The 2000s era of dance music featured lively performances by musicians worldwide. These 2000s dance songs will make you want to move on the dance floor. Take a look at the top picks on this list:
1. “One More Time” – Daft Punk
Daft Punk’s “One More Time” is a timeless classic that will never get old. The French electronic duo’s signature sound is evident in this song, and it’s one of their most popular tracks. They released it as a single for their second album “Discovery” in 2001.
The robotic vocals are a sample by the American DJ Romanthany. The creative song structure and driving beat make it one of the top dance tracks of the era. Many critics and publications recognize its significance in music. Also, they were among the first to explore the musicality of auto-tune.
The video features anime clips, too. Later, these clips would become part of Daft Punk’s anime film “Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem.”
It reached #1 on the UK and US Dance Charts.
Next: The best dance songs of all time (party tracks)
2. “Crazy in Love” – Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” is a fun song that epitomizes the early 2000s. Jay-Z and Beyonce duet on this track.
Rich Harrison, a Grammy-winning producer, plays all of the instruments in the song. It reached the #1 spot in both the US and the UK.
Next: The best R&B songs ever recorded (our list of picks)
3. “Satisfaction” – Benny Benassi
Italian DJ Benny Benassi released this song in 2002 as his debut single, and it reached gold status. Many dance music fans consider this song a classic of the electro house genre, and it paved the way for many artists to come.
Next: Greatest 90s dance songs (our list)
4. “Yeah!” – Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris
Usher’s “Yeah!” was a massive hit in the early 2000s and is still a popular party anthem today. It features vocals from Lil Jon and Ludacris. Lil Jon also produced the song to give it a more hard-hitting feeling than Usher’s usual sensual ballads.
It stayed at the #1 spot for 12 weeks.
Next: Greatest R&B songs from the 2000s (our picks)
5. “Adagio for Strings” – Tiësto
Tiesto is the first DJ to perform live on stage during the Olympics. He performed Adagio for Strings at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
The song is a restyling of a classic track by Samuel Barber. In 2013, Mixmag magazine voted it the #2 dance track of all time.
Next: Top 2010s dance songs list
6. “Hey Ya!” – Outkast
Andre 3000 and Big Boi released this iconic song in 2003 on their double albums, “Speakerboxxx” and “The Love Below. “Hey Ya!” was from Andre’s album, “The Love Below.”
It received airplay on the top 40, Hip Hop, and dance stations. “Hey Ya!” stayed at the #1 spot for nine weeks.
Aaron Mills plays the bass on the song, and Andre 3000 plays the guitar. The song was the first song on iTunes to reach one million downloads.
Next: The best hip hop songs from the 2000s (our list of choices)
7. “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” – Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” is from Minogue’s eighth album. It reached the number one spot in 40 countries. Rob Davis and Cathy Dennis wrote it.
The hook of “La la la, la la la la la” represents the catchiness of having a song stuck in your head.
Next: The best songs from the 2000s (top 2000s hits revisited)
8. “Get Ur Freak On” – Missy Elliott
![Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On [Official Music Video]](https://www.musicgrotto.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FFPoKiGQzbSQ%2F0.jpg)
Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On” showcases the rap queen’s genius. The song is a banger with a catchy beat and some great lyrics. Written by Elliot and Timbaland, it was one of the most popular songs of 2001.
It features an Indian bhangra line. The Punjabi melody is played over the rhythm of a bassline for the tabla. Over these traditional musical elements, Missy performs her brilliant lyrics.
The films “The Rundown” and “40-Year-Old-Virgin” feature the track.
Next: Top hip hop songs ever recorded (best rap tracks ever)
9. “Around the World” – ATC
All Around the World is the debut single from the German band ATC (“A Touch of Class”). It is a cover of a Russian song called “Pensenka” by Ruki Vverh!.
It adds English lyrics on top of the “la la la la la” found in both versions with a hypnotic melody line.
Next: The best cover songs ever recorded (top covers list)
10. “Every Time We Touch” – Cascada
The German trio released the popular hit in 2006 on their debut album. Its relatable, dance-pop sound was famous all over the world. It sold more than one million copies in the United States and is certified Platinum.
Next: Greatest 80s dance songs list (our favorites)
11. “Where’s Your Head At” – Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx’s “Where’s Your Head At” is a catchy dance song that was a massive hit in the early 2000s. It uses a sample from the Gary Numan song “ME.” We certainly consider this one of the best songs to dance to from the 2000s.
Next: The best karaoke songs from the 2000s (our picks)
12. “Temperature” – Sean Paul
This dancehall hit by the Jamaican artist is his biggest hit. The song spent 17 weeks in the Billboard 100 top 10. In addition, it won him an American Music Award.
He cites his musical inspirations as current events happening in Jamaica. It uses a tribal, minimalistic beat where he raps over it. The result is a danceable track that was a massive success.
Next: The best hip hop love songs ever recorded (our picks)
13. “I Gotta Feeling” – The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” is the second single off their album “The END.” This song made it along with “Boom Boom Pow”, so the group had two of the top positions on the Billboard Hot 100.
Its joyful lyrics and simple rhythms made it loved all over the world. In 2009, it was the longest-running single and top-rated single. It occupied the top listings for 14 weeks.
Next: The top “prom songs” of all time for your prom dance
14. “Listen To Your Heart” – DHT feat. Edmee
The Belgian duo DHT (an acronym for Dance House Trance) released this track in 2005. The trance song is one of the few of the trance genre to chart on the US Billboard 100.
Next: Best music duos of all time
15. “Tik Tok” – Ke$ha
The song is Kesha’s debut on her album “Animal,” where Diddy raps two lines. Before being a pop artist, Kesha helped other artists such as Britney Spears and The Veronicas with songwriting and singing.
Kesha says she wrote the song about living in a seven-bedroom house in Laurel Canyon where “Hotel California” was written. It was certified Platinum eight times.
16. “Gotta Get Thru This” – Daniel Bedingfield
“Gotta Get Thru This” is inspired by a long-distance love story. Bedingfield recorded it in his bedroom and distributed the CDs to different DJs, and it eventually became a hit.
It reached number one on the UK charts in 2001 and 2002 and received a Grammy nomination. Daniel Bedingfield’s younger sister, Natasha Bedingfield, is also a musician.
Next: The best long distance relationship songs ever recorded (our picks)
17. “Music” – Madonna
“Music” is the leading single from Madonna’s eighth studio album of the same name. She performed the song at the 2001 Grammys.
Madonna worked with a French producer, Mirwais Ahmadzai, to help create the energetic track. It held the #1 spot for four weeks.
18. “Breathe” – Telepopmusik
The downtempo “Breathe” is also a colossal EDM hit. It’s a perfect song for a night drive or to listen to while grooving on the dancefloor.
Next: The greatest EDM hit songs of all time
19. “Flashing Lights” – Kanye West
“Flashing Lights” features guest vocals from Connie Mitchell and Dwele. It became an instant classic, a mixture of old-school hip-hop and slick, electronic production. The song features in various commercials and even in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV.
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20. “Day ‘N’ Nite” – Kid Cudi
Rapper Kid Cudi wrote and produced this hip-hop song. It appeared on the “A Kid Named Cudi” mixtape and the “Man on the Moon: The End of the Day.” Kid Cudi cites his musical inspiration as the song “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” by the Geto Boys.
The 2008 Crookers remix topped the EDM charts. It was also covered by the band Coldplay, who wanted to share the relatable message of the song’s lyrics.
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21. “Toxic” – Britney Spears
“Toxic” won a Grammy in 2003 for Best Dance Recording. It features Tere Mere Beech Mein samples by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and Lata Mangeshkar underneath her high-pitched vocals.
It is one of her most iconic songs, and many media outlets, including Pitchfork and NME, recognized it as one of the best songs of all time (we can’t disagree).
Next: Music Grotto’s list of the best songs of all time
22. “Days Go By” – Dirty Vegas
“Days Go By” is the debut single from the British band Dirty Vegas. It rose to popularity after being featured in a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse commercial. It won the 2002 Grammy for Best Dance Recording.
Its initial release was under “The Hydrogen Rockers,” and it received substantial play in the club. The group remixed it and released it under a different name.
23. “D.A.N.C.E.” – Justice
This duo draws inspiration from Michael Jackson, including in this track. In addition, it features a vocal choir backing from the Foundation for Young Musicians choir, based in the UK. MTV nominated it for the 2007 Video of the Year award, and it won the video of the year award at the MTV Europe Music Awards.
Next: Best Karaoke duets ever (songs to sing a duet to)
24. “Calabria” – Enur
![Enur ft. Natasja - Calabria 2007 (Official HD Video) [2007] | MINISTRY VAULTS](https://www.musicgrotto.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FxXUQDhzHxZA%2F0.jpg)
This saxophone-forward track is by Danish musician Rune RK. Artists like Pitbull and Lil Jon sample it. It’s popular in the European music scene and also reached substantial play in North America.
Next: Greatest songs with saxophones of all time
25. “Hella Good” – No Doubt
No Doubt teamed up with The Neptunes for this single off of their fifth album, “Rock Steady.” It received a Grammy Nomination for Best Dance Recording. Robert Sanchez remixed it, and the track topped many dance charts.
“The Longest Yard” features the song and is also in the show “Alias.”
26. “Call on Me” – Eric Prydz
![Eric Prydz – Call On Me (Official HD Video) [2004] | MINISTRY VAULTS](https://www.musicgrotto.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FqetW6R9Jxs4%2F0.jpg)
This iconic song features samples from the song Valerie by Steve Winwood. Swedish producer Eric Prydz co-wrote it, which departed from his usual style. The video features people dancing in aerobics outfits.
It got to the top spot on the UK singles chart. It also debuted at number two in Australia.
27. “Ghosts N Stuff” – Deadmau5 ft. Rob Swire
Deadmau5, a rising DJ, and Rob Swire of Knife Party paired up to make this smash hit. The melody draws inspiration from “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak. “Ghosts N Stuff” features a church organ hook and is full of life.
28. “I Know You Want Me” – Pitbull
“I Know You Want Me” is an energetic song that features a sample from “Street Player” by Chicago. It reached the #2 spot on the US charts and was an international success.
Next: Great R&B karaoke songs to try out
29. “Warp 1.9” – The Bloody Beetroots feat. Steve Aoki
![The Bloody Beetroots - Warp 1.9 (ft. Steve Aoki) [HQ] | Dim Mak Records](https://www.musicgrotto.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FxJeEkMoSpro%2F0.jpg)
Warp 1.9 is a high octane festival favorite that starts with a ticking countdown and launches into a jumping beat. It was recorded in five minutes in The Bloody Beetroots Bob Rifo’s mother’s basement. This song is one that helped make Steve Aoki a household name. Its low-fi and crunchy sounds with an irresistible hook put both artists on the map.
30. “Heaven” – DJ Sammy
“Heaven” by DJ Sammy is a Bryan Adams cover. It features vocals from Dutch singer, Do. This timeless EDM hit is romantic and cheerful, and DJs still play it in their sets to this day.
31. “Galvanize” – The Chemical Brothers
Galvanize features a string sample from the song “Just Tell Me the Truth,” performed by Najat Aatabous, a Moroccan pop singer. Also, Q-Tip, a former Tribe Called Quest member, performs the vocals. It is a single off the album Push the Button, which won the Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance album. The track won the Grammy for Best Dance Recording. The 2012 London Olympics featured it in the opening and closing ceremonies.
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As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.
