Inspire Your Guests To Feel The Beat Of The Rhythm Of The Night
Shaking your groove thang – isn’t it the most fun part of any wedding you’ve ever been to? Conversely, haven’t weddings with less-than-amazing playlists annoyed you? If you are in the trenches of nuptial planning, give your burgeoning playlist a boost with these 25 dance-worthy songs. They’ll make even the non-dancers on your guest list want to shake it like no one’s watching!
For our purposes, “modern” dance songs are those from 1995 onward. Have fun, kittens!
1. Uptown Funk, Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
Bruno and Mark’s head-bobbing turns in the ‘Uptown Funk’ video are hard to not to imitate. With fun and creative lyrics such as ‘I’m too hot (hot damn)/ Called a police and a fireman/ I’m too hot (hot damn)/ Make a dragon wanna retire man/ I’m too hot (hot damn)’, it’s hard not to smile, laugh, and bop-bop-bop the night away.
2. Crazy In Love, Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z
The first collaboration between Bey and Jay, this song is alllll about shaking thy booty. It’s also about being crazy in love. How’s that for a wedding day song to make everyone cheer and do the aforementioned shaking?
3. Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), Backstreet Boys
A little Backstreet Boys never hurt anybody, and if you and your friends grew up listening to these five heartthrobs, ‘Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)’ is a must. This is extra important if you also grew up imitating the dance moves from the song’s famous monster-inspired video.
4. Shut Up And Dance With Me, Walk The Moon
‘This woman is my destiny’ is one of the many dance-worthy lines in this 2015 hit from Walk The Moon. It’s all about shutting up and dancing the night away with your partner for life…as the song says, ‘We were bound to get together!’
5. Wall To Wall, Chris Brown
Chris Brown’s iconic 2007 VMAs performance of ‘Wall To Wall’ was outstanding for a variety of reasons, including the insane jumping. While you don’t need to add trampolines to your wedding supply list, you can put this hit on your Spotify for a sweat-inducing good time.
6. Cupid Shuffle, Cupid
Yes, this song may be a wedding standard these days, but there’s a reason: it’s simple and super-fun dance is the PERFECT alternative to the Electric Slide and the dreaded Chicken Dance.
7. Bang Bang, Jessie J Featuring Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
Jessie, Ariana, and Nicki created a song that’s virtually impossible not to shake your hips to. Like, seriously shake your hips to.
8. Tik Tok, Ke$ha
You and your guests may not ‘brush your teeth both bottles of Jack’ like Ke$ha (the dental bills alone would be staggering), but that’s no reason not to add it to your wedding playlist. If you plan to party till you ‘see the sunlight,’ this hit is a necessity.
9. Just Dance, Lady Gaga
Gaga’s first smash hit makes one simple request: just dance. And dance you shall.
10. Party Rock Anthem, LMFAO
LMFAO just wants everyone to have a good time–and do to some serious party rocking. Bonus points if you learn the dance from the oh-so-cool video with your bridesmaids/groomsmen and impress the snarf out of everyone at your wedding.
11. Despacito, Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
Add a lil Latin flavor to your reception with this hit featuring pop icon Justin Bieber. You don’t have to be a Belieber to enjoy this catchy tune.
12. Thrift Shop, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz
The song that made Macklemore a household name is too clever and hilarious not to make it into your wedding. Your guests will smile and cheer–and lip-sync.
13. Gold Rush, Clinton Sparks Featuring 2 Chainz & Macklemore
Speaking of Macklemore, this 2013 hit features a whistle-like quality and the unfailingly awesome drumming of Tommy Lee to create one amazing dance song.
14. Everytime We Touch, Cascada
‘Cuz everytime we touch, I get this feeling, and everytime we kiss I reach for the sky/Can’t you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last/Need you by my side’ is pretty darn wedding-appropriate. One of Cascade’s super-danceable hits, you’ll be running to the ze floor when this song comes on.
15. Candyman, Christina Aguilera
Xtina’s ode to 50s pop is another ideal dance tune for a wedding, especially since it features wink-worthy lyrics sure to make the parents and grandparents blush…or laugh!
16. …Baby One More Time, Britney Spears
Okay, so the princess of pop’s first big hit may have been a breakup song of sorts, but it’s so catchy and become such a classic how can you resist?
17. I Know You Want Me, Pitbull
Pitbull is a modern-day salsa master who knows how to bring the party. Add this fast and fantastic track to your wedding playlist cuz it’s sure to make your guests ‘donce’. That’s right, DONCE.
18. Give It Up To Me, Sean Paul Featuring Keyshia Cole
The Jamaican rapper offers plenty of dance-tastic beats, including this song created appropriately for that Channing Tatum dance movie.
19. Hips Don’t Lie, Shakira Featuring Wyclef Jean
Who shakes it better than Shakira? Whether your moves rival the Colombian beauty’s or not, this track is sure to get everyone on the dance floor.
20. International Love, Pitbull Featuring Chris Brown
We’ve mentioned Chris Brown. We’ve mentioned Pitbull. Now we’re mentioning them together in this 2011 hit all about finding love (or at least lust) all around the globe. Will it make you dance? You betcha.
21. This Is How We Do It, Montell Jordan
Your wedding doesn’t have to be on a ‘Friday night’ to get guests dancing. The 1995 smash has something of a retro vibe everyone is sure to adore.
22. Come Baby Come, K7
This song misses the 1995 cutoff by two years, but its status as a 90s classic makes it a worthy exception. Don’t be surprised if everyone on the dance floor shouts ‘Swing batta batta batta batta batta SWING!’
23. Shake It Off, Taylor Swift
Ms. Swift’s 2014 hit is all about shaking off negativity and embracing yourself for who you are, so why not include it in your wedding playlist? It also encourages everyone to, well, shake things!
24. All About That Bass, Meghan Trainor
Meghan Trainor’s ode to full-figured beauties is another empowering-yet-totally danceable tune you simply must play at your reception.
25. Cheerleader, Omi
This Caribbean-inspired hit by Omi is another light and refreshing song that makes a welcome addition to any wedding playlist, especially with lyrics such as ‘Oh I think that I found myself a cheerleader/She is always right there when I need her’. Nice, right?
Are you inspired yet? Dancing around your living room to one or more of these songs? We sure hope so.
