Top 20 Non-English Hit Songs
#20: “Anak” (1978)
Freddie Aguilar Composed by folk singer-songwriter Freddie Aguilar, this Filipino song was inspired by events in his own life. Essentially, Aguilar grabbed his guitar and left home at the age of 18 against his parents’ wishes. After spending years gambling and wandering, he recognized his missteps and composed Anak as a plea for forgiveness to his parents. The song’s isolating melodies and Aguilar’s tender voice melted hearts around the world even if they didn’t fully understand his words. The song’s universal themes of regret and traditional family values led to it being translated into 27 languages and even inspired a critically acclaimed film in 2000.
#19: “Oye Como Va” (1971)
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Santana Originally recorded by the veteran Latin music bandleader Tito Puente in 1962, it was Santana’s stylized rock version of the cha-cha-cha composition that became an international hit. The flute and horns of the original track are replaced with guitars and an infectious organ solo. This switch gave Santana a track that brought everyone to their feet and onto the dancefloor. The tune’s incredibly catchy melodies and rhythmic hooks brought it within the top 20 on North American charts. After its release, it became an important showcase of the richness of Latin music abroad. Not bad for a song with just two chords and two lines of lyrics.
#18: “Sadeness (Part I)” (1990)
Enigma The German musical project Enigma was founded in 1990 by an already established musician named Michael Cretu. One of his most innovative collaborations came when he teamed up with then-wife, German pop star Sandra, on Enigma’s debut single Sadeness (Part I). Cretu fused Gregorian chants by a German choir with an edgy electronic synthline. Fortunately, this surprising combination took the world by storm. The new age dance track became an unexpected hit for the group. Not only did it top the charts in 14 countries, but it also became the hottest dance track in the U.S.
#17: “Ça Plane Pour Moi” (1977)
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Plastic Bertrand Plastic Bertrand became an international punk rock star and toured the world on the back of this classic song. Interestingly enough, the track came from a surprising source. The original English version of the song by Elton Motello wasn’t well-received by French radio stations. So, Bertrand was brought on to record a radio-friendly French rendition. His take became an international hit and reached the top 20 in several European countries while charting in the U.S. and Canada. The song also became a hit on the big and small screens. Today, you may catch the song in commercials, on the radio or soundtracks for movies like “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
#16: “Du Hast” (1997)
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Rammstein For a lot of metalheads around the world, this song introduced them to the German industrial metal phenomenon Rammstein. Released as the second single from their sophomore album, Du Hast captured the attention of fans after it was included on “The Matrix” soundtrack. It also helped that its“Reservoir Dogs” inspired music video received a steady rotation on MTV. Although international fans may know the words, they might not be aware that the song’s chorus employs the use of an anaphora. Each line starts with the phrase “du hast” and takes on a slightly ironic meaning each time. It’s amazing that the first German song to reach the top 20 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts can still surprise us today.
#15: “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” (2011)
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Michel Teló This Brazilian pop track is one of many songs that have wiggled their way up the charts with the aid of a dance craze. Michel Teló’s version of the 2008 song became a worldwide hit after Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and other soccer stars celebrated goals with the song’s signature dance. These videos quickly became viral and helped the song eventually find its way into nightclubs across Europe. It topped the charts in 23 countries around the world and sold a whopping 7.2 million copies in 2012. There’s no escaping the waves of nostalgia that will surely hit you right from the first Nossa!
#14: “Lambada” (1989)
Kaoma French-Brazilian pop group Kaoma chose Lambada as the lead single from their first major album. It’s written from the perspective of a heartbroken protagonist determined to get over her feelings for her former lover by dancing the pain away. While that sounds sad on the surface, Lambada was an infectious tune that topped the charts in several countries. The Portuguese dance track achieved international success largely due to its associated dance craze. After its release, the song has been sampled and covered by a host of musicians from around the world. Jennifer Lopez fans can notably hear echoes of this track on her hit electropop single “On The Floor”.
#13: “Eres Tú” (1973)
Mocedades The founding members of the Spanish folk pop group Mocedades were only young students when they were discovered by the producer Juan Carlos Calderón in Madrid. After he wrote this song for the group, it was chosen by Spain as their entry for 1973’s Eurovision Song Contest. The song finished in second place and quickly took off in the global music scene. Eres Tú became one of the first Spanish songs to chart in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. Due to its level of success, an English version titled ‘Touch the Wind’ was released. But the original Spanish version was still preferred by fans and radio stations alike.
#12: “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” (1994)
Selena A phrase that is now widely used by fans to describe their love for the Mexican-American superstar, Bidi Bidi Bom Bom was written by Selena about a crush. The Mexican cumbia pop track is infused with reggae and Europop influences. This genre mix turned into an undeniable hit for the Queen of Tejano music. It topped the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart for four consecutive weeks in 1994 and re-entered the chart’s top ten the following year. Commercial success aside, the song was instrumental in bridging Tejano music and Latin pop. It definitely helped bring an influx of Latin music into the mainstream.
#11: “Rock Me Amadeus” (1986)
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Falco For his third album, Austrian New Wave artist Falco wrote a love letter to one of the world's first musical mega stars. A son of Vienna, Austria just like Mozart, Falco celebrates the composer's eccentric career and calls him the world's first punk. The track made Falco the first German-speaking artist to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Despite his massive success in Europe, the song was Falco's only number hit in the Western world. The song's instantly recognizable hook has even made it ripe for parody on the internet and even 'The Simpsons' decades later .
#10: “Dominique” (1963)
Sœur Sourire Belgian nun Jeanine Deckers became a global sensation after being encouraged to take her music outside the convent walls. Written about the founder of her own religious order, 'Dominque' encourages the listener to endure in the face of hardship. Sailing up charts around the world, Deckers also recorded versions in English, Dutch, Hebrew and Japanese, among others. Following President Kennedy's assassination, the track became an American hit thanks to its calming sound. The song's success and Deckers' life were even treated to a 1966 movie starring Debbie Reynolds. It's still widely used today in series like 'Mad Men' and 'American Horror Story', and inspired a singing nun in 'The Simpsons.'
#9: “The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" (2002)
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Las Ketchup Armed with a silly dance and even crazier lyrics, Spanish sister trio Las Ketchup mumbled their way to stardom. While the song inspired controversy for alleged satanic references, the lyrics are actually about a man named Diego. Despite having Portuguese and even a Spanglish version of the song, the chorus is seemingly gibberish in all of them. As keen listeners have pointed out however, the lyrics are actually a clever butchering of The Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight.' The lyrics really didn't seem to matter however, as the song went to number one in over 20 countries and has even appeared in video games.
#8: “Sukiyaki” (1963)
Kyu Sakamoto Annoyed with the continued American military presence in Japan, lyricist Rokusuke Ei wrote words to what would become a deceptively fun protest song. Speaking to Japan's harsh times following the war, Kyu Sakamoto sings about staying hopeful towards the future. Despite its political content, the song managed to top American charts - the first Japanese song to ever do so. Its catchy melody made it one of the best-selling singles of all time, charting highly in Australia, the United Kingdom and even Norway. While originally titled to match its lyrics, it was renamed after a popular Japanese dish in English-speaking markets so Western DJs could pronounce it.
#7: “We No Speak Americano” (2010)
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Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP Despite containing mostly Southern Italian lyrics, this modern dance hit comes from Australia of all places. Pumping up a sample of Renato Carosone's 'Tu Vuo Fa L'Americano,' Yolanda Be Cool and DCUP made a global dance classic. Peaking at number 4 in Australia, the song soared to number one in over a dozen foreign countries. While the track has become a party standard, the lyrics critique lavish American lifestyles. And funnily enough, America was one of the few countries where the song didn't top the charts. The track found its way into Korean television, and has even been sampled by Pitbull.
#6: “99 Luftballons” (1983)
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Nena In the midst of the Cold War, Nena crafted a political track with a haunting story. After 99 balloons attract military attention, a series of misunderstandings lead to an endless war. The timely message and upbeat melodies made the song a huge hit regardless of its German lyrics. Despite creating an English version for international markets, the German original outperformed it virtually everywhere but the U.K. and Canada. The song has endured so well that someone donated thirty-five thousand dollars to VH1 in 2006 to broadcast the music video for a full hour.
#5: “Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix)” (1996)
Los Del Rio Released as a rumba song in 1993, the fully Spanish language version of "Macarena" was already a hit in the Latin community before the Bayside Boys made their iconic remix three years later. Melodically exciting, the song's lyrics - which added some English words to the mix - are actually about a cheating girlfriend named Macarena. The remix's catchy beat and accessible dance made it a global phenomenon, spending an insane 14 weeks atop Billboard Hot 100. The song also made a splash at the 1996 Democratic National Convention, where Hillary Clinton and even Al Gore were dancing along. Spending over a year on the charts, the song and dance are still a huge hit at weddings to this day.
#4: “Gangnam Style” (2012)
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PSY Though PSY was already popular in his native South Korea, crafting a viral video made him one of the most popular stars in history. Mixing explosions, butt-worship and a memorable dance, PSY's music video caught on around the world. The song's global chart domination has increased the popularity of Korean food and prompted the South Korean government to support more domestic acts. The music video became the most viewed video on YouTube in 2012 and would remain that way until 2017.The dance's world-wide success was even marked by the United Nations as a tool to bring the world together through music.
#3: “Despacito” (2017)
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Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee Whether you love or hate this Latin-American sensation, its accomplishments speak for themselves. After waking up one morning with a melody in his head, Luis Fonsi penned an instant classic about taking things slowly with someone you love. The song's intoxicating rhythms made it the most streamed song ever, earning multiple awards and chart placement as a result. Justin Bieber's remix also helped the song's popularity in America. The video overtook 'See You Again' to become the most watched video on YouTube, holding over five billion views. The song was eventually surpassed on Latin American charts by J Balvin and Willy William's 'Mi Gente.'
#2: “La Bamba” (1958 & 1987)
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Ritchie Valens & Los Lobos Considering how iconic this Latin-American hit is to this day, it should be no surprise that it's dominated the charts multiple times. Originating as a Mexican folk song, it was Ritchie Valens’ rock version that brought the song to the masses. Gaining success in Europe and North America, Valens’ take peaked at 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's success and Valen's tragic death inspired the 1987 biopic 'La Bamba.' Los Lobos' cover version for the film was an instant smash, hitting number one internationally. It's also the only non-English song on Rolling Stone's '500 Greatest Songs of All Time.'
#1: “Dragostea Din Tei” (2003)
O-Zone You may know this song by its official title or unofficially as ‘Maya Hi’ A.K.A ‘Numa Numa’. No matter what you call it, the chances are high that you’ve heard this song. This Romanian dance track cut across language and cultural barriers to become an international hit. It dominated charts across Europe, became a summer hit in 2004 and peaked at number one in over 27 countries. Its success in the US was largely aided by a video where vlogger Gary Brolsma hilariously lip synced to the song. And it definitely got another boost by being sampled for the massive hit “Live Your Life.” With an estimated 12 million copies sold worldwide, it ranks as one of the most successful singles of all time.
