19 throwback singles we can’t believe are already turning 10 in 2019

“You Belong with Me” – Taylor Swift

You don’t really realize how long ago 2009 was until you put it into perspective. Back in 2009, Taylor Swift was the 19-year-old country music phenomenon who was transitioning from country to a more country-pop sound, before eventually going full pop with her album1989 in 2014.

Swift released her second studio album, Fearless, in November 2008, and you could already hear more of a pop influence on the songs. But she still had that country feel that fans fell for. The album’s lead single “Love Story” become one of the best-selling country songs of all time, and one of the best-selling singles of all time around the entire world. But it was “You Belong with Me” that really proved to audiences that Swift was coming for pop superstardom, and it was a worthy attempt.

“You Belong with Me” was written by Swift and was inspired by a friend fighting with his girlfriend on the phone, and she turned her sympathy for him into a song. She developed a whole new concept for the lyrics, where she was in love with the friend, but he doesn’t realize it because she’s the plain girl next door, and his girlfriend is a popular cheerleader type.

The single played up Swift’s good-girl image at the time (especially in the music video) and it worked. It was nominated for three Grammys in 2010, including Record and Song of the Year. She also won Best Female Video for “You Belong with Me” which led to the infamous Kanye West stage-crashing incident. Yes, it has been 10 years since that moment!