Mention the word “prom” to any high school student or fresh graduate and you get an amalgam of different accounts – some loved it, some loathed it, and some didn’t really mind. Funny, though, that when I asked myriad high schoolers what they liked (and didn’t) about prom, most mentioned the music.
Small wonder – we teens grow up holding music dear to our hearts, as not only does it leave you with the vibe you want, it sometimes conveys our feelings on life and love better than we can. So with that “criteria” in mind, here are 10 of the best* fast/up-tempo prom dance tracks around (listed in no particular order!) to leave those at your school’s prom feeling good at the event.
Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson and D.O.E – The Way I Are
Although he’s been a producer for eons, it wasn’t till 2006 when Timothy Mosely (or better known as Timbaland) took the world by storm by producing and being featured on addictive tracks (like “SexyBack”) for artists such as Justin Timberlake. Released in 2007, “The Way I Are” strikes you with its heavy yet danceable bass-synth beats. Besides being uptempo, the lyrics hit home with “cos’ I like you just the way you are”, which is what we’re dying to hear as we long for acceptance in this world – regardless of our status or wealth.
Kelly Rowland – Work (Freemasons Remix)
Move over Beyonce – Kelly brings some pretty good competition to the R&B; table with this hit! The original mix was good, but the Punjabi-influenced remix by the Freemasons (a production team from England) takes this song to a whole new level. Kelly also drives a good point with the lyrics, which remind guys (or maybe girls as well) “don’t come around” unless you’re going to live up to your talk. Put some “work” into the relationship – even Kelly herself says so about the track.
Rihanna – Don’t Stop the Music
She’s done the catchy “Pon De Replay”, then the decent slow tracks “Unfaithful” & “Hate that I Love You”… now she takes us back to the dance floor with “Don’t Stop the Music”. This is a hot thumping dance track with strong house beats and a sing-along groove, and it’s from an awfully versatile R&B; singer who’s already captured the hearts of people around the world. It’s guaranteed to be a hit at the dance – what more can you want?
Fall Out Boy – Dance Dance
Put some variety on the playlist with a dance-rock song! The rhythm of this track by this versatile rock band is fast yet fun, as well as dance-friendly, and for those song-lyric-dissectors out there, the lyrics in this track really identify with a typical high school student’s (love) life and woes. Why, even the homecoming-themed music video for this track screams “totally fit for this occasion!
Kanye West – Stronger
The French electro-disco duo Daft Punk did pretty well with their original song “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”, but throw in the controversial producer/rapper Kanye West (along with his permanent lack of humility) to shake things up – and you can be sure you’ve got something phenomenal on the dance floor! Kanye takes hip hop back to its roots with this track as the heavy-electro synth reminds us all that electro played a key part in the revolution of hip-hop music. The song’s “in your face” lyrics also send a pretty strong message which fits prom-goers well, because I’m pretty sure for most of us, “that that that that that don’t kill (us) – can only make (us) stronger” in life.
Los del Rio – Macarena
Why not have a “retro” moment – turn back the clock with this funky late 90’s hit! I’m pretty sure most people have seen/learnt the dance at some point in their lives, and if not, it’s a good excuse for friends to teach each other. It makes for real good fun for everyone, and it’s timeless too.
Britney Spears – Piece of Me
Sure, she might not be the best role model around Tinseltown, but she’s done a good job with this track in reminding us all that paparazzi/media scrutiny is a big pain – so teens, if you’re looking to be famous in the future, remember the baggage that comes with it! That aside, it’s a groovy synth-pop track – and I bet the repeated tongue-in-cheek “you want a piece of me?” phrase is one of those “catchphrases” most of us teens can identify with.
Hilary Duff – With Love
I’m sure most American teens (OK, mostly the girls) grew up watching a Hilary Duff show/film sometime or other. Well, if you’ve loved the stuff from her albums Hilary Duff and Metamorphosis and, this track is a pretty big change from what you may be used to. It doesn’t make it any less good, though; the beats have that “hand-clapping/finger-snapping” feel to them, along with a good mix of electronic “bleeps” (again, electro influence like Kanye’s track!) Hilary’s vocals are supported by a great crunchy dance-rock guitar line in the hook, and the lyrics speak for some of us – we sometimes feel that it’s that special someone who keeps us sane when our life’s going crazy.
Kat DeLuna feat. Elephant Man – Whine Up
This fresh new face has done pretty well for her debut, and even managed to clinch the number 1 spot on Billboard USA’s Hot Dance Club Play list with this track. No wonder, as the hot summery dance tempo infused with Elephant Man’s house beats and some Latino influence (in the rap) by Kat make for an awesome, catchy track. Kat herself says she’s made a dance with the same name (the Whine Up) to go with this track as well, so check that out – who knows, you might see some avid fans of the song just doing the Whine Up on the dance floor! It’s a general feel-good song in its own right.
Basshunter – Now You’re Gone
If it makes the computer-geeks out there feel better (I’m raising my hand here), the Swedish producer-cum-singer Basshunter himself is also a self-proclaimed computer “nerd”. Having dabbled in music production with Fruity Loops in 1999, he released his first album via his home page back in 2004. Most of his songs bear references to “geek-culture” (like IRC and DotA), although “Now You’re Gone” is an exception. This track, which he dubs as “Eurodance” music (although it can be classed as electro + techno club music) uses the same music as his 2006 Swedish hit “Boten Anna” (about an IRC bot), but the tempo + key has been changed, and the English lyrics talk about a couple’s separation – which I bet is something some of us experience and struggle with. A floor-filling track with strong dance beats, plus some life-friendly lyrics – perfect!
*Disclaimer: Of course, this is an opinion-based article – so “best” is pretty relative, depending on your tastes. Look at this article as more of a recommendation. The title does say “playlist ideas,” anyway.
References:
Wikipedia (http://wikipedia.org) for general reference, clarification of some song titles and some artist information.
About.com’s “Top 40/Pop” (http://top40.about.com) for “With Love”, “Stronger” and “Don’t Stop the Music”
