30 Best Birthday Songs for the Ultimate Celebration - Time Out

Best birthday songs of all time, ranked · 1. 'Birthday' by The Beatles · 2. 'Happy Birthday' by Stevie Wonder · 3. 'In Da Club' by 50 Cent · 4. ' ... GotothecontentGotothefooterNothanks🙌Awesome,you'resubscribed!Thanksforsubscribing!Lookoutforyourfirstnewsletterinyourinboxsoon!Weknowthiscity.Doyou?WeuncoverthebestofthecityandputitallinanemailforyouEnteremailaddressDéjàvu!Wealreadyhavethisemail.Tryanother?NothanksByenteringyouremailaddressyouagreetoourTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicyandconsenttoreceiveemailsfromTimeOutaboutnews,events,offersandpartnerpromotions.Nothanks🙌Awesome,you'resubscribed!Thanksforsubscribing!Lookoutforyourfirstnewsletterinyourinboxsoon!Lovethemag?Ournewsletterhand-deliversthebestbitstoyourinbox.Signuptounlockourdigitalmagazinesandalsoreceivethelatestnews,events,offersandpartnerpromotions.EnteremailaddressDéjàvu!Wealreadyhavethisemail.Tryanother?NothanksByenteringyouremailaddressyouagreetoourTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicyandconsenttoreceiveemailsfromTimeOutaboutnews,events,offersandpartnerpromotions.ThingstoDoFood&DrinkArts&CultureTravelKidsMoviesMusicClimateActionTimeInTimeOutMarketMetaverseNewsMoreImage:TimeOut/EverettCollection/ShutterstockThe30bestbirthdaysongsWecandoso,somuchbetterthananotherchorusof‘HappyBirthday’EditedbyMatthewSingerWrittenbyAndrewFrisicano,RoSamarth&AndyKryzaFriday27May2022FacebookTwitterPinterestEmailWhatsAppAdvertisingApologiestoPattyandMildredJ.Hill,butonthelistofthebestbirthdaysongs,‘HappyBirthdaytoYou’isallthewaydownatthebottom.Sure,it’sclaimedtobethemostrecognisablesongintheEnglishlanguage,butit’srepetitive,themelodyblows,anditdoesn’tslapevenalittlebit.‘ForHe’saJollyGoodFellow’isn’tmuchbetter.Waytoupholdthepatriarchythere,anonymous18th-centuryFrenchcomposer! Thegoodnewsis,wenolongerhavetobeinthralltotheseweak-assjamsonwhat’ssupposedtobethemostjoyfuldayoftheyear.Overthelasthalf-century,songwritershavebeenworkingtogiveussomeactualbangerstocommemorateourborndays.Fromclassicrockanthemstoclub-quakinghits,hereare30awesomebirthdaysongsthatabsolutelydonotsuck.  RECOMMENDED: 🎉 Thebestpartysongsevermade🎤 Thebestkaraokesongs🎶 Thebest’80ssongs😊 Thebesthappysongs😂ThebestfunnysongsAnemailyou’llactuallyloveGetintoarelationshipwithournewsletter.Discoverthebestofthecity,first.EnteremailaddressDéjàvu!Wealreadyhavethisemail.Tryanother?ByenteringyouremailaddressyouagreetoourTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicyandconsenttoreceiveemailsfromTimeOutaboutnews,events,offersandpartnerpromotions.🙌Awesome,you'resubscribed!Thanksforsubscribing!Lookoutforyourfirstnewsletterinyourinboxsoon!Bestbirthdaysongsofalltime,rankedImage:AppleRecords1. ‘Birthday’byTheBeatlesAsiftheyweren'tbusyenoughlayingthegroundworkforthenext60yearsofpopmusic,theFabFouralsotossedoffthisbowtiedb-daynuggetontheWhiteAlbum.Image:MotownRecords2. ‘HappyBirthday’byStevieWonderSteviepennedthisbirthdaytuneforMartinLutherKingJr.,aspartofthecampaigntogetthedayrecognizedasanationalholiday.Anditworked!Everybodyoneforonce.AdvertisingImage:ShadyRecords3. ‘InDaClub’by50CentTruthbetold,despitethefamousopeningline,thesongisaboutpartyinglikeit’syourbirthday,notonyourliteralbirthday.Buthey,aslongasyou’reofage,noone’sgoingtoquestiontheactualdateonyourIDwhenyouorderthatbottleofbub.Image:MercuryRecords4. ‘It’sMyParty’byLeslieGoreAsLesliereminds,it’syourbirthdaysodowhateveryoudamnwellplease,evenifit’smakingtherestofthepeopleatyourpartyfeelextremelyawkward.AdvertisingImage:Epic5. ‘HappyBirthday’byAlteredImagesThistrippy'80spopsongisaperfectcomboofapeppytune,dreamysynthandcatchylyrics,makingit theband’s mostsuccessfulsongandafunoneforcelebrating.Image:Columbia6. ‘Birthday’byDestiny'sChildSave tunefromBeyoncé&Co.'s1998debutforwhenit’stimetoslowthingsdown,post-cakeandicecream.AdvertisingImage:GetMoneyGang7. ‘Birthday’byTwistaThequick-tonguedwordsmithbreaksitdownforyourspecialday...wethink.Theguyrapsreallyfast,soit’ssometimeshardtotell.Image:Rock'nRollRecords8. ‘HappyBirthday’by‘Weird’AlYankovicNothingsays‘Happybirthday’likearambunctiouspolkaabouttheendoftheworldfromtheguywhobroughtus‘ChristmasatGroundZero.’AdvertisingImage:MCA9. ‘HappyBirthday(MerryChristmasandHappyNewYear)’byLorettaLynnLorettawishesahappybirthday(andafondfarewell)toherexbeau.Efficient!Image:CapitolRecords10. ‘Birthday’byMigosEventhoughthisbangerbytheSoutherntrapsquadrevealsitselftobeaboutsomebodypretendingit’stheirbirthday,thechorus’s‘Ay,whobirthday?Putyohandup’isenoughtoplaceitnextto‘InDaClub’asananthemperfectforcallingattentiontoyourselfonyourbignight.AdvertisingImage:eMusic11. ‘Older’byTheyMightBeGiants‘You’reolderthanyou’veeverbeen/andnowyou’reevenolder.’Happybirthday!Lifeisafleetingblipintheuniverse!Image:AsthmaticKitty12. ‘HappyBirthday’bySufjanStevensYoumightwanttosaveSufjan’sslowly-finger-pickedb-daymeditationforaftereveryoneleavestheparty.AdvertisingImage:DefJam13. ‘BirthdayCake’byRihanna‘It’snotevenmybirthday,’startsRihanna,thoughwe’renotentirelyconvinced...wait,thisisn'taboutcakeatall,isit?Image:CapitolRecords14. ‘Birthday’byKatyPerryTheflirtypopqueendidn'treallyexhaustherselfoverthinkingtheeuphemismshere:‘Soletmegetyouinyourbirthdaysuit/It'stimetobringoutthebigballoons.’Wow,soundslikeagreatparty.Willtherebeabouncehouseaswell?AdvertisingImage:DefJam15. ‘BirthdaySong’by2ChainzTotallyrelatable,unlessyouwantsomethingotherthanabigbootyforyourbirthday.Image:UnitedArtists16. ‘BirthdaySong’byDonMcLeanMr‘AmericanPie’getexpectedlysentimentalwhenit’stimetoblowoutthecandles,giftinganunnamedcelebrantthisexactsongandmakingtherestofusfeelthoughtlessforjustshowingupwithacard.AdvertisingImage:DefJam17. ‘BirthdaySex’byJeremihAnodetothebestkindofsex,behind‘makeup,’‘angry,’‘post-breakup’and‘inthesupplyclosetatwork.’Image:FoodRecords18. ‘Birthday’byBlurYoumightbesurprisedthattheguysbehind‘SongNo2’arealsoresponsibleforthissomberb-dayserenade.AdvertisingImage:WilliamsStreet19. ‘BirthdayDethday’byDethklokIt’stheheavymetalb-daybangeryou'vebeenwaitingforalltheseyears,courtesyoftheAdultSwimshreddersfrom Metalocalypse.Image:TripleCrownRecords20. ‘HappyBirthday’byTinyMovingPartsThisistheemobirthdaysongforalltheemokidswhoclaimtheydon'tactually dobirthdays,ok?AdvertisingImage:HollywoodRecords21. ‘Birthday’bySelenaGomezLikeSelenasays,evenifit’snotyourbirthday,noone'sgonnaknow!(Thisalsoworkswhenyouwantafreepieceofcakeatthechainrestaurant.)Image:Interscope22. ‘B’daySong’byMadonnaThisMDNAbonustracksoundslikethekindofthinganexuberant5yearoldmightshoutoutattheirparty.JustprovingMadgeisperfect atanyage.AdvertisingImage:LomaVista23. ‘HappyBirthday,Johnny’bySt.VincentYoudon’thavetoknowanyonenamedJohnnytoappreciatethiswistfulpianoballadfromSt.Vincent’sotherwisethrobbingandsynth-heavyMasseduction-justsomeonewho’snolongerinyourlife,whoyoustillthinkaboutlonginglyatleastonceayear. Image:Twin/ToneRecords24. ‘BirthdayBoy’byWeenThetwistedpopduocrankupthesweet-n-sugaryonthisbirthdaytune,whichgetsanextra-bittercallbackonthelateralbum Chocolate&Cheese. AdvertisingImage:RCA25. ‘DeathForMyBirthday’bySayAnythingHopefullyyou’rehavingabetterbirthdaythanMaxBemis.Image:Columbia26. ’HappyBirthday’byNewKidsontheBlockSomewhereintheMidwest,averyexcitableHRspecialistisblastingthistocelebrateturning46 rightnow, andeverybodyelseenjoyingaTuesdaydinneratChilisisallaboutit.AdvertisingImage:OneLittleIndian27. ‘Birthday’byTheSugarcubesBeforeshewasBjörk,shewaswishingyouahappybirthdaywiththisextremelyIcelandicpoptunefullofspiders,wormsandravens.Image:GretaKline28. ‘BirthdaySong’byFrankieCosmosAsFrankieCosmos,NYCsongsmithGretaKlinesingsmasterfullyaboutgettingolderandstayingthesame.AdvertisingPhotograph:IanDickson/REX/Shutterstock29. ‘HappyBirthday’bytheRamonesIt’sonlya15secondclipfromTheSimpsons,butit’suptherewithMarilynMonroepurringtoJFKasthedefinitiveversion.Ifyoudon’tsay‘gotohell,youoldbastard’afteryourbuddyblowsoutthecandles,didyouevengrowupinthe‘90s?Image:SireRecords30. ‘UnhappyBirthday’byTheSmithsUnsurprisingly,Morrisseyisn’tsuperintobirthdays.ShowmoreAnemailyou’llactuallyloveGetintoarelationshipwithournewsletter.Discoverthebestofthecity,first.EnteremailaddressDéjàvu!Wealreadyhavethisemail.Tryanother?ByenteringyouremailaddressyouagreetoourTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicyandconsenttoreceiveemailsfromTimeOutaboutnews,events,offersandpartnerpromotions.🙌Awesome,you'resubscribed!Thanksforsubscribing!Lookoutforyourfirstnewsletterinyourinboxsoon!Recommended[image][title]PopularonTimeOut[image][title]MoreonTimeIn[image][title]Youmayalsolike[image][title]AdvertisingGetusinyourinboxSignuptoournewsletterforthelatestandgreatestfromyourcityandbeyondEnteremailaddressDéjàvu!Wealreadyhavethisemail.Tryanother?ByenteringyouremailaddressyouagreetoourTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicyandconsenttoreceiveemailsfromTimeOutaboutnews,events,offersandpartnerpromotions.🙌Awesome,you'resubscribed!Thanksforsubscribing!Lookoutforyourfirstnewsletterinyourinboxsoon!CloseTimeOutAboutusPressofficeInvestorrelationsOurawardsWorkforTimeOutEditorialguidelinesPrivacynoticeDonotsellmyinformationCookiepolicyAccessibilitystatementTermsofuseModernslaverystatementManagecookiesContactusAdvertisingTimeOutMarketTimeOutWorldwideAllTimeOutLocationsAfricaAsiaEuropeNorthAmericaSouthAmericaSouthPacificSiteMap©2022TimeOutEnglandLimitedandaffiliatedcompaniesownedbyTimeOutGroupPlc.Allrightsreserved.TimeOutisaregisteredtrademarkofTimeOutDigitalLimited.