You can listen to all 25 songs in this playlist for free by clicking here.
Popular music is filled to the brim with superficial songs about sex, drugs and money, but it can also be used to uplift, or present a philosophy lesson within the confines of a three to four minute song.
For this playlist I wanted to select the top 25, positive, feel-good songs in popular music. Not just happy songs mind you, but songs that can be used much like a self-help book. The lessons contained in these 25 songs can be viewed as enlightening or sappy, depending on your point of view.
One of the best things music can do is to lift us up, or help us think about how to be better people. Some would call this ”preachy” while others would just use the word “happy”.
I have tried to ignore the fact that some of these songs have been overplayed, or have not aged well, and instead focused on selecting tracks with an overwhelmingly positive message. Many of the artists who made the cut are worthy of more than one track, but I have chosen to limit the list to contain only one song per artist.
I have ranked the top 25 from my own experience, and since music has a different impact on all who hear it, your list will certainly differ from mine, but one thing I am sure of is that these 25 songs are truly positive, inspiring, and for the most part, loved.
Please add your disagreements and/or picks to the comments. One glaring omission for many will be the absence of John Lennon’s Imagine. And although it could fit, the notion of a world with no heaven pulls me down.
And so, I present the top 25 positive songs of popular music:
25. “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen
24. “Hold On Tight” by ELO
23. “Everyday People” by Sly & The Family Stone
22. “Dancing In The Streets” by Martha and the Vandellas
21. “Top Of The World” by The Carpenters
20. “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers
19. “Thank You For Being A Friend” by Andrew Gold
18. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin
17. “Beautiful Day” by U2
16. “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder
15. “Peace Train” by Cat Stevens
14. “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” by Simon & Garfunkel
13. “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash
12. “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
11. “Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina And The Waves
10. “A Beautiful Morning” by The Rascals
9. “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye
8. “Do You Realize??” by The Flaming Lips
7. “Heart Of Gold” by Neil Young
6. “Love Train” by The O’Jays
5. “Put A Little Love In Your Heart” by The Isley Brothers
4. “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive” by Ella Fitzgerald
3. “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles
2. “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
1. “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Al Barger
Outstanding. I'm particularly pleased with the inclusion of "Simple Man." I consider those to be words to live by.
You didn't get anything from the realm of country, so I might suggest a couple of especially good bits of philosophical perspective, "Who's Gonna Feed Them Hogs" by Tom T Hall, and Roger Miller's classic "You Can't Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd."
2 - MrG
I know there's already one Beatles song, but..."Good Day Sunshine" for sure belongs on any list of "Positive Songs."
3 - Curtis Summers
I would have put James Taylor with "Your Smiling Face" or "Shower the People" or "You've Got a Friend".
4 - Apoorv
I'd add "Everyday" by Buddy Holly and a song or two by ABBA.
5 - Phillip Winn
Great, great, great playlist!
6 - Shannon Thomas
"What's Going On" made your list???? It's all about everything that is wrong with the world. People crying, dying, not enough love, world filled with war, protests, police brutality, the generation gap (who are they to judge us simply because our hair is long) Not very positive or optimistic. But still a fun post.
7 - Aaman
How do you feel after the playlist ends?
8 - monica trif
I love Queen and The Beatles, so it's a pleasure to listen it. Maybe my playlist will be a little diferent but I like this music, also your articol is good,
9 - El Bicho
Good list, although I have to agree with Shannon. Not sure how "Imagine" pulls you down but what's taking place in "What's Going On" doesn't. Thought for sure when I saw the Marley album you would pick "Positive Vibration".
10 - J. P.
My selection is "Save The Country" by Laura Nyro. If you don't come out of that one feeling good, you have no soul.
11 - Rodney Welch
And you forgot "Psychoticbumpschool" by Bootsy's Rubber Band.
12 - Robert
Shannon/El Bicho,
If I may explain my thought process on my selection of "What's Going On".
This song has always inspired me in a very positive way.
It's the lyric:
"You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today"
that really sets it off for me as a song that delivers positive vibes. The use of the negative only serves to remind us of why we need to work on being good people. For me, this song is overwhelmingly positive and inspiring.
In regards to "Imagine". For people who believe in a God, or any type of afterlife, Lennon's words ring pale and are anything but inspiring as they effectly disregard mankind's greatest hope.
13 - Robert
Curtis,
I agree about JT, I had "Shower the People" in the original list of 42 songs, and I only cut it, becuase I wanted to make it more compact.
14 - Pico
"You Gotta Be" - Des'ree
15 - jerry
"Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Good song for sure. Definitely makes me smile everytime I hear it.
16 - DukeDeMondo
nice selection Robert. Might i suggest also Live Forever by Oasis, Your Fuckin Sunny Day by Lambchop (which marries a great, sarky lyric to a melody feels like the first kiss of the dawn after ninety-nine weeks of night), Let's Make This Precious by Dexy's Midnight Runners (Burn It Down, maybe, as well) and Bowl Of Oranges by Bright Eyes; "So I came upon a doctor who appeared in quite poor health / i said there's nothin that i can do for you you can't do for yourself / he said oh yes you can, just hold my hand, i think that would help / so i sat with him a while and i asked him how he felt / he said i think i'm cured... no, in fact i'm sure... thank you stranger for your therapeutic smile"
if that doesn't make you feel like all of God's creation is wrapped around you like a hotpress-warm dressin gown, then i don't know what will.
17 - Matt
"The Long Run" by The Eagles
18 - katie d
india arie - god is real; the truth; strength courage and wisdom; theres hope
19 - Seth Coleman
You my friend have helped me find songs that will definatly help me stay in a path of love and light, thank you.
One song that always cheers me is He's Got the Whole World in His Hands. I do not know if it fits into your top 25 and am not trying to change it which i would guess most are trying to do. Just seeing if it would benefit you.
20 - Steve
Great playlist - thanks.
Some more...
Almost Like Being in Love
L.O.V.E.
You Gotta Have Heart
Accentuate the Positive
Come Rain or Shine
T'aint What You Do
It's a Good Day
Sunny Side of the Street
21 - jody
thanks for the list!
I'd add
Everything's Coming Up Roses
High Hopes
22 - Alejandro Diaz
Please add WHAT A FEELING of Irene Cara, what you think about?
23 - Helper
Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky
Shooter Jennings - Manifesto No. 1
Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want
24 - oren_licus
Survivor - Destiny's Child?
25 - Jonathan JonArch
I heard a song years ago which I always listen at when I'm down...sure the mood of the song may not be the most positive one, but it surely alweays lift me up. ' don't give up' from Peter Gabriel