Throwback hits bring a sense of nostalgia to those who lived during the time of the song’s original release. Some of these songs ruled my early childhood and I remember the exact point of time I first heard these songs. There are some songs that were even released before I was born, but I still enjoy their presence and the sense of nostalgia they bring to my playlist.

“Soldier” by Destiny’s Child ft T.I. & Lil Wayne

This song was originally released in 2004 on Destiny’s Child’s fourth studio album, Destiny Fulfilled. The song was received well by both listeners and it won various awards, including Best R&B/Soul Single by a Group at the 2005 Soul Train Awards along with being one of the Award Winning R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at the 2006 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards. I still sing along to this song to this day.

“Complicated” by Avril Lavigne

This song hits differently because I remember it so vividly. I was belting my heart out to this song every time I heard it in the car or saw the video on TV. The song was Lavigne’s second most successful hit, second to her 2007 hit “Girlfriend.” The song was nominated for two Grammys — Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Also, it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is one of the defining moments of my childhood.

“Leave (Get Out)” by Jojo

Before there was Jojo Siwa, there was the singer who went by the singular moniker — Jojo. And quite frankly, any song by Jojo throughout the early 2000s was a bop, and I lived for every single one. “Leave (Get Out)” was Jojo’s debut hit and it reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song eventually reached number one on Billboard’s Pop Song chart when Jojo was only 13-years-old, which made her the youngest female solo artist to have a number one song in the United States. The song, or any song of Jojo’s, reminds me of the simpler and easier times of my childhood.

“I Don’t Need You To (Tell Me I’m Pretty)” by Samantha Mumba

This simple and melodic song was a defining moment for me when I first heard it. It was one of two songs by Samantha Mumba that my dad would play whenever we drove anywhere. The two songs would be on a CD and it’d be on repeat the entire car ride. My dad would do this the entire summer and that song was etched into my head with that memory. The song was released in 2001 and I heard it for the first time five or six years later. The song peaked at number 20 on Billboard’s Hot Single Sales chart and it was part of the soundtrack for Reese Witherspoon’s Legally Blonde. This is a throwback song that I hold dear to my heart.

“Shine Ya Light” by Rita Ora

This song is one of the most recent on this list as it was released only nine years ago. I was a huge fan of Rita Ora during the time, which happened to be during my time in middle school. Those three years of middle school are something I can’t and Ora’s “Shine Ya Light” was a huge part of that. The song had reached number 10 on UK’s Singles Chart, which gave the singer her third top 10 single from her debut album.

“What’s Love Got To With It” by Tina Turner

This song was way before my time, but it has still found its way into my playlist. The song reached number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and it would be Turner’s first and only number one hit. In 2012, the song was inducted into the Grammy’s Hall of Fame, which gave the singer her third Grammy Hall of Fame award.

“I’m Every Woman” by Whitney Houston

This is actually a cover that Houston did of Chaka Khan’s hit from her debut solo album, Chaka. The song had established Khan as a solo artist outside of her funk band, Rufus. Houston’s version was recorded for the soundtrack of The Bodyguard, a film starring the musician. The song peaked at number four on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and it went number one on Billboard’s Hot Club Dance Play chart.