Greensleeves is almost 500 years old. I'm sure there were other very popular songs when it came out, but Greensleeves had to staying power to still be here. What do you think is today's Greensleeves?
en.wikipedia.org
Not just a song that can be found in the archives, but one that almost everyone can hum, even today.
(Somebody asked what was meant by "today's...." Throw whatever you want out, somebody tossed out "Love me tender" as being a tune from in the 1860s.)
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Happy Birthday, Pop Goes the Weasel, Auld Lang Syne, Here Comes the Bride are obviously here to stay. Lots of Christmas music has potential as well: Jingle Bells, and POSSIBLY Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano, as well as All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey.
But I also think Barbie Girl by Aqua has a decent chance of being practically universal. In that vein, maybe the Hampster Dance too, but idk. Dragostea Din Tei?
I think the real answer though is that most of the popular songs are probably ones that are connected to specific uses outside of the song itself. Pop Goes the Weasel is used in like, every pop-goes-the-weasel type toy, and even in movies when something scary is about to pop out at you. Happy Birthday is literally sung at every birthday. (That reminds me of For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow as well.) Auld Lang Syne is a popular New Years song across the world at this point. Here Comes the Bride at every wedding, etc. Maybe National Anthems will also hold the test of time, depending on if the nation lasts long enough and doesn’t change its anthem.
The point is, if it’s a practical and traditional tune it’s more likely to last, I think.
Oh. I forgot Reveille which is the military wake-up call bugle song lmao
I don't think that one outlasts the next couple decades. Yeah, it's fun and the lyrics are weird, but Romanian isn't all that widely spoken, so the vast majority of the world population cannot sing it.
IDK, i was obsessed with that song as a teenager and learned to enunciate the whole song without knowing what it said. but, i have 99 Luftballons on my personal playlist so maybe i just like catchy foreign songs lol
Oh, I totally get it, I loved it too. I just don't think it will stick in quite the same way when people don't have lyrics to attach to the song. Like, I can't play it at karaoke night.
I think more people would be familiar with "Call to Post," than "Reveille." Dunno. I guess it depends on how many scouts and military members there are vs horse racing fans.