100 Best Dance-Pop Songs

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Pop Songs With the Hottest Dance Beats

A music subgenre that developed in the late ‘70s, dance-pop has emerged as one of the most popular musical styles of modern dance music. Known for its highly stylized production techniques, the genre combines a diverse mix of synth-pop elements infused with sophisticated beats and song structure.

The list below showcases an epic collection of dance songs from different decades. If you are a fan of dance music, you will have a lot to say. Feel free to share your views, opinions, and song suggestions in the comments section.

Top 10 Best Dance-Pop Songs

1. “Break My Heart”—Dua Lipa
2. “Floating Through Space”—Sia and David Guetta
3. “Rain on Me”—Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
4. “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”—Katy Perry
5. “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”—Beyonce
6. “Anywhere”—Rita Ora
7. “Only Girl in the World”—Rihanna
8. “Really Don’t Care”—Demi Lovato featuring Cheryl Lloyd
9. “No”—Meghan Trainor
10. “Love Myself”—Hailee Steinfeld

What Is Dance-Pop?

Dance-pop is best described as an eclectic mix of dance music and pop music with a strong incorporation of synth-pop elements. The songs in this genre of music are known for their catchy lyrics, beats, prominent hooks, groove, and rhythm structure. Stylistically, the roots of dance-pop come from synth-pop, disco, and post-disco; however, it borrows influences from many different genres, including techno, electropop, trance, house, electronic, R&B, funk, new jack swing, EDM, pop rock, new wave, and bubblegum pop.

This hot mainstream style of music is exceedingly popular at parties and nightclubs and on contemporary hit radio. While there has been criticism about the excessive use of auto-tune in the realms of pop-oriented dance music, the fact remains that auto-tune is creatively implemented in dance-pop to enhance artistic expression. The hauntingly enigmatic sounds of synthesizers combined with up-tempo dance beats and vocals give songs in this genre their signature identity.

#11–20

11. “One Kiss”—Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa

12. “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”—Kelly Clarkson

13. “Into You”—Ariana Grande

14. “Slow Down”—Selena Gomez

15. “On the Floor”—Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull

16. “Animals”—Maroon 5

17. “Take You Dancing”—Jason Derulo

18. “Can’t Get you Out of My Head”—Kylie Minogue

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19. “We Found Love”—Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris

20. “Say So”—Doja Cat

How It Started in the ‘70s

In the ‘70s, synth sounds started becoming popular in the realms of pop music which eventually magnified into disco music. Although disco-based music was a rage in the early ‘70s, the style of music began losing steam towards the end of the decade. A number of bands that started experimenting with the disco sound laid the foundation for post-disco. Dance-pop acts that emerged in this decade started being associated with post-disco for their experimental musical styles with sequencers, synthesizers, and electronics.

Growth of the Genre in the ‘80s

With strains of disco and the post-disco sound, dance-pop became the quintessential musical style of the ‘80s. The up-tempo songs in this genre had a danceable vibe that became popular with mainstream audiences. Slick production techniques contributed in a big way towards development of the genre. The amalgamation of catchy sunshine tunes with free-form dance music styles gave unique identity to pop music.

Pop dance songs started being associated as producer-driven music through the ‘80s. The music was composed, produced, and created by music producers or record producers, who would scout for singers to perform their songs. Among different electronic genres, Hi-NRG in particular was aligned with different forms of dance music during the decade.

#21–40

21. “Promises”—Calvin Harris and Sam Smith

22. “Electricity”—Silk City and Dua Lipa

23. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”—Wham!

24. “Firework”—Katy Perry

25. “Prisoner”—Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa

26. “Toxic”—Britney Spears

27. “Happier”—Marshmello and Bastille

28. “Stupid Love”—Lady Gaga

29. “Get the Party Started”—Pink

30. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”—Taylor Swift

31. “Telephone”—Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce

32. “Close to You”—Ellie Goulding, Diplo and Swae Lee

33. “My Head & My Heart”—Ava Max

34. “Don’t Start Now”—Dua Lipa

35. “California Gurls”—Katy Perry

36. “Uptown Funk”—Bruno Mars

37. “Call Me Maybe”—Carly Rae Japsen

38. “Rather Be”—Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glyne

39. “Hold It Against Me”—Britney Spears

40. “Night is Young”—Nelly Furtado

Hitting the Mainstream in the ‘90s

Dance-pop became an integral part of mainstream in the ‘90s. While the early part of the decade witnessed several acts borrow diverse influences from house music, contemporary R&B, and new jack swing, the latter part of the decade flourished with a new wave of electronic influences. Elements of electronic dance music such a techno and trance became distinctly identifiable in mainstream dance-pop albums of the ‘90s.

The use of auto-tune processing which involved the use of an audio processor to make pitch shifts and implement special effects in songs became popular in the late ‘90s, and ever since became a prominent feature in modern styles of dance music.

#41–60

41. “Believe”—Cher

42. “Funny”—Zedd and Jasmine Thompson

43. “Beautiful Monster”—Ne-Yo

44. “Party Rock Anthem”—LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock

45. “Boss”—Fifth Harmony

46. “Stay”—Zedd and Alessia Cara

47. “Closer”—Tegan and Sara

48. “Don’t Wanna Go Home”—Jason Derulo

49. “Where Have You Been”—Rihanna

50. “Part of Me”—Katy Perry

51. “Wannabe”—Spice Girls

52. “Problem”—Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea

53. “Womanizer”—Britney Spears

54. “Gonna Tell You”—Samantha Mumba

55. “Blackout”—Breathe Carolina

56. “Wide Awake”—Katy Perry

57. “Kill Em With Kindness”—Selena Gomez

58. “Sour Candy”—Lady Gaga and Blackpink

59. “New Love”—Silk City Featuring Ellie Goulding

60. “I Don’t Search I Find”—Madonna

Dance Music Dominance in the 2000s

Dance-pop continued its dominance in the 2000s. A number of artists associated with this style of music had chart-topping success with their singles and albums. As R&B and hip-hop reinvented itself, so did dance-pop. The urban music influences helped launch a new wave of dance-pop artists.

Diverse influences of house, electropop, synth-pop, Eurodance, electronic, nu-disco, changed the musical landscape of the genre considerably. The new sounds of disco which emerged in songs became excessively popular in the club-scene.

#61–80

61. “Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)”—Ne-Yo

62. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”—Whitney Houston

63. “Dance Again”—Jenifer Lopez featuring Pitbull

64. “Hotter Than Hell”—Dua Lipa

65. “Further Up (Na, Na, Na, Na)”—Static & Ben El Tavori featuring Pitbull

66. “Pon de Replay”—Rihanna

67. “This Is How We Do”—Katy Perry

68. “Numb”—Usher

69. “Shake It Off”—Taylor Swift

70. “Disco Tits”—Tove Lo

71. “Your Love Is My Drug”—Kesha

72. “Nobody”—Martin Jenson and James Arthur

73. “Thunderclouds”—LSD

74. “Love Again”—Dua Lipa

75. “Promiscuous”—Nelly Furtado

76. “Who’s That Chick?”—David Guetta featuring Rihanna

77. “Feel So Close”—Calvin Harris

78. “You Don’t Know Me”—Jax Jones featuring Raye

79. “Give Me All Your Luvin’”—Madonna

80. “Breathin”—Ariana Grande

A Look at Dance and Pop Music Post-2010

Since the year 2010, dance-pop has emerged with a brand new avatar. The polished producer-DJ driven productions of up-tempo and upbeat music detailed with electronic influences have become the urban dance-centric flavor. Bass-heavy song production infused with catchy lyrics and danceable rhythms have become a format with different types of dance music. This modern formulaic style has become hugely popular with producers and DJ’s churning out club-bangers and anthems in dance music landscapes.

#81–100

81. “Good Time”—Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen

82. “Lose My Breath”—Destiny’s Child

83. “I Gotta Feeling”—Black Eyed Peas

84. “SOS”—Rihanna

85. “Final Song”—Mo

86. “Waiting for Tonight”—Jennifer Lopez

87. “Timber”—Pitbull featuring Kesha

88. “Just Dance”—Lady Gaga featuring Colby O’Donis

89. “Poker Face”—Lady Gaga

90. “Setting Fires”—The Chainsmokers featuring Xylo

91. “Gangnam Style”—PSY

92. “For a Better Day”—Avicii featuring Alex Ebert

93. “Mr. Saxobeat”—Alexandra Stan

94. “Yeah 3x”—Chris Brown

95. “Rain Over Me”—Pitbull

96. “Wasted”—Tiesto featuring Matthew Koma

97. “Scared to Be Lonely”—Martin Garrix featuring Dua Lipa

98. “Waterfall”—Stargate featuring Pink and Sia

99. “The Other Side”—Jason Derulo

100. “International Love”—Pitbull featuring Chris Brown

Other Notable Dance-Pop Songs

• “Hot n Cold”—Katy Perry
• “3 Words”—Cheryl Cole
• “AM to PM”—Christina Milan
• “Say Something”—Kylie Minogue
• “If There Was Any Other Way”—Celine Dion
• “Chasing the Sun”—The Wanted
• “DJ Got Us Falling in Love”—Usher featuring Pitbull
• “Party for One”—Carly Rae Jepsen
• “Don’t Stop the Music”—Rihanna
• “Baby Don’t Forget My Number”—Milli Vanilli
• “London Bridge”—Fergie
• “Heaven on My Mind”—Becky Hill and Sigala
• “30 Days”—The Saturdays
• “Bad of the Heart”—George Lamond
• “Dirty Dancer”—Enrique Iglesias
• “Alarm Call”—Bjork
• “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car”—Billy Ocean
• “Automaton”—Jamiroquai
• “Safe and Sound”—Capital Cities
• “Faith”—Galantis featuring Dolly Parton
• “I’m Alive”—Celine Dion
• “Release Me”—Agnes
• “Black Magic”—Little Mix
• “Somebody Loves You”—Betty Who
• “All Eyez on Me”—Monica
• “2 in the Morning”—Girlicious
• “Gimme All (Ring My Bell)”—Liza Fox
• “Dancing on My Own”—Robyn
• “Anything”—Edyta Gorniak
• “Maneater”—Nelly Furtado
• “She Wants to Dance With Me”—Rick Astlety
• “Bag it Up”—Geri Halliwell
• “Love Me”—Justin Bieber
• “Stronger”—Britney Spears
• “Applause”—Lady Gaga
• “Hot Summer”—Monrose
• “Macarena”—Los del Rio
• “Down for Whatever”—Kelly Rowland
• “Get Down (You’re the One For Me)”—Backstreet Boys
• “The Bad Touch”—Bloodhound Gang
• “Gia”—Despina Vandi
• “I’m Gonna Show You Crazy”—Bebe Rexha
• “Baby Talk”—Alisha
• “Fantasy”—Mariah Carey
• “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”—Backstreet Boys
• “Get on Your Feet”—Gloria Estafan
• “Nobody”—Wonder Girls
• “Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)”—Enrique Iglesias
• “Too Funky”—George Michael
• “We’re Not Gonna Sleep Tonight”—Emma Bunton

• “Never Gonna Give You Up”—Rick Astley
• “Blink”—U. V.U.K.
• “Freeway of Love”—Aretha Franklin
• “Cinema”—Benny Benassi
• “With Love”—Hillary Duff
• “The Best Things in Life Are Free”—Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson
• “Billie Jean”—Michael Jackson
• “On a Night Like This”—Kylie Minogue
• “From Zero to Hero”—Sarah Connor
• “…Baby One More Time”—Britney Spears
• “Strictly Physical”—Monrose
• “Burn it Down”—Ticki-Lee Coulter
• “Fight for This Love”—Cheryl Cole
• “Daylight in Your Eyes”—No Angels
• “One Nite Stand (Of Wolves and Sheep)”—Sarah Conor featuring Wyclef Jean
• “Candy”—Foxy Brown
• Woman’s World—Cher
• “I Think I’m in Love With You”—Jessica Simpson
• “Breakin’… There’s No Stopping Us”—Ollie & Jerry
• “The Balkan Girls”—Elena Gheorghe
• “Rhythm of the Night”—DeBarge
• “Why’d You Like to Me”—Anastacia
• “Do It”—Nelly Furtado
• “Bring it All to Me”—Blaque
• “4 Minutes”—Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake
• “Work”—Kelly Rowland
• “Photograph of Mary”—Trey Lorenz
• “Strobelight”—Kimberly Locke
• “Waiting on You”—Ultra Nate and Michelle Williams
• “Rock Steady”—All Saints
• “Goodbye”—Christina DeBarge
• “Bodyshakin’”—911
• “I’m Outta Love”—Anastacia
• “Poison”—Nicole Scherzinger
• “Take Me to Your Heart”—Rick Astley
• “All-Time Low”—The Wanted
• “You Bring On the Sun”—Londonbeat
• “Love Somebody”—Maroon 5
• “Flying on My Own”—Celine Dion
• “Stranded”—Lutricia McNeal
• “Liberty Walk”—Miley Cyrus
• “Chain Reaction”—Diana Ross
• “Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)”—Sheena Easton
• “I Can Feel You”—Anastacia
• “SexyBack”—Justin Timberlake
• “Kill the Lights”—Alex Newell, DJ Cassidy and Nile Rodgers
• “Big Time Sensuality”—Bjork
• “Who’s Zoomin’ Who”—Aretha Franklin
• “(You Drive Me Crazy)”—Britney Spears
• “Show Me”—Jessica Sutta

• “Proud”—Heather Small
• “Thinking of You”—Earth, Wind & Fire
• “Freefallin”—Zoe Badwi
• “Blame”—Skylar Stecker
• “The Way You Love Me”—Keri Hilson
• “Bring It”—Jodie Connor
• “Rocket to You”—The Jets
• “When Love Takes Over”—David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland
• “He Wasn’t Man Enough”—Toni Braxton
• “Good Girl”—Alexis Jordan
• “Too Hot”—Alanis Morissette
• “S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)”—Jordin Sparks
• “Oye”—Gloria Estefan
• “Happiness”—Alexis Jordan
• “Who’s Got Your Love”—Cheat Codes
• “Miracles (Someone Special)”—Coldplay
• “Talk to Me”—Wild Orchid
• “Misled”—Celine Dion
• “Beautiful, Dirty, Rich”—Lady Gaga
• “Evacuate the Dancefloor”—Cascada
• “Louder”—Parade
• “Can’t Get Over”—September
• “Stomp”—Steps
• “Welcome to My Party”—Luv’
• “Play”—Jennifer Lopez
• “For altid”—Medina
• “Soul Mate No. 9”—Tina Arena
• “I Wanna Go’—Britney Spears
• “Take It Like a Man”—Cher
• “Only Time Makes It Human”—King Princess
• “You Have to Believe”—Dave Aude
• “Ride It”—Geri Halliwell
• “Me Against the Music”—Britney Spears
• “Breathing Your Love”—Darin
• “When Can I See you Again?”—Owl City
• “Don’t Fail Me Now”—Melanie Amaro
• “Eyes Wide Shut”—JLS
• “Love Will Save the Day”—Whitney Houston
• “Touch”—Natasha Bedingfield
• “Who R Who We R”—Kesha
• “I Could Be the One”—Stacie Orrico
• “Put Your Graffiti on Me”—Kat Grahm
• “One Night”—WTS featuring Gia
• “Emergency”—Icona Pop
• “Romantic”—Karyn White
• “Give It 2 Me”—Madonna featuring Pharrell
• “Nothing to Lose”—Vassy
• “This Is the Way”—Dannii Minogue
• “Motive”—Ariana Grande
• “2012 (It Ain’t the End)”—Jay Sean featuring Nicki Minaj

• “Zero Gravity”—Kerli
• “Lightning”—The Wanted
• “Saturday Night”—Jessica Mauboy
• “House is Not a Home”—Deborah Cox
• “Table Dancer”—Keshia Chante
• “A Little Bit”—Jessica Simpson
• “Fame (The Game)”—Donna Summer
• “Black and Gold”—Sam Sparro
• “Hush Hush”—Alexis Jordan
• “Dynamite”—Liza Fox
• “I Want you to Want Me”—Solid Harmonie
• “Broken Heels”—Alexandra Burke
• “Meet Me Halfway”—Black Eyed Peas
• “Yalla”—Inna
• “Closer”—Ne-Yo
• “Rivers of Joy”—No Angels
• “Try With Me”—Nicole Scherzinger
• “Love Sensation”—911
• “I’m Too Sexy”—Right Said Fred
• “Stamp Your Feet”—Donna Summer
• “The Pleasure Seekers”—The System
• “What Love Is Made Of”—Katy B
• “I Can”—Blue
• “Call My Name”—Cheryl Cole
• “Don’t Stop the Music”—Lionel Richie
• “Oops, Oh No!”—La Toya Jackson and Cerrone
• “Take Me Higher”—Diana Ross
• “Spinning Around”—Kylie Minogue
• “In the Middle”—Sugababes
• “Laserlight”—Jessie J featuring David Guetta
• “Give Me Your Everything”—Alexandra Stan
• “This Time I Know It’s For Real”—Donna Summer
• “Mirrors”—Natalia Kills
• “Jumpin’, Jumpin’”—Destiny’s Child
• “Damaged”—Danity Kane
• “Lovergirl”—Teena Marie
• “Heaven”—Inna
• “Talkin’ About”—Amerie
• “Smile”—Sheila Gordhan
• “Run to Me”—Angela Winbush
• “When You Come Back to Me”—Jason Donovan
• “I Found You”—The Wanted
• “Million Dollar Bill”—Whitney Houston
• “Stupid Shit”—Girlicious
• “One Night in Heaven”—M People
• “Like Whoa”—Aly & AJ
• “Too Many Broken Hearts”—Jason Donovan
• “Hello Heartbreak”—Michelle Williams
• “I Want Your Sex”—George Michael
• “Love Me Again”—John Newman

© 2021 Ansel Pereira