There’s almost always a good reason to play music in the classroom. But finding a motivating, fast-paced playlist of school-appropriate songs can be tricky. We turned to the teachers in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE Facebook group for their suggestions, and as usual, they gave us some great ideas!
We’ve compiled their recommendations into an energizing, school-appropriate playlist. Check out the songs below or start jamming immediately by listening to them all on our We Are Teachers Spotify page!
As a reminder, everyone has their own ideas about what’s appropriate to share with students. Always review song lyrics and music videos ahead of time to ensure they’re right for your classroom.
Our Favorite School-Appropriate Songs
1. Better When Iām Dancinā by Meghan Trainor
2. OK OK by HOKO
3. Three Little Birds by Bob Marley
4. The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti and Spearhead
5. Brand New Day by Lindsey Ray featuring Tim Myers
6. Colors by Black Pumas
7. Heat Waves by Glass Animals
8. Pompeii by Bastille
9. Golden Years by David Bowie
10. Safe and Sound by Capital Cities
11. Take On Me by A-Ha
12. Is It True? by Tame Impala
13. Me! by Taylor Swift featuring Brandon Urie of Panic! at the Disco
14. Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper
15. Born This Way by Lady Gaga
16. Counting Stars by OneRepublic
17. When Can I See You Again? by Owl City
18. All About You by the Knocks featuring Foster the People
19. Be OK by Ingrid Michaelson
20. Donāt Stop Believing by Journey
21. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby
22. It’s the End of the World As We Know It by R.E.M.
23. On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons
24. My Universe by Coldplay & BTS
25. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line
26. Africa by Toto
27. Praise You by Fatboy Slim
28. Save Your Tears by Ariana Grande and the Weeknd
29. Canāt Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake
30. More of This by Vetiver
31. I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston
32. A-Punk by Vampire Weekend
33. Brown Skin Girl by BeyoncƩ, Wizkid, and Saint Jhn featuring Blue Ivy
34. Jump by Van Halen
35. Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay
36. This Is What You Came For by Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna
37. Black Horse and the Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall
38. Permission to Dance by BTS
39. Cheap Thrills by Sia featuring Sean Paul
40. Good Feeling by Flo Rida
41. Miss You Much by Janet Jackson
42. Girl by Jukebox and the Ghost
43. Brown-Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
44. One Week by Barenaked Ladies
45. Life Is a Highway by Tom Cochrane
46. Riptide by Vance Joy
47. Happy by Pharrell Williams
48. Try Everything by Shakira
49. Some Nights by Fun
50. Everybody Wants To Rule the World by Tears for Fears
51. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
52. The River of Dreams by Billy Joel
53. Canned Heat by Jamiroquai
54. Centerfield by John Fogerty
55. Treat People With Kindness by Harry Styles
56. Dance Monkey by Tones and I
57. Free Fallinā by Tom Petty
58. Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon
59. What Do I Know? by Ed Sheeran
60. September by Earth, Wind & Fire
61. Feel It Still by Portugal the Man
62. MMMBop by Hanson
63. Budapest by George Ezra
64. Respect by Aretha Franklin
65. One of Those Days by Little Big Town
66. Dynamite by BTS
67. Give a Little by Maggie Rogers
68. Malibu by Miley Cyrus
69. Kill āEm With Kindness by Selena Gomez
70. Lights by Ellie Goulding
71. Old Town Road by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
72. Havana by Camila Cabello
73. I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness
74. Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen
75. Take a Chance on Me by ABBA
76. Yet To Come by BTS
77. Kick, Push by Lupe Fiasco
78. Hurricane by The Vamps
![The Big List of School-Appropriate Songs To Keep Everyone Pumped Up and Motivated Hurricane by The Vamps.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Appropriate-Songs-9-800x800.png)
79. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
80. As It Was by Harry Styles
81. Telepath by Conan Gray
82. Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush
83. Left and Right by Charlie Puth featuring Jungkook of BTS
84. 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready?) by Lizzo
85. I Like You (A Happier Song) by Post Malone featuring Doja Cat
86. Celestial by Ed Sheeran and PokƩmon
![School-Appropriate-Songs-10 "You see the light shinin' through the rain / A thousand colors in a brighter shade / Needed to rise from the lowest place / There's a silver lining that surrounds the gray."](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Appropriate-Songs-10-800x800.jpg)
87. That That by Psy featuring SUGA of BTS
88. Cold Heart by Dua Lipa and Elton John
89. Magic by Tomorrow x Together
90. Dance the Night by Dua Lipa
91. Flowers by Miley Cyrus
92. Made You Look by Meghan Trainor
93. Butter by BTS
94. I Don’t Care by Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber
95. Fight Song by Rachel Platten
96. Cupid by 50/50
![School-Appropriate-Songs-11 "I gave a second chance to Cupid / But now I'm left here feeling stupid / Oh, the way he makes me feel that love isn't real / Cupid is so dumb."](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Appropriate-Songs-11-800x800.jpg)
97. Adore You by Harry Styles
98. The Feels by TWICE
99. Sucker by Jonas Brothers
100. Rain on Me by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
101. Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa
102. No Excuses by Meghan Trainor
103. Pink by Lizzo
104. U Know What’s Up by 4*Town
![School-Appropriate-Songs-12 "I'm gonna make it all the way, just watch me / I'm gonna hustle every day / I'm making paper like it's origami / I only came to win the game, can't stop me, yeah."](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Appropriate-Songs-12-800x800.jpg)
105. Only Wanna Be With You by Post Malone
106. Love Story (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift
107. Could Have Been Me by Halsey
108. I Ain’t Worried by OneRepublic
109. Lift Me Up by Rihanna
![School-Appropriate-Songs-13 "Burning in a hopeless dream / Hold me when you go to sleep / Keep me in the warmth of your love when you depart / Keep me safe, safe and sound."](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Appropriate-Songs-13-800x800.jpg)
110. Part of That World by Halle Bailey
111. Annihilate by Lil Wayne, Metro Boomin, Offset, and Swae Lee
112. Stay by Kid Laroi ft. Justin Bieber
113. A Sky Full of Stars by Taron Egerton
114. Golden Hour by JVKE
115. Karma by Taylor Swift ft. Ice Spice
116. I Don’t Think I Like Her Anymore by Charlie Puth
117. Am I Dreaming by A$AP Rocky, Metro Boomin, and Roisee
118. Happier by Olivia Rodrigo
119. Do It Like That by the Jonas Brothers and TXT
![School-Appropriate-Songs-14_v2 Do It Like That by the Jonas Brothers and TXT.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Appropriate-Songs-14_v2-800x800.jpg)
120. Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift
121. Light Switch by Charlie Puth
122. What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish
123. We Don’t Talk About Bruno from Encanto
124. Peaches by Jack Black
125. Better Place by *NSYNC
![School-Appropriate-Songs-15 "ŠtāŃ sŠ¾mŠµ kŃnd of love, itās some kind of fire / Iām Š°lreadŃ up, but you lift me higher / You know Iām not wrong, yŠ¾u know Iām not lying / We do it better, yeah we do it better, yŠµah."](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Appropriate-Songs-15-800x800.jpg)
Want to try out this playlist of school-appropriate songs with your students? Check out the We Are Teachers Spotify page for this playlist and more!
![School-Appropriate-Songs-1 Check out these school-appropriate songs from the 1970s to the 2020s, guaranteed to keep your students energized & focused while they work.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Appropriate-Songs-1-683x1024.jpg)