45 New Year's Eve Songs, From Midnight Classics to Party Anthems

What song is always played on New Year's Eve?

"Auld Lang Syne" is the song sung at midnight around the world, from Scottish pubs to Times Square. Guy Lombardo's big-band version was the American standard for decades, and Mariah Carey's dance remix, "Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)", is the modern favorite. In Times Square, John Lennon's "Imagine" plays just before the ball drops, and Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" follows the countdown.

Classic New Year's Eve songs

1. "Auld Lang Syne", traditional: the midnight song, from Guy Lombardo's version to Mariah Carey's remix.
2. "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?", Ella Fitzgerald: a hopeful question to someone special.
3. "Happy New Year", ABBA: a bittersweet look at the morning after the party.
4. "New Year's Day", U2: an early-80s rock classic.
5. "New Year's Day", Taylor Swift: about the person who stays to help clean up.
6. "It's Just Another New Year's Eve", Barry Manilow: a gentle reminder that the next year can be better.
7. "Same Old Lang Syne", Dan Fogelberg: a chance meeting on the last nights of the year.
8. "New Year's Resolution", Otis Redding and Carla Thomas: a soul duet about starting fresh together.
9. "Let's Start the New Year Right", Bing Crosby: Irving Berlin's song from Holiday Inn.
10. "Imagine", John Lennon: played in Times Square just before midnight.
11. "New York, New York", Frank Sinatra: the post-countdown anthem in Times Square.

New Year's Eve party anthems

12. "1999", Prince: the original end-of-the-year party song.
13. "Celebration", Kool & the Gang: the party starter.
14. "I Gotta Feeling", Black Eyed Peas: it is going to be a good night.
15. "Raise Your Glass", P!nk: made for the toast.
16. "Shut Up and Dance", Walk the Moon: gets every age on the floor.
17. "Hey Ya!", OutKast: impossible to stand still.
18. "Uptown Funk", Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars: a guaranteed dance floor.
19. "Get Lucky", Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams: a smooth groove for the late hours.
20. "I Wanna Dance with Somebody", Whitney Houston: pure joy.
21. "24K Magic", Bruno Mars: for dressing up and showing off.
22. "Dynamite", Taio Cruz: a hands-in-the-air party hit.
23. "Good Feeling", Flo Rida: high energy for the last hour.
24. "Party Rock Anthem", LMFAO: shuffling optional.
25. "Dancing Queen", ABBA: everyone sings it.
26. "Mr. Brightside", The Killers: the sing-along that lasts past midnight.

Countdown and midnight songs

27. "The Final Countdown", Europe: the dramatic build-up to ten seconds to go.
28. "Countdown", Beyoncé: for a playful countdown.
29. "Midnight City", M83: big, glowing and perfect at 11:59.
30. "Firework", Katy Perry: for when the fireworks start.
31. "One More Time", Daft Punk: the first song of the new year.
32. "Kiss Me", Sixpence None the Richer: for the midnight kiss.
33. "The Way You Look Tonight", Frank Sinatra: a slow dance just after midnight.

Songs about new beginnings

34. "Feeling Good", Nina Simone: a new dawn, a new day.
35. "Here Comes the Sun", The Beatles: light after a long winter.
36. "This Will Be Our Year", The Zombies: a 60s song full of hope.
37. "In the New Year", The Walkmen: an indie song about the year ahead.
38. "The New Year", Death Cab for Cutie: a wry look at resolutions.
39. "One More Year", Tame Impala: about breaking the same old routine.
40. "Unwritten", Natasha Bedingfield: the rest of the story is yours.
41. "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)", Green Day: grateful for the year that was.

Vintage songs for a New Year's Eve dinner party

42. "Sing, Sing, Sing", Benny Goodman: big-band energy.
43. "In the Mood", Glenn Miller: a swing classic.
44. "Cheek to Cheek", Fred Astaire: elegant and romantic.
45. "Let's Face the Music and Dance", Nat King Cole: a toast to whatever comes next.

A New Year's Eve playlist, hour by hour

• 8 p.m., dinner: the vintage songs, Ella Fitzgerald and soft soul.
• 10 p.m., warming up: "Celebration", "Hey Ya!", "Get Lucky".
• 11 p.m., the peak: "Mr. Brightside", "Uptown Funk", "I Gotta Feeling".
• 11:58 p.m.: "The Final Countdown" or "Midnight City", then a spoken countdown.
• Midnight: "Auld Lang Syne", then the first song of the year.
• After midnight: one slow dance, then back to the anthems.

What is the most played song on New Year's Eve?

"Auld Lang Syne" is played more than any other song at midnight, but streaming data shows party songs dominate the rest of the night: "Mr. Brightside", "Dancing Queen", "Uptown Funk" and "I Gotta Feeling" appear on almost every New Year's playlist. For the first song after midnight, many DJs choose something with a big, joyful opening so the room starts the year dancing.

Inspirational New Year songs

For a quieter, more hopeful start to the year, choose songs about resolve and fresh starts: "Feeling Good", "Rise Up" by Andra Day, "Hall of Fame" by The Script, "Unwritten" and "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten. They also work well over a vision-board session or a first-morning walk.

Songs with New Year in the title

If you want a playlist where every song names the holiday: "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?", "Happy New Year", "New Year's Day" by U2 and the one by Taylor Swift, "It's Just Another New Year's Eve", "New Year's Resolution", "Let's Start the New Year Right", "In the New Year" and "The New Year". Mix them with a few party songs so the energy does not dip.

A quiet New Year's Eve at home

Not everyone wants a club. For a night in with a partner or a few friends, play the vintage songs over dinner, "Same Old Lang Syne" and "Happy New Year" with dessert, and "The Way You Look Tonight" for a slow dance in the living room at midnight.

New Year's Eve songs for a wedding

A New Year's Eve wedding has a built-in grand finale. Plan the last dance just before midnight with "The Way You Look Tonight" or "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?", lead the countdown, then open the year with "Celebration" or "Dancing Queen". See our lists of first dance songs and last dance songs.

New Year songs for Instagram stories

For a year-in-review reel, pick a song that builds: "Midnight City", "A Sky Full of Stars" or "Unwritten" over a quick montage of the year's photos. For the countdown clip itself, a few seconds of "The Final Countdown" or "Firework" is instantly recognizable.

New Year's Eve songs for kids

Many families celebrate a "noon year's eve" with young children: a countdown at 12 p.m. with "Happy" by Pharrell, "Can't Stop the Feeling!" and "Firework", a balloon drop and the traditional "Auld Lang Syne" sung all together. Everyone is in bed on time, and the kids still get their countdown.

A song about your year together

The last night of the year is the best moment to look back. A personalized song can tell the story of your year: the trip, the new job, the move, the baby, the hard months you got through together. Play it before midnight for your partner, or send it to someone you love as the year turns. See our guide to a New Year's song for someone you love and our personal New Year gift ideas.

How to create a New Year's song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: pop, swing, acoustic, R&B and more.
2. Add up to three names.
3. Share three moments from your year, 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 your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Ring in the new year with a song about yours: create a New Year's song and hear four previews for free.