List of signature songs
A signature song is the one song (or, in some cases, one of a few songs) that a popular and well-established recording artist or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of other songs. There have also been instances where a film actor has acquired a signature song by giving a popular vocal performance in a feature. Signature songs can be the result of spontaneous public identification, or a marketing tool developed by the music industry to promote artists, sell their recordings, and develop a fan base.[1]
Artists and bands with a signature song are often expected to perform it at every concert appearance, usually as an encore on concert tours.[2]
List of signature songs for selected artists
This list is sorted by last name of the artist.
- ABBA – "Dancing Queen"[3]
- Christina Aguilera – "Beautiful"[4]
- AKB48 – "Aitakatta"[5]
- The Animals – "The House of the Rising Sun"[6]
- Rick Astley – "Never Gonna Give You Up"[7]
- A*Teens - "Upside Down"[8]
- Backstreet Boys – "I Want It That Way"[9]
- The B-52's – "Rock Lobster"[10]
- Shirley Bassey – "Goldfinger"[11]
- Bauhaus – "Bela Lugosi's Dead"[12]
- Beck – "Loser"[13]
- Tony Bennett – "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"[14]
- Chuck Berry – "Johnny B. Goode"[15]
- Blue Öyster Cult – "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"[16]
- Bon Jovi – "Livin' on a Prayer"[17]
- Laura Branigan – "Gloria"[18]
- Garth Brooks – "The Dance"[19]
- Jeff Buckley – "Hallelujah"[20]
- Jimmy Buffett – "Margaritaville"[21]
- The Carpenters – "We've Only Just Begun"[22]
- Ray Charles – "What'd I Say"[23]
- Cheap Trick – "I Want You to Want Me"[22]
- Chicago – "Beginnings"[22]
- Petula Clark – "Downtown"[24]
- Confederate Railroad – "Trashy Women"[25]
- Bing Crosby – "White Christmas"[26]
- Billy Ray Cyrus – "Achy Breaky Heart"[27]
- Bobby Darin – "Mack the Knife"[28]
- Sammy Davis Jr. – "I've Gotta Be Me"[29]
- Doris Day – "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)"[30][31]
- Dead Kennedys – "Holiday in Cambodia"[32]
- Def Leppard – "Pour Some Sugar on Me"[33]
- Deep Purple – "Smoke on the Water"[34]
- John Denver - "Take Me Home, Country Roads"[35]
- Diamond Rio – "Meet in the Middle"[36]
- Marlene Dietrich – "Falling In Love Again"[37]
- Celine Dion – "My Heart Will Go On"[38]
- The Doors – "Light My Fire"[39]
- Duran Duran – "Hungry Like the Wolf"[40]
- Eagles – "Hotel California"[41]
- Eminem – "Lose Yourself"[42]
- Brantley Gilbert – "Kick It in the Sticks"[43]
- Girls Aloud – "Biology"[44]
- Goo Goo Dolls – "Iris"[45]
- Lee Greenwood – "God Bless the USA"[46]
- Bill Haley & His Comets – "Rock Around the Clock"[47]
- Bob Hope – "Thanks for the Memory"[48]
- Lena Horne – "Stormy Weather"[49]
- Imagine Dragons - "Radioactive"[50]
- Iron Butterfly – "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"[51]
- Michael Jackson - "Billie Jean"[52]
- Etta James – "At Last"[53]
- Billy Joel – "Piano Man"[54]
- George Jones – "He Stopped Loving Her Today"[55]
- Tom Jones – "It's Not Unusual"[56]
- Journey – "Don't Stop Believin'"[57]
- The Killers – "Mr. Brightside"[58]
- Evelyn "Champagne" King – "Shame"[59]
- The Kingsmen – "Louie, Louie"[60]
- The Kinks – "You Really Got Me"[61]
- Kiss – "Rock and Roll All Nite"[22]
- Gladys Knight & the Pips – "Midnight Train to Georgia"[62]
- Cyndi Lauper – "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"[63]
- Led Zeppelin – "Stairway to Heaven"[64]
- John Lennon – "Imagine"[65]
- Jerry Lee Lewis – "Great Balls of Fire"[66]
- Linkin Park – "In the End"[67]
- Guy Lombardo – "Auld Lang Syne"[68]
- Julie London – "Cry Me a River"[69]
- Loretta Lynn – "Coal Miner's Daughter"[70]
- Lynyrd Skynyrd – "Free Bird"[71]
- Barbara Mandrell – "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool"[72]
- Martina McBride – "Independence Day"[73]
- Don McLean – "American Pie"[74]
- Men at Work – "Down Under"[75]
- Bette Midler – "Wind Beneath My Wings"[76]
- Kylie Minogue – "Can't Get You Out of My Head"[77]
- The Moody Blues – "Nights in White Satin"[22]
- Motörhead – "Ace of Spades"[78]
- Nirvana – "Smells Like Teen Spirit"[79]
- Oasis – "Wonderwall"[80]
- Ozzy Osbourne – "Crazy Train"[81]
- Phish – "You Enjoy Myself"[82][83]
- The Pointer Sisters – "I'm So Excited"[84]
- Lionel Richie – "Hello"[85][86]
- Kenny Rogers – "The Gambler"[87]
- The Rolling Stones – "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"[88]
- Linda Ronstadt – "Blue Bayou"[89]
- Savage Garden – "Truly Madly Deeply"[90]
- Neil Sedaka – "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"[91]
- Semisonic – "Closing Time"[92]
- Artie Shaw – "Begin the Beguine"[93]
- Blake Shelton – "Ol' Red"[94]
- Carly Simon – "You're So Vain"[95]
- Frank Sinatra – "My Way"[96]
- Percy Sledge – "When a Man Loves a Woman"[97]
- Sonny & Cher – "I Got You Babe"[98]
- Spice Girls – "Wannabe"[99][100]
- Britney Spears - "...Baby One More Time"[101]
- Bruce Springsteen – "Born to Run"[102]
- Stefán Karl Stefánsson – "We Are Number One"[103]
- Rod Stewart – "Maggie May"[104]
- George Strait - “Amarillo by Morning” [105]
- T'Pau – "China in Your Hand"[106]
- Eva Tanguay – "I Don't Care"[107]
- James Taylor – "Fire and Rain"[108]
- Shirley Temple – "On the Good Ship Lollipop"[109]
- Tiny Tim – "Tiptoe Through the Tulips"[110][111]
- Conway Twitty – "Hello Darlin'"[112]
- A Tribe Called Quest – "Can I Kick It?"[113]
- Type O Negative – "Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)"[114]
- Carrie Underwood – "Before He Cheats"[115]
- The Verve – "Bitter Sweet Symphony"[116]
- Village People – "Y.M.C.A."[117]
- The Violent Femmes – "Blister in the Sun"[118]
- Andy Williams – "Moon River"[119]
- Bert Williams – "Nobody"[120]
- Robbie Williams – "Angels" [121]
- Amy Winehouse – "Rehab"[122]
- Tammy Wynette – "Stand by Your Man"[123]
- Xscape – "Just Kickin' It"[124]
See also
References
- ↑ Umphlett, Wiley Lee (2004). The Visual Focus of American Media Culture in the Twentieth Century: The Modern Era, 1893–1945. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. p. 157.
This practice soon began equating performers with signature songs as a way to promote and sell recordings and sheet music as well as establish a cult of fans to market these songs to.
- ↑ Prescott, John (2000). A Career in Show Business: Variety Entertainer. Chicago: Institute for Research. p. 8.
And if there's a phrase ... or you have a signature song ... then your audience will probably be disappointed if you don't repeat yourself.
- ↑ Abba Gold. Continuum International Publishing Group. 2004. ISBN 9780826415462.
- ↑ "This Week In Billboard Chart History: Christina Aguilera Tops Pop Songs With 'Beautiful' & More". Billboard. January 6, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Aitakatta * supermerlion". Supermerlion.com. October 25, 2006. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "SEPTEMBER 05, 1964 : "HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN" BY THE ANIMALS TOPS THE U.S. POP CHARTS". History.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Rick Astley". Houston Press. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ↑ "The 10 Most Catchy Teen Pop Songs Of The 90's". 2015.
- ↑ "Here Are Some Fascinating Things You Didn't Know About Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way"". Glamour. April 13, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- ↑ "No. 7: The B-52's, 'Rock Lobster' – Best Popular of All Time". Tasteofcountry.com. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- ↑ "Shirley Bassey: New CD for 'Goldfinger' Diva". npr.org. March 15, 2008. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
- ↑ "Bauhaus". Metropolis Records. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" not only became BAUHAUS' signature song, but an anthem for the gothic rock scene which the band is credited for having spawned.
- ↑ "Beck's Back". Billboard. March 22, 2005. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "His Heart's Still In San Francisco". CBS News. December 21, 2005.
- ↑ "When A Man Loves A Woman". Allmusic. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
- ↑ "The Making Of… Blue Oyster Cult's (Don't Fear) The Reaper – Uncut". Uncut.co.uk. March 1, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Bon Jovi Stunned By Living On A Prayer Success". Contactmusic.com. August 20, 2006. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Gloria on Laura Branigan's life" (PDF). August 8, 2003. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Garth Brooks Official Site". Garthbrooks.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Buckley's Big Voice Built a Loyal Following". NPR. May 29, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Jimmy Buffett sings for Clinton". CNN. August 26, 2000. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Mansour, David. From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia. p. 204. ISBN 0-7407-5118-2.
- ↑ "Ray Charles". Filmbug. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Mini-Biography". Petula Clark.net. October 28, 2000. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Confederate Railroad - Biography & Booking". www.confederaterailroad.net.
- ↑ "Bing-Bio". Bingcrosby.com. October 28, 2000. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
- ↑ "Bill Ray Cyrus Says 'Achy Breaky Heart' Brings People Together". theboot.com. May 19, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
- ↑ "Mack The Knife". Bobbydarin.net. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "Rhno masters Sammy Davis, Jr". Archived from the original on April 5, 2001.
- ↑ "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) by Doris Day". SongFacts.com. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ↑ "Que Sera, Sera lyrics". Octoberfest Songs. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ↑ Ellis, Iain (2008). Rebels Wit Attitude: Subversive Rock Humorists. Soft Skull Press. p. 178. ISBN 9781593763350.
- ↑ "Readers' Poll: The Best Hair Metal Songs of All Time". Rolling Stones. June 20, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ↑ Deep Purple on allmusic (Made in Japan > Overview)
- ↑ Hunt, Chase (June 17, 2015). "John Denver's 10 best songs". AXS. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ↑ "Diamond Rio's 10 best songs".
- ↑ "That Old Feeling: Marlene's Siren Songs". time.com. January 27, 2002. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
- ↑ Caramanica, Jon (September 16, 2008). "Emotions With Exclamation Points". nytimes.com.
- ↑ "The Doors: 10 of the best". The Guardian. June 17, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
- ↑ "Top 5 Duran Duran Songs". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ↑ "Special Event". CNN. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Eminem and company win 'Lose Yourself' copyright suit in New Zealand".
- ↑ "Top 5 Brantley Gilbert Songs". Taste of Country.
- ↑ "8. 'Biology'".
- ↑ Callwood, Brett (2017-07-17). "Goo Goo Dolls Have Kept Some Punk-Rock Spirit". Westword. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
- ↑ "Cnn Live Event/Special". CNN. February 7, 2001. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Story of Bill Haley & the Comets "Rock Around The Clock"". Performing Songwriter. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
- ↑ "Thanks for the Memory". Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ allmusic (The Best of the RCA Years > Overview)
- ↑ "'Radioactive' Explosion: How Imagine Dragons' Hit Has Conquered Multiple Radio Formats". billboard. July 27, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
- ↑ "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly". Toponehitwonders.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Michael Jackson at 60: Ten of the King of Pop's best tracks, from Earth Song to Thriller". The Independent. 2018-08-29. Retrieved 2018-09-03.
- ↑ "Etta James: Biography". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
- ↑ "How Billy Joel became the Piano Man". Jun 2, 2014.
- ↑ Cooper, Peter (May 2, 2013). "George Jones' life proved to be a joyful song". USA Today.
- ↑ Song Review by William Ruhlmann. "It's Not Unusual - Tom Jones | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ Wardlaw, Matt. "Don't Stop Believin' - Journey Guitarist Neal Schon Reflects on the Classic Rock Band's Generation-Spanning Legacy | Music Feature | Cleveland Scene". Clevescene.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "The 10 Best Songs by The Killers".
- ↑ Hogan, Ed. "Review of 'Shame' by Evelyn 'Champagne' King". Allmusic. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ↑ "Kingsmen Finally Cash in on "Louie Louie"".
- ↑ "You Really Got Me". Salon. July 24, 2002. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Gladys Knight on biography.com". Retrieved March 29, 2012.
- ↑ "As Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' Turns 30, It's Embraced By A New Generation". radio.com. June 4, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ↑ "Official band website". Ledzeppelin.com. April 27, 1977. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "Imagine: John Lennon's signature song". Retrieved July 11, 2014.
- ↑ Fish, George. "Jerry Lee Lewis at 70".
- ↑ "No. 2: Linkin Park, 'In the End' – Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs". Retrieved December 1, 2017.
- ↑ "Welcome to Producers, Inc". Producersinc.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "Julie London at Brian's Drive-In Theater". Briansdriveintheater.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "Lynn fights for her songs". Archived from the original on December 9, 2004.
- ↑ "Lynyrd Skynyrd Biography". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- ↑ "News : 20 Questions With Barbara Mandrell". CMT. October 18, 2006. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Don McLean on pop and 'American Pie'". Retrieved February 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Australia Photos". worldatlas.com. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
- ↑ "Wind Beneath My Wings [Laserlight #1] by Judy Collins – AOL Music". Music.aol.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "Can't Get You Out of My Head". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
- ↑ Tom Maginnis. "Ace of Spades - Motörhead | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "'Nevermind' is ever-covered, spoofed". Usatoday.com. September 22, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Behind The Song: Oasis, "Wonderwall"". American Songwriter. August 4, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ↑ "Top 10 Ozzy Osbourne Songs". Ultimateclassicrock.com. December 3, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Morning After Phish: Halfway Between Erie And Pittsburgh". L4LM. 24 June 2012.
- ↑ "Pharewell My Friend: Phish Says Farewell At Coventry". JamBase. 24 August 2004. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ↑ "The Pointer Sisters Appreciation Feature". soulmusic.com. January 1, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
- ↑ Casamento, Jo. "Working Whit". SMH.
- ↑ Jasen, David A. (2013). A Century of American Popular Music. Routledge. p. 73. ISBN 9781135352646.
- ↑ "Flashback: Kenny Rogers Introduces the Gambler". rollingstone.com. November 14, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Satisfaction is 'top Stones song'". news.bbc.co.uk. August 17, 2006. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
- ↑ "Top 5 Linda Ronstadt Songs". Taste of Country.
- ↑ "Whammo.com.au Encyclopedia Entry for Savage Garden|'Savage Garden' entry". Archived from the original on August 13, 2004. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
- ↑ Joe Viglione. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do - Neil Sedaka | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Semisonic Singer Dan Wilson Explains His 11-Year Rule". Rockdirt.com/. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
- ↑ Prial, Frank J. (August 18, 1994). "AT HOME WITH: Artie Shaw; Literary Life, After Ending the Beguine". The New York Times.
- ↑ "AdaEveningNews.com - Ada, Oklahoma - Blake Shelton: Celebrating Country Life". April 29, 2009. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009.
- ↑ Paul Simpson. The rough guide to cult pop. p. 83.
- ↑ "My Way". Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
- ↑ Hendershot, Steve (October 7, 2005). "Percy Sledge is still in love with "When a Man Loves a Woman"". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ↑ "Celebrity Lawmaker Wore Renewed Fame Lightly". CNN. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ Reed, Ryan (March 18, 2017). "Watch Mel C Perform Spice Girls' 'Wannabe' With 'School of Rock'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ↑ Rigby, Sam (July 8, 2016). "Why Spice Girls' Wannabe is the catchiest song of all time". BBC. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ↑ https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8096637/britney-spears-baby-one-more-time-this-week-in-billboard-chart-history-1999
- ↑ "Bruce Springsteen's 'Born to Run' Turns 40: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ↑ "We Are Number One But What Is It?? And Why???". December 18, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
- ↑ "Sarah McLachlan to perform at autism benefit". Livedaily.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country-lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-george-strait-songs-169795/amarillo-by-morning-166705/
- ↑ "Carol Decker of T'Pau : Songwriter Interviews". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
- ↑ Sochen, June (2007). From Mae to Madonna: Women Entertainers in Twentieth-century America. University Press of Kentucky. p. 45. ISBN 9780813129334.
- ↑ "Fire and Rain - James Taylor | Song Info". AllMusic. May 13, 1981. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Shirley Temple Black, child star who became diplomat, dies at 85". Reuters. February 11, 2017 – via Reuters.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ "No. 18: Conway Twitty, 'Hello Darlin" – Top 100 Country Songs". Tasteofcountry.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "25 YEARS LATER: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST'S 'PEOPLE'S INSTINCTIVE TRAVELS AND THE PATHS OF RHYTHM' ALBUM STILL HOLDS WEIGHT". theboombox.com. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- ↑ "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time: 53. Type O Negative, 'Bloody Kisses' (1993)". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
- ↑ "No. 7: Carrie Underwood, 'Before He Cheats' – Top Country Songs of the Century". Tasteofcountry.com. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
- ↑ "Richard Ashcroft – From urban hymns to united nations". The Independent.
- ↑ John Wilson. "The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst". Books.google.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ [ https://books.google.com/books/about/Billboard.html?id=Aw4EAAAAMBAJ. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ allmusic (16 Biggest Hits > Overview)
- ↑ "Bert Williams – Free Music Downloads, Videos, Lyrics, CDs, MP3s, Bio, Merchandise and Links". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "Robbie Williams won't be playing this iconic song any more".
- ↑ "Mix104.1". Mix1041.radio.com. July 25, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ↑ Greg Adams (August 28, 1968). "Stand by Your Man - Tammy Wynette | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ↑ "The 50 Best 90s R&B SongsXscape "Just Kickin' It" (1993)". Complex. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
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