2012 wasn't just a year of songs; it was a year of events . It was the bridge between the iPod era and the streaming takeover. Looking back, these tracks define the year we thought the world might end (thanks, Mayan calendar), but instead, we just danced.

If you had a radio on, a pair of earbuds in, or a flip phone (yes, flip phones were still around) in 2012, you were living through a unique moment in pop culture. It was the year the world went fully digital, but the beats were still undeniably analog in their joy.

So go ahead. Queue up "Call Me Maybe" on your streaming service. We won't judge. After all, 2012 taught us that sometimes, the biggest songs are just the ones that make us smile the most.