Memes make up a huge part of our internet culture.
They have come a long way from the 1990s, from pictures with captions to certain songs that capture a mood or situation perfectly.
Some of the meme songs aren’t even from current artists; they could be past hits reframed to describe something funny.
Most of these viral songs are also undeniably catchy, adding to the experience for us listeners.
We have rounded up some classic meme songs that have kept us laughing over the years.
Whether you want to look back on those nostalgic days or troll your friends in karaoke, these songs will definitely make your karaoke party fun!
Funny Meme Songs
“Never Gonna Give You Up” – Rick Astley
How could we not start our list with the most iconic meme song of all time?
First released in 1987, this dance-pop number is as straightforward as it gets: the singer wants to confess to his girlfriend, and he promises to never give her up, let her down, or run around and desert her.
The track became the basis of an Internet meme called “rickrolling,” which involved misleading links redirecting the user to the song’s music video.
Originally started on 4chan in 2007, the practice became so popular that even major companies like YouTube joined in.
“Africa” – Toto
This 1982 ballad became a hit upon its release and has even been acknowledged as a soft-rock classic until today.
The song has also been used in many Internet memes, partly because its lyrics are delivered with a completely deadpan expression.
To top its “meme-worthiness,” a sound installation that plays the song on loop was set in the Namib Desert in January 2019.
The installation runs on solar-powered batteries, allowing the song to be played indefinitely, meaning it’ll be around for a very, very long time.
“Harlem Shake” – Baauer
This 2012 track didn’t become a meme until 2013, when Youtuber comedian Filthy Frank uploaded a video of him and some friends dancing to a short excerpt of the song, effectively getting the meme rolling.
The meme spread worldwide, with thousands of people, including celebrities, recording themselves dancing to the song.
The best part about this song is that it’s more music than lyrics, so you and your friends can dance all you want to it.
“Tunak Tunak Tun” – Daler Mehndi
A Bhangra/Indi-pop love song, this fast-paced track has inspired many parodies since its release in 1998.
Mehndi’s music videos were often criticized for the abundance of beautiful, dancing women.
So, in his response, he created this video that only featured four clones of himself.
Despite the changes, the song became a massive hit.
Even if you don’t know Hindi, you can still enjoy this catchy song by having fun doing its amusing dance with your friends.
“All-Star” – Smash Mouth
This upbeat 1999 track is so iconic that anyone can recognize it from the first four words of the lyrics alone.
After being featured in the opening scene of Shrek, it has been remixed, covered, and parodied numerous times.
What adds to this song’s epicness is that Smash Mouth embraces its legacy as a meme with open arms.
This feel-good rock number isn’t just popular, it’s also easy to sing and will surely get everyone to join in the fun with you.
“The Sound of Silence” – Simon & Garfunkel
This 1964 folk-rock ballad became a widespread meme due to its opening verse, “Hello, darkness, my old friend.”
This short part of the song was often used as background music for dramatic effect in numerous remix videos and parodies.
Its meme legacy aside, this slow-paced track talks about the inability of people to communicate emotionally.
With its simple tune and straightforward lyrics, this song is best sung when everyone’s quiet and relaxed.
“A Thousand Miles” – Vanessa Carlton
Since its release in 2002, this bouncy pop number has solidified itself as an Internet sensation over the years.
The song was inspired by Vanessa’s crush on a Julliard student and is considered her breakthrough hit.
It has been featured in many television shows, films, and memes, most notably in the movie White Chicks where Terry Crews starts singing the song.
“Stayin’ Alive” – Bee Gees
Even the classics aren’t spared from being turned into memes.
“Stayin’ Alive” is a 1977 disco track that was originally written for the film Saturday Night Fever.
It gained massive popularity after its release and has inspired numerous covers from different genres.
This catchy song is even used to train medical professionals to perform CPR, since it has 103 beats per minute, which fall within the recommended number of chest compressions for this practice.
“Photograph” – Nickelback
Released in 2005, this alternative-rock song is about looking back on fond memories and how much things have changed since then.
The meme basically started with the opening scene of the music video, which features the band’s lead singer, Chad Kroeger, holding up a framed photograph.
This scene has been widely parodied through video remixes and photoshopped parodies.
The song has a catchy melody and simple lyrics, though it does go pretty high at the chorus, where you’ll literally be singing your heart out.
“Take on Me” – a-ha
“Take on Me” is a synth-pop single released in 1985 by the Norwegian band a-ha.
It uses a combination of various instruments, including keyboards, drums, and acoustic guitars.
The song didn’t become massively successful until its second music video, featuring a girl who meets the male protagonist of the comic book she’s reading.
This music video inspired tons of musical covers, parodies, and remixes.
“What’s Up?” – 4 Non Blondes
Before the rock group 4 Non Blondes was formed, main vocalist Linda Perry had already been working on the song and even performed it while she was working as a waitress.
When it was released in 1993, the song shot the band to fame and gained huge success worldwide.
This funky track has been used in many forms of media, with the most well-known one being an online video of He-Man singing the song.
“The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)” – Ylvis
When the Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis released this whimsical song in 2013, they never expected it to go viral beyond their country.
The song was originally written to promote their new show, but it turned out to be the smash hit of the summer.
Due to its sheer absurdity, it became a popular internet meme and inspired plenty of song covers and parodies of people singing the track in fox costumes.
This song is so simple and crazy that you can forget the lyrics altogether and just have fun making all the ridiculous fox sounds.
“The Final Countdown” – Europe
Epic isn’t enough to describe this awe-inspiring hit number.
Inspired by David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” “The Final Countdown” was released in 1986 by the Swedish rock band Europe.
The song has a pretty sick guitar riff, which is often used in meme videos, parodies, and other forms of media due to how amazing it sounds.
“Ridin'” – Chamillionaire ft. Krayzie Bone
Despite its catchy tune, this 2005 hip-hop song talks about police brutality, in which police officers aggressively profile African-Americans regardless of whether they are guilty or innocent of any crimes.
This song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and was the basis for meme images using the verse, “They see me rollin’, they hatin’.”
It also inspired several video parodies, the most famous one done by Weird Al Yankovic.
“We Are Number One” – LazyTown
This song can definitely come as a surprise since its origins started in the children’s television show LazyTown.
The song is about the song’s protagonist, Robbie Rotton, who tries to teach his accomplices how to catch a superhero, especially Sportacus.
While the song was released in 2014, it was only turned into meme material in 2016, inspiring hilarious remixes and parodies.
Though it’s a song meant for kids, it’s fun enough to make everyone dance and sing along to it.
“Careless Whisper” – George Michael
Although it was officially released by the pop duo Wham, “Careless Whisper” was George’s first hit single.
The song is about the guilt George feels after cheating on his partner.
This 1984 track is often used in films, TV shows, or other media during a romantic scene for dramatic effect.
Even if you’re not in a romantic mood, the song makes up for it with its irresistible saxophone riffs that you just can’t help but enjoy singing it.
“Ding Dong Song” – Günther ft. The Sunshine Girls
“Ding Dong Song” is a poppy Eurodance song by the Swedish pop artists Gunther, featuring vocals from The Sunshine Girls.
The 2004 track is about Gunther’s raunchy attempts at a one-night stand.
Its catchy beats and hilarious lyrics didn’t just chart it in several countries but also inspired many videos of people lip-synching to it.
“Dragonstea Din Tei” – O-Zone
Informally known as “Maya Hi” or “Numa Numa,” no one can deny how nostalgic and catchy this 2003 track is.
Released by the Moldovan pop group, O-Zone, this song is pretty much a romantic number that topped charts in many countries.
However, the original song was made popular in the United States when vlogger Gary Blosma uploaded a viral video of him dancing to it.
If you want to sing this song, there’s an English version of it available with lyrics you can easily remember.
“Spooky, Scary Skeletons” – Andrew Gold
This quirky and upbeat track was first released in 1996 by Andrew Gold for a children’s Halloween-themed album called Halloween Howls.
The song basically talks about how the scary appearance of the skeletons causes people to run away even though they want to communicate with humans.
The song’s meme status later on began with a remix video of Minecraft characters breaking out into a dance to the song.
It would go on to inspired many parodies and remixes, to the point of being considered the Gen Z anthem in 2021.
“Caramelldansen” – Caramel
This song was so widespread in the mid-2000s that almost everyone knows about it.
Originally a Swedish pop track from the group Caramell, it went viral after being used in a fifteen-frame Flash-animation loop featuring two anime characters from a visual novel.
The bouncy 2001 track became a hit in Japan and was known as the “uma uma dance.”
With its absolute banger of a melody, it’s totally okay if you can’t sing the lyrics out since everyone will be too busy enjoying themselves.
Before you go, get spooky (or kooky) with our guide to the best songs about ghosts!
