There’s not really an exact science when it comes to the types of tracks that chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Love songs, breakup ballads, coming-of-age cuts and more have all had their due on Billboard’s most popular chart. But there is another theme that’s had its fair share on the ranks — and one that’s sure to get people pumped: songs about alcohol.
Whether artists are using liquor as a metaphor for something else (love, mostly) or just flat out throwing a few back for the heck of it, boozy tunes have been charting for decades. Rupert Holmes released “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” in 1979 — a tropical tune that’s become a favorite among several generations, especially after appearing in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014. Back in 1999, Snoop Dogg dropped his cross-faded cut “Gin and Juice,” produced by Dr. Dre, as an ode to getting zooted. Even minors and non-drinkers can relate to Ke$ha’s 2010 smash solo debut “TiK ToK” (because “the party don’t start ‘till I walk in”). And Beyoncé’s “Drunk in Love” collaboration with husband Jay-Z has been a pregame-playlist essential since its release in 2013.
These are just a few examples of artists getting their drink on via music. From birthday bashes, to intoxicating holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo and the Fourth of July, to the weeklong college kid drinking event also known as spring break, jams from musical legends and current hitmakers alike make for the perfect way to get the party started. So turn up the music and get drinking — responsibly, of course!