Usher Has Fans Partying Like It’s 2004
The No. 1 party song of 2026 on America’s Ultimate Party Playlist isn’t a song released this year, but rather a track that came out more than two decades ago.
The old school tune by Usher that was crowned the Ultimate Party Song is his single “Yeah!” featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris. Although “Yeah!” was released 22 years ago, it has been named the Ultimate Party Song of 2026 with a 9.37 out of 10, according to new research by HelloMillions.
“Yeah!” was the lead single off Usher’s fourth studio album, Confessions. The track combined Usher’s smooth vocals with Lil Jon’s shouted ad-libs and Ludacris’ rap verse, creating a party-oriented tune built around heavy bass, synths and an immediately recognizable hook. The combination was influential enough that the crossover sound was later described by critics and music writers as “Crunk&B.”
“Yeah!” was a massive commercial success at the time, spending 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Usher’s longest-running chart-topper. At the 2005 Grammy Awards, “Yeah!” won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, while also receiving a nomination for Record of the Year. But no one could have guessed that “Yeah!” would still be topping party playlists more than 20 years later.
The study, which analyzed the 20 most-followed U.S. party playlists on Spotify, found that several older tracks are still dominating the party scene in 2026. In fact, the top five songs are more than seven years old, with the exception of “No Broke Boys” by Disco Lines and Tinashe, released in 2025, coming in as the No. 2 Party Song.
Ranking at No. 3 is “Toxic” by Britney Spears.
That track was released in 2004, the same year as Usher’s “Yeah!” It has a Party Song Score of 8.27 and tied for the second-highest Spotify popularity at 89/100.
Before Spears recorded the song, “Toxic” had been offered to Kylie Minogue. When she did not record it, Spears did and released it as the second single off her fourth studio album In The Zone. The dance-pop anthem became an international success, reaching No. 1 in several countries and peaking at No. 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Its success also earned Spears her first Grammy Award when she won Best Dance Recording at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in 2005.
Coming in at No. 4 is “One Kiss” by Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa, released in 2018. That single had the highest TikTok usage of any tracks surveyed.
Rounding out the top five of the party songs of 2026 is “Crazy In Love” by Beyoncé, featuring Jay Z.
The track came out in 2003 as the lead single from Bey’s debut solo album, Dangerously in Love.
It quickly became a commercial success, and eventually reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, giving Beyoncé her first solo chart-topper. The song remained at No. 1 for eight consecutive weeks and also topped the U.K. singles chart.
At the 2004 Grammy Awards, “Crazy in Love” won Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The song helped establish Beyoncé’s solo career and has remained one of her most recognizable recordings that is still ranking high on playlists today.
