When planning a party with dancing involved or going to a club or event with lots of dancing, you'll want to consult a list of songs used for line dancing. As line dancing has become more and more popular, you can expect to see more and more line dances,and hear more and more songs for line dancing being played by DJ's and bands at all types of establishments and events.
Country Songs Used for Line Dancing
While not all line dances are to country music, the overwhelming majority of the most popular line dances are country line dances. Some of the most common and popular country line dance songs include:
- The Boot-Scootin' Boogie, a 1992 hit by Brooks & Dunn, which is still one of the most-requested country line dances on the dance floor.
- Achy Breaky Heart, the unforgettable Billy Ray Cyrus hit also from 1992, was an instant line-dancing success.
- Chattahoochee, by Alan Jackson, is one of the most feel-good line dance songs on most lists, and is a popular request with many crowds.
- Ain't Goin' Down (Til the Sun Comes Up), by Garth Brooks, was another smash hit of the 1990s. Dancers often sing along to the song in addition to dancing the steps.
- Watermelon Crawl is a country line dance song by Tracy Byrd that has a rhythm that just can't be ignored.
- I Feel Lucky is one of the few country line dance songs by a woman, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and the happy tone of the song can instantly transform entire groups of dancers into smiling, laughing people.
- Don't Rock the Jukebox is another Alan Jackson song that is popular in the line dancing circuit
- I Love a Rainy Night by Eddie Rabbitt is one of the earlier songs that is popular in line dancing, appearing in 1981.
Pop Music Songs for Line Dancing
Line dancing doesn't have to be to country music; in fact, a lot of the group dances that are performed at weddings or other functions are considered line dances, even if they don't necessarily require that the dancers stand in a line while dancing. For example, the Chicken Dance is commonly danced in a circle, but it's considered a line dance because it could be performed in a line formation, and the dance involves repeating the same movements and series of movements over and over again throughout the song, which is a signature of line dances.
- The Chicken Dance is a popular dance for weddings, especially when a lot of children are present at the reception.
- The Macarena became a hit line dance at clubs and high school dances around the country. The dance is still a popular one after many years of being requested at clubs and functions alike; the song was released in 1995 and became popular almost immediately.
- The Electric Slide is perhaps the original line dance of popular music. For most young people, it may be the first line dance that they learned, whether in gym class or at a school dance.
- The Cha Cha Slide, not to be confused with the Cha-Cha, this line dance is popular not only for dance crowds, but also at roller skating rinks, much like the Hokey-Pokey.
- Cotton-Eye Joe, by the Rednex, is considered by some to be popular music, but country music to others because of earlier versions of the song that were clearly folk or country music. Whatever the genre, a fun and energetic line dance is paired with this 1994 music hit.
Line Dancing Fun
While all of these songs used for line dancing can be requested at events such as weddings or other large functions with a DJ, at a club, you can expect either country line dances or popular music line dances. Choose a club that is specifically country (or go on the night of the week when country music is the genre of choice) if country line dancing is your thing. Otherwise, expect more Macarena than Boot-Scootin' Boogie.
Regardless of the type of line dancing you choose, remember that line dancing is not a performance, but a chance to have fun. Learn the steps, but don't blush if you miss them; just laugh, turn back around and jump right in. The people around you will be doing the same thing, and the more relaxed you are, the more you will have fun with line dances.
