Party Time
Theme Songs
One Hit Wonder
Alt-Rock/Indie
Pop/Folk
100
This artist's difficult early life inspired his stage name. In his written biography, he explained that this animal's jaws lock up when they bite.
Pitbull
Hotel Room Service
Pitbull Starring in Rebelution
100
This artist has won many awards, including ten Kids' Choice Awards. He also voiced Spider-Man in the Disney XD cartoon Ultimate Spider-Man.
Drake Bell
I Found A Way
Show: Drake & Josh
100
In the summer of 2012 when this artist's song blew up, Justin Bieber tweeted: "'[this song] by [this artist] is possibly the catchiest song I've ever heard lol," and his then-girlfriend Selena Gomez added, "This smile is because of [this artist]. We have not stopped listening to your song girl!"
Carly Rae Jepsen
Call Me Maybe
Call Me Maybe
100
This artist's real name is Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor. She is from New Zealand and she experiences synesthesia, a neurological condition where she associates colors with sounds and musical notes.
Lorde
Royals
Pure Heroine
100
This album was a surprise-release, quarantine-born project featuring fictional storytelling, a departure from this artist's usual autobiographical style
Taylor Swift
Exile
Feature: Bon Iver
200
This song is based on what happened to this band's lead singer, Brandon Flowers, when he had a hunch his girlfriend was cheating on him. His suspicions were confirmed when he discovered her with another man at the Crown And Anchor pub in his hometown of Las Vegas.
The Killers
Mr. Brightside
Hot Fuss
200
This artist wrote the song with her older and much more famous sister. Despite this theme song being recorded in 2004, the full version of the song was never commercially released until 2020.
Jamie Lynn Spears
Follow Me
Show: Zoey 101
200
This song originally rose to fame when American Idol started using it as a theme for the "goodbye video" for the departing contestants who were voted off the show on the fifth season. A cover version by Alvin and the Chipmunks returned this song to the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2008 when it reached #67. The Chipmunks version was used in their 2007 film Alvin And The Chipmunks and appeared on the soundtrack.
Daniel Powter
Bad Day
Daniel Powter
200
Before their success, one of the band members worked as a plumber and construction worker. They have since won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album.
Cage The Elephant
Cigarette Daydreams
Melophobia
200
This song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first time for both artists. The song achieved a rare simultaneous No. 1 on both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts, a feat not accomplished since 1983. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song and won for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
Zach Bryan
I Remember Everything
Zach Bryan
Feature: Kacey Musgraves
300
This song features on the soundtrack of the Disney movie Step Up 3-D. According to the artist, it is "about having the biggest party of your life"
Flo Rida
Club Can't Handle Me
Only One Flo (Part 1)
Featuring David Guetta
300
When Rock & Roll Library asked this artist what inspired him to write this song, he replied: "That song was heavily influenced by the identity crisis right now that exists amongst youth. It's almost like you can go into any town in the country and the kids don't necessarily have an identity of their own; it's like whatever is on television is who they are."
Gavin DeGraw
I Don't Wanna Be
Chariot
Show: One Tree Hill
300
This song is about women with big butts, and the men who love them. This artist got the idea when he was watching a Budweiser ad during the Super Bowl and the models in it were way too skinny for his taste. This song started a trend of rap "booty" songs.
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Baby Got Back
Mack Daddy
300
This band doesn't preach their Mormon teachings in their songs, but none of them drink or party. One of the members has said: "half the people [at shows] think I'm on drugs anyway, I've always had a drone-y southern California voice and worn sunglasses in an airport when I shouldn't."
Neon Trees
Animal
Habits
300
This original song is about New England.
In this version, the feature, a British singer, rewrote the second verse to reflect his upbringing in Newcastle, North East England.
This collaboration creates a "transatlantic call-and-response." It highlights the universal feeling of homesickness and the love/hate relationship many have with their hometowns.
Noah Kahan
Homesick
Stick Season
Feature: Sam Fender
400
This song samples Etta James's 1962 song "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and was a massive crossover hit that helped legitimize EDM in mainstream U.S. markets.
Avicii
Levels
Levels
400
One of the writers of this song explained in an interview that he had seen the pilot and one line (the name of this song) stood out to him. "The show was just supposed to be about the loyalty of friends. That no matter how screwed up your life was..."
The Rembrandts
I’ll Be There for You
Show: Friends
400
Bob The Builder (the cartoon character) had a #1 hit in the UK in 2011 reworking this song. Instead of singing about girls, Bob makes it about construction. Lyrics incldued:
A little bit of timber and a saw
A little bit of fixing that's for sure
A little bit of digging up the roads
A little bit of moving heavy loads
Lou Bega
Mambo No. 5
A Little Bit of Mambo
400
This band broke up this past year with the following post on social media:
COIN
Talk Too Much
How Will You Know If You Never Try
400
This song was written about and in the wake of the emotional confusion surrounding the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
The Head and the Heart
Another Story
Let's Be Still
500
This song was a massive success in the artist's home country, Romania, topping the singles chart for eight weeks. Other countries where it reached #1 include Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
Alexandra Stan
Mr. Saxobeat - Radio Edit
Saxobeats
500
This song's whistled hook was originally added as a marker for a future instrument before realizing that it was just what the song needed.
Peter Bjorn and John
Young Folks
Writer's Block
Show: Gossip Girl
500
This was nominated for a Grammy in the category Best Rap Performance. The award went to MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This."
Vanilla Ice
Ice Ice Baby
Vanilla Ice is Back! - Hip Hop Classics
500
This song is about the singer's family's financial struggles, including an immigrant relative selling flowers outside Penn Station. "It's about very specific family members, the male hierarchy, and how the men in my family have always dealt with money."
Bonus fun fact: My high school friend's uncle was this band's manager
Passion Pit
Take a Walk
Gossamer
500
This song describes feeling truly at home with a loved one, making the person their "home" rather than a physical place.
Lizzy McAlpine
Apple Pie
Give Me A Minute