The 50 greatest songs of the past 15 years
As voted by Absolute Radio listeners
Last updated 30th Sep 2023
To celebrate Absolute Radio’s 15th birthday this month, we asked you - our incredible listeners - to have your say and vote for your favourite song of the past 15 years.
The listener poll was an open vote meaning that any song recorded between 2008 and 2023 was eligible for inclusion, and, following thousands of votes, all this week Absolute Radio has been counting down the Top 50 on a series of special shows on air.
Shortly before 2pm today (Friday 29th September), Sarah Champion and Ben Burrell unveiled the Number 1 – Sam Fender’s towering heartlands rock anthem ‘Seventeen Going Under.’
Released in July 2021 as the lead single and title track of Sam’s second studio album, the intensely autobiographical ‘Seventeen Going Under’ is five minutes of soaring, chest-swelling guitar music of the highest calibre.
Enthusing about his win, Sam told Absolute Radio: “'Seventeen Going Under’ has been awarded the best song of the last 15 years! (Not sure I agree with that one lol) nevertheless I’m buzzing!
“That’s so wild - thanks to everyone who voted. Happy 15th Birthday Absolute Radio!”
You can check out the full top 50 greatest songs of the past 15 years as voted by Absolute Radio listeners below.
Statisticians amongst you might be interested to know that 2011 was the most popular year with 9 songs in the Top 50. It’s closely followed by 2008 and 2009 with 8 tracks apiece.
Songs from 2010, 2016 and 2020 proved to be the least popular – all three years have zero tracks inside the Top 50.
The 50 greatest songs of the past 15 years:
50. Foster The People – ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
49. Adele – ‘Skyfall’ (2014)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
48. The Vaccines – ‘If You Wanna’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
47. Snow Patrol – ‘Just Say Yes’ (2009)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
46. Michael Kiwanuka – ‘Cold Little Heart’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
45. George Ezra – ‘Shotgun’ (2018)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
44. Doves – ‘Kingdom of Rust’ (2009)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
43. Paramore – ‘Still Into You’ (2013)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
42. Manic Street Preachers – ‘International Blue’ (2018)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
41. Jake Bugg – ‘Lightning Bolt’ (2012)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
40. Imagine Dragons – ‘Radioactive’ (2012)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
39. Green Day – ‘Know Your Enemy’ (2009)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
38. Stereophonics – ‘C'est La Vie’ (2015)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
37. Kings Of Leon – ‘Use Somebody’ (2009)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
36. Gotye ft. Kimbra – ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
35. Black Keys – ‘Lonely Boy’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
34. Adele – ‘Rolling In the Deep’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
33. Royal Blood – ‘Figure It Out’ (2014)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
32. Lana Del Rey – ‘Video Games’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
31. Biffy Clyro – ‘Mountains’ (2009)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
30. Temper Trap – ‘Sweet Disposition’ (2008)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
29. MGMT – ‘Kids’ (2008)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
28. Arcade Fire – ‘Everything Now’ (2017)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
27. Stereophonics – ‘Indian Summer’ (2013)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
26. Foo Fighters – ‘Under You’ (2023)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
25. Wet Leg – ‘Wet Dream’ (2022)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
24. Rag'n'Bone Man – ‘Human’ (2017)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
23. Paolo Nutini – ‘Iron Sky’ (2014)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
22. The Killers – ‘The Man’ (2017)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
21. Bastille – ‘Pompeii’ (2013)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
20. Liam Gallagher – ‘Once’ (2019)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
19. Keane – ‘Sovereign Light Café’ (2012)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
18. Arctic Monkeys – ‘R U Mine?’ (2013)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
17. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – ‘AKA...What a Life!’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
16. Coldplay – ‘Viva La Vida’ (2008)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
15. Disturbed – ‘The Sound of Silence’ (2015)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
14. Kasabian – ‘Fire’ (2009)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
13. Biffy Clyro – ‘Many of Horror’ (2009)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
12. The Killers – ‘Human’ (2008)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
11. Blur – ‘The Narcissist’ (2023)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
10. Wolf Alice – ‘Don't Delete The Kisses’ (2017)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
9. Hozier – ‘Take Me To Church’ (2013)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
8. Florence and the Machine – ‘Dog Days are Over’ (2008)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
7. Arctic Monkeys – ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ (2013)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
6. Courteeners – ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ (2008)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
5. Kings Of Leon – ‘Sex On Fire’ (2008)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
4. Foo Fighters – ‘Walk’ (2011)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
3. Muse – ‘Uprising’ (2009)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
2. Elbow – ‘One Day Like This’ (2008)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
1. Sam Fender – ‘Seventeen Going Under’ (2021)
Absolute Radio's 15th birthday - The 50 greatest songs of 2008 to 2023
Feature: Absolute Radio presenters reveal their favourite songs of the past 15 years
- sam fender
- Foo Fighters
- Adele
- the vaccines
- snow patrol
- George Ezra
- doves
- paramore
- manic street preachers
- jake bugg
- Green Day
- Stereophonics
- Kings of Leon
- Royal Blood
- Arcade Fire
- wet leg
- The Killers
- Bastille
- Oasis
- Liam Gallagher
- Keane
- arctic monkeys
- Noel Gallagher
- Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
- Kasabian
- Biffy Clyro
- blur
- wolf alice
- florence and the machine
- Muse
- Elbow