2008 was an exciting year for Rock Rips and music in general. We usually have one clear standout attribute, such as the year of #2s or the year of remakes, but this year can't be nailed down. It could be the year of females in rock; it could easily be the year of Chris Daughtry - with 4 charted hits and 2 collaborations he's got more presence on this year's chart than any other artist to date. It could also be the year of collaborations, especially multi-national acts. And we've already declared 2008 a "World Invasion" on more than one occasion, with the charge being led by acts from Finland - but also from international powerhouse bands like Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, Xandria, and Apocalyptica. The face of rock seems to be evolving too, with a swing toward symphonic metal such as we had to rap metal several years ago. Whatever you find exciting in rock music, 2008 had it; and we saw it all unfurl right here on Rock Rips.

Rock Rips Top 50 of 2008 Chart facts: This year-end chart of the top 50 songs of 2008 is represented by 47 artists from 10 countries (27 US, 6 Finland, 4 Canada, 3 UK, 2 South Africa; and 1 each from The Netherlands, Italy, Iran, Spain and Germany). This is the most diverse group we've ever had in an year-end chart. 6 artists have more than one entry: Daughtry is at #12, #13, #29 and #35; Theory of a Deadman is at #11, #14 and #18; Chris Daughtry collaborates at #14 and #20; Apocalyptica is at #15 and #22; Foo Fighters are at #19 and #44; and Linkin Park appears at #30 and #47. Other minutiae: 7 artists from last year's top 50 are back this year: Red, Daughtry, Buckcherry, Nightwish, Fuel, Linkin Park, and The Donnas. There are 7 remakes: "So Into You," "Lithium," "Safety Dance," "Our Lips Are Sealed," "Wicked Game," "Immigrant's Song," and "Fat Bottom Girls." There were 21 #1s and 6 #2s. There are 6-multi-act entries: "What Have You Done?," "By the Way," "I'm Not Jesus," "The Past," "Bittersweet," and "So Into You." Four of these are multi-national collaborations. The lowest peaking song is "Forever," which reached #8 With almost 2/5 of the chart, there are 19 artists here with their first charted hit. We have an instrumental in our top 10! Not only is it the highest year-end charting song to reach #4, but it spent a record 6 weeks there, and is also the first Rock Rip from an Iranian band. There are 11 females present: Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation), Ann Wilson, Anette Olzon (Nightwish), Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil), Ailyn, Dilana, Lisa Middelhauve (Xandria), Lacey Mosley (Flyleaf), Hayley Williams (Paramore), and the all-female bands The Donnas and Antigone Rising. 5 of the top 50 are acts have been around 20 years or more. In order by oldest: Les Paul (1945), Peter Frampton (1972), Ann Wilson (1976), REM (1980), and Motley Crue (1981). At age 93, Les Paul is offically the oldest artist to have reached our chart. Pos Song Artist Peak Notes 1 What Have You Done? Within Temptation/Keith Caputo 1 6 wks at #1 2 Heaven's A Lie Lacuna Coil 1 5 wks at #1 3 Life is Beautiful Sixx A.M. 1 6 wks at #1 4 Afflicted Age of Daze 1 4 wks at #1 5 Supermassive Black Hole Muse 1 3 wks at #1 6 Rise Above This Seether 1 3 wks at #1 7 Let Go Red 1 3 wks at #1 8 The Last Station Kahtmayan 4 6 wks at #4 9 Addicted Saving Abel 1 1 wks at #1 10 Morphine Tupelo Honey 1 1 wks at #1 11 So Happy Theory of a Deadman 1 2 wks at #1 12 Feels Like Tonight Daughtry 1 2 wks at #2 13 Over You Daughtry 1 1 wk at #1 14 By the Way Theory of a Deadman/Chris Daughtry 1 2 wks at #2 15 I'm Not Jesus Apocalyptica/Corey Taylor 1 1 wk at #1 16 Sorry Buckcherry 1 3 wk at #1 17 Fat Bottom Girls Antigone Rising 1 3 wk at #1 18 All or Nothing Theory of a Deadman 2 2 wk at #2 19 Long Road to Ruin Foo Fighters 1 2 wk at #1 20 The Past Sevendust/Chris Daughtry 1 1 weeks at #1 21 Bye Bye Beautiful Nightwish 2 2 wks at #2 22 Bittersweet Apocalyptica/Ville Valo/Lauri Ylonen 1 1 wk at #1 23 Supernatural Superserious REM 1 2 wks at #1 24 Gone Fuel 2 2 wk at #2 25 Psycho Puddle of Mudd 3 2 wk at #3 26 Rise Today Alter Bridge 3 27 It's Not My Time 3 Doors Down 2 28 How Far We've Come matchbox 20 3 29 What About Now? Daughtry 1 1 week at #1 30 Leave Out All the Rest Linkin Park 4 31 Stiff Kittens Blaqk Audio 2 32 Immigrant Song Ann Wilson 3 33 Violet Hill Coldplay 4 34 Save My Life Xandria 3 35 Crashed Daughtry 3 36 All Around Me Flyleaf 3 37 Wicked Game H.I.M. 4 38 Holiday Dilana 4 39 Lithium Ailyn 5 40 The Last Fight Velvet Revolver 5 41 Our Lips Are Sealed Everclear 4 42 Born Losers Matthew Good 3 43 Saints of Los Angeles Motley Crue 5 44 The Pretender Foo Fighters 5 45 Safety Dance The Donnas 5 46 Immortal The Rasmus 7 47 Given Up Linkin Park 5 48 So Into You Les Paul/Peter Frampton 4 49 CrushCrushCrush Paramore 5 50 Forever Papa Roach 8