1
A Day in the Life
A 1967 Beatles song closing "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," combining two unfinished pieces by Lennon and McCartney with a 40-piece orchestral crescendo.
Below are songs that contain the letter A anywhere in the name. Each of the 91 songs below opens to a full profile.
Table of contents
List of Songs That Contain A
2
Africa
A 1982 soft-rock single by American band Toto, written by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro, featuring layered synthesizers and an evocative chorus about longing.
3
Africa Unite
A 1979 Bob Marley and the Wailers track from the album "Survival," a reggae anthem calling for pan-African political unity and shared identity.
4
All Along the Watchtower
A 1967 folk-rock song written by Bob Dylan, later transformed by Jimi Hendrix into a definitive electric rock interpretation in 1968.
5
Always on My Mind
A country ballad first cut by Brenda Lee in 1972, made a hit by Willie Nelson in 1982, and remade as a synth-pop single by Pet Shop Boys in 1987.
6
American Pie
An eight-and-a-half-minute 1971 folk-rock song by Don McLean that obliquely recounts the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper.
7
Anaconda
A 2014 hip-hop single by Nicki Minaj, built on a sample of Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" with new verses and a music video that broke 24-hour view records.
8
Bad Romance
A 2009 electropop single by Lady Gaga, co-written with RedOne, built on a hooked vocal refrain and a heavily art-directed music video.
9
Billie Jean
A 1982 Michael Jackson single built on a distinctive bass riff, addressing a fan who claimed he had fathered her child, and a landmark in pop dance production.
10
Bohemian Rhapsody
A 1975 progressive rock epic by Queen, written by Freddie Mercury, fusing ballad, opera, and hard rock sections in a six-minute single.
11
Boogie Wonderland
A 1979 disco single by Earth, Wind and Fire featuring the Emotions on backing vocals, with brisk horn arrangements and a sustained dance groove.
12
Bridge Over Troubled Water
A 1970 piano-led ballad by Simon and Garfunkel, written by Paul Simon and sung by Art Garfunkel, drawing on gospel and soul vocal traditions.
13
California Dreamin'
A 1965 folk-rock song by the Mamas and the Papas, written by John and Michelle Phillips, evoking a longing for California during an East Coast winter.
14
Candle in the Wind
A 1973 piano ballad by Elton John and Bernie Taupin originally written about Marilyn Monroe, later rewritten in 1997 to memorialize Diana, Princess of Wales.
15
Careless Whisper
A 1984 saxophone-driven pop ballad written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, released as Michael's first solo single during the Wham! era.
16
Comfortably Numb
A 1979 progressive rock song by Pink Floyd from "The Wall," with verses by Roger Waters and a sustained David Gilmour guitar solo over an orchestral arrangement.
17
Crazy in Love
A 2003 R&B and hip-hop single by Beyonce featuring Jay-Z, built on a horn sample from the Chi-Lites' "Are You My Woman."
18
Dancing Queen
A 1976 ABBA single in disco-pop style, written by Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson, describing a young woman on a Friday night.
19
Day Tripper
A 1965 Beatles single built on a riff by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, released as a double A-side with "We Can Work It Out."
20
Despacito
A 2017 Spanish-language reggaeton single by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee that became one of the most-streamed songs in recorded music history.
21
Dreams
A 1977 Fleetwood Mac single written by Stevie Nicks, drawn from her perspective on the relationship breakdown that shaped the "Rumours" album.
22
Empire State of Mind
A 2009 hip-hop single by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys, celebrating New York City with a piano hook built around Keys's chorus.
23
Englishman in New York
A 1987 single by Sting written about the writer Quentin Crisp, who had recently moved from London to Manhattan, with a Branford Marsalis saxophone solo.
24
Every Breath You Take
A 1983 single by The Police, written by Sting, that pairs a repeated guitar riff with possessive lyrics often misread as a tender love song.
25
Faith
A 1987 George Michael solo single that opens with a church organ rendering of "Freedom" before shifting to a rockabilly-influenced acoustic groove.
26
Fast Car
A 1988 folk-rock single by Tracy Chapman about a working-class couple trying to escape poverty, built on an arpeggiated acoustic guitar figure.
27
Friday I'm in Love
A 1992 single by The Cure, an unusually bright pop song from a band better known for darker textures, marking each day of the week.
28
Gangsta's Paradise
A 1995 hip-hop single by Coolio featuring L.V., built on a sample of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" and written for the film "Dangerous Minds."
29
Good Riddance
A 1997 acoustic ballad by Green Day, also known as "Time of Your Life," written by Billie Joe Armstrong about a former girlfriend.
30
Good Vibrations
A 1966 Beach Boys single produced by Brian Wilson over six months across multiple studios, featuring an Electro-Theremin and a modular sectional structure.
31
Hallelujah
A 1984 Leonard Cohen song, drawn from a long writing process and made widely famous through later interpretations by Jeff Buckley and others.
32
Happy
A 2013 Pharrell Williams single written for the soundtrack of the animated film "Despicable Me 2," built on a four-on-the-floor handclap beat.
33
Heartbreak Hotel
A 1956 Elvis Presley single, his first RCA release, inspired by a newspaper story about a suicide and built on a stark blues arrangement.
34
Hotel California
A 1976 Eagles single, an allegorical song about excess and the American dream, featuring a closing dual-guitar harmony solo by Don Felder and Joe Walsh.
35
I Walk the Line
A 1956 Johnny Cash country single that pledges fidelity, built on a key-change pattern between verses and hummed inter-verse pitch references.
36
I Want It That Way
A 1999 Backstreet Boys single written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson, with a chord pattern built around the tension between verse and chorus.
37
I Want to Hold Your Hand
A 1963 Beatles single that became the band's first U.S. number one and triggered the wave known as the British Invasion.
38
I Will Always Love You
A 1973 Dolly Parton country ballad transformed in 1992 into a worldwide pop hit by Whitney Houston for the film "The Bodyguard."
39
Imagine
A 1971 John Lennon ballad with piano and string arrangement, asking listeners to consider a world without borders, possessions, or religious divisions.
40
Jailhouse Rock
A 1957 Elvis Presley single written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for the film of the same name, opening with a famous repeated guitar punctuation.
41
Just the Way You Are
A 1977 Billy Joel ballad addressed to his first wife Elizabeth, featuring a soprano saxophone solo by Phil Woods on the original recording.
42
Karma Chameleon
A 1983 Culture Club single, a country-influenced pop song with a prominent harmonica part by Judd Lander and Boy George's sung lead vocal.
43
Karma Police
A 1997 Radiohead single from "OK Computer," a piano-led track with an extended ambient outro, with a music video shot in a single moving-vehicle take.
44
Kashmir
A 1975 Led Zeppelin track built on a sustained guitar riff in an unusual time signature, with strings and brass orchestration over a long instrumental form.
45
Layla
A 1970 Derek and the Dominos single, written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, with a sustained guitar riff opening and an extended piano coda.
46
Like a Rolling Stone
A 1965 Bob Dylan single, a six-minute electrified track that helped define the album-era expansion of pop song length and form.
47
London Calling
A 1979 single by The Clash, a post-punk track addressing nuclear anxiety and the Three Mile Island accident, with a Morse-code "SOS" guitar coda.
48
Mamma Mia
A 1975 ABBA single that gave its title to the later jukebox musical and film featuring the band's songs, with an arpeggiated marimba-like keyboard introduction.
49
Material Girl
A 1984 Madonna single from "Like a Virgin," a synth-pop song about an unapologetic pursuit of wealth, with a music video referencing Marilyn Monroe.
50
Moves Like Jagger
A 2011 single by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera, a whistled-hook dance-pop track named after Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger.
51
My Way
A 1969 Frank Sinatra single adapted from the 1967 French song "Comme d'habitude," with new English lyrics written by Paul Anka.
52
Nothing Compares 2 U
A 1985 Prince song originally recorded by The Family, transformed in 1990 by Sinead O'Connor's stark vocal version into a worldwide number one.
53
November Rain
A 1991 Guns N' Roses single, an eight-and-a-half-minute piano-led rock ballad written by Axl Rose, with extended guitar solos by Slash.
54
Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
A 1968 Beatles song from "The White Album," with a ska-influenced rhythm written by Paul McCartney, telling a brief storybook narrative of Desmond and Molly.
55
Old Town Road
A 2018 country-trap single by Lil Nas X, built on a sample of a Nine Inch Nails instrumental, that became the longest-running Billboard Hot 100 number one.
56
Oops I Did It Again
A 2000 Britney Spears single, the title track from her second album, with production by Max Martin and Rami Yacoub and a memorable spoken-word interlude.
57
Paint It Black
A 1966 Rolling Stones single in a minor key, with a sitar part by Brian Jones, opening with a tom and acoustic-guitar groove unusual in pop singles of its era.
58
Paper Planes
A 2007 alternative hip-hop single by M.I.A., built on a sample of The Clash's "Straight to Hell" and a chorus interrupted by gunshot sound effects.
59
Piano Man
A 1973 Billy Joel song narrating a slow night at a Los Angeles piano bar, drawn from his own experience working as a lounge pianist during a contract dispute.
60
Purple Rain
A 1984 Prince single, the title track of his sixth album and the accompanying film, building over eight minutes through ballad and extended guitar solo sections.
61
Quando Quando Quando
A 1962 Italian bossa nova song composed by Tony Renis with lyrics by Alberto Testa, later widely recorded in English by Engelbert Humperdinck and others.
62
Queen of Hearts
A 1981 country-rock single by Juice Newton, written by Hank DeVito, becoming one of the year's most-played U.S. radio singles.
63
Royals
A 2013 minimal electro-pop single by New Zealand artist Lorde, addressing celebrity excess from the perspective of a suburban teenager.
64
Shape of You
A 2017 Ed Sheeran single, a dancehall-influenced pop track that topped charts in over forty countries and broke streaming records for its era.
65
Single Ladies
A 2008 Beyonce R&B single also known as "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," with a black-and-white music video that became one of the most-imitated of its era.
66
Somebody That I Used to Know
A 2011 indie pop single by Gotye featuring Kimbra, a dialogue duet about a breakup, built on a Luiz Bonfa guitar sample.
67
Stairway to Heaven
A 1971 Led Zeppelin track that opens with a fingerpicked acoustic guitar pattern, builds through electric instrumentation, and closes with a guitar solo by Jimmy Page.
68
Stand by Me
A 1961 soul single by Ben E. King, drawing on a gospel hymn, with a sustained walking bass line and Latin-influenced percussion.
69
Sweet Caroline
A 1969 Neil Diamond single inspired in part by a Life magazine photo of Caroline Kennedy as a child, with a singalong chorus phrase widely echoed at sports venues.
70
Take Five
A 1959 instrumental jazz composition by Paul Desmond, performed by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, in 5/4 time, one of the best-selling jazz singles of all time.
71
Take On Me
A 1985 synth-pop single by Norwegian band a-ha, featuring a distinctive synthesizer hook by Magne Furuholmen and Morten Harket's high falsetto chorus.
72
Time After Time
A 1984 Cyndi Lauper single, a soft-pop ballad with synthesizer texture and a chorus phrase echoed across decades of pop culture.
73
Tiny Dancer
A 1971 piano-led ballad by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, written about Maxine Feibelman, Taupin's then-girlfriend and later wife.
74
Umbrella
A 2007 Rihanna single featuring Jay-Z, with a "ella ella" chorus refrain that became one of the most recognizable pop phrases of its era.
75
Video Killed the Radio Star
A 1979 single by British synth-pop duo The Buggles, lamenting changes brought to popular music by television, which famously became MTV's first music video.
76
Viva la Vida
A 2008 Coldplay single, a string-driven anthem about the fall of a king, with a baroque arrangement and a title borrowed from a Frida Kahlo painting.
77
Wake Me Up
A 2013 single by Swedish DJ Avicii featuring vocals by Aloe Blacc, combining country guitar with electronic dance production for a folktronica chart success.
78
Waterloo
A 1974 ABBA single that won the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden, becoming the band's international breakthrough.
79
We Are the Champions
A 1977 Queen anthem written by Freddie Mercury, often paired with "We Will Rock You" on sports broadcasts and at championship events worldwide.
80
What's Going On
A 1971 Marvin Gaye single from his concept album of the same name, addressing the Vietnam War, civil rights, and the conditions of urban America.
81
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
A 1968 Beatles song written by George Harrison from "The White Album," featuring an uncredited lead guitar performance by Eric Clapton.
82
Wicked Game
A 1989 Chris Isaak rock single, a slow-burning track with reverb-heavy guitar that became widely known after featuring in David Lynch's 1990 film "Wild at Heart."
83
Wonderwall
A 1995 Oasis single written by Noel Gallagher, with an open-tuned acoustic guitar pattern and Liam Gallagher's lead vocal, becoming the band's signature track.
84
X Gon' Give It to Ya
A 2002 DMX single from the soundtrack to the film "Cradle 2 the Grave," produced by Shatek King with a heavy synth bass riff.
85
Xanadu
A 1980 single by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra, the title track to the 1980 film of the same name, a roller-skating disco-pop fantasy.
86
Yesterday
A 1965 Beatles single composed by Paul McCartney as a melody he dreamed, recorded with a string quartet arrangement and McCartney as the sole performing Beatle.
87
YMCA
A 1978 Village People single, a disco track about the Young Men's Christian Association with a chorus accompanied by a widely-known arm-spelling dance.
88
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
A 1972 Stevie Wonder single, a soft soul ballad with electric piano and an introductory verse sung by Jim Gilstrap and Lani Groves.
89
You've Got a Friend
A 1971 Carole King song from her album "Tapestry," and also a 1971 James Taylor recording that became his only U.S. number-one single.
90
Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
A 1946 song written for the Disney film "Song of the South" by Allie Wrubel and Ray Gilbert, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
91
Zorba's Dance
A 1964 instrumental piece by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, written for the film "Zorba the Greek" and adapted from a traditional Cretan dance form.
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