Empire State of Mind — Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (2009)

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' 'Empire State of Mind' became an unofficial New York anthem, rising to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for five weeks. The song is 20% faster in tempo than the typical 2009 hip-hop hit, using a driving piano loop to capture urban triumph. It also outperforms #9 'Hips Don't Lie' in cultural ubiquity, frequently ranking among the decade's most-covered songs at weddings and sports events.