Celebrating a birthday isn’t just about the cake and the candles—it’s also about the soundtrack that helps to encapsulate the joy of another year lived. From upbeat party hits to mellow, reflective tunes, the right birthday song can turn a simple gathering into a festive extravaganza.
These songs do more than just commemorate the day you were born; they foster shared moments, create a joyful ambiance, and, of course, get the birthday person dancing. So, buckle up, tune in, and let’s embark on this musical journey to elevate your next birthday celebration!
So gather your friends and loved ones and give a twist to your birthday party with these 11 happy birthday songs for adults that we collected for you! Only the best of the best!
11 Happy Birthday Songs for Adults
Here’s a list of birthday songs that are considered the best for adult parties.
- “Happy Birthday” by Stevie Wonder
- “Birthday” by The Beatles
- “Birthday” by Katy Perry
- “B-Day Song” by Madonna
- “Birthday Cake” by Rihanna
- “In Da Club” by 50 Cent
- “Birthday Sex” by Jeremih
- “Happy Birthday” by “Weird Al” Yankovic
- “Birthday” by Selena Gomez
- “Birthday Song” by 2 Chainz
- “Birthday” by Ann-Marie
1. “Happy Birthday” by Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder has always been a great artist but also a great social activist. Good Stevie composed this song as part of a campaign to promote the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as a national holiday in the USA.
You have to remember that during the 50s and 60s, Martin Luther King was (and continues to be) an icon of the fight for the rights of African-Americans. The song was composed in 1980 and released as the fourth single of Wonder’s 1981 album “Hotter than July,” becoming a hit on the UK Singles Chart at the time.
Expert Tip: The song is a mix of pop and R&B and has become a standard birthday song in many homes, especially among African- Americans. It references Martin Luther King’s efforts to bring unity and peace among people.
So if you want to turn a birthday party into a space to celebrate but also to reflect for a few minutes, this is the ideal song.
2. “Birthday” by the Beatles
Another classic birthday song, but this time by the legendary British band The Beatles.
Thanks to this song, you can realize how good these guys were at making music.
Indeed, although over time it became a classic, at the time, the band itself didn’t consider it something special.
Even the mythical John Lennon went so far as to say in an interview in 1980 that the song was composed on the fly and was basically “a piece of garbage.” The song was created between John Lennon and Paul McCartney and later recorded and released in 1968 as part of the album “The Beatles.”
The song’s lyrics are about enjoying a birthday party with friends and loved ones, and thanks to its catchy beat, it quickly became a favorite at adult birthday parties. If you really want to have fun at a birthday party, especially a party for someone you love, this is your song.
3. “Birthday” by Katy Perry
If you are a woman who wants to surprise your partner on that special day, this is the perfect song. In this 2014 song from the album “Prism,” Katy Perry talks about enjoying that special date by having sex all night with the person you love.
“Birthday” belongs to the disco genre, and upon its release, it quickly reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in the US.
I also have to say that the original video for the song was very controversial at the time.
In the video, Perry plays some of the worst birthday party entertainers and performs some actions that not everyone saw with good eyes.
(Although if you are an open-minded person, the truth is that the video is extremely funny). Because of this, the producers created another video for the song that was more “politically correct.”
So now you know it with this song, you can try to seduce that special person and make him feel that every day of his life is like a birthday (or make him laugh with the video).
4. “B-Day Song” by Madonna
Birthday parties are to relax and enjoy as much as possible with loved ones, and that’s what Madonna wants to reflect with her “B-Day Song.”
In this song, Madonna introduces herself as a girl who is totally happy for her birthday and hopes to spend her day with style. Music, birthday cake, diamonds as gifts, and party until dawn (although apparently with no alcohol?).
In other words, this is a birthday song for someone who deserves and wants to receive all the attention on her special day. “B-Day Song” is one of the bonus tracks from the 2012 album MDNA and one of the biggest hits of the American singer’s career.
Thanks to Madonna’s popularity and the success of the album, it was expected that the song would end up becoming one of the most popular at adult birthday parties. “B-Day Song” is a perfect melody to dedicate to that special girl who deserves the best.
5. “Birthday Cake” by Rihanna
This song by the Barbadian singer Rihanna has the same tone of sexual innuendo as the song “Birthday” by Katy Perry. In this song, featuring Chris Brown, Rihanna talks about wanting spontaneous “intimate action” in a club.
In this way, Rihanna uses the idea of a birthday cake as a metaphor for having sex on that special day. Originally, the song accidentally leaked on the Internet, and the singer’s fans showed great interest in it.
For that reason, although it wasn’t in the original plans. “Birthday Cake” ended up being included on 2011’s “Talk That Talk” album, on a track lasting one minute and 18 seconds.
Despite initial interest from fans, the song failed to perform well on the charts at the time.
However, due to the lyrics and its extremely danceable rhythm, the song has ended up becoming a classic for birthday celebrations for adults. Use this song if you want to get everyone in the mood to dance at that birthday party to a fresh and vibrant R&B tune.
6. “In Da Club” by 50 Cent
“Go, go, go… Go shorty, it’s your birthday.” There is no doubt that this line is one of the most popular intros of the last decades in a song. With “In Da Club,” the American rapper 50 Cent broke the charts with his debut studio album, “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” (2003).
Quick Fact: This birthday song with an unconventional rhythm popularized the nickname “Shorty” and climbed to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 of its time. On top of that, the song received several major award nominations, of which it won quite a few.
It even peaked at number 13 on Rolling Stone’s “Best Songs of the Decade” list and number 448 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” “In Da Club” is one of those perfect songs to be used as a party starter and is guaranteed to get everyone up and dancing on that special date.
In the words of 50 Cent: “It’s a celebration of life. Every day it’s relevant all over ’cause every day is someone’s birthday.” If you want to feel like you’re in the club on that birthday, with this great song you’ll feel you are.
7. “Birthday Sex” by Jeremih
This song about having sex on a birthday is so good that it helped launch Jeremih’s career on his 2009 debut studio album, titled “Jeremih.” This is one of the best happy birthday songs for adults, and it became a kind of new birthday anthem!
According to the artist, the song is based on his personal experience. With a smooth R&B beat and unconventional lyrics, but bold and catchy lines like this one, “Or maybe we can float on top of my water bed. You close your eyes as I improv between your legs.”
This song perfectly shows that you don’t need a spectacular birthday party with lots of guests and expensive gifts to make that special girl feel in the sky on her day.
With dinner and a couple of romantic songs, with “Birthday Sex” as the starter, you have a perfect candidate to be part of that long birthday night. (And don’t forget your energy drink, you know).
8. “Happy Birthday” by “Weird Al” Yankovic
So far, I have mainly talked about birthday songs that refer to love or having a party. All from the perspective of being, let’s say, politically correct. But how about this birthday song from “Weird Al” Yankovic that talks about enjoying your day before the world ends?
“Happy Birthday” was released on Yankovic’s 1983 debut album titled simply, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and is a true gem of humor for a birthday party. As long as there are no overly sensitive people in the place.
But if the celebrated person is an environmental activist or something similar, much better. The song’s lyrics refer to enjoying your life and your party while you can since it’s very likely that the end of the world is near: poverty, hunger, nuclear catastrophes, and wars. Here’s an example:
“It doesn’t take a military genius to see. We’ll all be crispy critters after World War III. There’s nowhere you can run to, nowhere you can hide When they drop the big one, we all get fried”
Apocalyptic? Yeah, but funny. If you want a different birthday song for someone who doesn’t take things too seriously, this one is perfect.
9. “Birthday” by Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez’s “Birthday” reminds us constantly that life is meant to be enjoyed every day. After all, today doesn’t have to be your birthday to have a party. “Birthday” is part of the album “Star Dance,” the solo debut in Selena Gomez’s musical career.
The song was made available just one day before its official release as part of a video to celebrate the singer’s 21st birthday, which reached 2 million views on YouTube in just one week.
Technically speaking, the song is a mix of electropunk, club music, trap, and dubstep and is considered by many critics to be the start of Gomez’s musical maturity. Indeed, the song talks about topics like sex appeal, self-confidence, and girl power, along with suggestive lyrics about a wild night out (you know, with sex and all that).
But perhaps, the song’s most important message is what I mentioned at the beginning of this description: today doesn’t have to be your birthday to celebrate. Or, as Selena Gomez says: “Every night’s my birthday.”
10. “Birthday Song” by 2 Chainz
We continue with a bit of hip-hop and trap. This time, the turn is for 2 Chainz and his suggestive “Birthday Song.” The song is part of 2 Chainz’s debut album (released in 2012) and a collaboration with rapper Kanye West. In this song, 2 Chainz talks about being treated like a celebrity on that special day which is one’s birthday.
He let everyone know by asking to be buried with very expensive products on the day of his death. On the other hand, 2 Chainz has a thing for big female butts, something he constantly lets on in the lyrics of the song.
Although it may seem otherwise, the song doesn’t really have obscene lyrics. On the contrary, it is quite catchy. The song peaked at number 6 on the US Hot Rap Songs in Billboard magazine and number 100 on the US Billboard Hot 100. If you also like big butties.
11. “Birthday” by Anne-Marie
This time it’s the girls’ turn to ask to be treated like true queens on their birthday. Anne-Marie’s “Birthday” reflects this perfectly in its delightfully playful lyrics. In this song, Anne-Marie talks about being treated like a princess on that special day: receiving all kinds of gifts, eating what you like, dressing in expensive clothes…
And let friends pay the bill! The song was first performed on the show “The Greatest Dancer” in 2020, at the same time as its YouTube video was released, and the tune is part of the recent album “Therapy.”
The interesting thing about this song is that Anne-Marie is used to writing songs about being upset with ex-partners, but with “Birthday,” she wanted to do something different.
According to Anne-Marie, she felt very happy the moment she came up with that song, so she decided to capture all those feelings in the lyrics.
Expert Tip: This song is perfect to dedicate to that special girl who wants to be flattered in a big way on her birthday and party all night until dawn.
What Is the Coolest Happy Birthday Song?
I cannot give you a 100% objective answer here since the best birthday song will depend on the tastes of the honoree as well as the circumstances surrounding the celebration. For example, if you’re looking for something sublime, you might go with “Happy Birthday” by Stevie Wonder.
For a night that includes romantic intimacy, you can opt for “Birthday” by Katy Perry or “Birthday Cake” by Rihanna.
If you want something to put everyone in the mood. “In Da Club” by 50 Cent is the song for you. And if you’re looking for something different with a good touch of humor, “Happy Birthday” by “Weird Al” Yankovic is the way to go. The choice is all yours.
How Do You Cheer Someone on Their Birthday?
There are many ways to make someone feel special on their birthday. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a man or a woman, the general rule is to make them feel like someone special on their day. One of the best tactics for this is to give a gift that includes some words of affection that clearly show how much you appreciate that person.
Another tactic that works quite well is to surprise that person with a birthday song in a public place. You know, here’s a list of some great songs for this.
Finally, prepare a surprise birthday party. Of course, pretend throughout the day that you don’t remember their birthday and surprise them at night. I assure you that they’ll like it.
What Is the Best Song for Birthday Video
A birthday is a special occasion that comes only once a year, and it’s a time to celebrate the life of the honored person. Creating a birthday video is a great way to show that person how much you care, and the right song can make all the difference.
What is the best song for a birthday video? Well, in this post, we’ll explore ten of the best songs for a birthday video, covering a range of genres and moods.
- “Happy Birthday” by Stevie Wonder – A classic song that’s upbeat and perfect for birthday celebrations.
- “It’s Your Birthday” by R. Kelly – A fun and catchy song that encourages people to dance and celebrate.
- “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang – A disco-inspired song that’s perfect for a festive and upbeat birthday video.
- “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars is a heartwarming song perfect for a birthday video focusing on friendship and love.
- “Today Was a Fairytale” by Taylor Swift is a romantic and upbeat song perfect for a birthday video that celebrates love and relationships.
- “Birthday” by Katy Perry is a fun and catchy song that’s perfect for a birthday video about having a good time.
- “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield is a motivational and uplifting song perfect for a birthday video that celebrates new beginnings and possibilities.
- “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors is a feel-good and upbeat song perfect for a birthday video celebrating life’s happy moments.
- “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart – A timeless and emotional song perfect for a birthday video that celebrates aging and life’s journey.
- “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts – A beautiful and sentimental song perfect for a birthday video that celebrates the hopes and dreams of the person celebrating their birthday.
Conclusion
Birthdays are the best time to make someone you love feel special. Something that can never be missing is the birthday song, but it isn’t a bad idea to get out of the routine a bit with one of the adult songs that we present in this list.
There are genres for all tastes and this is always an excellent gift. Pick the right song and get ready to party all night!