Note (September 2026): Earlier versions of this list gave wrong details for several songs, including the year of Madonna’s Like a Prayer (1989, not 1984), the label of Genie in a Bottle (RCA, not Disney) and the Grammy wins for Rolling in the Deep and Uptown Funk; these are now corrected.
The best English songs of all time include Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and “Thriller”, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”, John Lennon’s “Imagine”, Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”. This list of 20 pop, rock and R&B classics from 1971 to 2015 is chosen for chart success, sales, awards and lasting popularity.
Key Takeaways
- The 20 songs span 1971 (“Imagine”, “Stairway to Heaven”) to 2015 (“Sorry”), covering rock, pop, R&B, funk and dance-pop.
- “Billie Jean” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” have each sold about 18 million copies worldwide, according to their Wikipedia chart histories.
- Two songs on the list won the Grammy for Record of the Year: “Rolling in the Deep” (2012) and “Uptown Funk” (2016).
- “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Imagine”, “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Single Ladies” have been selected for the US National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.
- “Stairway to Heaven” became a classic without ever being released as a commercial single in the US.
Once you listen to the best pop songs of all time, you’ll find them to be groundbreaking and chart-topping, so much so that you’ll want to sing to them at the top of your lungs.
Most Popular English Songs of All Time
The best English songs of all time are as varied as the artists who sang them. Here is a list of the top 20 best English Pop songs of all time.
1] Michael Jackson’s Thriller
From the easily recognizable introduction note to the strange prelude of Vincent Price, you can never forget the epic and breakthrough mini music video called ‘Thriller. The song comes from Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller and was released as its seventh and final single (November 1983 in the UK, January 1984 in the US). It reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, includes a spoken-word sequence by horror actor Vincent Price, and is certified diamond in the US.
2] Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody
This is definitely one of the best songs that have been ever made as it is totally captivating and innovative. Due credit goes to Freddie Mercury, Queen’s lead singer, who wrote the song for the band’s 1975 album A Night at the Opera. To put it in simple terms, this song has got every element that a song may ever require. It is a rock song rather than classical music: Mercury called it a “mock opera”, and its five sections move from a ballad through an operatic passage to hard rock. It topped the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks on release and for five more weeks after Mercury’s death in 1991.
3] Madonna’s Like a Prayer
Madonna is often called the Queen of Pop, and this song was the lead single from her 1989 album of the same name (not 1984), released on March 3, 1989. Thanks to this popular song, Madonna gained serious credit for her image as a music icon. It became Madonna’s seventh number one on the Billboard Hot 100, holding the top spot for three consecutive weeks, and topped the charts in twenty countries.
4] Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven
Robert Plant’s lyrics has always followed a poetic storytelling flow and when this is combined with the exceptional musical composition of Jimmy Page, a superhit rock song called ‘Stairway to Heaven’ was born. Released on November 8, 1971, on Led Zeppelin’s untitled fourth album (commonly called Led Zeppelin IV), the song is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock songs ever, even though it was never released as a commercial single in the US.
5] Prince’s When Doves Cry
Prince was widely reported to have guarded the rights to his recordings closely and to have opposed unofficial online copies of his music (a claim repeated by many music outlets, not independently confirmed here). “When Doves Cry” was his first Billboard Hot 100 number one, spending five weeks at the top, and Billboard named it the top-selling single of 1984. After Prince died on April 21, 2016, the 1984 track re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number eight, its first top-10 appearance since September 1984.
6] Whitney Houston’s I wanna Dance with Somebody
Whitney Houston released this upbeat dance-pop song on April 27, 1987, after a string of ballad hits. It was the lead single from her second album, ‘Whitney’ (1987), not her debut, and it topped the Billboard Hot 100 as her 4th consecutive number one on that chart. It has sold over 18 million copies worldwide. I Wanna Dance with Somebody won her the 1988 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single.
7] Britney Spears’ Baby One More Time
This was a superhit song of 1998 which launched several teenagers’ makeovers ‘Baby One More Time’. Britney Spears was a 16 year old young lady when she released this song but soon she shot to stardom with this number. The single itself (not the album) has sold over 10 million copies, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time; it topped the charts in over 20 countries after its release on September 29, 1998.
8] John Lennon’s Imagine
Released in 1971, “Imagine” asks listeners to picture a world of peace without religion, possessions or borders dividing nations. Yoko Ono, whom Lennon credited with much of the lyrics’ content, was added as a co-writer in 2017. In short, this has been a masterpiece of John Lennon.
9] N Sync’s It’s Gonna Be Me
Despite Justin Timberlake’s fame and the group’s huge following, this 2000 track was NSYNC’s only number one on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed at the top for two weeks. You’ll fall in love with this song once you listen to it.
10] Backstreet Boys’ Everybody
Who could have lived without the Backstreet Boys? They came back with a bang with their second album and this lead single was released in 1997. “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” was released in July 1997 as the first single from the international album Backstreet’s Back and peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the UK Singles Chart.
11] Adele’s Rolling in the Deep
This song, written by Adele and Paul Epworth, was released on November 29, 2010, as the lead single from her album 21, which was named after her age while she was making it (she was 22 when the single came out). It was her first US number one, spending seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, and was Billboard’s number-one song of 2011. At the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012 it won three Grammys: Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video.
12] Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing
This song was released in October 1981 as the second single from Journey’s album Escape. It gained a second life after it played in the final scene of The Sopranos in 2007, and the cast of Glee covered it in 2009. Decades after its release, in 2012 it became the best-selling digital track from the twentieth century, with over seven million downloads by 2017 (an older claim that it was among iTunes’ 100 most downloaded songs in 2008-2009 could not be confirmed).
13] Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean
There can be just one name that can be mentioned twice and it is none other than Michael Jackson. The head-tilting beat and finger-snapping groove of Billie Jean, released on January 2, 1983, took it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100; with about 18 million copies sold worldwide, it is Jackson’s best-selling solo single.
14] Beyonce’s Single Ladies
This is the anthem for all single girls and this song made Beyhive converts from every last hold-out. None can resist the leotard of Queen Bey and her signature dance moves. Its black-and-white video won Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, and the song won three Grammy Awards in 2010, including Song of the Year.
15] Christina Aguilera’s Genie in a Bottle
This song was the lead single from Christina Aguilera’s self-titled debut album, released by RCA Records in 1999 (not a Disney album, although she had earlier recorded “Reflection” for Disney’s Mulan), and its lyrics use suggestive wording. Its real themes are self-respect and restraint, and it spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
16] Gwen Stefani’s Hollaback Girl
This song will awaken the cheerleader in all of us as Gwen Stefani did a great job with the lyrics and the tune of this popular song. From the hand claps to the drum beat, the production by the Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) is instantly recognizable. Released in March 2005, “Hollaback Girl” was the first digital download in the US to sell one million copies.
17] Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk
Bruno Mars sings lead on this track, released on November 10, 2014, as the lead single from Ronson’s 4th studio album, Uptown Special (2015). It spent fourteen consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and at the 58th Grammy Awards in 2016 (not 2015) it won Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
18] Taylor Swift’s Shake it Off
Released on August 18, 2014, “Shake It Off” was the lead single from 1989, Taylor Swift’s first full pop album, and spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Its Mark Romanek-directed video shows Swift clumsily trying out different dance styles, and the song earned three Grammy nominations in 2015.
19] Justin Bieber’s Sorry
Taking a hiatus from making music, Biebs rebounded with Purpose in 2015. “Sorry”, released on October 23, 2015, was the second single from Purpose and spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Its dance video, directed and choreographed by Parris Goebel, features the New Zealand crews ReQuest and The Royal Family.
20] Katy Perry’s Firework
This is partly a dance floor anthem and partly a very powerful song. This song won Video of the Year at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards and earned two Grammy nominations, for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance, at the 54th Grammy Awards.
The 20 Best English Songs at a Glance
The table below lists each song with its release year, parent album and one verified achievement. Chart positions refer to the US Billboard Hot 100 unless stated; sales and certification figures come from each song’s Wikipedia chart history, checked in September 2026.
| # | Song | Artist | Released | Album | Notable achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 1983 (single) | Thriller | No. 4 Hot 100; certified diamond in the US |
| 2 | Bohemian Rhapsody | Queen | 1975 | A Night at the Opera | 9 weeks at No. 1 in the UK; diamond in the US (2021) |
| 3 | Like a Prayer | Madonna | 1989 | Like a Prayer | 3 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 |
| 4 | Stairway to Heaven | Led Zeppelin | 1971 | Led Zeppelin IV | Never a commercial US single |
| 5 | When Doves Cry | Prince | 1984 | Purple Rain | Billboard’s No. 1 single of 1984 |
| 6 | I Wanna Dance with Somebody | Whitney Houston | 1987 | Whitney | Grammy win; over 18 million sold |
| 7 | …Baby One More Time | Britney Spears | 1998 | …Baby One More Time | Over 10 million sold |
| 8 | Imagine | John Lennon | 1971 | Imagine | No. 3 Hot 100; No. 19 on Rolling Stone’s 2021 list |
| 9 | It’s Gonna Be Me | NSYNC | 2000 | No Strings Attached | NSYNC’s only Hot 100 No. 1 |
| 10 | Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) | Backstreet Boys | 1997 | Backstreet’s Back | No. 4 Hot 100; No. 3 UK |
| 11 | Rolling in the Deep | Adele | 2010 | 21 | Grammy Record and Song of the Year |
| 12 | Don’t Stop Believin’ | Journey | 1981 | Escape | Over 7 million downloads by 2017 |
| 13 | Billie Jean | Michael Jackson | 1983 | Thriller | Hot 100 No. 1; about 18 million sold |
| 14 | Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) | Beyonce | 2008 | I Am… Sasha Fierce | Grammy Song of the Year; VMA Video of the Year |
| 15 | Genie in a Bottle | Christina Aguilera | 1999 | Christina Aguilera | 5 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 |
| 16 | Hollaback Girl | Gwen Stefani | 2005 | Love. Angel. Music. Baby. | First US download to sell 1 million |
| 17 | Uptown Funk | Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars | 2014 | Uptown Special | 14 weeks at No. 1; Grammy Record of the Year |
| 18 | Shake It Off | Taylor Swift | 2014 | 1989 | 4 weeks at No. 1; diamond in the US |
| 19 | Sorry | Justin Bieber | 2015 | Purpose | 3 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 |
| 20 | Firework | Katy Perry | 2010 | Teenage Dream | VMA Video of the Year; about 17 million sold |
How Were These Songs Chosen?
This is an editorial list, not an official chart. The songs were chosen for a mix of commercial success (number-one hits and sales), critical recognition (Grammy Awards and Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”), cultural impact (music videos, film and TV use) and lasting popularity through streaming and radio.
Critics’ rankings differ widely. Rolling Stone placed “Imagine” at number 3 in its 2004 list of the 500 greatest songs, then moved it to number 19 in the 2021 revision, where “Bohemian Rhapsody” ranked number 17. Any list of the best English songs is a starting point for listening, not a final verdict.
Which Songs on This List Won Major Awards?
Several of these songs won the music industry’s biggest prizes:
- Grammy Record of the Year: “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele (54th Grammy Awards, 2012) and “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars (58th Grammy Awards, 2016).
- Grammy Song of the Year: “Rolling in the Deep” (2012) and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” (2010).
- Grammy Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston (1988).
- MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year: “Single Ladies” (2009) and “Firework” (2011).
- Grammy Hall of Fame: “Imagine” (1999) and “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2004).
Other songs were nominated without winning, including “…Baby One More Time” and “Genie in a Bottle” (both at the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000), “Hollaback Girl” (Record of the Year at the 48th Grammys) and “Shake It Off” (three nominations in 2015).
Which Songs Are Preserved in the National Recording Registry?
The Library of Congress adds recordings to the US National Recording Registry when it judges them culturally, historically or aesthetically significant. Four songs on this list have been selected: “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2022), “Don’t Stop Believin'” (2022), “Imagine” (2023) and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” (2026).
How Have These Songs Held Up in the Streaming Era?
Many of these older hits found new audiences through films, TV and streaming. After the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen’s song became the most-streamed song from the 20th century. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” has passed 1.7 billion streams on Spotify as of September 2026. In 2026, after the release of the biopic Michael, “Billie Jean” surged on streaming services and became Michael Jackson’s first number one on the Billboard Global 200 chart.
For more on how streaming changed the way people discover older music, see how Spotify reinvented the music industry. If you plan to use any of these songs in a video, podcast or business setting, read this guide on what music licensing is and why it matters, because these recordings are protected by copyright.
Which Songs Suit Which Mood?
- Dance floor and parties: “Uptown Funk”, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”, “Billie Jean”, “Hollaback Girl” and “Shake It Off”.
- Uplifting and motivational: “Don’t Stop Believin'”, “Firework” and “Imagine”. Upbeat tracks like these also fit a playlist built around the benefits of music while working out.
- Classic rock listening: “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Stairway to Heaven”.
- Late-1990s and 2000s pop nostalgia: “…Baby One More Time”, “Genie in a Bottle”, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and “It’s Gonna Be Me”.
Fans of Bruno Mars can read more about what makes Bruno Mars such a strong performer. For romantic picks, see these songs about new relationships, and for Hindi film music, browse the top Bollywood love songs of all time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best English song of all time?
There is no single official answer, because rankings depend on who is voting. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen and “Imagine” by John Lennon appear near the top of many critics’ lists; Rolling Stone’s 2021 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time placed them at number 17 and number 19.
Which song on this list has sold the most copies?
“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston are each reported to have sold about 18 million copies worldwide, with “Firework” by Katy Perry close behind at about 17 million.
Who wrote “Bohemian Rhapsody”?
Freddie Mercury, Queen’s lead singer, wrote “Bohemian Rhapsody”. It was released in 1975 on the album A Night at the Opera, and Mercury described it as a “mock opera” built from three songs he had written.
Was “Stairway to Heaven” ever released as a single?
“Stairway to Heaven” was never commercially released as a single in the US, yet it became the most-requested song on American FM radio at the time. It reached number 37 on the UK Singles Chart in November 2007 through download sales.
What was the first song to sell one million digital downloads in the US?
Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl”, released in 2005, was the first digital download in the United States to sell one million copies.
Which Michael Jackson songs are on this list?
Two Michael Jackson songs are included: “Thriller” and “Billie Jean”, both from the 1982 album Thriller, which is the best-selling album of all time with estimated sales of over 70 million copies worldwide.
