Best Throwback Songs of All Time

Last Updated on 26 October 2023

The following list is the Official Definitive List of the 300 best throwback songs of all time.

A “Throwback Song” is a song that either that takes the listener back to a particular time in their life and brings a sense of nostalgia, or else a modern song that ‘throws back’ to the ideas or elements of a song from an older era of music, emulating it in some way or form.

I averaged 17 different ranked lists of “Best throwback songs of all time” to get this definitive compilation. See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including all 17 lists that were averaged.

Every Time We Touch, by Cascada
Need You Tonight, by INXS
Baby One More Time, by Britney Spears
Party in the U.S.A., by Miley Cyrus
Don’t Speak, by No Doubt
Ice Ice Baby, by Vanilla Ice
Wannabe, by Spice Girls
U Can’t Touch This, by MC Hammer
No Scrubs, by TLC
Replay, by Iyaz
It Wasn’t Me, by Rik Rok & Shaggy
Mr. Brightside, by The Killers
1985, by Bowling For Soup
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), by Beyoncé
Ignition (Remix), by R.Kelly
Everybody, by Backstreet Boys
Baby, by Justin Bieber
Sk8er Boi, by Avril Lavigne
Waterfalls, by TLC
All Star, by Smash Mouth
Yeah!, by Usher
The Real Slim Shady, by Eminem
A Thousand Miles, by Vanessa Carlton
Time Warp, by Rocky Horror Picture Show
I Will Survive, by Gloria Gainer
I’m Like a Bird, by Nelly Furtado
Tubthumping, by Chumbawamba
I’ll Be Missing You, by Puff Daddy
No Diggity, by Blackstreet
Milkshake, by Kelis
Crazy in Love, by Beyoncé
Bye Bye Bye, by *NSYNC
Pour Some Sugar On Me, by Def Leppard
Hollaback Girl, by Gwen Stefani
MMMBop, by Hanson
I’m a Believer, by Smash Mouth
Turn Up the Music, by Chris Brown
Hot in Herre, by Nelly
Like a Virgin, by Madonna
Stacy’s Mom, by Fountains of Wayne
Say My Name, by Destiny’s Child
Since U Been Gone, by Kelly Clarkson
Just Dance, by Lady Gaga
Hey Ya!, by OutKast
So What, by P!nk
Mambo No.5, by Lou Bega
Sugar, We’re Goin Down, by Fall Out Boy
Beautiful Soul, by Jesse McCartney
On My Own, by Patti LaBelle
We Are the Champions, by Queen
Don’t You (Forget About Me), by Simple Minds
Rock and Roll All Nite, by Kiss
Trumpets, by Jason Derulo
Footloose, by Kenny Loggins
Gold Digger, by Kanye West
Smells Like Teen Spirit, by Nirvana
Call Me Maybe, by Carly Rae Jepsen
Dancing Queen, by Abba
Any Way You Want It, by Journey
Africa, by Toto
Meet Virginia, by Train
Boom Boom Pow, by The Black Eyed Peas
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), by Green Day
Sweet Caroline, by Neil Diamond
Genie in a Bottle, by Christina Aguilera
Smooth, by Santana ft. Rob Thomas
Your Love Is My Drug, by Ke$ha
Down, by Jay Sean & Lil Wayne
Not Afraid, by Eminem
Return of the Mack, by Mark Morrison
We Built This City, by Starship
Summer of ‘69, by Bryan Adams
I’m Blue (Da Ba Dee), by Eiffel 65
Love Song, by Sara Bareilles
The Humpty Dance, by Digital Underground
Whistle, by Flo Rida
Hot N Cold, by Katy Perry
Super Bass, by Nicki Minaj
Beautiful Girls, by Sean Kingston
Cooler Than Me, by Mike Posner
Dynamite, by Taio Cruz
Dancing with Myself, by Billy Idol
Low, by Flo Rida
Baby Got Back, by Sir Mix-A-Lot
Killing Me Softly With His Song, by The Fugees
My Heart Will Go On, by Celine Dion
Ironic, by Alanis Morissette
Tik Tok, by Ke$ha
Lose Yourself, by Eminem
Kiss Me Thru The Phone, by Soulja Boy & Sammi
West End Girls, by Pet Shop Boys
Here Without You, by 3 Doors Down
She Will Be Loved, by Maroon Five
I Want it That Way, by Backstreet Boys
One Week, by Barenaked Ladies
Just a Friend, by Biz Markie
Dirty Little Secret, by All American Rejects
Hey There Delilah, by Plain White T’s
Eye of the Tiger, by Survivor
Sweet Child o’ Mine, by Guns ‘n’ Roses
We Are Young, by FUN
Ain’t Nobody, by Rufus & Chaka Khan
Blame it on the Alcohol, by Jammie Foxx
Pocket Full of Sunshine, by Natasha Bedingfield
You Belong With Me, by Taylor Swift
Year 3000, by Jonas Brotehrs
California Love, by Tupac & Dr. Dre
Kiss from a Rose, by Seal
Move Along All, by American Rejects
Take On Me, by A-Ha
Angel, by Shaggy
Baker Street, by Gerry Rafferty
Rolling in the Deep, by Adele
Thunderstruck, by AC/DC
Family Affair, by Mary J. Blige
Lazy Song, by Bruno Mars
Rehab, by Amy Winehouse
Use Somebody, by Kings Of Leon
Accidentally In Love, by Counting Crows
Umbrella, by Rihanna & Jay-Z
Uptown Funk, by Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars
Set Fire to the Rain, by Adele
Safety Dance, by Men Without Hats
1979, by Smashing Pumpkins
Jump Around, by House Of Pain
Don’t Stop Believin’, by Journey
Creep, by Radiohead
Starships, by Nicki Minaj
Cruise, by Florida Georgia Line
Miss Independent, by Ne-Yo
Ocean Avenue, by Yellowcard
Stan, by Eminem
Waiting for Tonight, by Jennifer Lopez
My Humps, by The Black Eyed Peas
Lip Gloss, by Lil Mama
Unwritten, by Natasha Bedingfield
Iris, by Goo Goo Dolls
Jump, by Kris Kross
Somebody That I Used to Know, by Gotye
Someone Like You, by Adele
Where Is the Love?, by Black Eyed Peas
Everybody Talks, by Neon Trees
Maneater, by Nelly Furtado
OMG, by Usher
Hips Don’t Lie, by Shakira
Firework, by Katy Perry
Highway to Hell, by AC/DC
Picture, by Kid Rock
Tonight, Tonight, by Hot Chelle Rae
All The Small Things, by Blink-182
I Wanna Dance with Somebody, by Whitney Houston
Best I Ever Had, by Drake
Beverly Hills, by Weezer
You’re The One That I Want, by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta
Black or White, by Michael Jackson
You’re Still the One, by Shania Twain
Toxic, by Britney Spears
Get Down, by B4-4
Grenade, by Bruno Mars
This Is Why I’m Hot, by Mims
I Write Sins Not Tragedies, by Panic! At The Disco
Zombie, by The Cranberries
Work It, by Missy Elliot
Without Me, by Eminem
Mirrors, by Justin Timberlake
Sex on Fire, by Kings of Leon
This Is How We Do It, by Montell Jordan
Ride Wit Me, by Nelly
Rock Your Body, by Justin Timberlake
Livin’ on a Prayer, by Bon Jovi
Beautiful, by Christina Aguilera
I Got You (I Feel Good), by James Brown
I Gotta Feeling, by Black Eyed Peas
I Kissed a Girl, by Katy Perry
Bad Day, by Daniel Powter
Respect, by Aretha Franklin
The Next Episode, by Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
Everywhere, by Michelle Branch
Believe, by Cher
Drop it Like it’s Hot, by Snoop Dogg
Funky Cold Medina, by Tone Loc
Stereo Hearts, by Gym Class Heros
Girls Just Want to Have Fun, by Cyndi Lauper
Don’t Get Me Wrong, by The Pretenders
Lean Back, by Fat Joe
Whatcha Say, by Jason Derulo
Whatever You Like, by T.I
The Middle, by Jimmy Eat World
What’s Love Got to Do With It?, by Tina Turner
Wherever You Will Go, by The Calling
Kiss Me, by Sixpence None the Richer
Ridin’ Solo, by Jason Derulo
You Oughta Know, by Alanis Morissette
Ayy Ladies, by Travis Porter
Groove Is in the Heart, by Deee-Lite
The Reason, by Hoobastank
Love Shack, by The B-52’s
Golden Brown, by The Stranglers
Let Her Cry, by Hootie and the Blowfish
Me & U, by Cassie
Macarena, by Los Del Rio
Closing Time, by Semisonic
Get Low, by Lil Jon
Lucky, by Britney Spears
Crazy Bitch, by BuckCherry
I’ll Be There for You, by The Rembrandts
Spaceman, by Babylon Zoo
Stay, by Rihanna & Mikky Ekko
I’m Your Boogie Man, by KC & The Sunshine Band
Crazy, by Gnarls Barkley
Kiss, by Prince
(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love with You, by UB40
Party Rock, by LMFAO
Stand By Me, by Ben E King
Rapper’s Delight, by Sugarhill Gang
Shake It Off, by Taylor Swift
Buy U a Drank, by T-Pain
Every Morning, by Sugar Ray
Jump On It (Apache), by The Sugarhill Gang
Get Your Head in the Game, by High School Musical
Interstate Love Song, by Stone Temple Pilots
Happy, by Ashanti
Lose Control, by Missy Elliot
Sabotage, by Beastie Boys
Whoomp There It Is, by Tag Team
London Bridge, by Fergie
The Unforgiven, by Metallica
Over and Over, by Nelly
Dreams, by The Cranberries
Fergalicious, by Fergie
I Just Wanna Love You (Give it to Me), by Jay-Z
Here Comes the Hotstepper, by Ini Kamoze
Underneath it All, by No Doubt
Get Buck In Here, by DJ Felli Fel
Only Wanna Be With You, by Hootie and the Blowfish
1, 2 Step, by Ciara
Let Me Love You, by Mario
Buttons, by Pussycat Dolls
Photograph, by Nickelback
Boulevard of Broken Dreams, by Green Day
Sexy and I Know It, by LMFAO
Broken Dreams, by Green Day
You and Me, by Lifehouse
I Love Rock ‘N Roll, by Joan Jett
Unwell, by Matchbox Twenty
Lips of an Angel, by Hinder
All About You, by McFly
Over My Head (Cable Car), by The Fray
Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, by Good Charlotte
The Anthem, by Good Charlotte
Only One, by Yellowcard
September, by Earth, Wind & Fire
Forever and Always, by Shania Twain
I Will Always Love You, by Whitney Houston
Hall of Fame, by The Script
7 Things, by Miley Cyrus
Rock the Casbah, by The Clash
Big Yellow Taxi, by Counting Crows
Breaking Free, by High School Musical
E.I., by Nelly
Nothing Compares 2 U, by Sinéad O’Connor
Purple Rain, by Prince
Too Little Too Late, by JoJo
Billie Jean, by Michael Jackson
Forever, by Drake
Look At Me Now, by Chris Brown
Take Me Away, by Fefe Dobson
Black and Yellow, by Wiz Khalifa
My Immortal, by Evanescence
Drops of Jupiter, by Train
Face Down, by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Follow Me, by Uncle Kracker
Through Glass, by Stone Sour
Complicated, by Avril Lavigne
Ever the Same, by Rob Thomas
BedRock, by Young Money
I Miss You, by Blink 182
Misery, by Maroon 5
What Makes you Beautiful, by One Direction
The Sign, by Ace of Base
As Long As You Love Me, by Backstreet Boys
Hey Soul Sister, by Train
Airplanes, by B.O.B
I Hope You Dance, by Lee Ann Womack
Cyclone, by Baby Bash
The Game of Love, by Santana
Ms. New Booty, by Bubba Sparxxx
Stronger, by Kayne West
Crank That, by Soulja Boy
Get The Party Started, by P!nk
Take Me Out, by Franz Ferdinand
Oops!…I Did It Again, by Britney Spears
With Arms Wide Open, by Creed
Landslide, by The Dixie Chicks
On the Floor, by Jennifer Lopez
Leave (Get Out), by JoJo
California Girls, by Katy Perry
Can’t Get You Out Of My Head, by Kylie Minogue
How to Save a Life, by The Fray
You Remind Me, by Usher