Year In Review – Top Requests of 2021
What a year it’s been! While we still are not quite back to normal, I’m so happy that we were able to perform at events once again. Being a part of celebrations with so many happy people really is a joy, and is why I’ve been DJing for over 25 years!
As the year comes to a close, we have our ‘Top Requested Songs’ list of 2021. I’ve included an in-depth look at the Top 10, with the rest of the list included at the bottom of this Blog post. This list includes thousands of users making requests through our event planner system, at all sorts of event types. The list below tends to skew a bit more to the Wedding and Corporate Event crowd, as students seem to prefer our new text based / QR code request system.
Thanks for a great year, visit our Youtube Channel to listen to all of these tracks, we are looking forward to celebrating with you all in 2022!
10. Cupid – Cupid Shuffle
Originally released in 2007, Cupid Shuffle continues to be the most popular ‘line dance’ on our list. Used as a touchdown celebration, dancing with the Harlem Globetrotters, and even reprised by Cupid himself in a 2012 audition on ‘The Voice’, this track continues to prove its staying power and popularity at events.
If you’ve never had a chance to learn how to do this dance, here’s a great video that can walk you through the steps.
9. ABBA – Dancing Queen
The disco song that never quits, ABBA’s Dancing Queen first graced our home stereo systems in 1976. To date it remains the only song by this international pop group to hit #1 on the USA charts (and also hit #1 in over a dozen other countries). Universally recognized as one of the biggest hits of the disco era, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015. As of writing, it currently sits at over 500 million views on YouTube.
8. The Killers – Mr Brightside
The Killers launched their careers with Mr. Brightside as their first single from their debut album in 2004, and this upbeat (in tempo, if not in lyrics) track remains their best selling North American single to date. It has spent over 5 years on the UK Singles Chart 100, and is the most listened to rock track on the UK’s last.fm music streaming service – not too shabby for an American band from Las Vegas!
7. Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
Make no mistake, despite being hitting its 40th anniversary this year this track seems to get at least 2-3 requests at every event, including karaoke gigs! Everyone loves showing off their pipes when they sing along. This song has enjoyed a couple of resurgences over the years, including when it was used in the final scene of The Sopranos, or the very popular cover version performed on TV’s Glee, although it has never charted above the #4 slot.
6. Walk The Moon – Shut Up And Dance
Before “Shut Up And Dance”, Walk the Moon was very much considered an Indie rock band. This track led to their breakout on the music scene. The chorus was inspired by Nicholas Petricca, the band’s vocalist, getting frustrated with the writing process, and being invited by his girlfriend to come out and dance with her at a party. Having been performed live on almost every North American talk show and the 2016 NBA All Star Game in Toronto, it is now part of the Broadway musical Moulin Rouge!
5. Usher – Yeah
Usher’s track Yeah spent 12 weeks on top of the Billboard 100 chart, before getting knocked off by his next single, Burn, and won a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Filled with some great choreography and lots of flashing blue lasers, the music video is somewhat reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Rock With You. This entry in the chart is a near guaranteed floor filler at any event.
4. Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
You read that correctly – Bruno Mars’ highest performing song to date is not actually a Bruno Mars track. He’s a featured artist on British producer and DJ Mark Ronson’s 2014 album Uptown Special, and this track has become one of the top selling singles of all time. Another banger for the dance floor, this song was also featured in a video art project by A Maceo Smith High School in Dallas with students and faculty getting into the fun together.
3. Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
The only ‘singing and swaying’ song in this year’s Top 10, Sweet Caroline is a standard at just about any event, with even the Boston Red Sox using it as a singalong tune during their home games. In July of this year, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart, over 50 years after its original release, thanks to England supporters singing it during the Euro 2020 competition. Luckily, you don’t even have to know the words to sing along to this chorus!
2. Earth Wind & Fire – September
A classic track to be sure, and one that is in every playlist during the month of September. Admittedly, I’m partial the ‘99 Phats & Small Mix of the song, as it doesn’t change it too much, mostly adds a bit more of a backbeat. The remix also hit #1 on the Canadian charts, while the original only got up to #4. While there are lots of theories about what the 21st of September was meant to commemorate, the songwriter Maurice White says he chose it simply due to how it sounded when being sung.
1. Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody
This 80s powerhouse anthem was written for Whitney by the same duo (George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam) who wrote How Will I Know. While very different songs, there is some similarity in the structure of the two tracks. This similarity resulted in mixed reviews from critics, who nonetheless praised Houston’s performance on the song, which went on to hit #1 on over 20 international charts. Upon Houston’s passing in 2012, the song re-entered a number of charts. A popular Mashup with Rihanna’s We Found Love has also been very popular at events.
Top 200 Songs of 2021
|
1 |
Whitney Houston |
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) |
|
2 |
Earth, Wind and Fire |
September |
|
3 |
Neil Diamond |
Sweet Caroline |
|
4 |
Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars |
Uptown Funk |
|
5 |
Usher |
Yeah! |
|
6 |
Walk The Moon |
Shut Up And Dance |
|
7 |
Journey |
Don’t Stop Believin’ |
|
8 |
Killers |
Mr. Brightside |
|
9 |
ABBA |
Dancing Queen |
|
10 |
Cupid |
Cupid Shuffle |
|
11 |
Black Eyed Peas |
I Gotta Feeling |
|
12 |
DJ Casper |
Cha Cha Slide |
|
13 |
Flo Rida |
Low |
|
14 |
Bon Jovi |
Livin’ On A Prayer |
|
15 |
Spice Girls |
Wannabe |
|
16 |
OutKast |
Hey Ya! |
|
17 |
V.I.C. |
Wobble |
|
18 |
Justin Timberlake |
Can’t Stop The Feeling! |
|
19 |
Garth Brooks |
Friends In Low Places |
|
20 |
Beyonce feat. Jay-Z |
Crazy In Love |
|
21 |
Miley Cyrus |
Party In The U.S.A. |
|
22 |
Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz |
Get Low |
|
23 |
Backstreet Boys |
Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) |
|
24 |
Bruno Mars |
24k Magic |
|
25 |
Bruno Mars |
Marry You |
|
26 |
Van Morrison |
Brown Eyed Girl |
|
27 |
Elvis Presley |
Can’t Help Falling In Love |
|
28 |
Ed Sheeran |
Perfect |
|
29 |
Chris Stapleton |
Tennessee Whiskey |
|
30 |
Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee |
Despacito |
|
31 |
B-52’s |
Love Shack |
|
32 |
Kenny Loggins |
Footloose |
|
33 |
AC/DC |
You Shook Me All Night Long |
|
34 |
Toploader |
Dancing In The Moonlight |
|
35 |
Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris |
We Found Love |
|
36 |
Dexys Midnight Runners |
Come On Eileen |
|
37 |
Shania Twain |
Man! I Feel Like A Woman! |
|
38 |
Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby |
Levitating |
|
39 |
Taylor Swift |
Shake It Off |
|
40 |
Montell Jordan |
This Is How We Do It |
|
41 |
Frank Sinatra |
The Way You Look Tonight |
|
42 |
Beatles |
Twist And Shout |
|
43 |
Nelly |
Hot In Herre |
|
44 |
Chris Brown |
Forever |
|
45 |
LMFAO |
Party Rock Anthem |
|
46 |
Temptations |
My Girl |
|
47 |
Sister Sledge |
We Are Family |
|
48 |
Ed Sheeran |
Thinking Out Loud |
|
49 |
Maroon 5 |
Sugar |
|
50 |
Pitbull feat. Kesha |
Timber |
|
51 |
Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin |
I Like It |
|
52 |
Sir Mix-A-Lot |
Baby Got Back |
|
53 |
N’Sync |
Bye Bye Bye |
|
54 |
Toto |
Africa |
|
55 |
Old Crow Medicine Show |
Wagon Wheel |
|
56 |
John Legend |
All Of Me |
|
57 |
Daryl Hall & John Oates |
You Make My Dreams (Come True) |
|
58 |
Def Leppard |
Pour Some Sugar On Me |
|
59 |
Don Omar feat. Lucenzo |
Danza Kuduro |
|
60 |
Cyndi Lauper |
Girls Just Want To Have Fun |
|
61 |
Stevie Wonder |
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) |
|
62 |
House Of Pain |
Jump Around |
|
63 |
Queen |
Bohemian Rhapsody |
|
64 |
Backstreet Boys |
I Want It That Way |
|
65 |
Lizzo |
Truth Hurts |
|
66 |
Lou Bega |
Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of..) |
|
67 |
Animal House |
Shout |
|
68 |
Jack Johnson |
Better Together |
|
69 |
Luke Combs |
Beautiful Crazy |
|
70 |
The Weeknd |
Blinding Lights |
|
71 |
Beyonce |
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) |
|
72 |
Lynyrd Skynyrd |
Sweet Home Alabama |
|
73 |
Diana Ross / Marvin Gaye |
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough |
|
74 |
Pharrell Williams |
Happy |
|
75 |
Village People |
Y.M.C.A. |
|
76 |
Beyonce |
Love On Top |
|
77 |
Bryan Adams |
Summer Of ’69 |
|
78 |
Michael Jackson |
Billie Jean |
|
79 |
Taio Cruz |
Dynamite |
|
80 |
Pink |
Raise Your Glass |
|
81 |
Pitbull |
Fireball |
|
82 |
Wild Cherry |
Play That Funky Music |
|
83 |
Ben E. King |
Stand By Me |
|
84 |
Shakira |
Hips Don’t Lie |
|
85 |
Kool & The Gang |
Celebration |
|
86 |
Kygo and Whitney Houston / Steve Winwood |
Higher Love |
|
87 |
Cobra Starship |
You Make Me Feel |
|
88 |
Rednex |
Cotton Eye Joe |
|
89 |
Queen |
Don’t Stop Me Now |
|
90 |
R. Kelly |
Ignition (Remix) |
|
91 |
DJ Snake feat. Lil’ Jon |
Turn Down For What |
|
92 |
Zac Brown Band |
Chicken Fried |
|
93 |
Etta James |
At Last |
|
94 |
Natalie Cole |
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) |
|
95 |
Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus |
Old Town Road (Remix) |
|
96 |
Thomas Rhett |
Die A Happy Man |
|
97 |
Foundations |
Build Me Up Buttercup |
|
98 |
Kanye West |
Gold Digger |
|
99 |
Bee Gees |
Stayin’ Alive |
|
100 |
Justin Timberlake |
Sexyback |
|
101 |
Lady GaGa |
Just Dance |
|
102 |
Eric Clapton |
Wonderful Tonight |
|
103 |
Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes |
(I’ve Had The) Time Of My Life |
|
104 |
Pitbull and Ne-Yo |
Time Of Our Lives |
|
105 |
Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer |
Give Me Everything |
|
106 |
Usher |
Dj Got Us Fallin’ In Love |
|
107 |
Michael Jackson |
Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough |
|
108 |
Lady GaGa |
Speechless |
|
109 |
Rick Springfield |
Jessie’s Girl |
|
110 |
Los Del Rio |
Macarena |
|
111 |
50 Cent |
In Da Club |
|
112 |
Ne-Yo |
Closer |
|
113 |
Maroon 5 |
Moves Like Jagger |
|
114 |
LMFAO feat. Lil Jon |
Shots |
|
115 |
Queen |
Crazy Little Thing Called Love |
|
116 |
Billy Joel |
Piano Man |
|
117 |
Christina Perri |
A Thousand Years |
|
118 |
Blanco Brown |
The Git Up |
|
119 |
Nat King Cole |
L-O-V-E |
|
120 |
Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I. |
Blurred Lines |
|
121 |
James Taylor |
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) |
|
122 |
DNCE |
Cake By The Ocean |
|
123 |
Luke Bryan |
Country Girl (Shake It For Me) |
|
124 |
Bruno Mars |
Just The Way You Are |
|
125 |
Vanilla Ice |
Ice Ice Baby |
|
126 |
Blink-182 |
All The Small Things |
|
127 |
Train |
Marry Me |
|
128 |
Blackstreet |
No Diggity |
|
129 |
Frank Sinatra |
Fly Me To The Moon |
|
130 |
Smash Mouth |
All Star |
|
131 |
Guns N’ Roses |
Sweet Child O’ Mine |
|
132 |
Avicii |
Levels |
|
133 |
Ginuwine |
Pony |
|
134 |
Ray LaMontagne |
You Are The Best Thing |
|
135 |
Mark Morrison |
Return Of The Mack |
|
136 |
Bob Seger |
Old Time Rock N Roll |
|
137 |
Lizzo |
Good As Hell |
|
138 |
Jason Mraz |
I’m Yours |
|
139 |
A-Ha |
Take On Me |
|
140 |
Aerosmith |
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing |
|
141 |
Elvis Crespo |
Suavemente |
|
142 |
J Balvin and Willy William |
Mi Gente |
|
143 |
Louis Armstrong |
What A Wonderful World |
|
144 |
Salt ‘N Pepa |
Push It |
|
145 |
Franki Valli |
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You |
|
146 |
Rick Astley |
Never Gonna Give You Up |
|
147 |
Big & Rich |
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) |
|
148 |
Drake |
One Dance |
|
149 |
Proclaimers |
I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) |
|
150 |
Nicki Minaj |
Starships |
|
151 |
Commodores |
Brick House |
|
152 |
Daft Punk |
One More Time |
|
153 |
Calvin Harris |
Feel So Close |
|
154 |
Oasis |
Wonderwall |
|
155 |
John Denver |
Take Me Home, Country Roads |
|
156 |
Michael Buble |
Everything |
|
157 |
M.C. Hammer |
U Can’t Touch This |
|
158 |
Justin Timberlake |
Rock Your Body |
|
159 |
Michael Jackson |
Thriller |
|
160 |
Al Green |
Let’s Stay Together |
|
161 |
Daft Punk |
Get Lucky |
|
162 |
Nat King Cole |
Unforgettable |
|
163 |
Marcia Griffiths |
Electric Boogie (Electric Slide) |
|
164 |
Brett Young |
In Case You Didn’t Know |
|
165 |
TLC |
No Scrubs |
|
166 |
Aretha Franklin |
Respect |
|
167 |
Carly Rae Jepsen |
Call Me Maybe |
|
168 |
Righteous Brothers |
Unchained Melody |
|
169 |
Wham! |
Wake Me Up Before You Go-go |
|
170 |
Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse |
Valerie |
|
171 |
Jimmy Eat World |
The Middle |
|
172 |
Four Seasons |
December 1963 (Oh, What A Night) |
|
173 |
Eddie Money |
Take Me Home Tonight |
|
174 |
Tones And I |
Dance Monkey |
|
175 |
Creedence Clearwater Revival / Tina Turner |
Proud Mary |
|
176 |
Cascada |
Everytime We Touch |
|
177 |
Lonestar |
Amazed |
|
178 |
Ed Sheeran |
Shape Of You |
|
179 |
Avicii |
Wake Me Up! |
|
180 |
Harry Styles |
Watermelon Sugar |
|
181 |
Bruno Mars |
That’s What I Like |
|
182 |
Flo Rida |
Club Can’t Handle Me |
|
183 |
Game |
Dreams |
|
184 |
Prince |
Kiss |
|
185 |
Sean Paul |
Temperature |
|
186 |
Kings Of Leon |
Sex On Fire |
|
187 |
Shania Twain |
Any Man Of Mine |
|
188 |
Sam Hunt |
Body Like A Back Road |
|
189 |
Lizzo |
Juice |
|
190 |
Chainsmokers and Coldplay |
Something Just Like This |
|
191 |
Taylor Swift |
Lover |
|
192 |
Jonas Brothers |
Sucker |
|
193 |
Haddaway |
What Is Love |
|
194 |
Flo Rida |
My House |
|
195 |
Elton John |
Your Song |
|
196 |
Walker Hayes |
Fancy Like |
|
197 |
Blue Swede |
Hooked On A Feeling |
|
198 |
Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna |
This Is What You Came For |
|
199 |
Earth, Wind & Fire |
Let’s Groove |
|
200 |
Queen |
Fat Bottomed Girls |