For us college students, one of the biggest nights of partying is almost here: Thanksgiving Eve. For those who aren’t aware, it’s a night full of drinks, dancing, and catching up with those high school friends you haven’t seen since you went off to college at the end of the summer. While you can totally stay in that night, whether you want to do a movie marathon with your friends or catch up with family before the chaos of a big Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday night, a lot of college students opt to go out to their hometown bars on Wednesday night to start their break off with a bang. And what better way to help you prepare for such an eventful night than by blasting the perfect getting ready playlist?
With midterms, tons of work, and the unfamiliarity of being at home after settling in at school, you may feel a little hesitant to take the night off and go out — but there’s nothing like a good playlist to put you in the right mood. This one is over three hours long, so you’ll be set with a soundtrack no matter how much time you and your besties want to spend catching up (or how long it takes you to do your makeup). Full of popular bangers that’ll get you singing and dancing, here are some highlights from my crowd-favorite, no-skip getting ready playlist.
- “Hotel Room Service” by Pitbull
- “All Night” by Chance the Rapper
- “Like A G6” by Far East Movement, The Cataracs & Dev
- “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers
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You’ll see no shortage of 2000s music in my playlists. Why? Because no era of music is more capable of getting me to dance.
- “Slide” by Calvin Harris
- “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson
- “679” by Fetty Wap
- “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
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Bonus points if you remember the whole rap — I know it’ll never leave my brain even if I tried.
- “I Like It” by Cardi B, Bad Bunny, & J Balvin
- “All Night Longer” by Sammy Adams
- “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus
- “Right Round” by Flo Rida
- “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” by Katy Perry
- “Mmm Yeah” by Austin Mahone
- “Toxic” by Britney Spears
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Not including Queen Britney in any party-related playlist is simply a crime.
- “Va Va Voom” by Nicki Minaj
- “So What” by P!NK
- “Your Man” by Down With Webster
- “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé feat. JAY-Z
- “ROXANNE” by Arizona Zervas
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Excuse the TikTok reference, but this song is popular for a reason. It’s nearly impossible to sit still without dancing during this song.
- “The Way I Are” by Timbaland
- “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes
- “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo
- “Where Them Girls At” by David Guetta
- “Young, Wild & Free” by Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, & Bruno Mars
- “Rock Star” by Hannah Montana
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If you’re not a Hannah Montana fan, I’ll judge you a little. This song is not only catchy, it also has a major nostalgia factor. What more could you ask for?
- “Memories” by David Guetta feat. Kid Cudi
- “Time of Our Lives” by Pitbull
- “Find Your Love” by Drake
- “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne
- “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood
- “Pump It” by Black Eyed Peas
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Bonus points to anyone else who knows the Just Dance dance to this by heart.
- “Disturbia” by Rihanna
- “LoveGame” by Lady Gaga
- “Hey Mama” by David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, & Afrojack
- “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean
- “Knock You Down” by Keri Hilson
- “Where Have You Been” by Rihanna
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Honestly, Rihanna has so many bops, you could just shuffle her discography and call it a day. Who else can’t wait for the Super Bowl halftime show?
- “Low” by Flo Rida
- “goosebumps” by Travis Scott
- “Congratulations” by Post Malone
- “No Hands” by Waka Flocka Flame
- “Tyler Herro” by Jack Harlow
- “Josslyn” by Olivia O’Brien
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I consider this song a hidden gem because nobody ever knows it when I play it, but “Josslyn” is like a modern pop version of “Before He Cheats.”
- “Still D.R.E.” by Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
- “Knock Knock” by Mac Miller
- “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
- “Rude Boy” by Rihanna
- “Hurricane” by Bridgit Mendler
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These former DCOM stars knew what they were doing — this song is an absolute bop.
- “The Spins” by Mac Miller
- “Best I Ever Had” by Drake
- “Magic” by B.o.B feat. Rivers Cuomo
- “Bye Bye Bye” by *NSYNC
- “Cheyenne” by Jason Derulo
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This is another criminally-underrated song. I’m telling you, this is the best Jason Derulo song you’ll ever hear — not only because he doesn’t yell his name in it once.
- “All The Stars” by Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake
- “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals
- “Rock Your Body” by Justin Timberlake
- “Helena Beat” by Foster the People
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Foster the People is a top-notch band in general, and this song just emits amazing vibes. You may recognize it from the party scene in 21 Jump Street.
- “Feel So Close” by Calvin Harris
- “Feel This Moment” by Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera
- “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
There you have it: the best pre-party playlist ever, in my humble opinion. The perfect blend of pop, dance, and 2000s classics, with a dash of rap and hip-hop. To all the college students celebrating, have a safe and fun Thanksgiving Eve — you’ve earned it!