There are almost too many incredible tracks from the late 2000s, early 2010s to choose just a few. But we tried, and we tried to avoid the typical choices as well. You won’t find Lady Gaga here, as much as we love to talk about her (there’s a tiny Kesha mention, forgive us). What’s now known as recession pop has some of the best bangers around, and here are just three that still stand out.
“Right Round” by Flo Rida Ft. Kesha
Flo Rida released “Right Round” as the lead single from his 2009 album R.O.O.T.S., and not only did this get his fans ready for a new album, it also introduced Kesha to the world prior to her debut. It also interpolated Dead or Alive’s 1984 hit “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”, which gave it a hit of new life.
As far as recession pop anthems go, “Right Round” did a lot for both Flo Rida and Kesha. For Flo Rida, it gave him one of his most popular hits and best-selling singles. It became Kesha’s second-best-selling single, even though she wasn’t credited on the track until much later. Not for lack of trying on the part of Flo Rida’s team. They wanted her to appear in the music video, but she declined. Instead, she wanted to debut on her own terms and shape her own image. The following year, she would do just that with her debut album Animal.
“I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” by Pitbull
“I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” appeared on Pitbull’s fourth album, released in 2009. This single was praised for its clever blend of reggaetón, tribal house beats, Euro pop, and other styles, which turned it into a multicultural banger. Pitbull had been a mainstay in the club for a while, but “I Know You Want Me” had him popular on the charts as well.
Pitbull is one of the kings of recession pop, and it comes down to his unbothered yet high-energy hits. He’s not out here trying to put out arthouse club music, and there’s no veneer of ego or pretension. Pitbull knows what he likes and what his fans like, and that’s the kind of music he continues to make. There’s a reason he’s still as popular as he is even as the recession pop days have passed us by.
“Bulletproof” by La Roux
“Bulletproof” came out in 2009 when La Roux was still an electro-pop duo. Singer Elly Jackson worked solo under the La Roux moniker starting in 2012, and is even putting out a new album in November 2026. But when “Bulletproof” hit the radio, it seemed like La Roux was going to be a household name.
The accompanying album, La Roux, made waves in 2009, and has definitely earned a place in the pantheon of recession pop. But La Roux fever petered out after the 2014 album Trouble in Paradise. The hope for new music died as well, until Jackson returned in 2020 with Supervision. Her upcoming album is a departure from her early La Roux endeavors, of course. But the thing about recession pop like that is eventually you have to move on.
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