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The 50 best pop songs of all time
Our list of the 50 best pop songs written in the English language
How do you pick 50 of the best from a genre this expansive? With great difficulty (and a lot of arguments with friends and family.) Pop has been reinvented many times over, rejected and reclaimed, merged with other genres, had subgenre babies, and throughout the last six decades made itself all but impossible to pin down. Well, we’ve done our best. We’ve kept to English-language pop here, because looking at the genre globally makes it almost impossible to whittle it down to any kind of reasonable number – and because weighing Charli xcx against the Ronettes is hard enough without BTS in the mix. Without further ado, here are our picks for the 50 best pop songs of all time.
50. ‘Man! I Feel Like A Woman!’ – Shania Twain (1999)
As we get ready to dance our way through seven decades of pop, Twain’s rallying cry of “Let’s go, girls” couldn’t be a better way to kick things off. This country-pop gem from Twain’s third studio album treads familiar ground in its celebration of a big night out, but ‘Man! I Feel Like A Woman!’ specifically gives permission for its female listeners to be loud, take up space and enjoy themselves in whatever way they prefer. Twain attacks the vocals like her message is imperative – so convincing that you might feel an urgent need to line dance.
49. ‘The One That Got Away’ – Katy Perry (2010)
The best pop songs take you on a journey, and Perry’s kickdrum-powered ode to the great loves that never were is an emotional ride. Across her career, Perry has thrived on being a provocateur, but it’s in this earnest offering from 2010’s Teenage Dream that deserves to go down in pop history. The track’s lyrics are simple yet cinematic, with a chorus melody that makes you want to run though the rain. Yearning has never been this radio-friendly.
48. ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ – Gotye ft Kimbre (2011)
![Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) [Official Music Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8UVNT4wvIGY/0.jpg)
We know, we know – you’re probably still sick of it. Whilst ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ got flogged to death by radio DJs back in its day, there’s no denying the short moment where it sounded like nothing the pop world had heard before. Catchy yet restrained, with sharp writing, a dynamic vocal performance from both its singers and a delightful xylophone riff, this one deserves to be remembered as more than just the most overplayed song of 2011.
47. ‘girl, so confusing featuring lorde’ – Charli xcx & Lorde (2024)
2024’s Brat explored all the messiest, ugliest parts of being a woman in the music industry, but women of all professions found something familiar in ‘girl, so confusing’. Penned about a friendship with another artist that often felt more like a competition, Charli xcx revealed that the track’s subject was fellow singer-songwriter Lorde – and then unveiled this collaboration, a remix of the original song that presented both sides of the story, with Charli and Lorde spilling their guts over an electropop beat. It’s a therapy session disguised as a pop song, both a description of reconciliation and the actual act of reconciliation itself. Deceptively simple, totally original, and entirely relatable.
46. ‘stupid song’ – Olivia Rodrigo (2026)
There have been many great pop songs written about love. What Rodrigo points out in this list’s most contemporary entry is that most of those songs only manage to capture one side or shade of love, and not the multitude of highs, lows and contradictions that make the experience so life-changing. On ‘stupid song’, Rodrigo bounces from emotional piano ballad to catchy pop song to synth-rock meltdown. She’s euphoric, manic and going to pieces. Love’s a great beautifier – but it also makes you insane. And sometimes it makes you write really catchy songs.
45. ‘Since U Been Gone’ – Kelly Clarkson (2004)
Over two decades ago, one of pop’s greatest vocalists gave us the bang-crash-belt breakup anthem dreams are made of. It’s unsurprising that ‘Since U Been Gone’ won Clarkson a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance – a chorus this big would drown most other artists, but Clarkson roars right back. Concise, intense and high-energy, this is an anthem uninterested in restraint, and one that reminded the 00s that pure pop didn’t always have to be light and sugary.
44. ‘Love Story’ – Taylor Swift (2008)
Misappropriating Romeo & Juliet exactly as every starry-eyed teenager has a right to do, Swift’s 2008 young love anthem is one of her most cinematic. In ‘Love Story’, she depicts a relationship that she has to fight for, spinning a full narrative arc over dreamy country-pop production, and driving her point home with earworm hooks. It’s earnestness and naivety are what makes it such a success, along with the promise it makes to other young lovers: that a ring and a white dress wait just around the corner.
43. ‘I Want You Back’ – The Jackson 5 (1969)
It’s one of the most famous chord progressions in pop, and that opening vocalisation is only slightly less iconic. 11-year-old Michael Jackson delivers as clear, soulful and desperate a vocal on this breakup track as any adult singer could surely manage, over a foot-tapping instrumental that almost makes heartbreak sound like a good time. The other members of the family vocal group do a lot to add texture to the track as well, scattering ad libs throughout that all help to make ‘I Want You Back’ so endlessly listenable.
42. ‘Uptown Girl’ – Billy Joel (1983)
Heavily inspired by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, ‘Uptown Girl’ brought doo-wop back to the charts. Singing about a relationship with a girl who exists in a higher social sphere, Joel creates something undeniably fun and joyful, an infectious piece of pop with a bit of fairytale magic about it. The lyricism is slick and clever, the production clean and bright, and Joel himself sounds like he’s grinning the whole way through.
41. ‘Just Like Heaven’ – The Cure (1987)
“The idea is that one night like that is worth a thousand hours of drudgery,” said Robert Smith of ‘Just Like Heaven’, a hazy piece of romantic pop about a perfect moment. Smith’s voice is soft and far-off, describing a scene with a lover that feels almost like a dream – and the track’s ending suggests that it might be. Still, it’s perfect whilst it’s happening, and the dreamy pop-rock track bottles the feeling beautifully, complete with lyrics that read like poetry.
40. ‘Unwritten’ – Natasha Bedingfield (2005)
Uplifting or cheesy? Both! ‘Unwritten’ is an apologetically sunny piece of pop, with lyrics that urge the listener to get out there and seize the day. The breathlessness in Bedingfield’s voice is perfect: she quite literally sounds like she’s chasing down her dreams. The track is full of small imperfections, with many moments – like Bedingfield’s big ending note at the slightly tipsy guitar riff – lifted straight from the demo. In every aspect ‘Unwritten’ exemplifies the ethos of just giving it your best go, and by the time that chorus melody switches up for the middle eight, it’s hard to resist its charms.
39. ‘Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)’ – Nine Days (2000)
Nine Days never quite replicated the chart success of ‘Absolutely’ and the song has all but slipped into obscurity (despite a heavy nod to it in 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once). But this power-pop track has everything a perfect pop song needs: a great hook, a danceable beat, and a love story behind it. The girl who Hampson couldn’t make happy eventually stopped crying and became his wife.
38. ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ – Pat Benator (1980)
If ever there was a song that sounded like a high-cut leotard, it’s this one. In the aerobics anthem of the 80s, Benator announces she can take anything life throws at her – it’s unsurprising that the ultra-confident track ended up playing in so many exercise classes. It might be of its time, but ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ is still excellent. Benator’s delightfully growly vocals transform a fun, catchy track into an addictive listen, giving way to a fantastic guitar solo midway through.
37. ‘Daydream Believer’ – The Monkees (1967)
Fictional group turned real band The Monkees recorded this jaunty track in the 60s, featuring it on their TV show and their fifth album. Depicting a relationship between a lazy man and his slightly exasperated partner, ‘Daydream Believer’ is a piece of sunshine, delivered with a shrug and a smile. It’s been covered plenty of times over the last sixty years, but there’s a charming carelessness in Davy Jones’ vocal performance here that has never quite been matched. Throw in a great brass part and you’ve got enduring appeal.
36. ‘Be My Baby’ – The Ronettes (1963)
The lead vocal on ‘Be My Baby’, performed by a teenage Ronnie Bennett, is without a doubt one of the best on any pop record. There’s a note of insecurity in Ronnie’s youthful vibrato, giving the song’s title the question mark that it was always meant to have, as she asks her lover to want her too. Much has been written about the impact of ‘Be My Baby’ on sound design and production – even without that legacy, the song deserves its place on any list of best pop songs, for its perfect epitomisation of romantic longing.
35. ‘Chandelier’ – Sia (2014)
The main thing most people remember ‘Chandelier’ for is its music video. Fantastic as a young Maddie Ziegler’s performance is, it’s Sia’s vocals that really deserve to go down in history. Telling a story about the fine line between partying and drinking to self-destruct, Sia handles the song’s verses sensitively before throwing herself into its high notes, creating a track as cathartic and addictive as its subject matter. But ‘Chandelier’ doesn’t let Sia bear that weight alone, backing her up with a galvanising instrumental.
34. ‘Rolling In The Deep’ – Adele (2010)
Speaking of incredible vocals – at just 21 years old Adele stepped into a recording studio and delivered a fiery, blues-tinged performance that catapulted her to stardom. Sitting somewhere between soul and Americana, ‘Rolling In The Deep’ isn’t quite a pop record, but it’s hard to leave off this list. In the role of a scorned lover, Adele is electrifyingly scorched-earth, wailing over a determined drum beat as the track builds and builds towards a furious conclusion.
33. ‘Blinding Lights’ – The Weeknd (2019)
This smooth, romantic, neon-hued hit from The Weeknd went beyond viral in the early 2020s, and you can still find it cropping up all over social media. With a wistful vocal line, a drum machine that brings to mind a racing heartbeat and a retro keyboard riff holding it all together, the synth-pop yearning of ‘Blinding Lights’ earned it a spot on many if not all ‘Best Of’ lists that year. The Weeknd invites a whole host of 80s references to the party here, from Michael Jackson to a-ha to Rockwell, but his take on new wave still feels decidedly contemporary.
32. ‘Running Up That Hill’ – Kate Bush (1985)
Stranger Things may have given it a new lease of life, but ‘Running Up That Hill’ always deserved to make it out of the eighties. Bush has a knack for original song premises – this track about a man and woman wondering if their relationship would be saved if they could see only through the other’s eyes is one of her best concepts, brilliantly executed. There’s a queasy quality to the synths, an urgency to the drum pattern, and the overall effect is anxious but deeply emotional, with Bush’s unique vocal weaving a strange spell over it all.
31. ‘September’ – Earth, Wind and Fire (1978)
It’s hard to sit still through this cheerful funk hit from Earth, Wind and Fire. And it’s hard to describe ‘September’ other than with the words “good vibes” – the group capture sort of joyful magic in this recording, guaranteed to infect any listener. From the distinct opening riff to the falsetto chorus, ‘September’ differs from the pop hits that urge you to throw your worries away – it tosses them out on your behalf.
30. ‘Green Light’ – Lorde (2017)
The lead single from Lorde’s sophomore album begins on a sorrowful note, as she reflects on someone she wants and can’t have. As we move into the chorus, however, the song’s sound takes a turn for the celebratory – even though Lorde’s heart isn’t any closer to being mended. ‘Green Light’ sounds like a joyful charge downhill, both something you can dance to and cry to. Lorde’s production is always distinct, but this 2017 track is brilliantly constructed; a weird, slightly wild take on radio pop.
29. ‘Call Me’ – Blondie (1980)
In this electrically-charged single, “call me” starts to sound less like a sultry invitation and more like a challenge. Which makes sense – written for the film American Gigolo, ‘Call Me’ is not a straightforward hookup song. There’s something dark and eerie in the track, especially in that synth solo, and Blondie delivers a fantastically intense vocal line, flirtatious and dangerous.
28. ‘My Girl’ – The Temptations (1964)
Over sixty years since its release, ‘My Girl’ is still one of the best pop songs ever penned. Catchy, easy going and simply written, this sincere love song from The Temptations reflects on the sunshine the right person can bring into a life. Slowly introducing each sonic element, the song builds into a lush, romantic instrumental, rich in strings and harmonic vocals, with that cheerful guitar riff to anchor everything the whole way through.
27. ‘Tainted Love’ – Soft Cell (1981)
Soft Cell gave Gloria Jones’ 1964 single a total makeover when they covered it fifteen years later, turning the soul record into a dark, sinister track that stalks rather than rampages across the dancefloor. In Soft Cell’s ‘Tainted Love’, we hear a relationship too toxic to hold onto and too intoxicating to let go of. It’s a short track, and keeps its electronic accompaniment simple, leaving plenty of room for Marc Almond’s theatrical vocal performance.
26. ‘Jessie’s Girl’ – Rick Springfield (1981)
That same year, we had this ill-spirited hit from Springfield, about a man who can’t get a friend’s girlfriend out of his mind. Springfield won a well-deserved Grammy for his vocal performance on this track – he sings like a man wound as tight as a spring, barely letting go on the chorus before reverting back to tense jealous. The guitar mirrors him, following him through the verse with a repetitive picked riff before echoing his frustrated outburst.
25. ‘Torn’ – Natalie Imbruglia (1997)
Imbruglia covered ‘Torn’ four years after it had its first English-language release by alt-rock band Ednaswap, but it will likely always be remembered as her song. There’s something effortlessly cool in Imbruglia’s recording, as her high but far from frail vocal sails through the song’s sunny chorus. There’s just the right amount of guitar texture here with each little lick perfectly placed, but Imbruglia is given lots of space to shine, and her crystal-clear delivery is what takes the track from good to great.
24. ‘Hey Ya!’ – Outkast (2003)
One of those songs that only really sounds like itself, Outkast’s ‘Hey Ya!’ is a time capsule of 2000s dating culture. Over a deceptively light-hearted beat, André 3000 asks some fairly pressing questions about love and relationships, before he heads out to the club and addresses all the guys and girls in the room. Playful, experimental but oddly sincere, ‘Hey Ya!’ stands alone as a club anthem.
23. ‘Rocket Man (I Think It’s Gonna Be A Long, Long Time)’ – Elton John (1972)
The gently cruising, slowly building, magically existential sound of John’s 1972 single is hard to beat. Borrowing the voice of an astronaut, John’s lyrics are focused far less on his journey into space, and far more on what he’s leaving behind on Earth, making something universally relatable out of a highly specific experience. The track dips fairly heavily into glam rock, but it has the wide-appeal and memorable hook of a great pop song, and that chorus melody is glorious.
22. ‘Umbrella’ – Rihanna ft Jay-Z (2007)
‘Umbrella’s success in the UK might have had something to do with how perfectly its release coincided with extreme flooding, but the track would have been a hit regardless. Rihanna and Jay-Z indulge heavily in weather metaphors, and there’s been some shots taken in years since at Rihanna’s post-chorus ‘ah’s and ‘ay’s, but it’s all part of the song’s authentically naughties charm. Fun without being bubblegum and cool without rejecting pure pop, ‘Umbrella’ was a perfect fit for Rihanna, and her vocal performance remains iconic two decades later.
21. ‘Rhythm Nation’ – Janet Jackson (1989)
Janet Jackson had a gift for making socially conscious music over a dancefloor beat that only contributes to its urgency. ‘Rhythm Nation’ is undoubtedly the best example of this – when listening, you can’t help but feel the power in a gathering, whether that’s on the dancefloor or on the streets. The song proposes that the engaged youth of the world create their own nation, one where the only requirement for entry is moving to the same beat. It’s a cry for unity that works because it isn’t cloying or patronising but still incredibly passionate. Message aside, ‘Rhythm Nation’ is also a fantastically constructed piece of dance music, just lyrical enough, with elements of funk and new jack swing, and a hip-swaying guitar riff.
20. ‘Kiss’ – Prince (1986)
With its distinctive funk riff, a restrained falsetto from Prince, and plenty of quippy lyrics, ‘Kiss’ is irresistibly playful. The track never has its big pop moment, instead maintaining the tension throughout, exemplifying the ‘will they, won’t they’ lead-in to a seduction. There have been significant covers since, the most notable one by Tom Jones, but no one has quite matched the magic in Prince’s original performance.
19. ‘Go Your Own Way’ – Fleetwood Mac (1976)
![Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way (Official Music Video) [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ozl3L9fhKtE/0.jpg)
There’s a lot of complicated storytelling happening in this foot-stomping track for Rumours, as Lindsey Buckingham gives his perspective on the breakdown of his marriage with Stevie Nicks. Spiteful some of the lyrics might be, but the cathartic chorus isn’t just about tossing someone out of your life – the song’s furious pace gives both parties an opportunity to run towards individual futures. There’s an argument to be made this is not a pop song – it certainly leans more heavily towards rock than many on this list – but seeing as it comes from one of the most defining pop albums of all time, it made the cut.
18. ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ – Tears For Fears (1985)
It’s remembered not just for its synth riff, but for being a brilliant protest song undercover – nearly three decades later, a more sinister version of the track would be recorded by Lorde for the soundtrack of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ is decrying of institutional corruption wrapped up in a jaunty new-wave record. It definitely sounds like the 80s, but it’s also distinct enough – and vital enough – to be absolutely timeless.
17. ‘God Only Knows’ – The Beach Boys (1966)
There’s no separating this song from the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. But ‘God Only Knows’ is more than just a cute love song – it’s musically complex, introspective and philosophical, all whilst being completely accessible. Surprisingly taboo in its time for its use of the word ‘God’ and unpredictable in its composition, it still achieves that familiarity and warm safety of a standard, and is sweetly, simply romantic. The sleigh bells do give it a festive feel – and the Love, Actually association hasn’t helped – but it’s worth listening to this one year-round.
16. ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ – Cyndi Lauper (1983)
Is there an opening second of a song as galvanising as that synth slide? Lauper’s 1983 hit is as playful as its title promises, complete with a synthesised marimba solo that sounds like a dripping tap. It’s got one of the best riffs in pop, a beat that’s laidback and danceable at the same time, and a fantastically dramatic vocal performance from Lauper. Perhaps it’s her utter commitment to the track that has made it such an anthem for women everywhere: it’s clear that Lauper takes female fun seriously.
15. ‘Best Thing I Never Had’ – Beyoncé (2011)
There’s hardly a genre that Beyoncé hasn’t tried on for size at this point, but this is the singer’s best venture into pure pop. A criminally underrated power ballad, with a drum line you feel in your stomach, the sparkliest of piano parts and an absolute belter of a vocal performance from Bey, ‘Best Thing I Never Had’ is written for running away in a wedding dress – which coincidentally is what she does in the music video. There’s nothing cool or subtle about it, which is what makes it so endearing.
14. ‘Take On Me’ – a-ha (1984)
![a-ha - Take On Me (Official Video) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/djV11Xbc914/0.jpg)
Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha had magic on their hands when they hit on this synth riff, and the steadily mounting chorus melody makes good on the song’s early promise. Twinkly as it is, there’s something a little ominous about it, a feeling that only heightens as the track progresses, and the disorientating effect is intensified by Morten Harket’s vocal leap across two and half octaves. The unique music video may have helped to secure its legacy but ‘Take On Me’ deserves its spot on musical merit alone.
13. ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ – Journey (1981)
It might once have been considered a rock song, but Glee helped to reveal ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ for the crowd-pleasing pop it really is. Setting the scene slowly over a simple, repetitive piano part and a few ultra-dramatic guitar riffs, the song takes a long time to build up to its famous hook, finally giving us what we’ve been waiting for past the three-minute mark. It’s a unique retelling of an age-old story – two lonely souls looking for love.
12. ‘Shake It Out’ – Florence + the Machine (2011)
‘Dog Days’ may be Florence Welch’s more famous single about escaping from bad times into good, but ‘Shake It Out’ is the euphoric anthem that deserves to be her defining track. It’s an impressive feat to transition a mournful, organ-driven opening into a song this joyful, but as soon as that beat drops, we know we’re going somewhere good. Welch advocates shedding melancholy in favour of uplifting, heart-pounding music, reeling it back in for a big run-up to a huge final chorus that few vocalists could carry off quite as well. Goth-pop at its best.
11. ‘Romeo & Juliet’ – Dire Straits (1981)
“I can’t do anything except be in love with you,” sings Mark Knopfler on this Shakespeare-inspired ballad – the simplest of romantic sentiments, perfectly phrased. The guitar does most of the melodic lifting here, leaving Knopfler to focus on imparting the story. Knopfler’s imperfect, slightly nasal vocal gives the track a very sincere quality, as confessional and open-hearted as any love song should be, as he tries to figure out why he and his lover can’t make it work. Lyrically, it might just be the best song on this list.
10. ‘Pink Pony Club’ – Chappell Roan (2020)
Here we have the only song from this decade making it into the top ten. Roan’s queer anthem had a slow build to omnipresence, and then for a while the track was more or less inescapable. But unlike many of the earworms to dominate radio over the last few years, ‘Pink Pony Club’ was a moving call to and for community, a song that united generations in its outpouring of love for the queer spaces in which Roan and many others discovered themselves and their chosen families. Joyful, celebratory and unapologetically proud, ‘Pink Pony Club’ is the best pop song of the 2020s so far – and Roan sings the hell out of it.
9. ‘Billie Jean’ – Michael Jackson (1983)
With heavy breaths, a staccato delivery and perfectly restrained wails, Jackson creates an electric tension in this 1983 single, as he sings about a woman who falsely claims he’s the father of her child. It’s a unique subject for a pop song, and there’s plenty of ominous instrumental to underscore the seriousness of Jackson’s situation, but the arrangement is restrained, with each individual element getting its moment to shine, and Jackson’s storytelling taking centre stage. Plenty of Jackson’s hallmarks can be found here – shivery synths, falsetto vocals and the signature ‘hee hee’ – but there’s a uniquely gripping quality to ‘Billie Jean’ that draws the listener completely into the world of the song and leaves us dying to know how the story ends.
8. ‘Dancing On My Own’ – Robyn (2010)
Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn explores the loneliness of club culture in this mournful electropop track. ‘Dancing On My Own’ sounds like an out of body experience, capturing a moment of coming-to on the dancefloor and feeling your stomach drop. In the song, Robyn describes watching her lover kiss someone else from the other side of the dancefloor – but the beat is unrelenting, and all she can do is keep dancing. Her melodic vocals are at times at odds with the throbbing synths, giving the impression that she’d rather be crying at her piano than in the club, but when she sails into that chorus melody, the two worlds come together. Calum Scott’s 2016 cover might have surpassed the original in streams, but it has nothing on the up-tempo melancholy of the original.
7. ‘Hey Jude’ – The Beatles (1968)
It’s hard to find an imperfection in this track. A simple word of encouragement to a young boy is beautifully, carefully arranged into a warm hug of a pop song, building to as winning a set of ‘na-na-nas’ as any ever recorded. It may go on a while, but it’s a joy to get lost in.
6. ‘Toxic’ – Britney Spears (2003)
The screech that made music history. This is the track above all others that Spears’ breathy vocals were made for – her performance is intense, seductive and unique enough to compliment the song’s distinctive instrumental. With dynamic strings, warbling surf guitar, crunchy drums and some of the most delightfully obnoxious vocal treatment the naughties ever saw, ‘Toxic’ leaves a completely one-off mark on pop, inspiring wannabe Britneys for decades to come, but never yet matched in its whining, whispering weirdness.
5. ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ – Whitney Houston (1987)
In 1987, one of the best vocalists ever to set foot in a recording booth made her contribution to the soundtrack of aerobics classes everywhere. The result is one of the most uplifting, irresistible calls to the dance floor in the history of pop. Houston celebrates the spontaneity and passion to be found in club culture – but the song isn’t without its light and shade, acknowledging that loneliness often has to come before love. Unlike in her career-defining ballads, Houston works with rather than in front of the instrumental here, adding her voice to a richly textured arrangement – although she still has a couple of crazy high notes to show off.
4. ‘Bad Romance’ – Lady Gaga
Musical theatre, drag and burlesque all conspire on this singular record from a decidedly singular performer. ‘Bad Romance’ never does quite what you expect it to, part Madonna and part Rocky Horror, with tortured inhales, pre-choruses that whisper and shout over each other and a bit of French for good measure. But all the chaos comes together for a wholly satisfying pop chorus, in which Gaga proves she can sing just as well as she can chant nonsense.
3. ‘Dancing Queen’ – ABBA (1976)
Fifty years on, ‘Dancing Queen’ will still fill a dancefloor every time. The signature song of one of the greatest pop acts of all time, it’s a four-minute dose of pure sunshine, endlessly youthful and happy. Heavy on the reverb, heavy on the synths and heavy on the harmonies, the track is a joyful wall of lush seventies sparkle. If pop is meant to banish our troubles and get us moving, then ‘Dancing Queen’ could hardly succeed better. Don’t pretend you’re too cool for it.
2. ‘I Will Survive’ – Gloria Gaynor (1978)
Oh, that opening scale… The drama is high on this disco track, but so are the stakes, as Gaynor fights her way to the other side of a terrible relationship. The dancefloor can be an empowering place, long a representation of female freedom and agency, and ‘I Will Survive’ endows it with the emotional significance it deserves. This was a song that came by its legacy completely organically – hidden away on the B-side of another single and recorded in just 35-minutes, Gaynor’s authentic vocal performance and the cascading synths that backed her were soon discovered and clamoured for, until the song came to be the singer’s defining track. In the years since, ‘I Will Survive’ and its triumphant saxophone solo remain significant to anyone who has ever come to the dancefloor to escape anything, no matter what it may be. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
1. ‘Like A Prayer’ – Madonna (1989)
It had to be Madonna. No one has ever understood better what can be done with the genre, and ‘Like A Prayer’ is everything the singer does well: an infectious hook, a joyful melody, provocative imagery and an intensely dramatic performance. As good for a carefree dance as it is for expressing the most secret and desperate of wants, ‘Like A Prayer’ doesn’t just use sexuality as a shock tactic, but presents it as something sacred and essential. The dancefloor gets its due reverence. The lyrics are poetic and perfectly woven. As the song mounts to a euphoric conclusion, gospel wailings and pounding drum fills carrying us upwards, we’re free to let what’s inside come out.
