What does New Years mean to you? Is it a celebration of change, a remembrance of past things, or is it just cause to drink and dance your face off? Whatever connotations New Year’s Eve holds for you, we have the song to fit your mood or motivation. Here are 16 of the jams from this and other years that you should be playing during your NYE party. Now, save some champagne for us.
Nas – “Drunk by Myself”
Besides being a thrilling gem off of an under appreciated album, Nas’ “Drunk by Myself” is the ode to your lonely struggle as you sit and drink by yourself on New Year’s Eve. I wish that situation on no one, and hopefully if you are drinking by yourself on NYE, it’s only because you got out of work late or prefer solitude. Either way, tip the bottom of the glass/bottle toward the sky, allow the warm juice to simmer you insides, and count that mother*cking ball down by your lonesome like a boss. –Dariel Figueroa
Diet Cig – “Scene Sick”
Diet Cig’s debut EP Over Easy is smart enough to keep it short, sweet, and rocking, but “Scene Sick,” with its general ethos of just wanting to dance, is perfect for any sort of party situation wherein dancing is your primary goal. — Chris Morgan
Fabolous feat. French Montana – “Ball Drop”
The song’s title explains it all but this Young OG original just feels equally like a reflection on the days past and an optimistic view of the ones ahead that takes a minute to raise a glass to toast both in the here and now. I always feel like you have a 50/50 shot when French gets involved with a song and “Ball Drop” is one of those times where his sing-songy chorus and verse mesh perfectly with the vibe. Unsurprisingly, Fab brings his best bars to the table. — Gotty
MNEK – “One Thousand Years”
https://soundcloud.com/mnek-1/mnek-a-thousand-miles-refix
Don’t wait too long to play this wild mashup that starts off as a clap-heavy transformation of Vanessa Carlton’s dreamy piano ballad, “A Thousand Miles,” into a club appropriate jam before raiding the room with a synth-heavy remake of the B-52’s classic ’80s party track, “Love Shack.” Your guests are going to be primed for the rest of your playlist while at the same time excited and curious about where you’re going to go next. — Jason Tabrys
Titus Andronicus – “Dimed Out”
This was probably my favorite song of the entire year, filled with so much energy and so much attitude. All the NYE parties I’ve been to in the past have included mostly the same songs, full of hip hop tracks to get people dancing. Well, this is the year to change it up. Patrick Stickles nails it and if “Dimed Out” isn’t included in your New Years Eve playlist then I don’t want to be at your party. — James Sullivan
J.D. McPherson – “Let the Good Times Roll”
This song makes me want to drink, like recklessly. Like with little to no consequences. Like I might not make it to breakfast the next day and if I do, I will probably not be much for conversation. So I can think of no better song to blast as we ring in the new year than this song — blast being the operative word. It’s a flipping travesty to play this song at anything lower than damn near super high volume. — Ryan O’ Connell
Major Lazer – “Lean On” Feat. DJ Snake & Mø
Major Lazer’s ubiquitous “Lean On” was the runner-up on both our Song of the Summer bracket and Best Singles of 2015 list for good reason. The instantly recognizable track features a moombathon and tropical house influenced beat which is certain to fill the dance floor. And with an infectious chorus sung by Danish singer MØ, it’s the perfect way to relive the best memories of 2015, and create new ones in 2016. — Eddie Fu
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
This year was an exhausting time to be alive, and what better way to declare victory over a turbulent time than Kendrick Lamar’s anthem of self-acceptance, “Alright.” One of the defining tracks of 2015 that has gained immense popularity within the movement against police brutality, “Alright” doubles as a song of reflection and a song of celebration, embracing everything that New Year’s is all about. Not to mention, the “I’m f*cked up, you f*cked up” bridge unintentionally aligns perfectly with this alcohol-centric celebration. — Ryan Alfieri
Travi$ Scott, Justin Bieber, and Young Thug – “Maria I’m Drunk”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct3WNYDXflc
A song with Travi$ and Thugger Thugger will never qualify as brain food but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t feel like a long hazy night should. Dedicated to all those drunk and/or emo texts that you’re going to send out late into New Year’s Eve and wake up to regret on New Year’s Day. — Gotty
Pitbull Feat. Chris Brown — “Fun”
While Pitbull may not be the most critically acclaimed rapper and Chris Brown is about as unpopular as a person can be while still being relevant in music, when these two artists make a song together you can expect it to be a dance club staple. The 2015 hit, Fun, only made it to No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this year but kept the streak of the frequent collaborator’s club hits alive. The song is titled appropriately as Fun is all they are about. They ask everyone they’re with to dance, drink, and live a little before the night is over. People celebrating and bringing in the New Year fit that bill and will be inclined to have the same kinds of fun that Pitbull and Chris Brown are having. Live a little and listen to this jam while having some F.U.N. Fun. –– Spencer Linstead
OutKast – “Player’s Ball (Remix)”
Oh sure, it’s technically a Christmas song, and some of Andre and Big Boi’s plans might not coincide with ringing in the New Year. But most of the final verse does and it ending with a New Year’s countdown is enough of an excuse to add this to the playlist. Plus by the time you get to this cut, everyone should be drunkenly vibing to the piano and Sleepy Brown’s hook anyways. — Chet Manley
Huey Lewis And The News – “Heart And Soul”
Why, you ask? Because it is the best of Lewis’ tunes in his hey day and features the kind of lady that makes life interesting. Using people till the early morning hours? Sounds great. The idea that we got so many pop tunes that reference sex in the eighties is a blessing. As a second choice, I’d go with “Waterloo” by ABBA. Mostly out of spite. — Andrew Roberts
Dead Milkmen – “Beach Party Vietnam”
New Year’s Eve is a time for partying, but unfortunately, not all of us get to enjoy nice weather for the occasion. If you want to get those nice, warm weather vibes going, though, why not throw on some “Beach Party Vietnam”? Before you know it, everybody will be feeling the warmth and imagining that they’re cooking hot dogs with napalm. Why, it’ll practically be like you are in Vietnam! — Chris Morgan
Lettuce – “Sounds Like a Party”
This song is literally about a party and it’s a song that sounds literally like a party. That’s a wonderful twofer as far as I’m concerned. It might not be music for the stroke of midnight, per say, but let’s say it’s around 11 and things are starting to get revved up — then this is a jam for such a situation. It’s a mood setter, especially if the mood is “heck yeah, it’s New Years Eve!” — Ryan O’ Connell
Ginuwine – “Pony”
Come on, Ginuwine is Ginuwine! Whenever “Pony” comes on the entire party’s mood changes in the best way possible. This is a track that’s sure to get people’s attention and to get the people going. Everyone knows the words, everyone will dance to this song, and everyone will love it — guaranteed. — James Sullivan
Mac Miller – “Vienna”
This just-cut version of a classic Billy Joel song is something to put on toward the end of the night after everyone is oversauced, out of energy, and a little contemplative. Send them away from a night of glee and out into the savage seas of the new year with a ghostly reminder that there is more to life than checking off New Year’s resolutions and excelling at work. — Jason Tabrys
