The Billboard Hot 100 lists all types of tracks: love songs, breakup ballads, coming-of-age cuts and more have all had their due on Billboard’s tentpole chart. But there is another theme that’s had its fair share on the ranks, and it’s one that’s sure to get people pumped: songs about alcohol.
Whether artists are using liquor as a metaphor for something else (love, mostly) or just flat-out throwing a few back for the heck of it, boozy tunes have been charting for decades. Rupert Holmes released “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” in 1979 — a tropical tune that’s become a favorite among several generations, especially after appearing in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014. Back in 1994, Snoop Dogg dropped his cross-faded cut “Gin and Juice,” produced by Dr. Dre, as an ode to getting zooted. Even minors and nondrinkers can relate to Ke$ha’s 2009 smash solo debut, “TiK ToK” (because “the party don’t start ‘till I walk in”). And Beyoncé’s “Drunk in Love” collaboration with husband Jay-Z has been a pregame playlist essential since its release in 2013.
These are just a few examples of artists getting their drink on via music. From birthday bashes to intoxicating holidays — St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo and the Fourth of July — to the weeklong college drinking event also known as spring break, songs from musical legends and current hitmakers alike provide the perfect playlist to get the party started. So turn up the music — and if you do drink, drink responsibly, of course.
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Adele, “I Drink Wine”
Release: 2021
Chart Peak: No. 18 on Hot 100Pour a glass of your favorite red or white. Adele reflects on changed priorities and getting over a big ego in her piano-driven 30 track (that, according to Rolling Stone, was originally 15 minutes long. Cheers to hoping that an “Adele’s Version” is on the way.). Listen here.
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Don Toliver, “After Party”
Release: 2020
Chart Peak: No. 57 on Hot 100, No. 10 on Rhythmic AirplayIt sounds like Toliver’s afterparties are nothing if not lit. Whether you’re planning on sippin’ Hennessy, Bacardi or Don Julio 1942, come through! Listen here.
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Taylor Swift, “champagne problems”
Release: 2020
Chart Peak: No. 21 on Hot 100Swift narrates a longtime love affair that becomes one-sided and comes to an end in an affecting piano ballad. So pop a bottle of Dom Pérignon to that. Listen here.
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Miranda Lambert and Elle King, “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”
Release: 2021
Chart Peak: No. 41 on Hot 100, No. 3 on Country AirplayLambert and King’s flirty number pays tribute to the wildest of nights out. Like, the ones that have you way too intoxicated to drive home. Listen here.
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Bad Bunny, “Moscow Mule”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Release: 2022
Chart Peak: No. 4 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs
“Two drinks and you know I get horny,” Bad Bunny sings (in Spanish) on this midtempo reggaetón smash named after the vodka/lime/ginger beer cocktail, which finds Benito as a merman in the music video. Listen here.
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Sam Hunt, “House Party”
Release: 2014
Chart Peak: No. 26 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot Country SongsWe all know that person who’d rather have a Netflix night in than go out on a Saturday night. Hunt promises to bring the party to you in his upbeat country banger. Listen here.
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Luke Bryan, “One Margarita”
Release: 2020
Chart Peak: No. 19 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Country AirplayWhy think about tomorrow’s worries when you can have between one and three margaritas (and a shot)? Bryan says to go for the latter in his carefree country charter. Listen here.
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Chris Stapleton, “Tennessee Whiskey”
Release: 2015
Chart Peak: No. 20 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot Country SongsStapleton sings an R&B-influenced cover of the track (originally recorded by David Allan Coe in 1981) for his debut album, Traveller. Listen here.
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Luke Bryan, “Drunk On You”
Release: 2012
Chart Peak: No. 16 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot Country Songs“Pour a little Crown in a Dixie cup,” sings Bryan in his tipsy love song. “Get the party started.” You heard the man. Listen here.
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Ingrid Andress with Sam Hunt, “Wishful Drinking”
Release: 2021
Chart Peak: No. 47 on Hot 100, No. 4 on Country Airplay
Andress’ sweet, sad country ballad finds her duetting with Hunt and longing “for another round of me and you” as she gets a bit tipsy.
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Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Release: 2011
Chart Peak: No. 15 on Hot 100, No. 9 on Hot Country SongsKeith questions the manhood of anyone who doesn’t drink from plastic cups in this stumbling drinker’s cut. Listen here.
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UB40, “Red Red Wine”
Release: 1983
Chark Peak: No. 1 on Hot 100UB40 doesn’t have much to celebrate here after a bad breakup with an unforgettable lady. So red wine becomes the remedy, or at least the tool to push thoughts of her away, on this Neil Diamond cover. Listen here.
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Chumbawamba, “Tubthumping”
Release: 1997
Chart Peak: No. 6 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Alternative AirplayDanny, the character this cut opens with, is a sad man. And what is he chugging? A whiskey drink, a vodka drink, and we assume more. Listen here.
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Eric Burdon and War, “Spill the Wine”
Release: 1970
Chart Peak: No. 3 on Hot 100This woozy story wraps with wine bottles emptied and figurative pearls taken. Listen here.
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Luke Combs, “Beer Never Broke My Heart”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Release: 2019
Chart Peak: No. 21 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Country Airplay
Combs bemoans trucks that break down, girls who say goodbye and football teams who lose while celebrating those “long-necked, ice-cold beers” that never let you down. Listen here.
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The Champs, “Tequila”
Release: 1958
Chart Peak: Pre-Hot 100, No. 1 on Best Sellers in Stores chart
The pioneering Latino rockers’ mostly instrumental number is the oldest recording on this list by a mile, but chances are high that your ears have done a shot of the Champs’ “Tequila” at some point. Listen here.
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Metallica, “Whiskey in the Jar”
Release: 1998
Chart Peak: No. 4 on Mainstream Rock Airplay
If “Tequila” is the oldest recording on this list, “Whiskey in the Jar” is easily the oldest composition – it’s an Irish traditional folk song that dates back to the 17th century. Metallica’s 1998 version followed a similar rendition by Thin Lizzy in 1972. Listen here.
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Post Malone, “Wow.”
Release: 2019
Chart Peak: No. 2 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsPosty flaunts his success with fancy cars and lots of liquor in his first single off his third studio album, Hollywood’s Bleeding. Listen here.
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LMFAO feat. Lil Jon, “Shots”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Release: 2009
Chart Peak: No. 68 on Hot 100, No. 2 on Heatseekers SongsShots! Everybody! LMFAO and Lil Jon shout out “all of the alcoholics” in their bass-heavy party track. Listen here.
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Rihanna, “Cheers (Drink to That)”
Release: 2010
Chart Peak: No. 7 on Hot 100Rihanna says cheers to the freakin’ weekend on this single. We’ll drink to that. Listen here.
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Rupert Holmes, “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”
Release: 1979
Chart Peak: No. 1 on Hot 100Holmes is bored with his lady and is looking elsewhere. Then he sees an ad in the paper. There’s a woman saying, “If you like piña coladas… Then I’m the love that you’ve looked for / Write to me and escape.” The adventure begins from there. Listen here.
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Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, “Crack a Bottle”
Release: 2009
Chart Peak: No. 1 on Hot 100, No. 4 on Hot Rap SongsEm encourages all to get loose. Hopefully no one waddles too much like he suggests. Listen here.
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Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z, “Drunk in Love”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Release: 2013
Chart Peak: No. 2 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsBey says she’s tipsy off the love she’s got for hubby Jay-Z, but trust: The first couple of lines in the song make it known that she will “get filthy when liquor get into me.” Listen here.
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Snoop Dogg, “Gin and Juice”
Release: 1994
Chart Peak: No. 8 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs.Not only is Snoop Doggy Dogg smoking weed (well before the days of legalization), but he’s taking swigs of gin as well while figuring out his finances: “With my mind on my money / And my money on my mind.” Who says you can’t multitask? Listen here.
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Kendrick Lamar, “Swimming Pools (Drank)”
Release: 2012
Chart Peak: No. 17 on Hot 100, No. 3 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsThis song shows the darker side of drinking, as Kendrick dives into a pool of liquor and contemplates the pressure around alcohol and the dangers of alcoholism. Listen here.
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J-Kwon, “Tipsy”
Release: 2004
Chart Peak: No. 2 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot Rap SongsThis is one of hip-hop’s simpler jams. “Errybody in the club getting tipsy,” J-Kwon raps on the hook. That’s all you need to know. Listen here.
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T-Pain feat. Yung Joc, “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)”
Release: 2007
Chart Peak: No. 1 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsT-Pain starts at square one with a lady he meets at the bar, first offering her a drink after asking her what her name is. “Let’s get drunk and forget what we did,” he says later. Clearly, he’s not bashful. Listen here.
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Kesha, “TiK ToK”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Release: 2009
Chart Peak: No. 1 on Hot 100Party ‘till you see the sunlight and blow your speakers up to Kesha’s smash debut solo single. Then pass out, wake up, brush your teeth with Jack Daniel’s and do it all over again. Listen here.
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Jamie Foxx feat. T-Pain, “Blame It (On the Alcohol)”
Release: 2009
Chart Peak: No. 2 on Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsGrey Goose will get you loose. Patrón will get you gone. Those are just some of the many lessons learned on Foxx’s club banger. Listen here.
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Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj, “Bottoms Up”
Release: 2010
Chart Peak: No. 6 on Hot 100Trey Songz’ catchy pop&B hit about throwing back bottles in the club is as addictive as the drinks it celebrates, but the Queen of Rap’s guest feature — “Yo, Trey, Do you think you could buy me a bottle of rosé?” — is what really sells this quintessential 2010s track. Listen here.
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Noah Kahan feat. Post Malone, “Dial Drunk”
Release: 2023
Chart Peak: No. 25 on Hot 100Kahan and Posty’s folksy teamup on “Dial Drunk” runs at a deceptively uptempo pace while describing being in an extremely low place, calling up an ex who moved on a lot faster than you after drowning your sorrows — and your decision-making abilities — in alcohol. Listen here.
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Dierks Bentley, “Drunk on a Plane”
Release: 2014
Chart Peak: No. 27 on Hot 100Dierks Bentley’s “Drunk on a Plane” is all about making the best out of a bad situation — going on your honeymoon one person short — with a little help from some mile-high booze. Listen here.
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Morgan Wallen feat. Eric Church, “Man Made a Bar”
Release: 2023
Chart Peak: No. 15 on Hot 100, No. 3 on Hot Country SongsWith all due respect to the Big Guy, there’s one thing God neglected to create in the Bible when he made the world in seven days. “He didn’t make no place to go when she breaks your heart,” Wallen and Church sing on their 2023 duet. “So man madе a bar.” Listen here.
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Little Big Town, “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
Release: 2020
Chart Peak: No. 100 on Hot 100, No. 23 on Hot Country SongsThe members of Little Big Town aren’t picky when it comes to their beverages. As long as it’s alcoholic — wine, beer, whiskey, etc. — they’re gonna “drink it down, down, down.” Listen here.
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Chappell Roan, “Red Wine Supernova”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Release: 2023
Chart Peak: No. 41 on Hot 100Chappell Roan celebrates the high of getting flirty and frisky while chaperoned by just the right amount of red wine on this The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess standout. Listen here.
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Moneybagg Yo feat. Morgan Wallen, “Whiskey Whiskey”
Release: 2024
Chart Peak: No. 21 on Hot 100Moneybagg puts a slightly more grown-up spin on an old children’s nursery rhyme with his and Wallen’s 2024 team-up, musing, “Whiskey, whiskey, won’t you go away?/ Come again some other day.” Listen here.
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Dan & Shay, “Tequila”
Release: 2018
Chart Peak: No. 21 on Hot 100Some drinks — and people — are better left in the past. At least, that’s what Dan and Shay eloquently explain on “Tequila,” singing, “I can drink whiskey and red wine, champagne all night/ Little Scotch on the rocks and I’m fine, I’m fine/ But when I taste tequila, baby I still see ya.” Listen here.
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Brad Paisley, “Alcohol”
Release: 2005
Chart Peak: No. 28 on Hot 100Paisley personifies liquid courage by narrating this early career track in first person as if he were alcohol itself. Observe: “You had some of the best times you’ll never remember with me,” he sings. Listen here.
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Drake, “Shot for Me”
Release: 2011
Chart Peak: No. 100 on Hot 100Drizzy is drunk on his own power over an ex who can’t get him out of her head — but if he’s honest, it’s a two-way street. Sounds like both of them need a shot. Listen here.
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Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Release: 2024
Chart Peak: No. 1 on Hot 100Shaboozey put a ‘boozey country spin on J-Kwon’s classic “Tipsy” with breakthrough hit “A Bar Song,” which ended up spending 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 — tying Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ record with “Old Town Road” for the longest run at the chart’s summit. Listen here.
