You can ensure that your annual get together is a big hit as you count down to the new year by including a great mix of songs to your playlist. There are many songs that are fun and festive and guaranteed to get your guests singing and dancing the night away.
Festive New Year's Songs
There are many songs geared specifically towards New Year's Day. These songs are suitable to play at a celebration to get your guests in a festive mood.
The Parting Glass
This anthem is typically played after Auld Lang Syne, officially ringing in the calendar change. It is among the most popular choices in Ireland and Scotland, as well as areas around the world with significant Irish or Scottish populations.
New Year's Day - U2
Fans of Bono and U2 typically include this popular song among their all-time favorites. Guests who love Brit pop will be cheering for more.
The Millennium Prayer - Cliff Richard
A big hit among the English, this is the Lord's Prayer set to Auld Lang Syne. It is suited for a party where the majority of those attending are Christian.
Songs With New Year Themes
There are also many songs that aren't specifically about New Year's Day, but they carry themes that are very appropriate.
It's the End of the World (I Feel Fine) - R.E.M.
Perhaps one of the best known R.E.M. tracks out there, It's the End of the World erupts with a catchy melody and lyrics that everyone will know within an instant.
1999 - Prince
Even though the year 1999 has come and gone, this is still one of the best songs of all time. Go ahead, party like it's 1999.
Home for a Rest - Spirit of the West
The band's most popular single of all time, Home for a Rest is a breath of fresh Canadian air. New Year's parties usually involve a lot of drinking, so why not include a song about a little drinky-drinky.
Happy New Year - ABBA
Happy New Year is from ABBA's 1980's album Super Trouper. It's not an upbeat song, but it sends a great message of hope for a better world.
New Year's Day - Taylor Swift
New Year's Day is an acoustic ballad from Taylor's Reputation album. It talks about those fleeting moments of happiness that come when the old year fades away.
Next Year - Macklemore Featuring Windser
If you are into rap music, this is a great song with a good message of believing next year is going to be better than last year and to look back with no regrets.
Fun Party Songs
There are always songs that are fun to dance to and will get guests having fun whenever they come on.
Celebration - Kool and the Gang
"Celebrate good times... come on!" This song inevitably leads to everyone getting on their feet, jumping up and down with joy. It doesn't get much more upbeat than this.
Let's Get It Started - Black Eyed Peas
A more contemporary offering, the Black Eyed Peas "rock the casbah" with this upbeat ditty.
Get the Party Started - Pink
This song is catchy and has a beat that will make everyone want to dance.
Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
Who won't have fun dancing to this upbeat tune all night long? The catchy lyrics will have guests moving their feet and jumping around.
Firework - Katy Perry
Find your own inner firework by empowering yourself and embracing who you are when you step into the new year.
Viva La Vida - Coldplay
You don't feel like dancing to many Coldplay's songs but Viva La Vida is an exception.
A Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay
Much like Viva La Vida, Sky Full of Stars is one of Coldplay's song you want to dance the night away to.
Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran
Great upbeat dance-pop music in which Sheeran reflects on past habits of constant drinking and late night partying and what these actions tend to lead to.
Don't Start Now - Dua Lipa
It will make you want to get up on your feet and sing along to a bold message to anyone who treated you poorly in the past.
I Don't Care - Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
It is an upbeat song with an honest message about feeling uncomfortable around people but feeling able to stay because they're with the right person, the person they love.
Time of Our Lives - Pitbull
Much like most Pitbull's songs, Time of Our Lives is a super upbeat song you and friends are going to want to dance to. It's about having a good time even when times are tough.
On the Floor - Jennifer Lopez
If On the Floor won't make people feel like dancing the night away, no other song will. The song is about change and not being afraid to take the step, to just make that move and dance.
Best Day of My Life - American Authors
Great upbeat song full of optimism. As the song suggests, this is going to be "the best day" of my life, to not look back.
Shut Up and Dance - Walk The Moon
Shut Up and Dance is a song by American pop rock band Walk the Moon for their third studio album Talking Is Hard.
Kid-Friendly Songs
A great selection of popular upbeat songs that are wonderful for getting on the floor with the entire family and ring in the new year on a positive note.
Try Everything - Shakira
Try Everything is a pop song from the 2016 Disney animated film, Zootopia. It's sung by Colombian singer, Shakira.
Shake It Off - Sing Movie:
Shake it off is sung by Reese Witherspoon (as Rosita) and Nick Kroll (as Gunter), originally sung and written by Taylor Swift.
Life Is a Highway - Rascal Flats
From the kids movie Cars the song is performed by Rascal Flats.
Uptown Funk Featuring Bruno Mars - Mark Ronson
Uptown Funk is the first single off of Mark Ronson's fourth studio album, Uptown Special. The song topped the Billboard charts and has sold over 6,000,000 copies in the United States alone.
Happy - Pharrell Williams
Happy is a positive feel-good song that you can't help but dance to it. It is one of the most downloaded songs of all time. The song is about Gru, a grumpy and unhappy character in Despicable Me who fell in love and became more cheerful in the film's sequel.
Can't Stop the Feeling - Justin Timberlake
Can't stop the feeling is an upbeat dance-pop song by Justin Timberlake written as a soundtrack for the animated movie Trolls.
Hey Ya! - Outkast
Hey Ya! is a song performed by the American hip-hop duo Outkast.
I Like to Move It - Will.I.Am
From the motion picture soundtrack to the feature film Madagascar 2, a version by will.i.am, with many of them with lyrics changed to match the film's plot.
The Cupid Shuffle - Cupid
Catchy song by Cupid from his 2007 studio album Time for a Change. It has become a dancefloor staple and spawned a popular line dance.
Auld Lang Syne
Easily the best known New Year's song of them all, Auld Lang Syne is always played the moment the clock strikes 12. This song is actually a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to folk music. Its basic message is to remember long-standing friendships and the good old days of the past. This song is not only appropriate for New Year's but on other occasions such as graduations and funerals.
Ring in the New Year
No New Year's party is complete without a great mix of songs to help you celebrate. Be sure to include both classic favorites, as well as some new beats to your playlist so that there is a little something for everyone to enjoy.
