If you have a mother that loves to play her 70’s and 80’s music in the car, then you know exactly what I have experienced while riding in the car with my mom. Donna Summer, Earth, Wind & Fire, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Journey, Madonna and basically every musical soundtrack ever made were constant regulars during drives home. Someday, these 100 tunes will be something you will play for your own kids in the car. You will probably sing the lyrics so loud that these songs will become one they know well too. There are many great ’70s, ’80s and ’90s songs, and I would not have known them without my mom constantly singing them while I was growing up. So, without further ado, here are 100 songs that your kids will be singing with you in the car one day:
Pop Queens
One of my all-time favorite artists that I listened to growing up — and still listen to now — is the amazing and very talented Katy Perry. Now when my friends and I listen to music is not just the latest hits that are taking over the radio, but also the songs that remind us of elementary school. Britney Spears in her prime time, Lady Gaga getting her real start in music and a few old Avril Lavigne and Rihanna songs that we still know all the words to.
1. “Hot N Cold,” Katy Perry
2. “California Gurls,” Katy Perry
3. “Firework,” Katy Perry
4. “Teenage Dream,” Katy Perry
5. “I Kissed A Girl,” Katy Perry
6. “Girlfriend,” Avril Lavigne
7. “Complicated,” Avril Lavigne
8. “Oops!… I Did It Again,” Britney Spears
9. “Toxic,” Britney Spears
10. “Breakin’ Dishes,” Rihanna
11. “Pon de Replay,” Rihanna
12. “Rude Boy,” Rihanna
13. “Don’t Stop the Music,” Rihanna
14. “Disturbia,” Rihanna
15. “Take A Bow,” Rihanna
16. “Poker Face,” Lady Gaga
17. “Paparazzi,” Lady Gaga
18. “Just Dance,” Lady Gaga
19. “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga
20. “LoveGame,” Lady Gaga
Classic Throwbacks
Many of our particular “classics” are songs that we can never forget. Lots of these songs have a story associated with them. Kesha and Kanye are two of the classic artists, and we will always be eagerly waiting for their new songs. Taylor Swift, well, we are still seeing miraculous songs that come out every so often by her. Of course, two of the most played songs at parties like Bar/Bat mitzvahs as middle schoolers will always be “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen, and “Everytime We Touch” by Cascada.
21. “Tik Tok,” Kesha
22. “Take It Off,” Kesha
23. “Gold Digger,” Kanye West
24. “Stronger,” Kanye West
25. “Love Story,” Taylor Swift
26. “You Belong With Me,” Taylor Swift
27. “Hollaback Girl,” Gwen Stefani
28. “Rich Girl,” Gwen Stefani
29. “Call Me Maybe,” Carly Rae Jepsen
30. “Good Time,” Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
31. “Evacuate the Dancefloor,” Cascada
32. “Everytime We Touch,” Cascada
Power Anthems
We all watched Kelly Clarkson win the very first season of American Idol, and let’s face it— Queen Beyoncé will always be on top. But there were also some artists like P!nk and the Pussycat Dolls that came out with a handful of songs that made an impact on our generation growing up.
33. “Dynamite,” Taio Cruz
34. “Break Your Heart,” Tao Cruz
35. “Raise Your Glass,” P!nk
36. “So What,” P!nk
37. “Get the Party Started,” P!nk
38. “Since U Been Gone,” Kelly Clarkson
39. “Stronger,” Kelly Clarkson
40. “Buttons,” The Pussycat Dolls
41. “I Hate This Part,” The Pussycat Dolls
42. “Single Ladies,” Beyoncé
43. “Countdown,” Beyoncé
Soundtracks of the Early 2000s
Lots of songs we heard were played in some of our favorite movies. I discovered “I’m Just a Kid” by Simple Plan when I watched Cheaper by the Dozen. Not to mention some random songs that we came to fall in love with such as “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” by Eiffel 65, “Bouncing Off the Ceiling” by A* Teens, and the most classic of classics, NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
44. “Beautiful Soul,” Jesse McCartney
45. “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” Eiffel 65
46. “Bouncing Off the Ceiling,” A* Teens
47. “Forever,” Chris Brown
48. “Move Along,” The All-American Rejects
49. “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love,” Usher
50. “Bye Bye Bye,” NSYNC
51. “I’m Just a Kid,” Simple Plan
52. “I Want It That Way,” Backstreet Boys
53. “Barbie Girl,” Aqua
54. “Pretty Girl Rock,” Keri Hilson
55. “Who Let the Dogs Out,” Baha Men
56. “Lip Gloss,” Lil Mama
57. “Bedrock,” Young Money
58. “Cotton Eye Joe,” Rednex
59. “Party In the U.S.A,” Miley Cyrus
60. “Hey Ya!,” Outkast
Boy Band Era
The Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, Zedd, and Bruno Mars also have plenty of songs that we will definitely remember and show to our kids. Although the new songs by each of these artists are just as good as the ones we heard when we were growing up, there will always be nostalgia that comes over us when we hear the ones from younger days.
61. “Promiscuous,” Nelly Furtado
62. “Unwritten,” Natasha Bedingfield
63. “Just the Way You Are,” Bruno Mars
64. “Damaged,” Danity Kane
65. “One, Two Step,” Ciara
66. “Shake It,” Metro Station
67. “Beautiful Girls,” Sean Kingston
68. “What Makes You Beautiful,” One Direction
69. “Ain’t It Fun,” Paramore
70. “Airplanes,” B.o.B
71. “Ass Back Home,” Gym Class Heroes
72. “Smack That,” Akon
73. “Baby,” Justin Bieber
74. “Black Magic,” Little Mix
75. “Burnin’ Up,” Jonas Brothers
76. “Clarity,” Zedd
77. “Dear Future Husband,” Meghan Trainor
78. “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee
79. “DNA,” Kendrick Lamar
80. “Do You Believe In Magic,” Ally & AJ
Bust a Move
There are a few more random but still widely known songs that I have grown to love and are always played if I’m in a dancing mood. “Don’t Trust Me” by 3OH!3, “Fergalicious” by Fergie, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, and “Pump Up the Jam” by Technotronic will always be on my dance playlist. As an adult, when I am at a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, these will hopefully be on the list of songs they play for the parents while the kids are busy eating.
81. “Too Little Too Late,” Jojo
82. “Domino,” Jessie J
83. “Don’t Trust Me,” 3OH!3
84. “Dragostea Din Tei,” O-ZONE
85. “Cupid Shuffle,” Cupid
86. “Hot in Herre,” Nelly
87. “Eighteen Cool,” Hoodie Allen
88. “Everybody Talks,” Neon Trees
89. “Feel This Moment,” Pitbull
90. “Fergalicious,” Fergie
91. “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” Cyndi Lauper
92. “Milkshake,” Kelis
93. “Mr. Brightside,” The Killers
94. “My Humps,” The Black Eyed Peas
95. “No Air,” Jordin Sparks
96. “Super Bass,” Nicki Minaj
97. “Pump Up the Jam,” Technotronic
98. “Rack City,” Tyga
99. “Right Round,” Flo Rida
100. “Temperature,” Sean Paul
Growing up in the early 2000s, there have definitely been some bad moments in music — but over time, the music has caught on and created a new genre in itself. I am still occasionally listening to ’70s and ’80s music when I’m in the car with my mom, but lately, I’ve gotten her into the music of my time, and like her classics, my classics have become another genre she has added to her repertoire as well.