Why ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ Is The #1 Song We Play In 2023

I’m a baseball guy.  I like data, numbers, stats, etc.  So at Side One, we do things a bit differently when a couple books us for their wedding.

Instead of sending a menu of songs to choose from, we ask our couples to send us a list of songs that they (and their guests) think will rock their party.  Over the course of a wedding season, these lists provide some interesting insights into the current trends of the event world, and I’m always amazed at the sudden resurgences of certain old songs.

I used to blame TV shows like Glee or The Sopranos (think Don’t Stop Believin’) — and to a degree, they’re still responsible for recent phenomena like Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill from Stranger Things… but no one can deny how much TikTok and social media platforms now drive a song’s popularity.  One gentleman on a skateboard vibing to Fleetwood Mac goes viral and suddenly every wedding band in town has added this old tune to their repertoire.

We’ve always played I Wanna Dance With Somebody, but the classic Whitney Houston tune recently overtook our clients’ other favourites for the coveted ‘Most Requested Song’ title. BY A LOT.  It bumped Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars, Earth Wind & Fire’s September, and the aforementioned Don’t Stop Believin’. Those are formidable opponents in the event band world!

Song Analysis

Musically, the song has a lot going for it: the 120 bpm tempo (which is the magic number), the iconic 808 drum machine that informed all of hip hop, a whole step key change or modulation, and its use of the most popular chord progression of all time; the so-called “50’s progression” or “Ice Cream Changes.”   These are the same chords people play for that classic Heart And Soul ditty on the piano. 

808’s and TikTok aside, the reason this song is the #1 requested wedding song of all time is that the ladies drive the dance floor and I Wanna Dance With Somebody is a female anthem . Add a sea of fist-mics screaming one of the most iconic choruses in music history, and you’ve got a potent combination.

Every woman in the room knows the lyrics. And when I say ‘every’, consider that this song has stood the test of time for 35 years. 50-year-old women first heard it at age 15 and 15 year old women today are hearing it on TikTok. It is truly multi-generational. They know every lick and melisma that Whitney is so known for…..”I wanna feel the heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat!”

And now, in the age of irony and trolling, we’re finding that dudes have taken over the diva mantel as they scream the chorus at the top of their lungs with ties on heads and shirts off. 

The song has something for everyone and until it’s overthrown, it is the current champ. But this begs the question…..who will uncrown Queen Whitney?