1 / 41

The 44 Best Songs of Obama's First Term - Barack Obama's historic first term has had highs and lows — universal health care barely passing, stunted economic growth, the end to two wars, school schooting, Republican intransigence. But at least we had great music to get us through, whether we were celebrating or mourning. Some might say Young Jeezy set the tone with his 2008 hit "My President Is Black," but the music to follow when Obama officially took office in January 2009 to the end of his first term in January 2013 speaks for itself. Here, in honor of our 44th president's first term, we count down the 44 best songs of the past four years. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

2 / 41

44. "Exhibit C" - Jay Electronica - This 2009 song is the epitome of unfulfilled potential. With one of Just Blaze's hardest, most soulful beats and Jay Electronica spitting fire and brimstone, this banger promised big things to come — namely, Jay's still-unreleased debut album.   (Photo: PA PHOTOS /LANDOV)

Photo By PA PHOTOS /LANDOV

3 / 41

43. "Wasted" - Gucci Mane - Though it dropped more than a year later, this Southern club favorite from the Gucci Mane describes us perfectly on Election Night in 2008. (Photo: Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

4 / 41

42. "Teach Me How to Dougie" - Cali Swag District - Michelle Obama immortalized this song and its accompanying dance when she busted it out in 2011 at a schoolyard in D.C. Barack may be an awkward dancer (as we saw when he appeared on Ellen), but the first lady's got enough moves for the both of them. (Photo: Sphinx Music Entertainment/319 Music Group)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy 319 Music Group

5 / 41

41. "Daughters" - Nas - Perhaps the most poignant track off of Nas' excellent 2012 album Life Is Good, this song addresses one of hip hop' most sensitive topics — fatherhood. (Photo: Def Jam Records)

Photo By Photo: Def Jam Records

6 / 41

40. "Say Aah" - Trey Songz feat. Fabolous - Trey Songz and Fabolous played dentist on this 2010 radio rotation favorite, the biggest hit of Trey's career. (Photo: Atlantic Records)

7 / 41

39. "Hard in da Paint" - Waka Flocka Flame - The No. 1 cause of bouncer beat-downs during Obama's first term, this bow-throwing 2010 brawler introduced the world to the irresistible brute strength of Waka. (Photo: Warner Bros. Records)

8 / 41

37. "Cashin’ Out" – Ca$h Out - It was hard to worry about the slow economic recovery of the past four years with this 2012 anthem on — much to the chagrin of girls named Nina and Keisha. (Photo: EPIC Records)

9 / 41

36. "Dance (A$)" - Big Sean feat. Nicki Minaj - Big Sean and Nicki Minaj went stupid over this MC Hammer-inspired, Da Internz-produced beat. Nicki's verse is one of her dirtiest — and most delightful. (Photo: Warner Music Group)

10 / 41

35. "No Lie" - 2 Chainz feat. Drake - 2 Chainz fulfilled his mixtape promise by topping the charts with this 2012 single. Of course, being backed by a medieval Mike Will Made It trap beat and Drake in finest form may have helped — a lot. (Photo: Cash Money Records)

11 / 41

34. "Just the Way You Are" - Bruno Mars - This catchy 2010 number took home a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and helped to catapult Bruno Mars to international stardom.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup)

12 / 41

33. "Best I Ever Had" - Drake - This song, from Drake's 2009 mixtape, So Far Gone, is the one that catapulted him to international stardom — and almost won two Grammys along the way. (Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for ESPN)

13 / 41

32. "Swimming Pools" - Kendrick Lamar - One of the weirder rap songs to ever hit radio rotation, Kendrick Lamar subversively took on alcoholism with a catchy hook, triple-time flows, odd robotic voices and a slinky T-Minus beat. (Photo: Interscope Records)

14 / 41

31. "Stay Schemin’" - Rick Ross feat. French Montana and Drake - Following up on the success of "I'm on One," bromancers Rick Ross and Drake go for a similar vibe on "Stay Schemin'," this time backed by an ascendant, French Montana. Most notable, though, is Drake's incredible verse, which many interpreted as a subliminal diss toward Common. (Photo: Maybach Music Group)

15 / 41

29. "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley" - Lloyd Banks feat. Juelz Santana - Lloyd Banks and Juelz Santana made like it was the early 2000s by dropping a classic New York club banger, featuring a sparse, bubbly beat and smooth bars. (Photo: G Unit Records)

16 / 41

28. "Nothing on You" - B.o.B. feat. Bruno Mars - Bruno Mars' soaring hook and B.o.B's sing-songy verses on this catchy 2010 smash are the right way to blend pop and rap. (Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

17 / 41

27. "Run the World (Girls") – Beyoncé - Jacking the militant funk of a Major Lazer drum loop, Beyoncé drew inspiration from the girl-power anthem of Destiny's Child to craft this 2011 global smash. (Photo: Columbia Records)

18 / 41

26. "Run This Town" - Jay-Z feat. Rihanna and Kanye West - A ready made theme song for Obama's D.C. takeover, this superstar 2009 collabo resurrected the Roc with a heavy, guitar-driven beat, Rihanna's icy hook and memorable verses from Kanye and Jay.   (Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

19 / 41

25. "I Don’t Like (Remix)" – feat. Chief Keef, G.O.O.D. Music - Kanye West and friends took an already ferocious Southside anthem and gave it some of his trademark epic-ness; the original version's producer, Young Chop, criticized it as some "rock star" s--t." We'd describe it the same way, but as a compliment. (Photo: Young Chop)

20 / 41

24. "Forever" – Drake feat. Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Eminem - A then-upstart Drake got the ultimate co-signs on this ultimate posse cut in 2009, spitting with Kanye West, Drake and Eminem over an explosive Boi-1da track. (Photo: Kevin Kane/WireImage)

21 / 41

23. "What’s My Name?" - Rihanna feat. Drake - Rihanna skillfully toyed with romantic rumors once again, flirtatiously duetting with Drake and paying subtle tribute to her West Indian roots on this 2010 smash. (Photo: Def Jam Records)

22 / 41

22. "Climax" – Usher - This arty, statement-making record combined Usher's floating falsetto with Diplo's minimalist, ambient production to gorgeous effect. (Photo: RCA Records)

23 / 41

21. Kanye West, "Monster" - "Monster," indeed. This beast of a song, from Kanye West's 2010 masterpiece My Beautiful Twisted Dark Fantasy, most likely haunts the dreams of lesser rappers, thanks to a funky beat and a 32-bar breakout verse from Nicki Minaj. (Photo: Roc-A-Fella Records)

24 / 41

20. "Rack City" – Tyga - Three words on the hook, three notes on the beat — never doubt the power of simplicity. Tyga's 2012 breakthrough hit had everyone from strippers on the pole to grandmothers on YouTube repping Team Twerk. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)

25 / 41

18. "The Motto" - Drake feat. Lil Wayne and Tyga - Drake and his Young Money compatriots Lil Wayne and Tyga "do it for the Bay" on this playful, hyphy-inspired T-Minus production, filled with hand claps and bass stabs. (Photo: Cash Money Records)

26 / 41

17. "We Found Love" - Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris - No disrespect to Jersey Shore, but we've never been ones to fist-pump — unless this chart-topping house-pop song is on. (Photo: Def Jam Records)

27 / 41

16. Cee-Lo Green, "Forget You" - Score one for cognitive dissonance: Cee-Lo Green's juxtaposition of classic Motown stylings and an expletive-filled send-off was one of the catchiest songs of 2010. We can't help but think Obama put this song on to get himself through fiscal-cliff negotiations. (Photo: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)

28 / 41

15. "Moment 4 Life" - Nicki Minaj feat. Drake - Nicki Minaj put the electro-pop stylings to the side for the moment, linking with Toronto dynamic duo Drake and T-Minus and unveiling her surprising singing voice for this Grammy-nominated 2010 hit. (Photo: Cash Money Records)

29 / 41

14. "I’ma Boss" - Meek Mill feat. Rick Ross - This song could've been renamed "I'ma Star" — for that's exactly what it made Meek Mill when it outshined all the other songs on Maybach Music Group's 2011 Self-Made Vol. 1 compilation. (Photo: Warner Music Group)

30 / 41

13. Rihanna - "Diamonds" - Rihanna's latest No. 1 blockbuster features gorgeous piano chords, knocking kick drums and her most impassioned vocal take yet. (Photo: Def Jam Records)

31 / 41

12. "Black & Yellow" - Wiz Khalifa - The song that almost won the Super Bowl. Wiz Khalifa's breakout hit fell just short of propelling its hometown Pittsburgh Steelers to the top, but it triumphed on its own, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. (Photo: Warner Music Group)

32 / 41

11. "Adorn" – Miguel - A much-matured Miguel boldly combined R&B's past and future, recalling Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" over sci-fi bass swells on the smoothest, most effortlessly romantic song of 2012. (Photo: RCA Records)

33 / 41

9. "Look at Me Now" - Chris Brown feat. Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne - This bleep-filled 2011 banger resurrected two careers: Chris Brown, whose shine had dimmed following his 2009 assault of Rihanna; and Busta Rhymes, whose acrobatic bars recalled his "dungeon dragon" glory days. (Photo: RCA Records)

34 / 41

8. "Love the Way You Lie" - Eminem feat. Rihanna - Two very different stars came together under the banner of confronting abusive relationships — something they both know plenty about — topping the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and grabbing five Grammy nods in the process. (Photo: Aftermath Records)

Photo By Photo: Aftermath Records

35 / 41

7. "Empire State of Mind" - Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - Jay-Z and Alicia Keys put it down for their city on this anthem, aiming to make the rap version of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York." Needless to say, they succeeded. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

36 / 41

6. "Mercy" - G.O.O.D. Music - If you set off a nuclear bomb in the middle of an earthquake during the Mayan apocalypse, we imagine it would sound something like this. Chest-rattling 808s, hypnotizing synths and stone-cold bars from Kanye West, 2 Chainz, Pusha T and Big Sean made this 2012 song an instant classic. (Photo: GOOD Music)

37 / 41

5. "B.M.F." - Rick Ross - Rick Ross and this nuclear Lex Luger trap beat already had the effect of Godzilla stomping through Tokyo; the killer Styles P verse is the cherry on top. (Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

38 / 41

4. Adele – "Rolling in the Deep" - Perhaps the most memorable vocal performance of Obama's first term, Adele beautifully walks the line between despair and fury on this rollicking, piano and hand clap driven soul throwback. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

39 / 41

3. "Runaway" - Kanye West - This is Kanye West's ingenius, beautiful apology to the world — for Taylor Swift, for the onstage rants, for the crazy interviews, for the terrible tantrums. Sorry never sounded so good. (Photo: Adrienne Battistella/PictureGroup)

40 / 41

2. "I’m on One" - DJ Khaled feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne and Drake - This inescapable 2011 song was a treasure. Listeners got three verses from three rappers at their hottest, a ridiculously smooth beat, and some new slang. Bonus: DJ Khaled even refrained from killing the song with over-the-top ad libs. (Photo: Joe Scarnici/WireImage)

41 / 41

1. "Niggas in Paris" - Jay-Z and Kanye West - The song is so nice Jay-Z and Kanye West had to play it twice — at least. While on tour in the song's namesake city they performed the song a whopping 11 times in a row, and the ecstatic crowd didn't mind one bit. After four years of slow economic recovery, let's hope the whole country can ball so hard by 2016. (Photo: Roca-A-Fella Records)

Photo By Photo: ROC Nation