A lot of great music has been written about the night or nighttime through the years and these tracks have spanned a variety of genres.
If you’ve been trying to find the perfect track to put on at night, then check out our list of the 31 best songs about night and nighttime.
1. You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
AC/DC released You Shook Me All Night Long in 1980 off of the album Live At Donington, and this is one of the top songs about nighttime. The track makes it pretty clear what the lyrics are talking about, which is sex, but it’s a song that we all sing along to anyway. This track reached number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and still remains a classic song to this day.
2. A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles
The next band we’ve all heard of before because they are an iconic group that is significant in rock history. We’re talking about The Beatles, and in 1964, they released A Hard Day’s Night from the album of the same name. What’s cool is that Ringo Starr explained how the song came to be when they were working all day and night years ago.
He thought it was still daytime so when he saw it was nighttime, it came together to be a hard day’s night. The track charted number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Cash Box Top 100 chart.
3. All Night Long – Lionel Richie
In 1983, Lionel Richie released All Night Long on the album Can’t Slow Down, which instantly became a hit and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and the R&B chart.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine used this song in season four episode four, and it was also used in Miami Vice. Richie also performed it in Los Angeles during the 1984 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.
4. Beautiful Night – Paul McCartney
Up next is Paul McCartney with his 1997 hit Beautiful Night on his album Flaming Pie. This song got attention in the media for the music video since it featured a woman skinny dipping. The track reached number 25 on the UK Singles chart.
5. Night Moves – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
We can’t have a list of night songs without bringing up Bob Seger and the 1976 track Night Moves, which quickly became a hit for the rock singer. This song is timeless and is a signature track that shows how he can mix country, rock, and folk music together to create a beautiful masterpiece. It reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is nostalgic all the way around since it’s all about the summer nights he had in his youth.
6. All Night Long – Joe Walsh
In 1980, Joe Walsh released All Night Long, which is a song from Urban Cowboy that’ll make you want to get up and dance whether you’re alone or with your friends. The track is one of his most well-known solo singles and spent a total of 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with it peaking at number 19 for around two weeks.
7. Dancing In The Moonlight – King Harvest
Next up on our list is King Harvest with the hit song Dancing In The Moonlight, which came out in 1973. This is an upbeat positive track that will instantly put you in a brighter mood. While it’s thought of as a one-hit wonder, it’s a timeless and classic song that’s still being played today. It reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 22 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.
8. In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins
Calling all air drummer fans, we know that you air drum to the next song on our list, which is Phil Collins’ In The Air Tonight. This track was released in 1981 off of his album Face Value, and it’s a song that has become an iconic rock track that everyone knows and air drums to in their car.
The song reached number two on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts and 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It’s been featured in a ton of movies and television shows over the years including Risky Business, The Hangover, Miami Vice, and Shameless.
9. Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John
In 1994, Elton John released Can You Feel The Love Tonight, which automatically is tied to the classic Disney movie The Lion King. This is one of his best songs and has become one of his most well-known hits.
In the film, the track is played while showing two lions that are in love, but we all take this song to be about being in love. It reached number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, number three on the Mainstream Top 40, and number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
10. End Of The Night – The Doors
Classic rock fans will know the song we’re talking about next, which is The Doors with their classic track End Of The Night from their debut album The Doors in 1967. The song is all about becoming free and taking a trip into the night. The track is a small tribute to the French novel Journey To The End Of The Night by Louis-Ferdinand Céline.
11. One More Night – Maroon 5
In 2012, Maroon 5 released One More Night, which is a pop song that has a little reggae inspiration in it. It’s about two lovers who don’t always agree, but they still want to stay another night. While the track was not a commercial success, it peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Top 100 chart.
12. Night Fever – Bee Gees
Up next is the Bee Gees with their 1978 hit Night Fever from the Saturday Night Fever album. This song is one of the most iconic and timeless tracks about nighttime, and the album from the movie is one of the best-selling ones of all time.
When you hear this song, you just want to keep dancing. It was a huge hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box chart and number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. It peaked at eight on the Hot R&B Singles chart and nine on the Adult Contemporary chart.
13. Tonight’s The Night (gonna Be Alright) – Rod Stewart
Next on our list is Rod Stewart with his 1976 hit Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright), which is off the A Night On The Town album. This song was inspired by Today’s The Day, which was a track by America. This reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and 42 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.
14. Night Flight – Led Zeppelin
If you’re a rocker then you’re going to love the next song on our list which is Night Flight by Led Zeppelin, which came out in 1975 on the album Physical Graffiti. This track is more blues-influenced than a lot of their other songs, and this track is about themes such as the Vietnam War and the changes that will be coming.
15. Summer Night City – ABBA
Before ABBA broke up, they had a hit with the song Summer Night City, which came out in 1979 on the album Voulez Vous. While it’s a lesser-known hit than their other tracks, it still peaked at number one in Finland, Sweden, and Ireland. In the UK, it reached the top 20 of the biggest songs as of late 2021. The track appears in the Broadway musical Mamma Mia!
16. Saturday Night Special – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd released Saturday Night Special in 1975 off of the album Made In The Shade. This song is talking about someone who is gambling or cheating and how you can take care of such an issue with a gun. It reached number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is featured in several movies and television shows including The Longest Yard, The Walking Dead, Supernatural, and Blue Collar.
17. All Day And All Of The Night – The Kinks
Next on our list is The Kinks with their 1964 song All Day And All Of The Night, which was one of the most popular tracks released by the band. It’s also one of the top rock songs ever as it reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, number eight on the Record World 100 Top Pops, and number five on the Cash Box Top 100 chart,
18. Dance The Night Away – Van Halen
Coming off the album Van Halen II, the song Dance The Night Away by Van Halen has to be on our list if we’re talking about tracks about the night. The song was inspired by David Lee Roth seeing a drunk woman at a show having car sex and trying to get away from the cops while running with her pants on the wrong way. The woman made her way into the bar where Van Halen was playing that night. It was their first hit, and it reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
19. Tender Is The Night – Jackson Browne
We must talk about the Jackson Browne song Tender Is The Night, which was released in 1983 off the album Lawyers In Love. The track reached number 18 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks, number 24 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary, and number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song is all about being alone and feeling isolated during a night out on the town.
20. Heartache Tonight – The Eagles
In 1979, The Eagles released Heartache Tonight, which is one of their more upbeat songs. It delves into dancing, drinking, and enjoying the night with music. This track reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and 38 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
21. (I Just) Died In Your Arms – Cutting Crew
The song on our list is one we all know, which is the track I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight, which was released in 1986 by Cutting Crew. This became the biggest track they ever released, and it was incredibly popular all over the world.
The song was inspired by lead singer Nick Van Eede spending one night with his former girlfriend and having mixed feelings about the situation. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and four on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks.
22. Twistin’ The Night Away – Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke released Twistin’ The Night Away in 1962, and this song is about just having fun at night and enjoying the nightlife. You will be dancing all night so that means you’re not going to have to deal with the normal stress in your life, and it’s great for getting ready for your night out.
23. Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money
Our next song likely doesn’t need an introduction because most people have heard the song Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money, which was released in 1986 off of the album Can’t Hold Me Back. The lyrics come from a track called Be My Baby, which was a hit in the 1960s and has to do with a guy that is hoping this woman he is lusting after is going to take him home with her.
It charted at number one on the Mainstream Rock chart and number four on the Billboard Hot 100. This song was featured on the hit comedy from 2010 MacGruber and has been in television shows as well.
24. Spirit In The Night – Bruce Springsteen
We all know The Boss, and in 1973, Bruce Springsteen released the song Spirit In The Night from his album Greetings From Asbury Park N.J. The track is about a group of teenagers who go to a spot called Greasy Lake where they can drink, listen to music, have sex, and just be free, which is what we all dream of doing as teenagers.
25. Nights In White Satin – The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues released Nights In White Satin in 1967 off of the album Days Of Future Passed, and it’s one of the most iconic classic rock songs ever. This track will convey the thoughts and feelings about night and it has beautiful lyrics as well as instruments. The song has been in many movies and television shows including Casino, Fringe, Dark Shadows, and Hounds Of Love.
26. Heat Of The Night – Coleman Hell
Coleman Hell released Heat Of The Night in 2014, and it’s one of the most successful songs by the band. This track is a mix of dance and pop, and it’ll get you ready to party all night long. The song is about two people who have feelings for one another and both people want those feelings to be known.
27. Rock The Night – Europe
Next up on our list is the successful rock band Europe, which had a hit song with Rock The Night off of their 1986 album The Final Countdown. This is one of their most popular tracks, and it’s a great song to dance to all night long with your friends or even alone. It topped the charts at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.
28. In The Night – The Weeknd
The Weeknd released In The Night in 2015, and this song was on the album Beauty Behind The Madness. The Canadian used a catchy and fun beat for the track, and the lyrics have a lot of meaning even though you think it’s lighthearted when you first hear it.
Sadly, this song is about the sexual abuse that a dancer suffered when she was a child. This was a hit track in multiple countries and charted at number one on the Billboard Rhythmic chart, number three on the Mainstream Top 40, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It also hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 17 on the Adult Top 40 chart.
29. When The Night Is Over – Lord Huron
Lord Huron released the song When The Night Is Over in 2018 off of the album Vide Noir, and this track isn’t as well-known as other songs on our list but it’s a great track about trying to find a girl that he loved. He only has until the end of the night to find the girl, and it scares him that he might not ever find her.
30. Nightswimming – R.E.M.
In 1992, R.E.M. released the album Automatic For The People, and it gave us an introspective and personal song called Nightswimming. This track is calming and peaceful and talks about how good it feels to go swimming at night. It’s a beloved song by the band and remains one of their most iconic and popular tracks to date.
31. Let’s Spend The Night Together – The Rolling Stones
Last up on our list is The Rolling Stones and their 1967 song Let’s Spend The Night Together, which was from the album Between The Buttons. The track reached number 28 on the Cash Box Top 100 chart and 55 on the Billboard Hot 100. Everything about the song from the guitars to the beat and vocals is classic The Rolling Stones.
From the time she was little, Florence loved listening to music and quickly learned how music can make you happy and feel fulfilled. One of her favorite memories is being in the garage with her dad working on classic cars with the local rock station blaring in the background. Ever since Florence was 3, she loved grunge music and spent hours listening to bands such as Alice in Chains, Mad Season, Soul Asylum, and Soundgarden.
She also enjoys classic rock, modern rock, nu metal, alternative rock, and old 90’s R&B. Her love of music grew as she got older, and used music to help her get through tough times in her life. More often than not, you’ll see Florence with earbuds in while she’s writing, cooking, cleaning, and doing other tasks. She also loves to debate music with her friends such as which lead singer is the best vocalist, the most iconic guitar solos in music, and what songs are really the best of the decade.
