Umbrella — Rihanna ft. Jay-Z (2007)

"Umbrella" transformed Rihanna from pop star to global phenomenon, spending ten consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart—a longer reign than #6 "Beautiful Day" had on any chart. The hypnotic chorus, built around the repeated "ella, ella" hook, incorporates a recorded rainfall effect that cost $12,000 to produce. This track won its first Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and has sold over 6.7 million copies worldwide, outperforming #7 "Lose Yourself" in pure pop impact. Its 43% longer stay at No. 1 in the US compared to #5 "Yeah!" underscores its dominance as one of the decade's defining singles.