75 Best First Dance Songs for Your Wedding, From Classic to Country

What are the most popular first dance songs right now?

1. "Perfect", Ed Sheeran: the most-played first dance song of the last decade.
2. "Thinking Out Loud", Ed Sheeran: about loving each other at 70.
3. "All of Me", John Legend.
4. "At Last", Etta James: the classic that never goes away.
5. "Can't Help Falling in Love", Elvis Presley.
6. "A Thousand Years", Christina Perri.
7. "Make You Feel My Love", Adele.
8. "Die with a Smile", Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.
9. "Until I Found You", Stephen Sanchez.
10. "Lover", Taylor Swift.

Classic songs for your first dance

11. "The Way You Look Tonight", Frank Sinatra: elegant, easy to sway to and loved by every generation.
12. "Unchained Melody", The Righteous Brothers: the big, sweeping ballad.
13. "Let's Stay Together", Al Green: a soul classic about staying for good.
14. "L-O-V-E", Nat King Cole: short, sweet and playful.
15. "Moon River", Andy Williams: dreamy and gentle.
16. "Fly Me to the Moon", Frank Sinatra: swing for couples who took a few lessons.
17. "Wonderful Tonight", Eric Clapton: a slow, warm guitar ballad.
18. "Your Song", Elton John: simple, honest and timeless.
19. "Stand by Me", Ben E. King: a promise in three minutes.
20. "Endless Love", Lionel Richie and Diana Ross: the ultimate 80s duet.
21. "You Are So Beautiful", Joe Cocker: short and heartfelt.
22. "Have I Told You Lately", Van Morrison: or the Rod Stewart version, both wedding favorites.

Country first dance songs

23. "Amazed", Lonestar: the country wedding classic.
24. "Then", Brad Paisley: about a love that keeps growing.
25. "Speechless", Dan + Shay: written about seeing his bride for the first time.
26. "Tennessee Whiskey", Chris Stapleton: smooth, soulful and slow.
27. "Die a Happy Man", Thomas Rhett: written for his wife.
28. "Bless the Broken Road", Rascal Flatts: for couples who found each other the long way.
29. "From This Moment On", Shania Twain: a vow set to music.
30. "Forever and Ever, Amen", Randy Travis: a classic with a smile in it.
31. "10,000 Hours", Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber: sweet and modern.
32. "I Cross My Heart", George Strait: a promise from the king of country.
33. "H.O.L.Y.", Florida Georgia Line: a slow, reverent love song.

Modern pop picks

34. "Golden Hour", JVKE: a soaring piano ballad for a sunset reception.
35. "Say You Won't Let Go", James Arthur: a whole love story, verse by verse.
36. "Lucky", Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat: a duet about falling for your best friend.
37. "Like Real People Do", Hozier: quiet and intimate.
38. "Yellow", Coldplay: beautiful in an acoustic or string version.
39. "I Choose You", Sara Bareilles: practically a vow.
40. "Marry Me", Train: soft and sweet.
41. "Paper Rings", Taylor Swift: for an upbeat first dance.
42. "Kiss Me", Sixpence None the Richer: light and playful.
43. "Adore You", Harry Styles: for a pop-loving couple.

R&B and soul songs for the first dance

44. "Best Part", Daniel Caesar featuring H.E.R.: soft, modern and romantic.
45. "Adorn", Miguel: smooth and devoted.
46. "Spend My Life with You", Eric Benét and Tamia: a wedding duet if there ever was one.
47. "Ribbon in the Sky", Stevie Wonder: about love that was meant to be.
48. "Nothing Even Matters", Lauryn Hill and D'Angelo: neo-soul at its warmest.
49. "Pieces of Me", Ledisi: a powerful vocal about being fully known.
50. "You Are the Best Thing", Ray LaMontagne: brassy and joyful.
51. "Love on Top", Beyoncé: for a joyful, upbeat first dance.

Indie and acoustic picks

52. "Better Together", Jack Johnson: laid-back, perfect for a beach wedding.
53. "I'm Yours", Jason Mraz: easy and happy.
54. "First Day of My Life", Bright Eyes: tender, a little raw.
55. "Such Great Heights", Iron & Wine: a hushed cover of The Postal Service.
56. "Flightless Bird, American Mouth", Iron & Wine: the Twilight prom song that became a wedding favorite.
57. "Bloom", The Paper Kites: delicate and dreamy.
58. "Home", Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: a joyful duet.

Upbeat first dance songs

Not every couple wants a slow sway. If you would rather dance than cry, these get the room clapping along:

59. "You Make My Dreams", Hall & Oates.
60. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", Stevie Wonder: joyful from the first note.
61. "September", Earth, Wind & Fire: especially if you marry in the fall.
62. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", Queen: rockabilly fun.
63. "I'm a Believer", The Monkees: a smile in song form.
64. "Can't Stop the Feeling!", Justin Timberlake: easy to choreograph.
65. "Sugar", Maroon 5: the song from the famous wedding-crashing video.
66. "Marry You", Bruno Mars: playful and perfect for a surprise switch.

Rock songs for a first dance

67. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", Aerosmith: the big power ballad.
68. "Everlong" (acoustic), Foo Fighters: for rock fans who want something tender.
69. "Iris", Goo Goo Dolls: a 90s favorite.
70. "Lovesong", The Cure: a wedding gift from Robert Smith to his fiancée.
71. "Just Like Heaven", The Cure: upbeat and dreamy.
72. "Something", The Beatles: George Harrison's classic.
73. "In Your Eyes", Peter Gabriel: the boombox song from Say Anything.
74. "Wild Horses", The Rolling Stones: slow and soulful.
75. "Faithfully", Journey: about love that survives distance.

First dance songs by decade

1950s and 1960s

"At Last", "Can't Help Falling in Love", "Unchained Melody", "Moon River" and "Fly Me to the Moon": elegant choices for a black-tie wedding.

1970s and 1980s

"Let's Stay Together", "Your Song", "Wonderful Tonight", "Endless Love" and "In Your Eyes": warm and nostalgic.

1990s and 2000s

"Amazed", "From This Moment On", "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", "Kiss Me" and "Bless the Broken Road": the songs today's couples grew up with.

2010s and today

"Perfect", "All of Me", "Thinking Out Loud", "Golden Hour", "Until I Found You" and "Die with a Smile".

Which first dance song fits your personality?

The classic couple

"At Last", "The Way You Look Tonight" or "Can't Help Falling in Love", with a simple slow dance and one elegant spin.

The country couple

"Amazed", "Tennessee Whiskey" or "Then", ideally with a two-step you practiced in the kitchen.

The fun couple

Start with "Perfect" and have the DJ cut into "Uptown Funk" or "You Make My Dreams" after a minute. The guests will talk about it for years.

The music lovers

An indie pick like "Bloom" or "First Day of My Life", or the song from the first concert you went to together.

Original or cover version?

Many couples love a song but not its arrangement. String quartet and piano covers turn pop and rock songs into elegant first dances (Vitamin String Quartet has recorded hundreds), while acoustic covers soften big ballads. Check that the version you choose has the same length and structure as the one you rehearsed with, and send that exact file to your DJ.

Live band or DJ for the first dance?

A live band or singer makes the moment feel unique, and good musicians can stretch or shorten the song on cue. A DJ guarantees the exact recording you practiced to. If you have a band, give them the version you want weeks in advance and ask for one rehearsal of that song in particular.

Do you have to have a first dance?

No. Some couples skip it, share it with everyone from the first note, or replace it with a private last dance at the end of the night. Others keep a short one and invite the guests in after a chorus. If dancing in front of a crowd makes you miserable, choose an option that lets you enjoy the moment; the guests will follow your lead.

What happens right after the first dance?

Most couples follow the first dance with the parent dances, then open the dance floor. A smooth trick: have the DJ invite all married couples to join during the last minute of your song, then go straight into an upbeat track. The transition from emotional to festive is what gets the party started.

Songs for a vow renewal or second wedding

For a vow renewal or a second marriage, many couples choose songs about love that has lasted or love found later: "Then", "Bless the Broken Road", "Thinking Out Loud", "Have I Told You Lately" or "At Last". A song with your story in it, years of it, is especially moving at a renewal, when the guests know how far you have come.

Common first dance mistakes

• Choosing a song nobody has listened to all the way through.
• A six-minute song with no plan for the ending.
• Untested files: always send the exact version to the DJ.
• Over-rehearsing: the best first dances look joyful, not perfect.
• Forgetting the photographer: tell them the song and the moment you plan a dip or a spin.

How do you choose your first dance song?

• Start with your story. The song from your first date, your first concert or your road trips beats any chart.
• Read the lyrics in full. Some famous love songs are about breakups or affairs.
• Match your dancing. A slow sway, a rehearsed routine and a fun switch-up all need different tempos.
• Think about your guests. A song many people know creates a shared moment.

We go deeper in our guide on how to choose your wedding first dance song.

How long should the first dance be?

Most first dances last two and a half to three and a half minutes. Many songs run longer, so DJs often fade out after the second chorus, or invite the wedding party to join for the final minute. If you are taking dance lessons, ask your instructor to build the routine around a trimmed version so the ending lands cleanly.

Should you take dance lessons?

You do not need lessons to sway, but even one or two sessions help most couples feel less self-conscious. Practice in the shoes you will wear, mark the moment you want the photographer to capture (a dip, a spin, a pause) and agree on what happens when the song ends. If you want a surprise switch to an upbeat medley, rehearse the transition with your DJ.

What about a song written about the two of you?

Every song on this list was written about someone else. A custom first dance song is written about you: how you met, the first date, the proposal, the trips, the inside jokes, the promises. When it starts playing, the guests realize within seconds that it exists only for this moment. See our guides to a custom first dance song and a personalized wedding first dance song, and for the parent dances, our lists of father-daughter dance songs and mother-son dance songs.

How to create your first dance song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: ballad, country, R&B, acoustic, swing and more.
2. Add both of your names, and a child's or pet's if you like.
3. Share three moments from your story, each with one concrete detail.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose the one you want to dance to.

The full song lasts 3 to 4 minutes, the right length for a first dance, and costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3 for your DJ, a gift page with cover art and the lyrics as a PDF.

Dance to a song nobody else has ever danced to: create your first dance song and hear four previews for free.