video.  Brit-Lebanese popster shamelessly, ebulliently channels Queen via the Scissor Sisters.  51. That’s Not My Name (2008)  Mickey Basil’s 'Mickey’ joyfully reimagined as a sliver of shouty pop-punk.  50. I Don’t Feel like Dancin’ (2006)  Elton John co-wrote the New York pop sensation’s ravishing biggest hit.  Cheeky rapping, sledgehammer beat and swaggering chorus from Britain’s favourite entertainer.  48. Dance Wiv Me (2008)  Dizzee Rascal with Calvin Harris  The song that announced grime king Rascal had truly crossed over.  Nimble, flighty, Egyptian sampling delight from the rap supremo with studio wiz Timbaland.  46. Leave Right Now (2003)  The first ever Pop Idol winner’s noughties-style lounge ballad.  Dreamy, reggae drifts of 21st century lovers rock.  Great Britpop-meets-hip hop groove from the kings of the cartoon swingers.  Indie trio turn whooping psychedelic mysticism into pop gold.  Squelchy, slinky, less-is-more Timbaland production for doomed R’n’B siren  The Canadian band exorcised personal grief with surging rock euphoria.  40. Cry Me A River (2002)  In which Timberlake wreaks R&B vengeance on Mickey Mouse Club ex, Britney.  39. Sex On Fire (2008)  Steamy southern soul meets burning hot rock from preacher’s sons  38. Hips Don’t Lie (2004)  Gyration-inducing dance floor filler from the Colombian gargle-singer.  Soaring, yearning melodic piano anthem from Home Counties heroes  The garage pop lothario added another knotch to his bedpost.  The easy-listening Swedish 'My Generation’ built around an inescapable whistled riff.  Electro beats, acoustic guitars, anthemic introspection. 1000 sensitive singer-songwriters followed.  Pop-punk teenage love saga for the txting generation.  Leonard Cohen’s anthem of spiritual stagnation transformed into celebratory X Factor romp  31. The Modern Age (2001)  Five skinny New Yorkers made guitar music cool again.  Anthem of apocalyptic loss propelled the Scottish fivepiece onto the global stage.  Dido sampling, top notch storytelling about relationship between star and fan  Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse  Brass’n’Beehive-laden, 60s soul pastiching cover of The Zutons’ song.  27. I Predict A Riot (2004)  Arch new-Britpop anthem has its plebeian fun while maintaining ironic poise  The RnB starlet's inescapable soundtrack to a rain-soaked summer.  Jealousy, paranoia and pop rock hysteria from Las Vegas’s finest  Catchy, organ-funk-propelled game of Northern soul dress-up.  23. Get Ur Freak On (2001)  When Timbaland’s twangy bhangra beats met Missy’s tough urban attichude.  22. Rock Star (originally 2005, re-release 2007)  Grunge rockers sold millions satirising a life of money and excess.  21. One Day Like This  Gloriously uplifting English anthem now used on every third television programme.  Lily Allen skewers the contemporary cult of celebrity amid timeless electro-pop.  The 90s boyband just needed a little ti-ii-ii-ii-ime to return with this.  18. Take Me Out (2004)  Time-shifting rock disco groove proved indie kids can dance.  Sweet, exotic, silly and sexy as an old Turkish Delight commercial.  Ode to fancying strangers on public transport captured the nation’s heart.  15. Sounds of the Underground (2002)  Xenomania’s blend of electro and guitars set pop production standards.  Between despair and optimism, U2’s sky-high anthem was appropriated for TV football.  Delicious Motown-esque meditation on insanity. Topped the charts for nine weeks.  Jamie Foxx gave Kanye’s kiss-off to avaricious ladies a raw blues edge.  11. Dry Your Eyes (2004)  Mike Skinner’s urban vernacular bloke-ballad had 'em sobbing into their pints.  The battle of duelling egos in Outkast was thrown into overdrive when Andre 3000, one half of the Atlanta hip hop duo, was cloned eight times in the video for this goofily contagious Prince-ish funk-rocker, and conquered the globe.  9. Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (2001)  Never has a pop song more effectively done what it says on the tin: the Cathy Dennis and Rob Davis-penned single sinks its playground chant of a hook into the brain and just refuses to let go as Kylie sexes it up.  8. Seven Nation Army (2003)  Driven by the noughties’ best rock riff (not a bass, a semi-acoustic guitar dropped down an octave) this channeled all Jack White’s anger and ambition into an electric yowl aimed at everyone “from the Queen of England to the hounds of hell”.  A ridiculously potent Nine Inch Nails cover delivered in weary Old Testament tones that cut to the marrow. Acted as the great man’s elegy and the video, contrasting the frail Cash nearing his end with his boisterous younger self, is heart-breaking.  Even Simon Cowell must have been embarrassed with Pop Idol and X Factor’s parade of cruise ship cabaret fodder before Leona Lewis’s supple vocals restored some credibility to his search for a superstar. Supplied with a US written and produced ballad, Leona conquered all.  A sing song, half chant, half rap riposte to post Iraq war paranoia, M.I.A.’s much sampled sonic collage was a bravura oddity. The London born Sri Lankan Tamil mixes up The Clash with Bhangra beats, while gunshots and cash registers ring out.  The song that launched Coldplay’s stadium filling career and spawned a decade of male falsetto choruses (see James Blunt etc) Chris Martin’s plaintive call of unrequited love had no title until he found a copy of the Yellow Pages in the studio.  3. Crazy In Love (2003)  Something old, something new: this unstoppably groovy club slammer marries a raspy 70’s Chi-Lites horn sample with a hip hop inflected go-go beat. The romantic union of R’n’B sweetheart Beyonce Knowles with heavyweight rap supremo Jay Z added frisson to the affair.  2. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor (2005)  Britain’s new favourite band, the fresh faced Sheffield quartet were a word of myspace sensation. Witty, keenly observational and delivering the fast paced lyricism of rap with the energy of nu metal, the Monkeys made every other indie band sound old and vapid.  There was a tragic defiance to Winehouse’s career-making hit, bringing together some of the defining elements of the decade in one monster single. The sound is unashamedly retro, a bluesy shouter lent a modern edge by hip hop rhythms and bold sentiments. Winehouse has an authentic soul voice and vivid character but her fame owes as much to her public disintegration as her music. In the vacuum left by Top Of The Pops, the tabloidization of pop became the real mass market. Stars are no longer revered so much as cut down to size. That it would all end in tears was sadly predictable but self destruction has never sounded so uplifting.  Contributors: Helen Brown, Ally Carnwath, Peter Culshaw, Gervase de Wilde, Thomas H Green, Tom Horan, Neil McCormick, Andrew Perry, Benjamin Secher
Love it or hate it, the music of the Noughties was inescapable, coming from   adverts, video games and that newfangled gadget, the iPod. This is the   Telegraph's list of the songs that defined the decade.