Are you looking for fun and easy ways to make your Instagram stories more interesting, memorable, engaging, and viral? One option many people are considering is adding music. This blog post will share the 41 best songs for Instagram stories that you may want to use for your next upload.
1. Kiss Me More – Doja Cat featuring SZA
Do you have a romantic partner on your mind and want to let them know you’re thinking about them? Kiss Me More is the perfect song to drive your point home in your Instagram story about romance.
Next: The best sexy songs for a steamy & sultry playlist
2. Leave the Door Open – Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, And Silk Sonic
This song is a powerhouse that’s reminiscent of 70s vocal groups and their funky sound. It’s great for a story about self-confidence and taking on the world at large.
Next: The best songs about confidence of all time
3. This Must be the Place – The Lumineers
The Lumineers covers this Talking Heads song and puts a folksy spin on it with plaintive vocals that make you long for things to be alright. It’s great for those times you’re feeling down and need to change your outlook. Go for the original version if you need a tighter sound.
Next: Top folk songs ever written and recorded
4. INDUSTRY BABY – Lil Nas X And Jack Harlow
Lil Nas X teams up with Jack Harlow in this hard-hitting song about making it big in the music industry. It’s a great song for promoting a feeling of overcoming tough times and finally reaching success after putting all of your efforts into your dreams.
5. Good as Hell – Lizzo
Lizzo’s ode to telling everyone off and feeling good about yourself is a great song for a story about self-confidence and self-worth. This is also a good choice for showing your support for your friends when they’re going through a tough time.
Next: Ultimate popular TikTok songs playlist
6. Golden – Harry Styles
The song Golden by Harry Styles covers his feelings about his love interest and tries to reassure them that he wants to be with them. This makes a great soundtrack for a story about feeling insecure and not sure about the future.
7. Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon
The lyrics of Werewolves Of London are a bit zany, especially against the backdrop of a funky rock beat. Pick this one for a story where you want to be tongue-in-cheek.
8. Anyone – Justin Bieber
Life has a way of changing how we feel about our loved ones, but the core feelings never go away. Anyone by Justin Bieber is a great song for times when you’re going through stress or change and need to reassure someone that you’re not going to leave them at any point.
Next: Ultimate playlist of songs about change
9. Hungry Like the Wolf – Duran Duran
Hungry Like The Wolf is a song about hunting down a love interest, but it can be used to illustrate how determined you are to reach a goal or get something that you desire.
10. Chandelier – Sia
Chandelier isn’t necessarily an upbeat song, but it’s about expressing the desire to lose oneself in an alternative reality and forget about the stresses of life for a night. It’s a great tune for those times when you feel the world is against you, but you’re not going to let it get you down.
Next: Best songs about addiction ever written & recorded
11. I Melt With You – Modern English
Finding out that you’re falling in love with someone is an amazing experience, and Modern English’s classic upbeat romance song is the perfect soundtrack for those feelings.
12. Pink Moon – Nick Drake
The song and lyrics of Pink Moon deliver a feeling of mysticism and otherworldliness, making it an excellent choice for those times you’re wondering about life, the universe, and everything.
13. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
The song Don’t Stop Believin’ is one of holding onto your faith that a feeling of hope and astonishment will never fade as you make your way through life. The song works best for those times when something good, such as a new job or relationship, is on your event horizon.
Next: Full story and meaning behind “Don’t Stop Believin'” song by Journey
14. Until I Find You – Stephen Sanchez
There’s nothing like the buzzy twang of a 50s guitar and vocals slightly muffled by analog microphones to deliver a feeling of a time when everything seemed to be just right. This is a great song for stories about dreams of romance.
15. Paper Planes – M.I.A.
When it comes to telling everyone about making your bones and how tough you are, you can’t go wrong with Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Next: The top songs to choose for TikTok dances
16. Memory – Barbra Streisand
There are times when you feel like reminiscing about wonderful moments you’ve had in your past. Memory by Barbra Streisand encapsulates this need to express your need to talk about those experiences.
17. Sunflower – Rex Orange County
Sunflower is an upbeat and happy tune that makes you tap your toes, feel a little silly, and make your day brighter just like the namesake flower. It’s a great soundtrack for a happy story.
18. Solsbury Hill – Peter Gabriel
There are times when you feel like the world is your oyster and the good times will never end. Solsbury Hill‘s upbeat tempo and lyrics about someone who listened to their instincts only to have them pay off are perfect for these feelings.
19. We Will Rock You – Queen
Queen’s hard-driving rock anthem about overcoming adversity is perfect for those times you want to show your grit and determination to get the job done. The job doesn’t matter so much as your attitude about not letting the turkeys get you down.
20. Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
Broke up with a partner and want to let them know that you’re as fabulous as ever? Use this classic song to make your statement in your story and maybe make your own The Breakfast Club while you’re at it.
21. Music for a Sushi Restaurant – Harry Styles
The song itself is a goofy and absurd take on eating at a sushi restaurant, but it’s a great piece of music for highlighting your favorite restaurant or meal and having fun with the story.
22. Shake it Off – Taylor Swift
Shake It Off is Taylor Swift’s reaction to criticism of her music, lifestyle, and personality. She’s essentially telling everyone off, and you can use this song to the same effect in a story where you tell off your haters.
23. Drive – The Cars
Sometimes, your friends don’t make the best decisions and leave you feeling down. Drive by The Cars has a somber tone and lyrics that talk about the challenges of trying to help people who don’t want to listen.
24. Happy – Pharrell Williams
Happy is an upbeat song that only lets in the sunshine and won’t tolerate a bad mood for one minute. It’s a great soundtrack to highlight a story about everything going right in your life and that you’re not going to let anything get in the way of that feeling.
25. Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Harvest Moon is a gentle, shuffling song with an upbeat vibe, and works well for those days when you’re feeling a little melancholy, yet hope for a better future is in the background.
26. Somewhere over the Rainbow – Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole
The story of Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole is a tragic one, but he left behind a beautiful version of this classic originally sung by Judy Garland in the movie The Wizard Of Oz. It’s a plaintive song full of melancholy and hope and works for a story where you want to get away from something that’s bringing you down.
27. Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel
The delicacy of the vocals, lyrics and instruments in this song drives home the willingness of the singer to support their friend in a time of trouble. It works well for a story where you talk about your willingness to help those you love when they’re going through a stressful period.
28. In the Summertime – Mungo Jerry
The rolling tempo of In The Summertime with a plonky piano and bumping base accompanied by a loose and carefree feel makes you feel like it’s summer, even in the middle of winter. This is perfect for a story highlighting a vacation at a sandy beach during the cold months or hanging out on the local beach in the summer.
Next: Top summertime jams for a summer songs playlist
29. The Gambler – Kenny Rogers
The Gambler is a classic storytelling ballad about the singer’s interaction with an old gambler who laid out his life’s strategy for playing poker. The core of the song is about not telling people about what you’re thinking lest they get a jump on you. It’s a good track for a story about holding back before revealing the truth.
30. Delete Forever – Grimes
Grimes sings about the loss of a loved one in this departure from her usual electronica style. It’s a good soundtrack for a deep loss of any kind and helps you drive home the emotions you’re feeling about what happened.
31. Piano Man – Billy Joel
Billy Joel wrote this song based on his observations that he made while working as a piano player in a New York City bar. He covers various people’s stories of pathos and how his music made them feel better. This makes a great soundtrack for making your own observations about people you come across.
32. Hotel California – The Eagles
Hotel California is a song about blindly entering into a strange situation and feeling like you’ll never get out of it. It’s perfect for illustrating times when you feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending loop and can’t figure out how to get out of it, much less make it stop.
33. Never Ending Story – Limahl
The official song for the movie The NeverEnding Story is an uplifting one that makes you feel like anything is possible. This works well for those times when you want a little bit of nostalgia as you contemplate your future.
34. In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins
In The Air Tonight is a deep and dark song with obscure lyrics that don’t reveal the fact Phil Collins wrote it after he divorced his first wife. The underlying meaning of the song gives it depth, and you can use it for this effect when you have multiple things going on in your life that don’t feel right to you.
35. Sparks – Coldplay
The lyrics of Sparks by Coldplay talk about a breakup that the singer didn’t want to happen, but the relationship still failed. It’s a good soundtrack for a breakup or those times you feel like you’re about to lose a significant other.
36. Take On Me – a-ha
Take On Me by a-ha is a song that seems to both define the era it comes from—the 1980s—while feeling timeless. The song is upbeat and happy and invites the subject of the singer to go with them on an adventure. This works for a story where you’re about to go on your own adventure and want to share it with your friends and family.
37. Don’t Worry Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin
There are times when the stresses of life feel almost impossible to overcome. Bobby McFerrin’s signature theme song encourages you to stop worrying about the small stuff and be happy because, in the long run, stress doesn’t matter because you’ll always overcome it.
38. Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
There are days when you feel like the whole world is against you, and you can’t gain traction no matter what you do. Running Up That Hill encapsulates these feelings perfectly.
39. Almost Maybes – Jordan Davis
Jordan Davis sings about the one that got away and ponders the reasons why the girl of his dreams didn’t stick around. This song works for stories about times when something didn’t work out as you thought it should and you can’t figure out why.
40. Levitating – Dua Lipa Featuring DaBaby
The rolling rhythms of Levitating combined with a 70s-style disco hook lift you up no matter where you happen to be. It’s a great soundtrack for a story about hanging out with your friends and having a good time anywhere you all happen to be.
41. Hypnotize – The Notorious B.I.G.
The bouncing rhythms backing The Notorious B.I.G.’s flow are perfect for a story about your night on the town. It’s gritty and makes you want to get down on the dance floor.
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.