It’s party time guys – don your dancing shoes and have your speaker at the ready
‘Party songs’ are a broad genre, and throughout the eras, they’ve come in all shapes, sizes and vibes. However, for a song to be a proper, hip-shaking party song, there are some rules: it’s gotta be a banger, and it’s gotta give you absolutely no choice but to get up and boogie.
No wonder then that this list includes everything from funk, soul and disco classics to ‘90s RnB tunes and 2025 chart-toppers. There’s a tonne of variety on here, but pass the aux cable over to us and we’ll have your party shaking in no time. Ready to throw some shapes? You’re in the right place – these are the best party songs of all time.
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This guide was recently updated by Georgia Evans, who covers Time Out’s music section. Entries are by Time Out Editors. For more about how we curate, have a look at our editorial guidelines.
Release date: 2020
It’s impossible not to scream the lyrics of ‘Pink Pony Club’ at the top of your lungs. And when you have a room full of people doing it? It doesn’t get more life affirming than that. The song might have a slow, ballad-like start, but that climactic build is irresistible. Chappell Roan’s queer anthem is an ode to the unadulterated joy of partying, letting go and being completely, unapologetically yourself on the dancefloor.
Release date: 2017
A modern classic house track from the effortlessly cool DJ-producer Yaeji, ‘Raingurl’ is effectively a loop of infectiously catchy chanting – ‘Make it rain girl, make it rain (mother Russia in my cup)’ – interspersed with atmospheric whisperings sung in English and Korean for a bit of dancefloor relief. As the track rolls on, each time the chorus hits that little bit harder, and it’s near impossible not to sing along and jump up and down to the hard, drilling beat while you’re at it. Put this into a DJ set and you’re onto a winner – it is so beautifully simple that even newbies can sing along from the get-go.
Release date: 2023
Brat isn’t going anywhere, but anyone who’s only recently donned their Charli’s Angels wings must not sleep on this song. Don’t get me wrong, I love the spooky original version of ‘Welcome to My Island’, but Caroline’s witchy vocals take on a whole new vibe in this thumpy, racing remix created by George and Charli in the early days of their relationship. The lyrics are feral, the pace is ferocious, and it’s a sure-fire way to eject crazed energy into any party.
Release date: 2024
You know those sun-drenched summer days when a few beers on the beach slowly turns into a margarita-fuelled night of dancing, flirting and laughter – where the night feels seemingly endless, like time has stood still? They might be few and far between, but this track does a damn good job of transporting you into those magic, peak-summer moments. With trancey melodies and bouncing, snappy percussion and soft, feminine vocals singing a simple story of summer love, it’s a party soundtrack if I ever heard one.
Release date: 1980
Okay, there’s a hell of a lot of Diana Ross tunes that could make this list. That woman knows how to party. But as soon as the intro opens to I’m Coming Out, you simply cannot help but hit the dance floor. The best is when you go for the extended version, and find yourself in the midst of the intro for about 11 minutes. But whichever version you go for, this is the party song, in every way. She wants the world to know, people.
Release date: 2001
From its first invincible beat, this dance anthem from french house duo Daft Punk creates an invisible forcefield that basically anchors you to the dancefloor – we don’t know how they do it! From the synths to the hypnotizing thump of the beat, every minute of this 2000s tune is pure euphoric bliss, daring us all to stop dancing. One. More. Time.
Release date: 2024
Unless you were living under a rock this year, you’ve most definitely heard the sweet sounds of Charli XCX pumping out of a speaker somewhere or other. Partying is her whole brand (she’s in the party b-b-bumpin’ that beat, after all), and the whole idea is drying your eyes, hitting the club and dancing the whole night long. Can there be a more perfect song for a party? We think not.
Release date: 2001
One of Kylie’s most iconic dancefloor bangers, ‘Love at First Sight’ may sound like one for the girlypops, but - honestly - who can resist this slice of pop perfection? Released in 2001, the glimmering, upbeat ballad instantly brings us back to a simpler time, when the biggest thing on our brains was who we’d try and snog at the school disco - take us back Kylie!
Release date: 2014
There is something beautiful about seeing a room of people screaming ‘I’mma ruin you, c*nt’ at the top of their lungs. Because this potty-mouthed banger, by problematic fave Azealia Banks, is guaranteed to get people jumping and yelling at any party. With its instantly recognisable bumping house backing track, filthy lyrics and unbeatable vocals from Banks, this track goes off every time. And then there’s the bridge, a sultry, slowed down section with a menacing feel, that launches us straight into the deliciously shouty chorus. Over ten years after it’s release this song is still relevant, a timeless bop.
Release date: 2003
Bollywood strings, twangy surf guitar, a killer chorus and a video which features Britney as an air hostess: so, three great things and something you really don’t want to see when your 737 suddenly loses altitude. ‘Toxic’ was rejected by Kylie (what was she thinking?) and ended up as Britney’s peak: a sonic mish-mash with a lyric about addiction, it neatly previewed what lay ahead.
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