It's New Year's Eve, and that means you're probably going to a party or getting ready to host one. Either way, everyone knows that the soundtrack to your celebration has to be on point.
Sure, you could just stick to Top 40 hits or classic party favorites, but where's the fun in that? New Year's Eve is a holiday, after all, and that means it deserves some festive music, too.
"Auld Lang Syne" may be the only traditional New Year's Eve song that comes to mind, but there are in fact plenty of tunes perfect for ringing in the New Year. We're all just waiting for the moment when the clock strikes midnight, and we turn into pumpkins, er, it's the official start of the New Year. Why not play some music that celebrates that? Here are 17 songs about midnight that are perfect for any New Year's Eve bash.
1. "In the Midnight Hour" by Wilson Pickett
This classic soul song will get everyone at your party up on their feet.
2. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" by ABBA
Many people at the party may be thinking this when midnight hits.
3. "Midnight Sun" by Ella Fitzgerald
Some Ella Fitzgerald is perfect for any occasion, especially if you want to initiate a slow dance into the New Year at your party.
4. "The Joker" by Steve Miller Band
The chorus of this song famously includes the lyrics, "I'm a joker, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight toker."
5. "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips
This is possibly the most famous song with "midnight" in the title, as it should be.
6. "Midnight Rambler" by The Rolling Stones
The bluesy side of The Rolling Stones is out in full force on "Midnight Rambler."
7. "After Midnight" by Eric Clapton
This song will help you groove into the New Year and never let you stop.
8. "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" by Jimi Hendrix
See above.
9. "Midnight Memories" by One Direction
For the kids.
10. "Midnight" by Coldplay
The only thing trippier than this song off of Coldplay's latest album Ghost Stories is its music video.
11. "Memory" (from the musical Cats) by Betty Buckley
"Midnight, not a sound from the pavement / Has the moon lost her memory? / She is smiling alone." So begins this beautiful showtune that you should put on if everyone at your party wants to have a good cry.
12. "Walking After Midnight" by Patsy Cline
For those who want a honky tonk New Year.
13. "Sister Midnight" by Iggy Pop
This song will probably make perfect sense once you hit that point when you're really sleep deprived on New Year's Eve.
14. "Midnight Rider" by The Allman Brothers Band
Put this on when it seems like your guests need a pick-me-up.
15. "Midnight" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Always a crowd pleaser.
16. "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
By this point of the party, you will probably all want to take "the midnight train goin' anywhere."
17. "Midnight Voyage" by The Mamas & The Papas
This dreamy ditty is the perfect song to lull you to sleep after a long night of partying hard.
And here's a Spotify playlist featuring all of the songs so you can easily get the party going tonight.
