List of signature songs
A signature song is the one song (or, in some cases, one of a few songs) that a popular and well-established recording artist or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of other songs. There have also been instances where a film actor has acquired a signature song by giving a popular vocal performance in a feature. Signature songs can be the result of spontaneous public identification, or a marketing tool developed by the music industry to promote artists, sell their recordings, and develop a fan base.[1]
Artists and bands with a signature song are often expected to perform it at every concert appearance.[2]
List of selected artists and their signature songs
- ABBA – "Dancing Queen"[3]
- Christina Aguilera - "Beautiful"[4]
- AKB48 - "Aitakatta"[5]
- The Animals – "The House of the Rising Sun"[6]
- Rick Astley – "Never Gonna Give You Up"[7]
- Backstreet Boys - "I Want It That Way"[8]
- Shirley Bassey – "Goldfinger"[9]
- Beck – "Loser"[10]
- Tony Bennett – "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"[11]
- Chuck Berry – "Johnny B. Goode"[12]
- Blue Öyster Cult – "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"[13]
- Bon Jovi – "Livin' on a Prayer"[14]
- Laura Branigan - "Gloria"[15]
- Garth Brooks – "The Dance"[16]
- Jeff Buckley – "Hallelujah"[17]
- Jimmy Buffett – "Margaritaville"[18]
- Ray Charles – "What'd I Say"[19]
- Cheap Trick – "I Want You to Want Me"[20]
- Petula Clark – "Downtown"[21]
- Confederate Railroad - "Trashy Women"[22]
- Bing Crosby – "White Christmas"[23]
- Bobby Darin – "Mack the Knife"[24]
- Sammy Davis Jr. – "I've Gotta Be Me"[25]
- Doris Day -- ""Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)"[26][27]
- Dead Kennedys – "Holiday in Cambodia"[28]
- Deep Purple – "Smoke on the Water"[29]
- Diamond Rio - "Meet in the Middle"[30]
- Marlene Dietrich – "Falling In Love Again"[31]
- Celine Dion – "My Heart Will Go On"[32]
- Dishwalla - "Counting Blue Cars"
- The Doors – "Light My Fire"[33]
- Duran Duran – "Hungry Like the Wolf"[34]
- Eagles – "Hotel California"[35]
- Brantley Gilbert - "Kick It in the Sticks"[36]
- Gin Blossoms - "Found Out About You"
- Lee Greenwood – "God Bless the USA"[37]
- Bob Hope – "Thanks for the Memory"[38]
- Lena Horne – "Stormy Weather"[39]
- Iron Butterfly – "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"[40]
- Etta James – "At Last"[41]
- Billy Joel – "Piano Man"[42]
- George Jones – "He Stopped Loving Her Today"[43]
- Tom Jones – "It's Not Unusual"[44]
- Journey – "Don't Stop Believin'"[45]
- The Killers - "Mr. Brightside"[46]
- Evelyn "Champagne" King – "Shame"[47]
- The Kinks - "You Really Got Me"[48]
- Kiss – "Rock and Roll All Nite"[20]
- Gladys Knight & the Pips – "Midnight Train to Georgia"[49]
- Cyndi Lauper – "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"[50]
- Led Zeppelin – "Stairway to Heaven"[51]
- John Lennon – "Imagine"[52]
- Jerry Lee Lewis – "Great Balls of Fire"[53]
- Linkin Park - "In the End"[54]
- Guy Lombardo – "Auld Lang Syne"[55]
- Julie London – "Cry Me a River"[56]
- Loretta Lynn – "Coal Miner's Daughter"[57]
- Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird"[58]
- Barbara Mandrell – "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool"[59]
- Martina McBride – "Independence Day"[60]
- Men at Work - "Down Under"[61]
- Bette Midler – "Wind Beneath My Wings"[62]
- Kylie Minogue – "Can't Get You Out of My Head"[63]
- The Moody Blues - "Nights in White Satin"[20]
- Motörhead – "Ace of Spades"[64]
- Nirvana – "Smells Like Teen Spirit"[65]
- Oasis – "Wonderwall"[66]
- Ozzy Osbourne – "Crazy Train"[67]
- The Pointer Sisters - "I'm So Excited"[68]
- Lionel Richie - "Hello"[69][70]
- Kenny Rogers – "The Gambler"[71]
- The Rolling Stones – "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"[72]
- Linda Ronstadt - Blue Bayou[73]
- Savage Garden – "Truly Madly Deeply"[74]
- Neil Sedaka – "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"[75]
- Semisonic – "Closing Time"[76]
- Blake Shelton - "Ol' Red"[77]
- Carly Simon – "You're So Vain"[78]
- Frank Sinatra – "My Way"[79]
- Percy Sledge – "When a Man Loves a Woman"[80]
- Sonny & Cher – "I Got You Babe"[81]
- Spice Girls – "Wannabe"[82][83]
- Bruce Springsteen – "Born to Run"[84]
- Rod Stewart – "Maggie May"[85]
- Eva Tanguay – "I Don't Care"[86]
- James Taylor – "Fire and Rain"[87]
- Shirley Temple – "On the Good Ship Lollipop"[88]
- Conway Twitty – "Hello Darlin'"[89]
- A Tribe Called Quest - "Can I Kick It?"[90]
- Carrie Underwood – "Before He Cheats"[91]
- The Verve – "Bitter Sweet Symphony"[92]
- Village People – "Y.M.C.A."[93]
- Andy Williams – "Moon River"[94]
- Bert Williams – "Nobody"[95]
- Amy Winehouse – "Rehab"[96]
- Tammy Wynette – "Stand by Your Man"[97]
- Xscape - "Just Kickin' It"
See also
- Honorific nicknames in popular music
- National anthem
- Subject (music)
- Theme music
- Trademark look
- One-hit wonder
References
- ^ Umphlett, Wiley Lee (2004). The Visual Focus of American Media Culture in the Twentieth Century: The Modern Era, 1893–1945. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. p. 157.
This practice soon began equating performers with signature songs as a way to promote and sell recordings and sheet music as well as establish a cult of fans to market these songs to.
- ^ Prescott, John (2000). A Career in Show Business: Variety Entertainer. Chicago: Institute for Research. p. 8.
And if there's a phrase ... or you have a signature song ... then your audience will probably be disappointed if you don't repeat yourself.
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- ^ "This Week In Billboard Chart History: Christina Aguilera Tops Pop Songs With 'Beautiful' & More". Billboard. January 6, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
- ^ "Aitakatta * supermerlion". Supermerlion.com. October 25, 2006. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "SEPTEMBER 05, 1964 : "HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN" BY THE ANIMALS TOPS THE U.S. POP CHARTS". History.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "Rick Astley". Houston Press. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ^ "Here Are Some Fascinating Things You Didn't Know About Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way"". Glamour. April 13, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
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- ^ "Beck's Back". Billboard. March 22, 2005. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "His Heart's Still In San Francisco". CBS News. December 21, 2005.
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- ^ "The Making Of… Blue Oyster Cult's (Don't Fear) The Reaper – Uncut". Uncut.co.uk. March 1, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Stunned By Living On A Prayer Success". Contactmusic.com. August 20, 2006. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ "Gloria on Laura Branigan's life" (PDF). August 8, 2003. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
- ^ "Garth Brooks Official Site". Garthbrooks.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2007. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
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- ^ "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) by Doris Day". SongFacts.com. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ "Que Sera, Sera lyrics". Octoberfest Songs. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ Ellis, Iain (2008). Rebels Wit Attitude: Subversive Rock Humorists. Soft Skull Press. p. 178. ISBN 9781593763350.
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- ^ "Top 5 Duran Duran Songs". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Special Event". CNN. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
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- ^ "Thanks for the Memory". Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ^ allmusic (The Best of the RCA Years > Overview)
- ^ "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly". Toponehitwonders.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "Etta James: Biography". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
- ^ "How Billy Joel became the Piano Man". June 2, 2014.
- ^ Cooper, Peter (May 2, 2013). "George Jones' life proved to be a joyful song". USA Today.
- ^ Song Review by William Ruhlmann. "It's Not Unusual - Tom Jones | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ Wardlaw, Matt. "Don't Stop Believin' - Journey Guitarist Neal Schon Reflects on the Classic Rock Band's Generation-Spanning Legacy | Music Feature | Cleveland Scene". Clevescene.com. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "The 10 Best Songs by The Killers".
- ^ Hogan, Ed. "Review of 'Shame' by Evelyn 'Champagne' King". Allmusic. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ^ "You Really Got Me". Salon. July 24, 2002. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ "Gladys Knight on biography.com". Retrieved March 29, 2012.
- ^ "As Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' Turns 30, It's Embraced By A New Generation". radio.com. June 4, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ^ "Official band website". Ledzeppelin.com. April 27, 1977. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ^ "Imagine: John Lennon's signature song". Retrieved July 11, 2014.
- ^ Fish, George. "Jerry Lee Lewis at 70".
- ^ "No. 2: Linkin Park, 'In the End' – Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs". Retrieved December 1, 2017.
- ^ "Welcome to Producers, Inc". Producersinc.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
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{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Tom Maginnis. "Ace of Spades - Motörhead | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "'Nevermind' is ever-covered, spoofed". Usatoday.com. September 22, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
- ^ "Behind The Song: Oasis, "Wonderwall"". American Songwriter. August 4, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
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- ^ "Flashback: Kenny Rogers Introduces the Gambler". rollingstone.com. November 14, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ^ "Satisfaction is 'top Stones song'". news.bbc.co.uk. August 17, 2006. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
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- ^ "My Way". Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
- ^ Hendershot, Steve (October 7, 2005). "Percy Sledge is still in love with "When a Man Loves a Woman"". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
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{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Sochen, June (2007). From Mae to Madonna: Women Entertainers in Twentieth-century America. University Press of Kentucky. p. 45. ISBN 9780813129334.
- ^ "Fire and Rain - James Taylor | Song Info". AllMusic. May 13, 1981. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
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