50 Songs in C Major
Ray has been an online music writer for over four years. Having sung in multiple competitions as a youth, he has a passion for the art.
1. "Imagine"
Artist: John Lennon
Album: Imagine
Genre: Soft Rock, Pop Music
Year Released: 1975
Facts About "Imagine"
- "Imagine" is one of the most popular songs in C major by the music legend John Lennon, from his album with the same name.
- The song became Lennon's best-selling single in his entire solo career, and it's perfect for learning piano.
- The song talks about encouragement and world peace.
- The song was a highly-awarded track worldwide, including in Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, United States, Belgium, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Sweden.
- Broadcast Music Inc. included the song in the list of the 100 most performed songs of the 20th century.
- The song earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, a hall of fame to honor exceptional musical recordings.
- The song also tops the list of the best simple songs in C major played using a piano.
- Although the key of the anthemic song is in C major, it also includes small A# as a transition note and E7 chord in "Imagine."
2. "Bad Romance"
Artist: Lady Gaga
Album: The Fame Monster
Genre: Electropop, Dance-Pop
Year Released: 2009
Facts About "Bad Romance"
- "Bad Romance" is one of the most popular songs in C major, written and produced by Nadir Khayat, known as RedOne.
- The song describes Lady Gaga's appreciation of individuals with no romantic capabilities.
- "Bad Romance" is one of the pop songs in C major that talk about lonely and vengeful relationships.
- The Lady Gaga song won the Best Short Form Music Video and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in the Grammy Awards.
- The song topped multiple weekly and year-end charts worldwide, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States.
- "Bad Romance" peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in the early 2000s.
3. "Hallelujah"
Artist: Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley
Album: Various Positions
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Genre: Folk Rock
Year Released: 1984
Facts About "Hallelujah"
- Hallelujah is a folk-rock song and is considered one of the simple songs in C major.
- The song became even more popular when Jeff Buckley released his version of the piano song.
- "Hallelujah" is a straightforward song to play on a piano because it has no other notes outside of C major.
- The song will make a good impression on listeners once you play it with a piano because of its mellow tone pleasant to the ears.
- "Hallelujah" appeared on numerous singles charts, including the American Billboard Hot 100 following Cohen's death.
- The song got featured in the 2001 Shrek movie.
4. "When I Was Your Man"
Artist: Bruno Mars
Album: Unorthodox Jukebox
Genre: Pop Music
Year Released: 2013
Facts About "When I Was Your Man"
- "When I Was Your Man" is a romantic piano ballad song by the legendary Filipino-American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars.
- The introduction to the song requires you to create various easy chord transitions at a slow-moderate tempo. The rest of the piano song is in C major.
- The song is an emotional pop-ballad song that describes the heartbreak and regret of Bruno Mars when he let go of his lover.
- In the song's music video, Mars sings and plays the piano as the sole instrumentation.
- The emotional ballad song in C major peaked at #1 position in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
5. "Let It Be"
Artist: The Beatles
Album: Let It Be
Genre: Rocks Music, Gospel Music
Year Released: 1970
Facts About "Let It Be"
- "Let It Be" is the title track of the Beatles' album Let It Be.
- Paul McCartney wrote and sang the song showcasing his love for his band brother Lennon.
- The song peaked at #2 in the U.K. Charts and #1 on the U.S. Hot 100 Charts.
- "Let It Be" gave the band seven years of charting at the #1 position sharing the feat with Elvis Presley.
- "Let It Be" is one of the easy songs in C major, ideal for beginners.
- Beginners can check out songs in C major sheet music like "Let It Be" from various websites online.
6. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
Artist: Wham!
Album: Make It Big
Genre: Dance-Pop Music
Year Released: 1984
Facts About "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
- "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" is one of the most famous pop songs in C major that you can't resist dancing and listening to its tune.
- VH1 ranked the song at #28 position on the list of 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s.
- "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" topped multiple charts worldwide, including Australia, Iceland, Netherlands, Europe, United States, etc.
- The song ranked #2 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
- The track is in a 160 BPM tempo.
7. "Time After Time"
Artist: Cyndi Lauper
Album: She's So Unusual
Genre: Soft Rock Music, New Wave Music
Year Released: 1984
Facts About "Time After Time"
- "Time After Time" is a commendable love song in C major nominated for the 1985 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
- "Time After Time" was Cyndi Lauper's first #1 hit in the U.S. Singles Chart.
- The song became one of the best love songs, as Rolling Stone included the track in their selected lists.
- The track is one of the most popular songs in C major in 4/4 time with a 130 BPM tempo written by Rob Hyman and Lauper herself.
- Beginners can create their acoustic version of the song while practicing on a piano.
8. "Stay"
Artist: Rihanna
Album: Unapologetic
Genre: Pop Music, R&B Music
Year Released: 2013
Facts About "Stay"
- "Stay" is one of the best pop songs in C major that talks about temptation and the incapability to resist authentic love.
- The song peaked at #1 on the U.S. Pop Songs Chart and #16 on the Hot Dance Club Songs Chart.
- "Stay" became one of the best-selling singles of all time in the world, having sold over 10 million copies.
- The track is a mix of pop and R&B ballad with guitar and piano as instrumentations.
- The single has a chord progression of C-Dm-Am-F and a BPM of 112, which falls under the moderate tempo.
9. "Hello"
Artist: Lionel Richie
Album: Can't Slow Down
Genre: Pop Music, R&B, Soft Rock Music
Year Released: 1984
Facts About "Hello"
- "Hello" by Lionel Richie is one of the most famous pop-rock songs in C major. Beginners can play the song in A minor but remember to emphasize the minor key more when using it.
- The single peaked at #1 on not just one but three Billboard Music Charts, namely Pop Chart, R&B Chart, and the Adult Contemporary Chart.
- The chorus of the song features a Neapolitan chord (Bb) and ends on a Picardy third.
- People know the song by its memorable line, "Hello, is it me you're looking for?."
10. "Use Somebody"
Artist: Kings of Leon
Album: Only by the Night
Genre: Alternative Rock Music, Pop Rock Music
Year Released: 2008
Facts About "Use Somebody"
- "Use Somebody" is one of the simple songs in C major played at a tempo of 134 bpm recorded by Kings of Leon, an American rock group.
- The single reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Pop Songs Chart.
- "Use Somebody" mainly received positive reviews from critics, resulting in singers becoming attracted to this song's covers.
- The song's rhythm is easy to grasp because the left hand imitates the rhythm of the original electric guitar in the C major key.
11. "Something Vague"
Artist: Bright Eyes
Album: Fevers and Mirrors
Genre: Alternative/Indie Music, Rock Music
Year Released: 2000
Facts About "Something Vague"
- "Something Vague" is one of the top rock songs in C major popularized by Bright Eyes using Conor Oberst's intelligence on songwriting.
- The song is in the key C major and has a tempo of 137 bpm.
- Critics interpret the song as a comparison between depression and struggling with eating.
12. "Lost Cause"
Artist: Beck
Album: Sea Change
Genre: Folk Rock
Year Released:
Facts About "Lost Cause"
- "Lost Cause" is a rock song in C major that talks about melancholy partnered with a folksy sound.
- Rolling Stone included "Lost Cause" in their list of 100 Greatest Songs of the Century.
- The single ranked #36 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay Chat in 2003.
- The song features passing tones wherein bass lines walkthrough from one chord to another.
- The folk-ballad music is in C major original key and A2-A3 vocal range.
13. "Last Kiss"
Artist: Taylor Swift
Album: Speak Now
Genre: Folk-Pop Music, Soft Rock Music, Country-Pop Music
Year Released: 2010
Facts About "Last Kiss"
- "Last Kiss" is a post-breakup song in C major from Taylor Swift's 3rd studio album Speak Now.
- Critics say that "Last Kiss" is a letter venting out hopeless feelings to someone.
- The single is a sad and romantic ballad song with a slow pace perfect for piano playing.
- The Swift track is one of the simple songs in C major perfect for beginners because of the arpeggios that build the song's texture.
14. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"
Artist: Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett
Album: Bad
Genre: Pop Music, Soul Music
Year Released: 1987
Facts About "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"
- "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a duet ballad by Siedah Garrett and Michael Jackson for Jackson's seventh album, Bad.
- The track reached #1 on multiple charts like the Billboard Hot 100, R&B Singles Chart, and Adult Contemporary Charts.
- The single is in the key of C major or C Mixolydian and played at a 100 bpm tempo.
- The C Mixolydian is the same as the C major scale, except Bb (7th note) is a half step lower.
- In terms of chords and melody, the song has a complex structure having average scores in chord-melody complexities, chord-melody tension, and chord progression novelty.
15. "As Long As You Love Me"
Artist: Backstreet Boys
Album: Backstreet's Back
Genre: Pop Music
Year Released: 1997
Facts About "As Long As You Love Me"
- "As Long As You Love Me" is the third track from Backstreet Boys' album Backstreet's Back.
- The song became a radio staple and airplay hit and spent 56 weeks on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 Airplay Chart.
- The Backstreet Boys single is in C major and A minor keys. The notes in C major are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
- The song is at a tempo of 98 beats per minute and has a duration of 03:34.
16. "You're My Best Friend"
Artist: Queen
Album: A Night at the Opera
Genre: Rock Music, Pop Music, Twee Pop Music
Year Released: 1976
Facts About "You're My Best Friend"
- "You're My Best Friend" is a rock-ballad song.
- The song reached #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and had a brief appearance on different TV shows such as The Simpsons and Family Guy.
- John Deacon, the band's bass player, wrote: "You're My Best Friend" for his wife.
- The song features Deacon playing a Wurlitzer electric piano in addition to his bass guitar work.
- Deacon composed the song in the key of C major with a 4/4 meter.
17. "Bang Bang"
Artist: Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj
Album: Sweet Talker and My Everything
Genre: Pop Music, Pop-Soul Music
Year Released: 2014
Facts About "Bang Bang"
- "Bang Bang" is one of the best pop songs in C major written by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Rickard Goransson, and Nicki Minaj.
- The track is in the key C major, 150 beats per minute, and 5A Camelot.
- The track debuted at #6 and peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
- "Bang Bang" won at the 2015 Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Song of the Year.
18. "Another Brick in the Wall"
Artist: Pink Floyd
Album: The Wall
Genre: Progressive Rock, Disco Music
Year Released: 1979
Facts About "Another Brick in the Wall"
- "Another Brick in the Wall" is a protest song in rock-disco format and features a children's choir.
- The music fights for abusive schooling, especially boarding schools.
- The song is in C major key, 8B Camelot, and at a tempo of 104 bpm.
19. "Stay With Me"
Artist: Sam Smith
Album: In the Lonely Hour
Genre: Soul Music
Year Released: 2014
Facts About "Stay With Me"
- "Stay With Me" is a gospel-ballad song talking about Smith's one-night stand and requesting not to leave him.
- "Stay With Me" won the Best Song of the Year at the 2015 Grammys.
- "Stay With Me" became Smith's most successful single to date, reaching the #1 position in the U.K. Singles Chart.
- The track also peaked at #2 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
- "Stay With Me" is a soul song in the key of C major and has a tempo of 84 beats per minute.
20. "Drops of Jupiter"
Artist: Train
Album: Drops of Jupiter
Genre: Rock, Pop-Rock Music
Year Released: 2001
Facts About "Drops of Jupiter"
- Pat Monahan, the band's lead singer, revealed that he wrote "Drops of Jupiter" to commemorate the death of his mother.
- Band members admitted that the song did not have something to do with love or friendship.
- Paul Buckmaster won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for "Drops of Jupiter."
- The song composers wrote the track in C major key at 79 beats per minute and Camelot of 8B.
More Songs in C Major
Songs in C Major Title | Artist(s) |
---|---|
21. "All the Small Things" | Blink 182 |
22. "Right Here Waiting" | Richard Marx |
23. "Jump" | Van Halen |
24. "Stairway to Heaven" | Led Zeppelin |
25. "Carry on My Wayward Son" | Kansas |
26. "House of the Rising Sun" | The Animals |
27. "Californication" | Red Hot Chili Peppers |
28. "Piano Man" | Billy Joel |
29. "Miss You" | The Rolling Stones |
30. "The Pretender" | Foo Fighters |
31. "You're So Vain" | Carly Simon |
32. "Dreams" | Fleetwood Mac |
33. "Simple Man" | Lynyrd Skynyrd |
34. "Ain't No Sunshine" | Bill Withers |
35. "Heartbreaker" | Jay-Z |
36. "Stay Out" | Nina Nesbitt |
37. "Wanted Dead or Alive" | Bon Jovi |
38. "Stop Standing There" | Avril Lavigne |
39. "Don't Look Back In Anger" | Oasis |
40. "Stockholm Syndrome" | Muse |
41. "Minority" | Green Day |
42. "Now" | Paramore |
43. "Anything Could Happen" | Ellie Goulding |
44. "Heaven" | Bryan Adams |
45. "Sweetest Devotion" | Adele |
46. "Never Be the Same" | Camila Cabello |
47. "On Top of the World" | Imagine Dragons |
48. "Roxanne" | The Police |
49. "Run to the Hills" | Iron Maiden |
50. "Tiny Dancer" | Elton John |
Best Songs in C Major on Youtube
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2021 Ray