Top 10 Best Dance Songs of All Time
Good luck sitting still while listening to these songs! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most fun and impactful songs in the dance pop genre throughout the decades.
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00:00 [Music]
00:02 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most fun and impactful songs in the dance pop genre throughout the decades.
00:09 [Music]
00:12 Number 10 - YMCA - Village People
00:16 [Music]
00:23 This high-energy track has gotten people up on their feet for over 40 years.
00:27 As soon as you hear the opening horns, you know you are in for the time of your life.
00:32 The mood is immediately set, and once the joyful vocals come in, it's nearly impossible not to sing along.
00:37 [Music]
00:43 A staple within the nightlife scene, it's perfect for every setting, whether it's casual or fancy.
00:48 The song even comes with fun choreography, where people use their arms to spell the title out.
00:54 [Music]
00:57 YMCA is so good at pumping people up that it's still used to this day at various sporting events.
01:03 It has also cemented a permanent legacy for the Village People for generations to come.
01:07 [Music]
01:11 Number 9 - Good Times - Chic
01:14 [Music]
01:19 When something is sampled as often as this, you know it's iconic.
01:23 While Good Times may be more known now for its use in Rapper's Delight,
01:27 it's also one of the most prominent songs in disco's history.
01:30 [Music]
01:37 Chic is certainly no stranger to releasing club bops,
01:40 with their track "Le Freak" hitting number one on the pop charts.
01:43 However, it's Good Times that became a groundbreaking piece to the genre itself,
01:47 combining a funky bass line with a signature vocal style to create a masterpiece.
01:52 [Music]
01:59 The production has helped it stand the test of time,
02:01 and people groove to both the original and its samples to this day.
02:05 It has a way of making you feel that Good Times are truly on the way.
02:08 [Music]
02:11 Number 8 - Pump Up The Jam - Technotronic
02:14 [Music]
02:20 Everything about this is memorable, from the instrumentation to the catchy chorus.
02:24 It had all the right ingredients to become a hit, and easily succeeded.
02:28 It also helped introduce house music to the United States,
02:31 ushering in a new era of sound for the country.
02:33 [Music]
02:39 The tune captures the essence of the 1980s perfectly.
02:42 The unique intonation in the chorus only adds to the experience,
02:45 making the lyrics and the rhythm clash in the best way possible.
02:48 [Music]
02:52 It has the power to get anyone dancing.
02:54 The beat pumps throughout the entire track,
02:56 practically forcing the listener to bop along to it.
02:59 The infectious song remains well-loved to this day,
03:02 with it being used in Hollywood and in modern remixes.
03:04 [Music]
03:08 Number 7 - Groove Is In The Heart - D.Light
03:11 [Music]
03:17 Borrowing from several different genres in one track is tough,
03:20 but D.Light made it seem effortless.
03:22 Groove Is In The Heart utilizes aspects of a few different categories,
03:25 including rap and funk, creating a versatile ditty that anyone can enjoy.
03:29 [Music]
03:34 The use of slide whistles only adds to the whimsical vibe.
03:37 It also serves as an earlier example of heavy sampling,
03:40 with several different pieces being used to create one quintessential song.
03:44 [Music]
03:50 The colorful and endearing video matches the vibe perfectly,
03:53 getting people in a great mood to move, or rather groove.
03:57 It has been heavily praised since it was released,
03:59 and is constantly named as not only one of the best dance songs in history,
04:03 but also one of the best in general.
04:05 [Music]
04:09 Number 6 - Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
04:11 [Music]
04:17 While it may have been created for Saturday Night Fever,
04:19 the song has outgrown the film, carving out its own legacy in pop culture.
04:23 [Music]
04:28 The groovy bassline and constant funky beat immediately get everyone moving and shaking,
04:33 and it's not possible to not sing along to the catchy hook.
04:36 [Music]
04:41 Stayin' Alive captured the sound of the 1970s in a bottle,
04:44 practically transporting people back in time with each listen.
04:47 The cheery production combined with the darker lyrics
04:50 helped create a layered hit that people could still belt along to.
04:54 The rhythm is so consistent that it's even referenced during training in CPR classes.
04:58 There have also been modern interpretations and covers,
05:02 helping keep its memory alive among younger audiences.
05:04 [Music]
05:09 Number 5 - One More Time - Daft Punk
05:12 [Music]
05:13 They're one of the most important acts of the late 20th and early 21st century for a reason.
05:18 They've always been able to command nightclubs,
05:20 whether they're on their own or working with other artists.
05:23 However, it's their single "One More Time" that stands out among the rest.
05:26 [Music]
05:33 The electrifying instrumental combined with the constant looping vocal
05:37 is hard not to vibe along to.
05:39 It practically drives you onto the floor.
05:41 It became a dance classic and had a meteoric rise among fans.
05:44 [Music]
05:50 It also revitalized Daft Punk's career,
05:53 helping them seamlessly transition from the 90s to the 2000s.
05:56 It was one of the first EDM tracks of the new millennium,
05:59 ushering in a new era of dance music for the modern age.
06:02 [Music]
06:08 Number 4 - Let The Music Play - Shannon
06:11 [Music]
06:16 It's not easy being a trendsetter.
06:18 This debut from Shannon is considered one of the foundational pieces of dance pop music itself,
06:23 helping create the landscape for other iconic works to flourish.
06:26 [Music]
06:33 It was one of the first songs to include vocals
06:36 layered over heavily produced electro instrumentation.
06:38 This immediately set a trend that would help create a whole sub-genre,
06:42 freestyle, once referred to as the "Shannon sound."
06:45 [Music]
06:51 Let The Music Play invites whomever's listening to bop along as she croons in their ear,
06:55 resulting in a fun, funky time.
06:58 The best part is that it still holds up today even among modern tracks.
07:01 In fact, as of 2023,
07:04 Shannon still performs it live with the same passion she's had since the 80s.
07:08 [Music]
07:14 Number 3 - Vogue - Madonna
07:17 [Music]
07:23 While house music was already introduced in America by 1990,
07:26 Madonna popularized it when she incorporated it into this instantly recognizable track.
07:31 With pop cultural references and escapist lyrics,
07:33 it became one of her most ambitious works.
07:35 [Music]
07:42 The risk paid off immensely,
07:44 with it and the video being considered some of her best work.
07:47 The rhythm is irresistible,
07:49 culling people to the floor.
07:50 [Music]
07:54 The success also helped bring Vogue,
07:56 a category of dance created in Black LGBTQIA+ spaces,
08:00 to the mainstream.
08:01 Not to mention,
08:02 the live performance at the MTV Video Music Awards
08:05 set the standard for the rest of the event's history.
08:07 Vogue and how she presented it have created a pop culture ripple across society,
08:12 a true sign of Madonna's impact.
08:14 [Music]
08:16 Number 2 - I Feel Love - Donna Summer
08:19 [Music]
08:26 This helped change the industry for the better.
08:28 Inspired by how they felt music would sound in the future,
08:31 the diva and her team created I Feel Love.
08:34 It's an electric, pulsing tune that you can feel down to your very core.
08:38 [Music]
08:44 Donna's gorgeous falsetto vocals over the beat are hypnotic,
08:48 drawing the listener to the dance floor as if they're under a spell.
08:51 The number made a monumental impact on the industry,
08:54 and served as one of the cornerstones of electronic dance itself.
08:57 [Music]
09:04 Amazingly, it still sounds futuristic even today,
09:07 and has aged beautifully into the modern soundscape.
09:10 It has helped Summer earn the title of Queen of Disco,
09:13 and understandably so.
09:15 The jam itself is considered music royalty.
09:18 [Music]
09:25 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
09:29 Dancing On My Own - Robyn
09:31 This empowering breakup hit was one of the defining club hits of the 2010s.
09:35 [Music]
09:41 Dancing Queen - ABBA
09:43 No list about dance songs would be complete without this classic from the Swedish group.
09:47 [Music]
09:50 Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and Goon Rock
09:54 This hip house hit popularized one of the most recognizable moves of the 2010s,
09:59 the shuffle.
10:00 [Music]
10:06 I Wanna Dance With Somebody Who Loves Me - Whitney Houston
10:09 This joyous number about finding the love of your life stands out as one of the divas best.
10:14 [Music]
10:21 The Twist - Chubby Checker
10:23 He was the original trendsetter, and had people everywhere doing the twist.
10:27 [Music]
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10:46 Number 1 - Beat It - Michael Jackson
10:50 [Music]
10:56 While Michael Jackson has made countless musical masterpieces such as Billie Jean,
11:00 Beat It stands out as one of the brightest in his whole discography.
11:03 [Music]
11:08 The run time is filled to the brim with dynamic energy,
11:11 from the Van Halen supplied guitar solo to Michael's signature voice.
11:15 The song continued his domination of the 1980s,
11:17 easily sailing to number one and creating another classic.
11:20 [Music]
11:27 The fusion of both dance pop and rock together helped unite fans of both styles in a moment of
11:32 real-life harmony.
11:33 The tune is mesmerizing, and once it gets in your head, it does not leave.
11:37 [Music]
11:43 Which dance song do you think has been the most influential on the genre?
11:46 Let us know in the comments below.
11:48 [Music]
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12:01 [Music]