- 6 weeks ago
If there’s one thing every great party needs, it’s a soundtrack that can pull even the most reluctant guests out of their seats. Join us as we count down the dancefloor fillers that never fail to bring the room together, from disco legends and pop divas to club anthems and unforgettable sing-along bangers.
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00:00Watch me up and up the place
00:02Wanna see you bumpin' baby
00:04Bouncin' to the best
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo
00:07And today we're counting down our picks
00:09for the top 30 songs that never
00:11fail to get people moving on the dance floor
00:20Number 30
00:21Music Sounds Better With You
00:22Stardust
00:32As the sole release by short-lived French house music trio Stardust
00:36it's pretty safe to say that Music Sounds Better With You
00:39is one incredible maiden voyage
00:41The group was composed of Daft Punk member Thomas Bangalter
00:44the DJ Alan Brax and the vocalist Benjamin Diamond
00:48and clearly the aim was quality over quantity
00:59The Daft Punk flavor is very clear
01:01but it also has something of its own to offer
01:03especially with Diamond's vocal performance
01:06You'd be hard-pressed to find a DJ in the late 90s and early 2000s
01:10who wasn't fond of occasionally giving this one a spin
01:19Number 29
01:20Sexy Back
01:21Justin Timberlake
01:28When Justin Timberlake teamed up with Timbaland
01:31for the immensely funky single Sexy Back
01:34it sounded like pop music from the future
01:36In fact, few songs of this era
01:39have managed to be quite as predictive
01:40of where music was headed as this one
01:43It is minimalist, seductive
01:45and incredibly danceable from its opening bars onwards
01:56Timberlake's vocal performance is also among his best
01:58and on production duties
02:00there weren't many artists at the time
02:02who knew how to get people moving quite as well as Timbaland
02:05In many ways, it was a match made in dance floor heaven
02:15Number 28
02:16Don't Stop the Music
02:21Rihanna
02:22The chart dominance of Rihanna began in the mid-2000s
02:29when she came on the scene with a dance hall inspired sound
02:31that proved to be an instant hit
02:33However, it was her third album
02:35Good Girl Gone Bad
02:36that truly saw her ascend to the very highest levels
02:39That album had a string of huge singles
02:42the most dance floor ready of which was Don't Stop the Music
02:51Rihanna was very clearly destined to be one of the defining superstars of her time
02:55and her voice and overall style were just so well suited to this song
02:59that it was bound to be a success
03:01It's the perfect mix of pop sensibility, house beats and a polished club ready sound
03:06Like the way you do this
03:08Keep on rock and do it
03:10Please don't stop this
03:11Please don't stop this
03:12Please don't stop this music
03:14Number 27
03:15Get the Party Started
03:17Pink
03:17Get this party started on a Saturday night
03:22Everybody's waiting for me to arrive
03:24Written by 4 non-blonde singer Linda Perry and performed by Pink
03:28Get the Party Started was arguably the track that truly saw the singer carve out her identity
03:33After her debut album's reasonable success in a more R&B-tinged field
03:37Pink decided to add some rock and roll into the mix
03:40So, Perry was drafted in and the pair concocted a far punkier lead single with this one
03:51Get the Party Started is clearly designed for club playlists
03:54But it has a heavy edge to it that allows it to sound every bit as good decades later
03:58In other words, Pink was doing her own thing in the early 2000s
04:02And it has aged like a fine wine
04:21In the long line of dance floor crazes
04:24A mention must be reserved for Cupid's Cupid Shuffle
04:27Its commercial success grew via weddings, parties, and community events
04:31In fact, it was nearly impossible to escape during that period of time
04:43The track's dance floor dominance is entirely instructional
04:47And like any great song of its type
04:49It provides step-by-step directions that are embedded in the lyrics
04:53It is heavily indebted to Mr. C the Slide Man's Cha-Cha Slide
04:57But it stands on its own two feet as a memorable 2000s dance craze
05:08Number 25. Blow. Kesha
05:19Hedonism is celebrated without a shred of apology on Kesha's 2010 banger Blow
05:25Produced by a lineup of Max Martin, Cool Kojak, Benny Blanco, and Dr. Luke
05:30The track is designed for one place and one place primarily
05:33The Club
05:41Kesha's performance is as striking as ever
05:43And the vocal manipulations on the hook left us with one of the standout earworms of its era
05:49The 2010s were a special time for party anthems
05:52And few songs, if any, struck as many chords successfully as this memorable top 10 hit
06:03Number 24. Get Your Freak On. Missy Elliott
06:11Is there a catchier piece of R&B-infused hip-hop from the early 2000s than Missy Elliott's Get Your
06:17Freak On?
06:18Built around a Punjabi melody which is played on a tumbi and a rhythm and bass line played on a
06:23tabla
06:23This song sounded extremely fresh and exotic when it first came out
06:32Its minimal instrumentation style, courtesy of Timbaland, leaves a lot of room free for dancers to really get into its
06:38groove
06:39Elliott herself is the true star of the show though
06:42And her energetic and confident delivery ties perfectly with the Indian-infused backdrop
06:47To leave us with an undisputed classic of the genre
06:55Number 23. Jump Around. House of Pain
07:03Does this one even really need an explanation?
07:06Hip-hop group House of Pain knew exactly what they were aiming for when they released Jump Around
07:10This was a dance floor filler in the purest form
07:13A powerhouse track that was designed to get people leaping around the place
07:16In that respect, they very clearly succeeded
07:26Whenever a DJ decides to give this one a spin, it tends to send the crowd into a frenzy
07:31It's far from just a novelty song though
07:34As some of its lyrics have embedded themselves into pop culture
07:37Making it far from a one-trick pony
07:47Number 22. Bootylicious. Destiny's Child
07:57Built on a sample of Stevie Nicks' Edge of Seventeen
08:00It was easy to see that Destiny's Child was bringing something truly fresh to the table with Bootylicious
08:05The song is an uber-confident anthem that melds rock and roll swagger with R&B rhythms
08:10In terms of its ability to draw people to the dance floor, it retains all of its sing-along ability
08:22to this day
08:22And the instrumental flow sounds as fresh as ever
08:25The fact that it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 should come as no surprise
08:30It would probably do the same if it came out this year
08:40Number 21. Around the World. Daft Punk
08:51The late 90s were truly a special era for electronic music
08:54And right at the forefront of everything good that was happening was Daft Punk
08:58Sure, they went on to have a series of essential hits over the years
09:02Right up to the 2010s
09:04For our money though, they never sounded as immediate or undeniably funky
09:08As the second single from their debut around the world
09:11Its repetitive groove and vocal line are designed to strengthen its overall impact
09:16And from those opening bars of bass, it only gets more and more danceable
09:27Number 20. Club Can't Handle Me
09:30Flo Rida featuring David Guetta
09:31Flo Rida's 2010 hit Club Can't Handle Me was the first single off the Step Up 3D movie soundtrack
09:44And if you want to get people stepping up to the dance floor
09:46This is one tune you will want to add to your DJ playlist
09:50It starts off slowly
09:51However, once that dance beat hits
09:54It's hard to resist the urge of wanting to move along with it
10:04This is one of those tracks that might make you want to jump or fist pump along the way
10:08And as the title suggests
10:10You'll watch as everyone busts out their best moves
10:13In an attempt to show off why the club can't handle them
10:23Number 19. Macarena Los Del Rio Bayside Boys Remix
10:28The original version of the Macarena was released in 1993
10:31But once the Bayside Boys put a high energy spin on the song
10:35It became an international sensation
10:43It was once impossible to escape the Macarena
10:47After all, it spanned an amazing 14 weeks atop the Billboard charts
10:51A key aspect of the song's success
11:00Is that the dance is straightforward and easy to pick up
11:03It's yet another reason why people cannot stay seated when this one comes on
11:07And whether it be nostalgia or a genuine love for the song
11:10The track still gets people dancing decades after its debut
11:20Number 18. I want to dance with somebody who loves me
11:23Whitney Houston
11:30Whitney Houston's powerful voice can make us feel
11:33The highs and lows of love and inspire us
11:36Oh, and she can also get us dancing with this incredible number
11:39The song has an incredibly recognizable beginning
11:49That instantly gets us moving
11:51From there, Houston sings her heart out over an extremely fun accompaniment
12:02The best part of putting this track on at a party
12:05Is that everyone will want to dance and sing at the exact same time
12:09While we may not all be able to pull off the crimped hair or choreo from the video
12:13We'll always want to feel the heat of this song
12:24Number 17. Shake It Off
12:26In the music video for Shake It Off
12:29Taylor Swift pays homage to a number of dance styles
12:32However, you do not have to use a single one of them to move to this song
12:44The track highly encourages you to follow the beat of your own drum
12:48And to dance how you like
12:49This feeling fits in perfectly with the song's message
12:52Of not listening to the haters and just being yourself
13:00If you're not in the mood to dance before this song goes on
13:03It might just encourage you to shake those feelings off
13:12Also, we don't think you have to be a swifty to agree with Taylor
13:15And say that the song really does have a sick beat
13:22Number 16. Last Dance
13:24Donna Summer
13:25Since this song gets off to a relatively slow start
13:28It might initially feel like only couples should come out to the dance floor to hold each other close
13:33But that all changes at the 1 minute and 20 second mark
13:45That's when a quick and irresistible disco beat kicks in
13:48That invites any and all the people in the room to enjoy their night
13:59The beat is ridiculously easy to move and boogie down to solo or with a partner
14:04Once folks start feeling the groove
14:06There is a very good chance that Last Dance will actually be the first of many that night
14:18Number 15. I Will Survive
14:21Gloria Gaynor
14:22While the Cake and Shantae Savage versions of this classic are impressive and unique
14:26The Gloria Gaynor version is the one we'd request first at a dance party
14:37The legendary artist seems to instantly command your attention with her opening lyrics about a romance gone wrong
14:43It doesn't take long before Gaynor's show-stopping singing is accompanied by a fantastic beat
14:56Although the song deserves praise for how much it gets you moving
14:59What really makes it a staple is the defiant and empowering lyrics that remind you of how strong you are
15:04This take charge party anthem is the perfect track to make you feel like you can overcome any obstacle
15:10And you won't stop dancing either
15:12I will survive
15:13Oh as long as I know how to survive
15:17I know I'll be alive
15:18Number 14. YMCA
15:20Village People
15:21Talk about getting everyone on the dance floor
15:23Cause you're in a new town
15:25There's no need to be unhappy
15:29Young man
15:30In 2009, over 44,000 people in El Paso, Texas set a Guinness World Record
15:36When they all danced to a live performance of YMCA
15:39And any song good enough for 44,000 people is definitely good enough for us
15:44This is another track where it seems like everyone in the world knows the iconic moves
15:48Young man
15:49Are you listening to me?
15:52I said young man
15:53What do you wanna be?
15:55It's amazing to think that four little letters could hold such tremendous power over the dance floor
16:00Outside of the lyrics, the track itself leaves room to take quick breathers before you really get down into the
16:07rhythm
16:07Party goers will need all the energy they can get to go all out to YMCA
16:11It's fun to stay at the YMCA
16:15It's fun to stay at the YMCA
16:19Number 13. Hips Don't Lie
16:21Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean
16:23Hips Don't Lie was a massive hit back in the mid-2000s
16:32Not only did it go quadruple platinum, but it hit the number one spot on music charts around the world
16:37If we're being honest, we can't all move our hips like Shakira
16:41But we also can't lie that we'll get up and try whenever this song comes on
16:52The energetic blend of Latin and reggaeton influences make just listening to it a nigh impossible task
16:58Once you hear Shakira's voice kick off the song
17:00No dance floor can stay empty when the speakers start pumping out Hips Don't Lie
17:15What better way to get the dancing started than with a song that literally demands it right from the beginning
17:29Fergie's opening solo instantly lets you know what you're in for
17:32Before long, every member of the Black Eyed Peas is reinforcing the fact that dancing is simply inevitable
17:43This 2004 hit led the group to earn a Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group
17:48And it is certain to win you fans in the room
17:51Between the high energy performances on the track and a beat that doesn't let up for a second
17:55This track will make it hard to sit still
17:57As the bass keeps running, we keep dancing
18:09We won't hide the fact that Britney Spears has always been able to get us on the dance floor
18:14Trying to resist the power of Baby One More Time is impossible
18:18While we'll always love that song
18:202004's Toxic might hold even more sway over us
18:30Before Spears even starts singing on the track, the beat already has us under its spell
18:34Once the confident lyrics come in and you start singing along, you'll feel invincible
18:46This edgy song's high tempo will challenge you to keep up
18:49Thankfully, you'll be glad you did
18:51Toxic has the right ingredients to cure any dance party that slowed down
19:05There's an old joke that goes
19:06The past, present, and future walk into a bar
19:09It was tense
19:15Well, if the bar had been playing Prince's 1999
19:17All the dancing would have no doubt eased that tension
19:20People were dancing to this song when it was released in 1982
19:24It filled the dance floors in 1999
19:26And decades later, Prince's End of the Century track is still getting everyone on their feet
19:37Sometimes you just need to forget your worries
19:40And forget about the problems of the world
19:41No matter what year it is
19:43You just need to dance like it's 1999
19:52Number 9, Footloose, Kenny Loggins
19:55Once the beat kicks in, we can instantly picture Kevin Bacon moving and grooving solo
20:05But don't worry, it won't take long before every single person within range of the speaker will cut loose
20:11This song has all the perfect elements to guarantee a good time
20:14First off, it is a legendary pop culture staple
20:17Secondly, it has a section that tells everyone exactly what to do next to keep it going
20:28And the most important aspect of the song is that it is extremely fun
20:33You don't need your Sunday shoes or any fancy choreography to throw yourself into this one
20:37As long as you dance, you're doing it right
20:45Number 8, Uptown Funk, Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
20:49Given that the Uptown Funk video has been viewed on YouTube over 5.7 billion times
20:54We're definitely not alone in liking this song
21:05It seems like no one can resist the golden combination of a Mark Ronson beat
21:09And another excellent Bruno Mars vocal performance
21:11Even if you didn't know what Uptown Funk was
21:14You wanted to be part of it as soon as this track got going
21:25Somehow, the random hallelujahs and cocky expressions work well together
21:29On top of that, the chorus is so danceable that we start moving every time we even think about it
21:34If you don't believe us, just watch
21:43Number 7, Just Dance, Lady Gaga
21:46Sometimes we just need a little direction
21:48And when you have a crowd looking for someone to tell them what to do
21:51There's no one better to command the dancing troops than Lady Gaga
21:59It's amazing to think that this club hit was her first official single
22:03Right out of the gate, Lady Gaga proved that she knows exactly what you need to get on the dance
22:09floor
22:16It also helps that the extremely relatable song captures all the excitement and chaos of a night out on the
22:22town
22:23While the song encourages people to pick up a few beverages
22:25You don't need a drink to enjoy this Gaga classic
22:35Number 6, Hey Ya, Outkast
22:37Outkast doesn't give you a second to think about whether you're ready to dance or not
22:48Once the first countdown is over
22:50There's virtually no way you'll remain stationary for this one
22:53While the lyrics of Hey Ya are not that encouraging
22:56The cheery performance and tremendous beat will keep you distracted from the content
23:07Everyone in the crowd will ignore the words and just shake, shake, shake it like a Polaroid picture
23:12It really says something that even younger people who might not know what a Polaroid is
23:17Still can't resist this Outkast track
23:19Hey, we're just being honest here
23:28Number 5, Crazy in Love
23:30Beyonce featuring Jay-Z
23:31We liked this song back in 2003
23:34And we have to admit we're still crazy in love with it today
23:44So if you or any DJ wants to get people moving
23:47This song is guaranteed to get everyone on their feet
23:51If anyone is able to resist Beyonce's opening verses
23:54Those stragglers will eventually bust out their moves once Jay-Z joins the party
24:05The iconic uh-oh sections also encourage people to put everything they've got into their moves
24:11And leave everything on the dance floor
24:18Crazy in Love is the perfect way to kick a party into a higher level
24:26And if you want to stick with Queen Bee
24:28Throwing on single ladies put a ring on it will keep the dance floor bumping
24:39Number 4, Get Down Tonight
24:41KC and the Sunshine Band
24:42The lyrics of Get Down Tonight are not exactly subtle about what they're encouraging the adults in the room to
24:47do
24:56However, KC and the Sunshine Band's hit is so funky and fun
25:00That the partygoers are still guaranteed to have a good time without leaving the dance floor
25:04The disco beat still feels as fresh today as it was in 1975
25:13And while some songs slow down as they reach the end
25:17The outro will still get you moving at full speed before the track concludes
25:21No matter what time of day it is
25:23Get Down Tonight will have the dance floor filled
25:32Number 3, Dancing Queen, ABBA
25:35Dancing Queen was the only number one hit ABBA's ever had in the United States
25:39And it's also been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame
25:42You can dance, you can die, having the time of your life
25:50It's achievements have made it a favorite of the people and the critics
25:54That's certain to get the dance party started
25:56And don't worry, you don't have to be royalty to get on the dance floor when this track starts playing
26:01Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the Tantorine
26:09For those who don't think they're very good dancers
26:12ABBA's confidence-boosting lyrics should help
26:14They tell you that you can dance, you can jive, and have the time of your life
26:18While you're moving to this track, you'll believe you can do anything on that dance floor
26:30Number 2, Stayin' Alive, Bee Gees
26:32Every day of the week is the perfect day for this hit song from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
26:43In the opening scene of the movie, Stayin' Alive provided John Travolta with a little extra pep in a step
26:48So, it's fitting that it will put an extra kick in any party guest not already on the dance floor
26:54Just be warned that you're likely to see a bunch of classic disco arm rolls and points
27:06Fortunately, Stayin' Alive encourages the dance floor to be a judgment-free zone as far as we're concerned
27:16And if there happen to be any folks who still aren't sure what they should be doing
27:20Bring the Bee Gees back to tell them you should be dancing
27:22Number 1, Beat It, Michael Jackson
27:25Honestly, you could probably just throw on the entire Thriller album and you'd be set for about 42 minutes
27:36But there's still a couple of standout tracks that are necessary for a party
27:40If you want to see everyone's moonwalks and out-of-this-world moves, you need Billie Jean
27:45But we argue that the most essential party track is Beat It
27:48The lyrics pump you up with a story of fighting against the odds and standing up for yourself
27:59By the time you reach the chorus, you are 100% ready to show how funky and strong your moves
28:05are
28:05The song's high-energy, iconic status, and perfect composition make it the gold standard of dance hits
28:11There's a reason why it's been undefeated for so long
28:20What do you consider to be the ultimate dance floor filler?
28:24Let us know in the comments
28:25Let us know in the comments
28:25Let us know in the comments
28:25Let us know in the comments
28:27Let us know in the comments
28:27Let us know in the comments
28:28Let us know in the comments
28:29Let us know in the comments
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