Ballroom, Latin & Swing Dance Music

  This page lists some recommended, danceable music, along with brief descriptions.  If you have comments or questions about any of the music listed below, or if you have suggestions for other music you'd like to see listed, send email. 

I am unable to update this list as often as I would I like. If you would like to receive email notice when it is updated, send email to MusicUpdate@erik.org.

If you want to see suggested songs listed by a specific dance, check out My Dance Lists.   Most of the recommendations formerly on this page are still available on my recommended albums page.

You'll find Windows Media audio clips for some of songs listed below. Click on any highlighted track title below to hear a brief clip from the song.   If a song title isn't clickable, I don't have a sample for it here (but there's usually one on CDNOW).   If you don't have the Windows Media player already, use the link at the bottom of the page to download it for free.

Click on any highlighted artist or album title to go to CDNOW, where you'll find more information, cover art, and even samples from some of the songs on the album.   If you like what you hear, you can buy it with a click of the mouse.

Recommendations from 2001 & 2002

• Robbie Williams pays homage to "Sammy, Dean and Frank" with faithful remakes of some of their classics on his latest album Swing When You're Winning.   Much as it pains me to admit it, the album is really wonderful -- Every track is great listening, and many are just as good for dancing.   The first single, Something Stupid (duet with Nicole Kidman) is a nice (American) Rumba and has been burning up the charts in Europe.   Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me is a nice West Coast Swing, and there are several nice foxtrots (some a bit on the fast side) including:  Beyond The Sea, Ain't That A Kick In The Head, Straighten Up and Fly Right, and They Can't Take That Away From Me.
•  Jools Holland's latest effort, Jools Holland's Big Band Rhythm And Blues delivers on the title's promise.   The songs are all collaborative efforts with some of the biggest names in music, including the last track recorded by George Harrison (Horse To The Water).   Most of the songs have a funky, bluesy, honkytonk feel, and and the album is peppered with danceable swing (East and West Coast) music and the occasional Country Two-Step or Waltz.  Check out:  Will It Go Round In Circles (with Paul Weller), Valentine Moon (with Sam Brown), Nobody But You (with Ruby Turner), Revolution (with Stereophonics), Mademoiselle Will Decide (with Mark Knopfler), I'm Ready (with Steve Winwood), and the T-Bone Shuffle (with Mick Hucknell).
• Australia's Kylie Minogue isn't the queen of the deep or intricate lyric, but she sure knows her way around a catchy pop tune.  Her last two albums, Fever and Light Years, have been full of the kinds of songs that get stuck in your head.    They're predominantly Hustle, but the occasional slow song or other dance sneaks in there -- Light Years even has a Viennese Waltz (Bittersweet Goodbye)!    CDNOW has plenty of samples, so mosey on over there if you'd like to listen.    Spinning Around was the chart-topper from Light Years, but I rather like Your Disco Needs You and Bittersweet Goodbye, too.   Can't Get You Out Of My Head is the most recent hit from Fever.
• Kate Winslet (yes, the one from Titanic) has a lovely ballad called What If at or near the top of the charts in Europe.  It's also a perfect Nightclub Two-Step.   I'm afraid that this one is only available as an import single, though you might be able to find it on a compilation, too.
• Sophie Ellis-Bextor has a distinctive voice and a knack for choosing songs that suit her perfectly.  Take Me Home (A Girl Like Me)  (from the album Read My Lips) is a fantastic Hustle.
• Alcazar's catchy Hustle, Crying At The Discotheque, has been getting lots of airplay on radio and video (it has a hilariously silly video and an unavoidably catchy beat).   It's available domestically on a CD Single.  If you buy imports, you can get the album Casino or a  CD Single.   I don't have the album so I can't really comment, but I've heard a few other Alcazar songs on the radio and they were pretty catchy too.
• Jamiroquai's 2001 single, Little L, is a catchy hustle (and a funny song, to boot).  It's available as a CD Single or on the album Funk Odyssey.   I don't have the album so I can't comment, but CDNOW does have samples for it.
• Bill Wyman (of the Rolling Stones) formed the Rhythm Kings in 1997, with Peter Frampton and others.   The album Groovin' is great listening and dancing, mostly swing but I Want To Be Evil works as a Quickstep (though it needs to be slowed down a bit).    Oh! Baby is another favorite of mine, and CDNOW has samples for most of the other songs on the album.
• India Arie made a justifiably huge splash with her fabulous debut album Acoustic Soul.   The lesser known tracks are just as good, and include Promises (a nice American Rumba) and Always In My Head (a nice Nightclub Two-Step).
• Irish R&B sensation (?!) Samantha Mumba has a great high energy Cha-Cha in Gotta Tell You.   It's on the album of the same name and CDNOW has samples.
• Pink's latest #1 hit, Get The Party Started, is a high energy hit with a beat that just drives you to dance.   This fantastic Cha-Cha on her latest album, Missundaztood, which contains a couple of other danceable songs, including Misery, a Waltz (?!).
• Loco is a smoother, more laid-back kind of Cha-Cha from the Fun Lovin' Criminals.   It's as a CD single or on an album of the same name, both are imports.
• Cake has a couple of unusual but catchy Cha-Cha's.   Never There (from the album Prolonging The Magic) and Short Skirt/Long Jacket (only available as an import CD Single).
• Memphis is a surprisingly lovely Waltz from Janis Ian and Willie Nelson.   It's from her latest album, God & The FBI, which is a very nice album overall and which includes one of Thea's favorite songs: Boots Like Emmy Lou's
• K.T. Oslin brings her musical talent and a great sense of fun to her album Live Close By, Visit Often.   It's not just a lot of fun to listen to, though -- it includes several danceable songs including the title cut (a West Coast Swing) and Mean To Me (a Foxtrot).
• The soundtrack to the movie Swing, by Lisa Stansfield is wonderful and contains lots of danceable swing plus a smattering of Foxtrots.   Baby I Need Your Lovin' (West Coast Swing), The Best Is Yet To Come (Foxtrot) and I Thought That's What You Liked About Me (Foxtrot) are my favorites, but there are at least a half-dozen other good-to-great danceable songs on the album.
• We'd never heard of Dutch singer Laura Fygi until we moved to Amsterdam.  Her most danceable album, The Latin Touch, is unfortunately not available on CDNOW as I write this -- if you see it, buy it.   The other albums on CDNOW aren't as danceable but are still recommended listening.  Bewitched contains enchanting renditions of classic torch songs, including a lovely danceable Let There Be Love and a couple of other foxtrots.   The Lady Wants to Know is the perfect Jazz album for a mellow Sunday afternoon.
• Follow Me by Uncle Kracker is a soothing and mellow American Rumba, which is a bit surprising since the rest of the album Double Wide is completely different (CDNOW has samples so you can judge for yourself).  It's also available as an import CD Single.
• Goodnight Moon by Shivaree is another nice but unusual American Rumba.   It's a sparse, kind of moody song and is from the album I Oughta Give You A Shot In The Head For Making Me Live In This Dump.
• Hey Baby by No Doubt actually works as a Samba, though it has a few breaks and could benefit from some editing.  It's from the album Rock Steady and is also available as an import single.    CDNOW has samples if you'd like to give it a listen.
• One More Time is a great hustle and the first of four or five hits from Daft Punk's album Discovery.
• Chillin' is another great hustle by Modjo, from their self-titled album.  It's also available as a CD Single.
• Australian pop star Vanessa Amorosi stormed the charts with Absolutely Everybody, an absolutely fabulous Hustle (on the fast side, though).  It's from the album Power and is also available as a CD Single (both imported).   It's also on countless compilations.
• Moi Lolita () by Alizée, Daddy DJ () by Daddy DJ,  and Starlight () by Supermen Lovers are great hustles that have been getting lots of airplay in Amsterdam.   Both are available only as CD Singles, so click on the speaker symbol to hear the song or the name of the song to go to CDNOW.   If the singles aren't available, you can probably find them on compilations.

Recommendations from 1999 & 2000:

• A fantastic Hustle is "I'm Outta Love" by Anastacia, from her first album, Not That Kind. Another nice Hustle is "The Animal Song" by Savage Garden.

• Tom Jones' latest album, Reload, has many danceable songs. His collaboration with Mousse T, "Sex Bomb", is a Chustle (Cha-Cha or Hustle) depending on the remix. Another Chustle is "When We Are Together" by the Scottish group Texas.

• For Latin dance music, listen to Gloria Estefan's latest album, Alma Caribena.

• For new Cha-Chas, check out the delightfully campy "In These Shoes" on Kirsty MacColl's album Tropical Brainstorm, "Mucho Mambo (Sway)" by Shaft (), and "Let's Get Loud" from the album On The 6 by Jennifer Lopez.   The single for "Mucho Mambo (Sway)" is unfortunately out of print, but you can use the search box below to find a compilation that includes it (there are dozens).   Just search for the song title "Mucho Mambo" and you should do pretty well.

• For some great but fast Hustles, check out "Cartoon Heroes" and "Around The World" on Aqua's latest album Aquarius, "Tonite" by Phats and Small, "Summer Son" by Texas, "Sucks to Be You"  by Prozzak, and "Blue" by Eiffel 65.

• Gabrielle's "Rise" from the import album of  the same name, is a lovely Nightclub Two-Step.

• Not only is Ilse De Lange's debut album, World of Hurt, wonderful to listen to, it also contains some danceable songs (Country Cha-Cha, Country Waltz, WCS, and Nightclub Two-Step), and a Waltz, "If You Had The Heart".

• Here's a quick review of some wonderful dance music from 1999 that hasn't made it to the main list below:

  • "China In Your Hand" by Fusion is a great Nightclub Two-Step. It's not released in the US yet, so your only option is the import single.

  • Andru Donalds has a wonderful remake of "All Out Of Love" which was (June-July '99) top-10 on the German charts. In addition to the radio version which is a beautiful Bolero, the CD single also contains a great Hustle version of this song. The Hustle has been particularly popular.

  • The song "Simarik" by Tarkan (who seems to be the Turkish Ricky Martin) is a GREAT  samba!!  "Simarik"  was in the Top 10 across Europe (May 1999), but I can't imagine it will make it to America. Click here for an audio sample of "Simarik". If you like it, you can find out more or order the album or single on CDNow.

  • Ace of Base has a new single (1999) in Europe:  The song Always Have, Always Will is an East Coast Swing; the CD single from England is on CDNow. (No audio yet.)

  • Geri Halliwell's (neé Ginger Spice) first solo single, "Look At Me", (from the album Schizophonic) is a fantastic Cha-Cha highly reminiscent of the Propellerheads/Shirley Bassey version of History Repeating. A bit on the fast side and watch for the break, but it's still a great song.

  • Jennifer Brown is popular in her native Sweden and in Japan. Her  single, "Tuesday Afternoon", is a slow West Coast Swing and reached the Top 40 across Europe. No audio yet.

  • Two very different but popular Merengue are Elvis Crespo's "Suavemente" (album of the same name) and Juan Luis Guerra's "La Bilirubina" from the album, "Bachata Rosa".  "Suavemente" is packed with Merengue; "Bachata Rosa" also has a couple of great American tempo (fast, or 30+ bpm) Rumba.

• If you are just starting your collection of danceable music, the Let's Dance compilations from Rhino Records are a great foundation. The first features "Foxtrots and Waltzes", the second "Swing, Lindy, Jitterbug & Jive".

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If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to write me.

This page has had hits since 27 April 2002.