If you’re looking for a diverse mix of party tunes for your next event, look no further than this playlist.
Featuring a handful of popular country drinking songs, blues-rock standards that will kick things up a notch, and rap hits that will get everyone on the dance floor, check out this compilation of some of music’s best drinking songs.
Contents
- Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
- Pass the Courvoisier, Part II – Busta Rhymes ft. P. Diddy, Pharrell
- Toes – Zac Brown Band
- Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) – Miranda Lambert and Elle King
- Fireball – Pitbull ft. John Ryan
- One Margarita – Luke Bryan
- Drunk on a Boat – Jake Owen
- Streams of Whiskey – The Pogues
- Beer – People Under the Stairs
- Brass Monkey – Beastie Boys
- It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson ft. Jimmy Buffett
- TiK ToK – Ke$ha
- Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) – The Doors
- Gin & Juice – Snoop Dogg
- Beer for Breakfast – The Replacements
- Tubthumping – Chumbawumba
- Drunk – Ed Sheeran
- Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
- Why Don’t We Get Drunk – Jimmy Buffett
- One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer – George Thorogood and the Destroyers
- I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink – Merle Haggard
- Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers – ZZ Top
- Happy Hour – The Housemartins
- Have a Drink on Me – AC/DC
- Drunk on a Plane – Dierks Bentley
- Blame It – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain
- House Party – Sam Hunt
- Tipsy – J-Kwon
- Crack a Bottle – Eminem
- Cigarettes and Alcohol – Oasis
- Tequila Sunrise – Cypress Hill ft. Barron Picks
- Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett
- Bottoms Up – Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj
- Beercan – Beck
- Shots – LMFAO ft. Lil Jon
Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
An ode to America’s number one party staple, the red solo cup, Toby Keith’s 2011 single is a rowdy acoustic performance. ‘Red Solo Cup’ features simple acoustic guitar, and Keith playfully sings about his “best friend.” The music video for the song features appearances by fellow musicians such as Eric Church and Ted Nugent.
Related: Listen to more of the best drinking songs.
Pass the Courvoisier, Part II – Busta Rhymes ft. P. Diddy, Pharrell
East coast rap legend Sean “P. Diddy” Combs guest-appears alongside singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams for Busta Rhymes’ Pass the Courvoisier, Part II.’ The song’s title is named after a fancy French after-dinner Cognac drink. Several samples from other artists, including Jimi Hendrix and Mystical were used in the song. It debuted in 2001 on the album Genesis.
Toes – Zac Brown Band
The country group Zac Brown Band took a page out of coastal crooner Jimmy Buffett’s playbook early on in their career. ‘Toes’ is an island-tinged single that will quickly bring up memories of Buffett’s famous hits like ‘Margaritaville.’ Band leader Zac Brown sings about a tropical beachside getaway in ‘Toes,’ declaring “life is good today” as he’s surrounded by “pretty Senoritas.”
Related: Going on vacation? You’ll want to queue up these holiday songs.
Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) – Miranda Lambert and Elle King
Country superstar Miranda Lambert duets with banjo player and songwriter Elle King for their hit song ‘Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).’ The song perfectly captures Lambert’s rollicking ways often mentioned in her songs and King’s penchant for writing country songs outside the traditional lines for female artists. Elle King is known to write most of her tunes on her banjo before transposing them to guitar.
Fireball – Pitbull ft. John Ryan
Rapper Pitbull penned this tribute to one of whiskey’s most popular flavors while partying at the beach with collaborator Ricky Reed. Songwriter John Ryan also appeared in the song and helped write lyrics for ‘Fireball.’ The drinking song was released as the first single from his 2014 album, Globalization.
One Margarita – Luke Bryan
If you’re looking for the perfect summer song to set the tone for your beach vacation or pool party, look no further than Luke Bryan’s pop-country hit ‘One Margarita.’ The feel-good tune instantly puts you in vacation mode as he sings, “Leave all your sorrow out here on the floating dock.” Though Bryan is a songwriter himself, popular Nashville songwriter trio Michael Carter, Matt Dragstrem, and Josh Thompson penned this tune.
Related: Swim over to our beach songs list.
Drunk on a Boat – Jake Owen
Country legend David Lee Murphy (‘Dust on the Bottle’) had a hand in writing this water-themed tune Jake Owen ultimately chose to record. It’s a song that encourages the listener to “choose happiness” and spend a day out on the water, forgetting your troubles for a moment. It appears on his 2021 album by the same name.
Related: Here are some more sailing songs.
Streams of Whiskey – The Pogues
“I am going, I am going. Where streams of whiskey are flowing.” Irish-punk band The Pogues know how to spin a poetic story with their lyrics. Band leader and songwriter Shane MacGowan gets philosophical with his lyrics to ‘Streams of Whiskey.’ The song is about Brendan Behan, one of MacGowan’s main influences, who was a writer and heavy drinker.
Beer – People Under the Stairs
“Wherever I’m at, yo, the party’s right here.” Independent rap duo People Under The Stairs detail their preferred way to spend a Friday night with their tune ‘Beer.’ Featured on their Carried Away album, the duo took a DIY approach with their music releasing albums independently, DJing whenever they could, and sampling other artists’ music. They released music from 1997 to 2019.
Brass Monkey – Beastie Boys
One of the group’s biggest hits in the late ’80s into the early ’90s, ‘Brass Monkey’ is named after a popular alcoholic beverage among college kids on a budget. Often the Beastie Boys’ drink of choice in the early days, the recipe consists of vodka, rum, and orange juice mixed and poured over ice.
Related: Check out the best monkey songs.
It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson ft. Jimmy Buffett
The OG of the “Gulf and Western” country music genre joins Alan Jackson for the hit song ‘It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere.’ The pair sings about leaving your troubles behind and taking a break in a cozy bar no matter what time it is. This tune won Alan Jackson a Grammy in 2003 for Best Country Song.
Related: Have fun on karaoke night with these country sing-along songs.
TiK ToK – Ke$ha
Who could forget Kesha’s line in this song about brushing her teeth with Jack Daniels? ‘TiK ToK’ was pop star Kesha’s breakout hit and topped the charts at number one in the US. This ultimate party song appears on her debut album, Animal. Before becoming a solo artist, she co-wrote and provided guest vocals for artists such as Britney Spears and Flo Rida.
Related: See our party songs playlist.
Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) – The Doors
This Doors tune covers the eccentricities of some tough subjects, including over-indulging in pleasures, material wants, and depression. ‘Alabama Song (Whiskey Jar)’ is actually an adaptation of a German opera from 1929. The opera originally appeared in the film The Rise and Fall of The City of Mahogany. The Doors’ keyboard player turned them on to German songs, and before long, they included this one on their self-titled ’67 album.
Gin & Juice – Snoop Dogg
“With my mind on my money and my money on my mind.” This famous rap line appears in Snoop Dogg’s ’90s hit ‘Gin and Juice.’ The cocktail was popular among Snoop’s early crowd when they were just coming up in the rap industry and needed a cheap drink that would suit their party lifestyle. Snoop Dogg got his start guest appearing on Dr. Dre’s albums.
Related: best songs about getting rich.
Beer for Breakfast – The Replacements
“All I want to do is drink beer for breakfast.” The Replacements exude the punk rock lifestyle in their song ‘Beer for Breakfast,’ tackling class struggle and escapism in a nihilistic fashion. Featured on their 1997 album All For Nothing/ Nothing for All, the puck rock band helped pioneer the early sounds of “Alternative Rock” back in the late ’70s.
Tubthumping – Chumbawumba
“I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down.’ The British group Chumbawamba was one of the ’90s era’s biggest one-hit-wonders. Their song ‘Tubthumping,’ also the title of their album, spent several weeks in the top spot on charts and sold over 3 million copies. Despite their somewhat overnight success, they ultimately split up in 2012.
Related: Find this song on our underdog songs playlist.
Drunk – Ed Sheeran
One of Ed Sheeran’s early singles finds him trying to drown his sorrows in alcohol. ‘Drunk’ finds him reflecting on a romantic relationship that’s ended due to his lack of ability to change for the better. His debut album from 2011, titled +, has a drinking theme throughout it. Many of his early songs were written when he was trying to break into the industry, and alcohol was sometimes used as a coping mechanism at shows.
Related: Head over to our list of the best break up songs.
Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
A long-covered country song first recorded by David Allen Coe in 1981, before Chris Stapleton put his bluesy spin on it, George Jones recorded a version that topped the charts at #2. Stapleton first got the idea to cover the popular country song at a soundcheck while on the road for his debut 2015 album, Traveler. The band liked it so much that they began playing it that night and soon recorded it.
Related: This song features on our playlist of the best Tennessee songs.
Why Don’t We Get Drunk – Jimmy Buffett
This classic country drinking song was released by songwriter and country icon Jimmy Buffett wrote ‘Why Don’t We Get Drunk’ in the early ’70s when the country genre was getting a bit more suggestive. Buffett decided to sit down and write a song that left no room for interpretation. He drew inspiration for the song during a diner visit one night when he witnessed a businessman trying to pick up a lady of the night.
Recommended: Our pick of classic Jimmy Buffett tunes.
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer – George Thorogood and the Destroyers
Written by Rudy Toombs, ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’ has been around since the revival of blues music in the ’50s and ’60s. Blues legend John Lee Hooker was the first to get this song out to mainstream listeners. But in ’77, blues-rock musician George Thorogood kicked the song up a notch and released his own rockin’ version.
I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink – Merle Haggard
By the time Merle Haggard’s ‘I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink’ reached the top spot on the charts, he scored his 26th number one hit. The lonesome classic cowboy tune features a solo by popular saxophone player Don Markham from The Strangers. The song is featured on Haggard’s appropriately titled 1980 album Back To The Barrooms.
Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers – ZZ Top
While bandleader Billy Gibbons usually supplies lead vocals for ZZ Top, for their tune ‘Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers’ bassist Dusty Hill provided the vocals. The song finds the band getting back in touch with their wild southern roots after coming upon a desert bar during a thunderstorm they are trying to escape (the song is loosely based on a true story). For more from the bearded wonders, head over to our pick of ZZ Top greatest hits.
Related: Run over to our list of escaping songs.
Happy Hour – The Housemartins
A cheeky yet critical take on the working man’s 9 to 5 schedule, The Housemartins focuses on ‘Happy Hour’ in the song, which is popular throughout bars to get workers to stop in for a drink on their way home. The band’s sound was often compared to The Smiths, much to The Smiths’ dismay.
Related: Find motivation to work with this work songs playlist.
Have a Drink on Me – AC/DC
“So join me for a drink boys. We’re gonna make a big noise.” This rock n’ roll party tune was released shortly after lead singer Bon Scott’s death from alcohol poisoning. Appearing on the band’s 1980 album Back In Black, new lead singer Brian Johnson stayed true to many of the group’s anthems, knowing that’s what Scott would have wanted, which included alcohol consumption and hard partying.
Drunk on a Plane – Dierks Bentley
“Buying drinks for everybody but the pilot.” Dierks Bentley pokes fun at a failed marriage that didn’t even make it past the altar with his hit single’ Drunk On a Plane.’ Trading in his usually emotional country songs for a high-flying party song, he sings about living it up on his way to Cancun.
Related: Hear this song on our songs about flying playlist.
Blame It – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain
“Blame it on the Goose. Gotcha feelin’ loose.” An R&B rap combo doesn’t get much better than vocalist and actor Jamie Foxx squaring off with rapper T. Pain. In one of the songs from the early 2000s era featuring the new recording tool Autotune, Foxx sings about a girl getting wild due to her hard-partying habits.
House Party – Sam Hunt
Penned with fellow songwriters Zach Crowell and Jerry Flowers, Sam Hunt didn’t actually want to write a party song when he sat down to work on ‘House Party.’ A closer examination of lyrics finds two people in a newer relationship staying home and getting to know each other better in a “homebody” type environment.
Tipsy – J-Kwon
When rapper J-Kwon released ‘Tipsy’ and it took the top spot on the charts, he was only 17. The song was produced to recognize the prevalence of drinking in the industry and the lifestyle many rappers lead. Though J-Kwon would go on to have moderate success, ‘Tipsy’ remains his biggest hit so far.
Crack a Bottle – Eminem
For his 2009 album Relapse, rapper Eminem once again paired up with icons Dr. Dre and 50 Cent. He previously recorded with them for his 2004 album Encore as well. ‘Crack a Bottle’ features the three artists rapping about a hardcore partying lifestyle. Before its release, an unfinished version of this song was leaked to the public, making Eminem feel understandably upset.
Cigarettes and Alcohol – Oasis
“Is it my imagination, or have I finally found something worth living for?” This rock song appears on Oasis’ career-defining album from 1994, Definitely Maybe. Many of the songs on that album deal with escapism, which songwriter Noel Gallagher has talked about in interviews. The band tackles leaving Manchester and learning how to deal with the wide world while on tour in ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol.’
Related: Say hello to our playlist of songs about leaving.
Tequila Sunrise – Cypress Hill ft. Barron Picks
Not to be confused with The Eagles’ popular song ‘Tequila Sunrise,’ Cypress Hill pens his own song dedicated to the tasty cocktail. His song is all about hard living and harder partying in Tiajuana, Mexico. Hill also released a Spanish version of this song, which was a huge hit with his fanbase.
Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett
Back in 1977, Jimmy Buffett perfectly captured the carefree lifestyle of the Florida Keys with his hit, ‘Margaritaville.’ He was inspired to write the song after spending time relaxing in the tropical paradise after extensive touring with his Coral Reefer band. He was out drinking at a dive bar with his buddy one day and watched traffic come to a standstill. After that, he decided to write a tune exemplifying the easygoing nature of the coastal lifestyle.
Related: Chill out with these songs for retirement.
Bottoms Up – Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj
After years of the artists’ fans asking them when they would collaborate, Trey Songz and Nicki Minaj finally penned ‘Bottoms Up’ together, working on it for quite some time. A song centered around seduction, partying, and living the high life, the tune debuted on Trey Songz’s Passion, Pleasure, and Pain album in 2010.
Beercan – Beck
This “Mod. Rock” song is simply about a fun party. But the simplicity is needed due to producer Carl Stephenson’s zany sound samples, playing up the celebratory vibe of the song. Even more zany is Stephenson’s sample of a Care Bears song. ‘Beercan’ first came out on Beck’s debut album Mellow Gold.
Shots – LMFAO ft. Lil Jon
Appearing on the popular album Party Rock, electronic duo LMFAO invited rapper Lil Jon to the studio for the recording of ‘Shots.’ Soon after its release, it became a go-to song in bars and clubs. LMFAO formed in California and started making music together in 2006, thought since their last release in 2012, they’ve been on hiatus.
