ABBA&x27;s &x27;Dancing Queen&x27; Tops List of Best Prom Songs Jason BrowSun, March 1, 2026 at 1:30 PM UTC 0 (Photo by Alex Henderson on Getty Images) The weather is starting to warm up, and spring break is in a few weeks. That means one thing: prom season will soon be here! It's the yearly time of making magical memories, wild limo rides, heartfelt romance, being young, and above all else— dancing! After all, what is a prom without dancing? And while trends have changed throughout the decades, some timeless classics always find their way on the playlist.
ABBA's 'Dancing Queen' Tops List of Best Prom Songs
Jason BrowSun, March 1, 2026 at 1:30 PM UTC
0
(Photo by Alex Henderson on Getty Images)
The weather is starting to warm up, and spring break is in a few weeks. That means one thing: prom season will soon be here! It's the yearly time of making magical memories, wild limo rides, heartfelt romance, being young, and above all else— dancing!
After all, what is a prom without dancing? And while trends have changed throughout the decades, some timeless classics always find their way on the playlist. As seen on uDiscoverMusic's list of "The 25 Best Prom Songs to Dance The Night Away," there are some meme-worthy songs, like Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" (for all the Back to the Future fans), and sincere bops like Beach Bunny's "Prom Queen."
This year's prom playlist will likely have a lot of Bad Bunnyon it, thanks to his recent Album of the Year win at the Grammys and groundbreaking Super Bowl performance. So expect to hear "DtMF" alongside the John Hughes-approved OMD's "If You Leave" (No. 10 on the list) and Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" (No. 9).
Billy Idol was once again nominated for the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame in 2026; he has certified himself in the Prom Playlist Hall of Fame with his song, "Dancing With Myself" (No. 8). He joins two other '80s superstars with Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" (for those slow dances) and David Bowie's "Let's Dance" at No. 7 and 6, respectively.
Disco reigns supreme in the list's top 5. Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing" and Donna Summer's "Last Dance" come in at No. 5 and 4; Lady Gaga's "Let's Dance," once ranked the "catchiest pop song of all time," is at No. 3, while Robyn's "Dancing On My Own" is at No. 2.
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So, who is no. 1? Why, it's Abba, of course.
"This entry's placement at No.1 is a no-brainer," writes the team behind the list. "You can't have a playlist of the best prom songs (or any playlist at all) without ABBA. 'Dancing Queen' is distilled Euro-pop perfection – has one song ever contained so much pure joy? Even the most sullen teen at prom is not immune to ABBA."
Even Gene Simmons praised ABBA's "undeniable songwriting" (per Guitar.com)
Released in 1976 as the lead single from ABBA's fourth album, Arrival, "Dancing Queen" reached No. 1 in over a dozen countries, including the United States, making it ABBA's only No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the song's 40th anniversary, The Guardiandubbed "Dancing Queen" as "the best pop song ever."
"'Dancing Queen' is beautifully produced: catchy and euphoric, the perfect backdrop for a song that encapsulates the carefree bliss of youth," wrote editor Tom Jonze. "The sonic euphoria mirrors the freedom that the dancefloor can bring."
As "Dancing Queen" turns 50 in 2026, it remains one of the most popular songs of all time. On Spotify alone, it has 1.9 billion streams, and will certainly cross the two-billion mark as teens across the world don their fancy dresses, pin on their corsages, and head off to prom.
Related: 1968 No. 1 Hit Was the Longest Running Rock Single of the '60s
This story was originally published by Parade on Mar 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: March 1, 2026 at 11:45AM on Source: PRIME TIME
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