The Billboard Hot 100 has 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 non-drinkers 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.
