29 Best House Songs Ever
DJs began experimenting with house music in late 1970s Chicago, and the trend spread across the United States and Europe within the next decade. Club-goers everywhere are familiar with the genre, which includes an average tempo of 120 beats per minute and a signature four-on-the-floor repetition.
Read on to learn about the best house songs.
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1. “On and On” by Jesse Saunders
Song year: 1984
Jesse Saunders is a house music artist, and the world has come to see “On and On” as his theme song. He wrote the hit single with his friend Vince Lawrence, and it became the first song by a house DJ that sold to the public.
House lovers have Saunders to thank for the genre’s climb to the top in the 80s. This single helped him pave the way for house DJs to release successful content for the next decades.
2. “Satisfaction” by Benny Benassi75
Song year: 2002
Benny Benassi released the hit house song “Satisfaction” on his debut album Hypnotica. Two speech synthesizers, artificial productions of human speech, perform the lead vocals. Dance/electronic fans immediately liked the song, but so did casual listeners. “Satisfaction” made Benny Benassi a pioneer in the electro-house genre, bringing it to the mainstream.
The tune earned a gold certification in four countries: the United States, Australia, France, and Belgium. It also peaked at number two in the United Kingdom.
3. “Around the World” by Daft Punk
Song year: 1997
The French electronic duo Daft Punk released “Around the World” three years into the full-fledged pursuit of their music career. It is the second single on their debut album, Homework.
Club-goers everywhere found the jam fun and danceable, making it skyrocket to number one on the dance charts in four countries. The only lyrics are the song’s title, which repeats twelve dozen times. In 2011, the NME considered the house hit one of the “150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years.”
4. “Needin’ U” by David Morales
Song year: 2000
David Morales never intended to release the hit song “Needin' U” to the public, but house fans everywhere are glad he did. He created it as a demo track, but professional DJs and fans praised it when he added it to his sets.
The song samples a few other hits like “My First Mistake,” a soul/r&b number by the American quartet The Chi-Lites. The “Boss Anthem Remix” of the song is one of the most popular versions – frequent club visitors will instantly recognize the quick beat.
5. “Music Sounds Better With You” by Benjamin Diamond and Stardust
Song year: 2003
The French house trio Stardust is a one-hit-wonder – quite literally, too. They only released one song, “Music Sounds Better With You.” The 2003 song was a quick hit for DJs and house lovers who might have loved to hear more from Stardust, but they disbanded immediately after the release.
The trio created the double platinum track by sampling Chaka Khan’s post-disco song “Fate.” Many renowned publications now consider it one of the best house songs.
6. “Where’s Your Head At?” by Basement Jaxx
Song year: 2001
Basement Jaxx’s house hit “Where’s Your Head At” deserves its spot on Pitchfork Media’s “Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s.” The English electronic duo released it as a single on their album Rooty and immediately charted internationally.
The song samples Gary Numan’s “This Wreckage” and “M.E.” The music video gained just as much attention as the tune. English actor Damien Samuels stars in the story-heavy music video that Traktor directed, earning a spot on Pitchfork Media’s “Top 50 Music Videos of the 2000s.”
7. “Freed From Desire” by GALA
Song year: 1996
Italian singer-songwriter Gala gifted the dance scene with the Eurodance hit “Freed From Desire” in the mid-1990s. She released it as a single on her debut album, Come Into My Life, and its immediate success was no surprise to house fans.
It received a gold certification in Italy and a recording certification in France, in addition to peaking at number two in the United Kingdom. Attitude ranked the song as one of the “Top 10 Dance Tunes of the ‘90s.”
8. “Acid Trax” by Dj Pierre and Phuture
Song year: 2019
The secret to the brilliance of “Acid Trax” is friendship. DJ Pierre and Phuture became good friends before producing a track together. They teamed up with DJ Ron Hardy to make the song a hit, but it took a minute to get the crowd on board.
Ron Hardy played the song four times in a single night. No one danced the first time. The next two times, however, more people came out to enjoy the tune. By the time the fourth play came around, the crowd went wild, and the artists knew the song was ready for public release.
9. “Lola’s Theme” by the Shapeshifters
Song year: 2004
The British house duo Shapeshifters released their hit song “Lola’s Theme” on their debut album Sound Advice. Their first single would end up being the pair’s biggest hit, topping the international charts and becoming the most successful club hit of 2004 in Australia.
The dance-pop tune draws inspiration from previous hits, like Johnnie Taylor’s “What About My Love” and Anthony White’s “Love Me Tonight.” The English soul artist Cookie sings the vocals, which tell the story of a grateful lover.
10. “Love Can’t Turn Around” by Farley Jackmaster Funk
Song year: 1986
American artists Jesse Saunders and Farley “Jackmaster” Funk worked together to produce the Chicago house hit “Love Can’t Turn Around.” Their combined talent for the genre allowed the song to cross over from the United States dance scene to the United Kingdom singles chart.
Rolling Stone Magazine considers the song one of the “20 Best Chicago House Records” as of 2014, while Time Out says it’s one of the “20 Best House Tracks Ever.”