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What’s the quickest way to get into wedding mode and rev up the excitement ahead of your big day? Turning up the speakers and blasting some of your favourite tunes, of course! Mix up the most addictive pop-rock with emotive, poignant power ballads and you will find yourself in instant celebration mode. Wind down from all that planning and enjoy what it’s all about with our top fifteen wedding prep song picks.
1) Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”
An absolute belter of a song to boogie to, immediately likeable, upbeat and up-tempo – this tune will have everybody throwing shapes on the dance floor in record time. The perfect ice-breaking tune to get the party started.
2) Journey, “Don’t Stop Believin’”
The original and best of power ballad rock tunes guaranteed to be loved intensely by everybody who has had a few drinks. A retro, classic air guitar tune that will never go out of fashion and is full of fist-bumping emotion.
3) Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
This song is about happiness and is so infectiously brilliant it will make any wedding stresses feel like a breeze. Clap your hands if you know what happiness means to you.
4) Whitney Houston, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”
The original and best. Everybody wants to dance with somebody at weddings and now you can look forward to doing exactly that for your first dance with your new hubby. Perfect wedding power balladry – we dare you not to sing along.
5) Neil Diamond, “Sweet Caroline”
You can’t beat a dose of Neil Diamond ahead of a wedding celebration. This tune unites young and old on the dance floor and is another certified feel good number that will have you singing along with gusto. Saccharine but still cool.
6) Taylor Swift, “Shake it Off”
This is beyond catchy dance floor-filling musical fare loaded with chirpy bubblegum pop charm. Everybody secretly loves a dose of Taylor Swift whether they admit it or not. Turn it up.
7) Bon Jovi, “Livin’ On A Prayer”
It’s basically the law that Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” are played at all the best parties at a hearty volume with everybody belting out the time-honoured lyrics with a serious amount of commitment. Bon Jovi are the godfathers of somewhat cheesy but democratically appealing pop-rock euphoria, and perfect companions for gearing you up to your wedding day.
8) Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling”
Another true ear-worm of a song from the American alt-pop purveyors of humoured riffs and rap, everybody knows this tune even if they only realise it several bars in. A cool dance track set to an infectiously pulsing beat.
9) AC/DC, “You Shook Me All Night Long”
Anthemic, feel-good, brilliantly rhythmic and demanding fist-bumping, joyous singing along and – if you bring your bridal party over for a pre-wedding shindig – possibly also a lot of well lubricated people doing the conga.
10) Bruno Mars, “Marry You”
This is obviously perfectly apt as well as being one of the greatest catchy nuptial-themed pop tunes, perhaps of all time. A second entry from Bruno Mars whose entire back catalogue is so intensely feel good and wedding preparation perfect.
11) Van Morrison, “Brown Eyed Girl”
You’ve got to have a contribution from the local godfather of folk-pop, troubadour Van the Man. This is Van at his coolest and best. Heart-warming, melodic and iconic.
12) Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”
A gorgeously emotive ballad about love enduring into old age. Beautifully melodic, pitch-perfect lyrics and an achingly brilliant lyrical chorus that makes it difficult not to feel moved, this is the best of Ed Sheeran balladry.
13) John Legend, “All of Me”
A slightly slower and plaintive ballad about love that is poignantly beautiful while still retaining pop appeal. A nice tempo change from all the upbeat pop-rock tracks.
14) Katy Perry, “Firework”
A wondrous power pop ballad that makes for a great pre-wedding music-fest, rising to its crescendo with brilliant power.
15) Outcast, “Hey Ya”
Fantastic R&B themed pop-rock at its best with memorable lyrics and a chorus that completely demands living room dancing. High-octane, fast-paced and utterly feel-good music, nobody can resist throwing crazy shapes to “Hey Ya” – you’ll be in excitement mode in no time.
By Jo Greene, Excalibur Press
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