The best birthday songs for adults are not the one everybody sings over the cake. Below are the songs grown-ups actually want to hear on their birthday: party songs, songs for the big milestone years, feel-good picks and a few sentimental ones. At the end is what our birthday orders show about who gets a song.
Birthday party songs
Songs that are actually about birthdays, for when the cake comes out.
- Birthday by The Beatles (1968). A rock and roll birthday song. Loud and fun.
- Happy Birthday by Stevie Wonder (1980). The grown-up birthday anthem. Everyone knows the chorus.
- Birthday by Katy Perry (2013). Cheeky and bright. For a friend who likes to party.
- In da Club by 50 Cent (2003). "Go shorty, it's your birthday." Play the clean version.
- Celebration by Kool & the Gang (1980). The party song that gets every age on the floor.
- 22 by Taylor Swift (2012). For a twenty-second birthday, obviously. Or anyone who feels it.
Songs for milestone birthdays
For the big ones, like 30, 40, 50, 60 and beyond, when the birthday is also a look back.
- When I'm Sixty-Four by The Beatles (1967). The obvious pick for a 64th, and a sweet one for any 60s birthday.
- Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen (1984). Looking back on the good old days. For a 40th or 50th.
- My Next Thirty Years by Tim McGraw (2000). Written about turning thirty and doing the next thirty right.
- The Best Is Yet to Come by Frank Sinatra (1964). For a birthday where the future still looks good.
- Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day (1997). Written about a breakup, but it became the go-to reflective song for slideshows.
Feel-good birthday songs
No birthday in the title, just a good mood for the whole day.
- Good as Hell by Lizzo (2016). Confidence in a song. Great for a girls night birthday.
- I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas (2009). Tonight is going to be a good night.
- Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars (2014). Instant dance floor.
- Happy by Pharrell Williams (2013). Hard to be in a bad mood while it plays.
- Don't Stop Me Now by Queen (1978). For a birthday that should go all night.
Sentimental birthday songs
For a birthday card moment, when you want to say thank you as much as happy birthday.
- Thank You for Being a Friend by Andrew Gold (1978). For a best friend. Yes, the Golden Girls one.
- You've Got a Friend by James Taylor (1971). A promise to show up, no matter what.
- Count on Me by Bruno Mars (2010). A simple friendship song. Sweet for any age.
- Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield (2004). For a birthday that starts a new chapter.
- Seasons of Love by Original Broadway Cast of Rent (1996). How do you measure a year? A good question for a birthday.
What 500,000 custom songs tell us about birthday songs
Birthdays are one of the top reasons people order a song. Here is what our birthday orders show, anonymized and rounded.
| Measure | What the orders show |
|---|---|
| How common | About one in every seven songs we write is for a birthday |
| Who the song is for | Husband 20%, daughter 14%, wife 13%, boyfriend 9%, son 6%, friend 6% |
| Most-chosen genre | R&B (46%), then country (20%), then hip-hop (8%) |
| Hip-hop | Chosen more for birthdays (8%) than for songs overall (5%) |
| How often it gets played | Median of 12 plays per song after delivery |
Most birthday songs we write are for a partner or a child, not a friend. And birthdays lean a little more upbeat than our other songs: hip-hop shows up more often than in our songs overall. The best ones work in an inside joke or two.
None of these quite say it?
Have one writtenRelated reading
- How a custom birthday song works
- 20 Birthday Songs for Mom: Party, Worship, R&B and More
- 20 Birthday Songs for Dad: Rock, Country, Soul and Worship
- Birthday Gifts for People Who Already Bought Themselves Everything
Questions people ask
What is a good birthday song for an adult?
Stevie Wonder's Happy Birthday is the grown-up classic, and The Beatles' Birthday is the party pick. For a milestone, try Glory Days or My Next Thirty Years. For a song only about them, ForeverSongs writes one from your story.
What song should I play for a 40th or 50th birthday?
Pick a song that looks back and forward at once. Glory Days, The Best Is Yet to Come and Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) all work well for a slideshow or a toast.
Can I get a custom birthday song?
Yes. Tell us their name, their stories and what makes them laugh, and ForeverSongs writes and produces it in under 24 hours.