Are you a high school girl who loves to sing or a teacher working with teenage girls and contemporary repertoire? Try these suggestions for contemporary songs, with a positive message, singable melodies that girls love.
Classic Pop (1960-1999)
- Angel (Sarah McLachlan, 1997)
- I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston, 1987)
- True Colors (Cyndi Lauper, 1986)
- Greatest Love of All (Whitney Houston, 1985)
- Flashdance (Irene Cara, 1983)
- Magic (Olivia Newton John, 1980)
- I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor, 1979)
- Dreams (Fleetwood Mac, 1977)
- Dancing Queen (ABBA, 1976)
- Mamma Mia (ABBA, 1975)
- Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac, 1975)
- You’re So Vain (Carly Simon, 1972)
- I Feel the Earth Move (Carole King, 1971)
- You’ve Got a Friend (Carole King, 1971)
- Close to You (Carpenters, 1970)
- Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head (BJ Thomas, 1969)
- Make Your Own Kind of Music (Mama Cass Elliot, 1969)
- Blackbird (Beatles, 1968)
- Say A Little Prayer for You (Aretha, 1968)
- You Can’t Hurry Love (Supremes, 1966)
- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, 1966)
- Downtown (Petula Clarke, 1964)
- I Only Wanna Be With You (Dusty Springfield, 1963)
- Be My Baby (The Ronettes, 1963)
- Save the Last Dance for Me (Drifters, 1960)
Contemporary Pop
- Drivers License (Olivia Rodrigo, 2021)
- Break My Heart (Dua Lipa, 2020)
- Pretty’s on the Inside (Chloe Adams, 2019)
- Boygenius (Ketchum ID, 2018)
- Lovely (Billie Eilish, 2017)
- Belly Ache (Billie Eilish, 2017)
- Better Place (Rachel Platten, 2016)
- When We Were Young (Adele, 2016)
- Dancing on My Own (Callum Scott, 2016, several covers by female artists)
- Thinking Out Loud (Ed Sheeran, 2014)
- Shake It Off (Taylor Swift, 2014)
- Don’t You Worry Child (Madilyn Bailey, 2013)
- Stay (Rihanna, 2012)
- Give Me a Reason (Pink, 2012)
- Bubbly (Macy Gray, 2012)
- Set Fire to the Rain (Adele, 2011)
- Brother (Matt Corby, 2011)
- Just the Way You Are (Bruno Mars, 2010)
- Count on Me (Bruno Mars, 2010)
- Talking to the Moon (Bruno Mars, 2010)
- Make You Feel My Love (Adele, 2008)
- Love Song (Sarah Bareilles, 2007)
- Put Your Records On (Corinne Bailey Rae, 2006)
- Back to Black (Amy Winehouse, 2006)
- Because of You (Kelly Clarkson, 2004)
- Beautiful (Christina Aguilera, 2002)
- I Wanna Be With You (Mandy Moore, 2000)
- I Try (Macy Gray, 2000)
Stage and Screen
- Speechless (Alladin, 2019)
- I’d Rather Be Me (Mean Girls, 2018)
- Dead Mom (Beetlejuice, 2018)
- Audition (La La Land, 2016)
- How Far I’ll Go (Moana, 2016)
- Everlasting (Tuck Everlasting, 2015)
- Good Girl Winnie Foster (Tuck Everlasting, 2015)
- Let it Go (Frozen, 2013)
- The Secret of Happiness (Daddy Long Legs, 2012)
- Naughty (Matilda, 2011)
- Fly, Fly Away (Catch Me if You Can, 2011)
- When Will My Life Begin (Tangled, 2010)
- Home (Wonderland, 2009)
- The Mad Hatter (Wonderland, 2009)
- Morning Person (Shrek, 2008)
- What it Means to be a Friend (13, 2008)
- The Lamest Place in the World (13, 2008)
- Live Out Loud (A Little Princess, 2005)
- Popular (Wicked, 2003)
- I’m Not That Girl (Wicked, 2003)
- Colors of the Wind (Pocahontas, 1995)
- The Girl I Mean to Be (The Secret Garden, 1991)
- Disneyland (Smile, 1986)
- Miss Ceilie’s Blues (Color Purple, 1985)
- Tomorrow (Annie, 1982)
- Hopelessly Devoted to You (Grease, 1978)
- The Tree (The Me Nobody Knows, 1970)
- My New Philosophy (You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, 1967)
- I Have Confidence (Sound of Music, 1965)
- Much More (Fantasticks, 1960)
- Shy (Once Upon a Mattress, 1958)
- Glad to be Unhappy (On Your Toes, 1954)
- Honey Bun (South Pacific, 1949)
- Over the Rainbow (Wizard of Oz, 1939)
Country
- It Won’t Always Be Like This (Carly Pearce, 2020)
- Rainbow (Kacey Musgraves, 2019)
- Queens Don’t (Rae Lyn, 2018)
- Good Girl (Carrie Underwood, 2012)
- Mean (Taylor Swift, 2010)
- If I Die Young (Band Perry, 2010)
- A Little Bit Stronger (Sara Evans, 2010)
- Crazier (Taylor Swift, 2009)
- So Small (Carrie Underwood, 2007)
- This One’s for the Girls (Martina McBride, 2003)
- I Hope You Dance (Lee Ann Womack, 2000)
- 9 to 5 (Dolly Parton, 1980)
- Landslide (Fleetwood Mac, 1975)
- Crazy (Patsy Cline, 1961)
- Walkin’ After Midnight (Patsy Cline, 1957)
Jazz Standards
- Nature Boy (Aurora, 2016)
- Fly Me to the Moon (Diana Krall, 2002)
- Straighten Up and Fly Right (Robbie Williams, 2001)
- Frim Fram Sauce (Diana Krall, 1993)
- Bye Bye Blackbird (Julie London, 1964)
- It’s Only a Paper Moon (Ella Fitzgerald, 1961)
- Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend (Julie London, 1961)
- Blue Skies (As performed by Ella Fitzgerald, 1958)
- My Baby Just Cares for Me (Nina Simone, 1958)
- Cry Me a River (Julie London, 1955)
- Lullaby of Birdland (Sarah Vaughan, 1955)
Folk and Folk Pop
- Greensleeves (Karliene 2019)
- The Water is Wide (Hayley Westenra, 2018)
- Hallelujah (KD Lang, 2004)
- Fields of Gold (Eva Cassidy, 1996)
- Dark Night of the Soul (Loreena McKennitt, 1994)
- Bonny Swans (Loreena McKennitt, 1994)
- No Frontiers (Mary Black, 1989)
- Schooldays Over (Mary Black, 1987)
- Man With the Child in His Eyes (Kate Bush, 1978)
- Forever Young (Joan Baez, 1976)
- River (Joni Mitchell, 1971)
- Beautiful (Carole King, 1971)
- Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell, 1970)
- Georgy Girl (The Seekers, 1966)
- I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free (Nina Simone, 1957)
