🎵 The New Wedding 100: What’s In & What’s Out for 2026
The definitive guide to the 100 greatest wedding songs for today’s couples.
Setting the vibe for your wedding day shouldn’t feel like a history lesson.
While we all have a soft spot for the “all-time greats”, let’s be honest: your wedding music should reflect your era. I’ve been to that wedding where the playlist felt a little too dusty. Haha! Which is why I’ve officially retired “Unchained Melody” to make room for the songs that actually define modern love.
From the soul-stirring walk down the aisle to the “Pink Pony Club” energy of a packed late-night dance floor, I’ve curated the Modern Wedding 100. This isn’t just a list of hits; it’s a roadmap for the best party of your life.
Whether you’re looking for a timeless first dance or the exact moment to drop “Mr. Brightside”, here is the soundtrack for today’s “I Do”.
Have a song you hate in the list? Let me know which song it should replace!
The New Wedding 100: Must-Have Wedding Crate
Processional
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
I Get To Love You – Ruelle
Marry Me – Train
Recessional
Carry You Home - Alex Warren
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Stevie Wonder
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
You Make My Dreams – Daryl Hall & John Oates
Entrance & Introductions
Bring Em Out - T.I.
Forever - Chris Brown
Cocktail Hour
Come Get Your Love - Redbone
Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest
What’s Up? - 4 Non Blondes
Dinner
Can We Talk - Tevin Campbell
I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys
Lovely Day - Bill Withers
You Are The Best Thing – Ray Lamontagne
Cake Cutting
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – James Taylor/Marvin Gaye
First Dance
All Of Me – John Legend
All Your’n - Tyler Childers
At Last – Etta James
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing – Aerosmith
Joy of My Life - Chris Stapleton
Perfect – Ed Sheeran
Parents Dances
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
Isn’t She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
My Girl – The Temptations
My Little Girl - Tim McGraw
My Wish – Rascal Flatts
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Bouquet Toss
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) – Beyonce
Early Dancing
A Bar Song (Tipsy) - Shaboozey
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell
Boogie Shoes - KC and the Sunshine Band
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Can’t Get Enough - Tamia
Celebration - Kool & The Gang
Cotton Eye Joe - Rednex
Dancing Queen – ABBA
Danza Kuduro - Don Omar feat. Lucenzo
Expresso - Sabrina Carpenter
Fireball - Pitbull feat. John Ryan
Friends In Low Places – Garth Brooks
Gasolina - Daddy Yankee
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - ABBA
Hotel Room Service - Pitbull
I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
Love Story - Taylor Swift
Man! I Feel Like A Woman! - Shania Twain
Ordinary - Alex Warren
Party In The U.S.A. - Miley Cyrus
Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
September – Earth, Wind & Fire
Shake It Off (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
Shout - The Isley Brothers/Otis Day
Shut Up And Dance – Walk The Moon
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
TiK ToK - Kesha
Time of Our Lives - Pitbull & Ne-Yo
Titanium - David Guetta feat. Sia
Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars
Wannabe – Spice Girls
We Are Family – Sister Sledge
Y.M.C.A. - Village People
Yeah! – Usher, Ludacris, Lil’ Jon
Late Dancing
Best Love Song - T-Pain, Chris Brown
DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love - Usher
Don’t Stop the Music - Rihanna
Dynamite - Taio Cruz
Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys
Everytime We Touch - Cascada
Fire Burning - Sean Kingston
Hey Ya! - Outkast
Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
In Da Club - 50 Cent
Jump Around - House Of Pain
Low - Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
No Hands - Waka Flocka Flame
Pepas – Farruko
Pink Pony Club - Chappell Roan
Starships - Nicki Minaj
Still Into You - Paramore
Sugar, We’re Goin Down - Fall Out Boy
Temperature - Sean Paul
Wake Me Up - Avicii
We Found Love – Rihanna, Calvin Harris
Slow Dance
Beautiful Crazy - Luke Combs
Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton
Line Dancing
Cha Cha Slide – DJ Casper
Cupid Shuffle – Cupid
Wobble - V.I.C.
Last Dance
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Music is the heartbeat of your wedding day. It’s the background noise to your “Yes” and the fuel for your guests’ favorite memories.
Whether you stick to the classics like The Temptations or lean heavily into the Pitbull era (highly recommended for the late-night crowd!), remember that the best playlist is the one that sounds like the couple.
Which track is your “must-play”? Hit reply or comment below and let me know which song is non-negotiable for your wedding playlist!
Matthew Campbell
Wedding MusicLetter



Do you start Pink Pony at the beat, do you jump past the beginning?
Brilliant curation here. The era-specific approach really nails something most wedding playlists miss, that music should reflect the couple's generation not thier parents'. I've been to weddings where half the guests dunno the songs and it kills the energy on thedance floor. Swapping Unchained Melody for Pink Pony Club is exactly the kind of bold refresh modern celebrations need.