Top 10 Timeless Songs You Can Dance to in Any Decade

#10: “I Feel Love” (1977)

Donna Summer

This dreamy, futuristic track is considered one of the finest of the disco era. Summer’s seminal recording reached No. 1 in several countries and No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Listening to it today, you can hardly believe “I Feel Love” came out in 1977. Indeed, this recording marked the beginning of modern electronic dance music, combining synthesized loops with a bass drum and hi-hat. Summer’s summer hit influenced many artists, including David Bowie, the Human League and Kylie Minogue. Beyoncé even sampled it in her song “Summer Renaissance.” What a legacy.

#9: “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” (1983)

Eurythmics

Once you hear it, you never forget it. One of Eurythmics’ most popular songs, “Sweet Dreams” has been a long-lasting hit. The synth-pop single has been certified Gold in the United States. It’s unusual for dance music, especially electronic pop, to sound fatalistic and foreboding. But the juxtaposition between the sad melody, the cryptic lyrics and the uptempo beat gives the song a haunting quality that is just irresistible. Marilyn Manson did famously cover it, after all. The more danceable original is still a lively favorite with film and TV shows. This eventually led to “Sweet Dreams” being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2020. Who are we to disagree?

#8: “Yeah!” (2004)

Usher feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris

The moment you hear those blaring synthesized trumpets, you instantly know what song is playing. This track was the longest-running single of 2004, topping twelve charts worldwide. With its iconic riff and eponymous exclamations, this crunk and R&B crossover that Usher performs with Lil Jon and Ludacris is inescapably familiar. The song’s nightclub-appropriate lyrics and mixture of uptempo rap and ballad verses were a winning formula that never fails to pull us into the dance floor. Sure enough, “Yeah!” has become a perennial favorite, winning a Grammy award for its iconic music video. All we can say to that is, “Yeah!”

#7: “I Will Survive” (1978)

Gloria Gaynor

Empowerment has never been so groovy. One of the biggest hits of the disco era, Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” was composed by Dino Fekaris after he was fired from Motown Records. Fekaris gave the song to Gaynor, who instantly knew she had a hit on her hands. Sure enough, in 1980 it won the Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording. In Gaynor’s powerful vocals, the song transformed into a female empowerment and LGBTQIA+ anthem that has touched millions worldwide. “I Will Survive” has been interpreted by many artists throughout the years. It was also preserved in the Library of Congress in 2016, so we can be assured that it will survive.

#6: “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” (2001)Kylie Minogue

We haven’t been able to get this song out of our heads in a long time. Kylie Minogue’s appropriately named anthem reached No. 1 in 40 countries worldwide. It was certified Platinum by the BPI three times and reached No. 7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It’s no secret why this song became such a beloved club staple. There’s its hauntingly catchy la-la-la hook, sung with Minogue’s light, breathy voice. But also its minor-key melody and driving rhythms, fusing disco, techno and pop to make “Can't Get You Out of My Head” such a winning formula for dance. We’re always out on the club floor with this one.

#5: “The Twist” (1960)

Chubby Checker

It’s an oldie but a goodie. Chubby Checker was not the first one to record “The Twist,” which was originally written and performed by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters in 1958. But it was Checker’s 1960 rendition that launched this song into the stratosphere, topping the Billboard Hot 100 in two separate chart runs. It was the very first song to do so. The propulsive rhythm and “round” harmony of the song are a good temptation to dance, even now. “The Twist” even led to a dance craze of the same name. Finally, Checker’s version was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. What a twist!

#4: “Uptown Funk” (2014)Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

This is a modern dance classic that nevertheless doesn’t feel limited to our time. There is just something timeless about “Uptown Funk,” a throwback to 1980s funk composed by DJ Mark Ronson and sung by Bruno Mars. It's an elegant mix of soul, pop and even boogie-woogie. The wholesome male bravado of its lyrics also helps. Its energetic and cheerfully catchy rhythms helped keep the song in the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 consecutive weeks. And of course, it has been parodied numerous times, which is an indicator of greatness. Don’t believe us? Just watch!

#3: “Groove Is in the Heart” (1990)Deee-Lite

Speaking of classics, Deee-Lite’s “Groove Is in the Heart” is a delight. This late ‘80s hit reached number one in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It combines hip-hop, funk, salsa, and several samples of other tunes into one groovy composition. There is even a rap interlude thrown in for good measure. Rolling Stone magazine included the track in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and Billboard itself ranked it as No. 2 on its 2025 list of the 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time. This groove we do deeply dig.

#2: “Y.M.C.A.” (1978)

The Village People

It’s fun to stay at the… Do we really need to finish it? The longevity of The Village People’s brassy, upbeat to the Young Men’s Christian Association is truly amazing, and played at all kinds of events throughout the United States. It has since become a gay anthem, a club anthem, an… anthem for the Donald Trump administration, apparently. This was much to The Village People’s disapproval. Still, it’s no wonder this song has appealed across the decades. The track’s fun rhythm, triumphant trumpets, cheerfully optimistic lyrics, and corresponding cheerleader dance make this a bona fide classic of dance music, and just music in general. “Y.M.C.A.” was inducted into the National Recording Registry in 2020, and there’s no need to wonder why.

#1: “Dancing Queen” (1975)ABBA

You can dance, you can jive! For dance music with a truly timeless melody, look no further than this ‘70s disco classic by this internationally popular Swedish group. A Europop twist on American disco, “Dancing Queen” merges a sweet melody, heartening lyrics, a beautifully well-written harmonic theme, and soaring vocals to create a classic number we will always want to dance to. It was a worldwide hit and is a bestseller to this day, with more than 19 million weekly streams on Spotify in 2022. And of course, it has garnered many covers. We’ll always dig this “Dancing Queen.”

Which other classic dance song you just can’t get out of your head? Let us know in the comments down below!