3 Pop Songs Everyone Knows, but No One Celebrates as They Should

Pop music is made to reach the masses, but sometimes overplaying can make an audience passive in their listening. The three pop hits below are beloved the world over, but their popularity has hurt them. They aren’t appreciated as they were when they were first released. These songs are more than just hits. They all have merits that go beyond their conventions.

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“Since U Been Gone” — Kelly Clarkson

“Since U Been Gone” features some of the best pop vocals of the last several decades. Kelly Clarkson, who has consistently proved that she’s among the top tier of vocalists, lays it all bare in this breakup anthem. We’ve all heard this song countless times, but seldom do we appreciate it for the vocal marvel that it is.

The verses are intimate and powerful enough, but it’s the chorus that’s the star of this show. Clarkson kicks in the door every time the refrain of this song comes around. And that’s not to mention the final chorus that is somehow even more powerful than the rest. Revisit this song and really take in the mastery you’re experiencing from Clarkson.

“Oops!… I Did It Again” — Britney Spears

“Oops!…I Did It Again” capitalized on the star Britney Spears had already grown into, solidifying her status as pop’s next big thing. We all know this song and have pretty much resigned it to throwback bubble gum pop, but it was actually a sharp move for Spears at the time.

This track turned Spears from a rising pop singer into a pop icon—image and sound fully intact. This song doesn’t have too much that’s hidden about it; it’s relatively surface-level. But that transparency doesn’t mean this song isn’t worthy of high praise. In fact, it’s a real testament to who Spears became: a star capable of turning pop music on its head.

“You Belong With Me” — Taylor Swift

Though technically a part of her country era, Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” was a pop hit through and through. This song saw Swift put her cards on the table and tell the world that pop hitmaking wasn’t out of her wheelhouse—in fact, it was her expertise.

We all listen to this song as a blithe, crowd-pleasing hit, but we rarely stop to appreciate just how perfectly written it is. This song marries where Swift was and where she was headed. Not just any artist could’ve toed this line so expertly.

(Photo by SGranitz/WireImage for Lifetime Television LA)