I'd say Wannabe and All Fired Up are some of the most famous songs

All Fired Up, good one :lol:

I think we’re all agreed that All Fired Up wins the thread and everything else is vying for 2nd. :D

 

Coming back to the Christmas theme, I’d say We Wish You A Merry Christmas, The Twelve Days Of Christmas and maybe some carols are actually more universally recognisable than any of the classic pop hits.

All Fired Up :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

This has been a really interesting thread to read and reflect on!

 

If we are including traditional songs I'd say Auld Lang Syne must be pretty much universally known at least in English speaking countries. I also know the melody has been adapted in parts of Europe and also Japan for sporting anthems and similar.

 

On another note, My Heart Will Go On must also be extremely well heard given Titanic is one of the highest grossing films of all time, has been seen all over the world and still continues to be popular with younger people.

Edited December 9, 20213 yr by Waverly Wizard

Tbh I've thought of the real answer. A song literally every human on Earth has heard whether or not they realise it.

 

John Cage - 4'33"

Tbh I've thought of the real answer. A song literally every human on Earth has heard whether or not they realise it.

 

John Cage - 4'33"

 

D-Block Europe's entire discography should have taken inspiration from that track.

Tbh I've thought of the real answer. A song literally every human on Earth has heard whether or not they realise it.

 

John Cage - 4'33"

It's an alright song but it doesn't really go anywhere for me.

Yes it is, and it is FAR FAR FAAAR bettee than Wham's Easter dirge.

And Mariah's Easter dirge

Just looked up Macarena to see how well regarded it really is now and surprisingly the original version has now far eclipsed the remix that was the UK/US hit single, by 156m:34m, and their top listeners are from Spanish speaking countries Mexico, Chile and Spain - clearly they never considered it as much as a novelty song as we did.

 

Then there was also a Tyga interpolation of the song not too long ago that was also big in Spanish speaking countries but not much of a US hit and did nothing here.

Small belated correction here - the 4:12 album version of the remix has its plays combined with the original, so the 156m is for both combined, while the 34m is just for the shorter 3:44 version of the remix. It may well be true that the original is outdoing the remix (perhaps partly due to being the most obvious thing to click on if you search 'Macarena' and don't know the details of specific versions, like how 'Hey There Delilah' and 'Cupid's Chokehold' were both hits in slightly re-recorded versions but the originals come up first), but you can't tell for sure either way :P

In my mind 'Jingle Bells' seems like the most well-known Christmas song, if not the most famous overall, but it depends whether you'd count that or not.

 

Stuff like 'Take On Me', 'I Will Survive', 'Dancing Queen', 'Don't You Want Me' and 'The Best' all seem enduring (inescapable) and hugely known on a cross-generational level.

You can add 'Never Gonna Give You Up' to this too!

 

Of course it is All fired up :lol:

And Mariah's Easter dirge

 

??

 

Last Easter is literally an Easter song. AIWFIY, from its very conception as two notes on Mariah's piano, was and always has been a joyous, classic Christmas track. Sorry, Whamer.

 

All I Want For Easter Is You is the most contrived dirge of all the Easter classics.

In my mind 'Jingle Bells' seems like the most well-known Christmas song, if not the most famous overall, but it depends whether you'd count that or not.

 

You can add 'Never Gonna Give You Up' to this too!

 

I would say ‘Silent Night’ well known since 1815!

Blinding Lights is now the biggest song in the history of the world ever made, so there's your answer x

 

in the US only.... it wasnt that huge in other countries

Surely things like the Tetris theme tune are more famous than any pop song? It's sold hundreds of millions of copies, been very popular for decades and people have listened to it on loop for dozens of hours, unlike the standard pop song which people like which they might listen to a couple hundred times altogether.

To add my two cents, I think for non-streaming/radio people the (modern) Christmas songs you know depend very much on the Christmas albums you listen to. Up until 2015 I thought All I Want For Christmas Is You was originally by Samantha Mumba!