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.

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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 US ArtistUS BandWhat Have You Done? Within Temptation/Keith Caputo 1 6 wks at #1
2 Italian BandHeaven's A Lie Lacuna Coil 1 5 wks at #1
3 US BandLife is Beautiful Sixx A.M. 1 6 wks at #1
4 Canadian BandAfflicted Age of Daze 1 4 wks at #1
5 UK BandSupermassive Black Hole Muse 1 3 wks at #1
6 South African BandRise Above This Seether 1 3 wks at #1
7 US bandLet Go Red 1 3 wks at #1
8 Iranian bandThe Last Station Kahtmayan 4 6 wks at #4
9 US bandAddicted Saving Abel 1 1 wks at #1
10 Canadian BandMorphine Tupelo Honey 1 1 wks at #1
11 Canadian BandSo Happy Theory of a Deadman 1 2 wks at #1
12 US BandFeels Like Tonight Daughtry 1 2 wks at #2
13 US BandOver You Daughtry 1 1 wk at #1
14 US BandCanadian BandBy the Way Theory of a Deadman/Chris Daughtry 1 2 wks at #2
15 US ArtistFinnish BandI'm Not Jesus Apocalyptica/Corey Taylor 1 1 wk at #1
16 US BandSorry Buckcherry 1 3 wk at #1
17 US BandFat Bottom Girls Antigone Rising 1 3 wk at #1
18 Canadian bandAll or Nothing Theory of a Deadman 2 2 wk at #2
19 US BandLong Road to Ruin Foo Fighters 1 2 wk at #1
20 US BandThe Past Sevendust/Chris Daughtry 1 1 weeks at #1
21 Finnish BandBye Bye Beautiful Nightwish 2 2 wks at #2
22 Finnish BandBittersweet Apocalyptica/Ville Valo/Lauri Ylonen 1 1 wk at #1
23 US BandSupernatural Superserious REM 1 2 wks at #1
24 US BandGone Fuel 2 2 wk at #2
25 US BandPsycho Puddle of Mudd 3 2 wk at #3
26 US BandRise Today Alter Bridge 3
27 US BandIt's Not My Time 3 Doors Down 2
28 US bandHow Far We've Come matchbox 20 3
29 US BandWhat About Now? Daughtry 1 1 week at #1
30 US BandLeave Out All the Rest Linkin Park 4
31 US bandStiff Kittens Blaqk Audio 2
32 US ArtistImmigrant Song Ann Wilson 3
33 UK BandViolet Hill Coldplay 4
34 German BandSave My Life Xandria 3
35 US BandCrashed Daughtry 3
36 US BandAll Around Me Flyleaf 3
37 Finnish BandWicked Game H.I.M. 4
38 South African bandHoliday Dilana 4
39 Spanish ArtistLithium Ailyn 5
40 US BandThe Last Fight Velvet Revolver 5
41 US BandOur Lips Are Sealed Everclear 4
42 Canadian BandBorn Losers Matthew Good 3
43 US BandSaints of Los Angeles Motley Crue 5
44 US BandThe Pretender Foo Fighters 5
45 US BandSafety Dance The Donnas 5
46 Finn BandImmortal The Rasmus 7
47 US BandGiven Up Linkin Park 5
48 UK BandUS BandSo Into You Les Paul/Peter Frampton 4
49 US BandCrushCrushCrush Paramore 5
50 US BandForever Papa Roach 8