3 Pop Songs That Sound Like a Perfect Night You Can’t Recreate

“We’re gonna party all night…live like we’re dying…tonight’s the night.” These are all familiar conventions of pop songs. Pop is the genre of escapism, and it does its job well. While some listeners may chalk this up to surface-level garbage, real pop fans know the power of letting go for a moment. The three songs below know how to live the perfect night. These artists basically gave us a play-by-play for the party to end all others in these wildly popular hits.

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“Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)” — Katy Perry

Katy Perry has been a strong purveyor of the “we only have tonight” song over the decades. The pop icon has always known how to get the blood pumping and feet shuffling. But if we had to pick one song that saw her party powers at full force, it’s “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).”

“Last Friday night, yeah, we danced on tabletops / And we took too many shots, think we kissed, but I forgot,” she sings in this party classic. This song is like a classic rager in a coming-of-age film. Listening to this song is a cinematic experience, conjuring the wildest night imaginable in the listener’s mind.

“I Gotta Feeling” — The Black Eyed Peas

The late ’00s and 2010s were the eras of the party pop song. Perhaps it was a byproduct of the recession or just a trend every artist wanted to follow; there were many songs about living life like there’s no tomorrow. One of the best songs in this vein is The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling.”

“Tonight’s the night, let’s live it up,” is really the only lyric in this song. Despite the song’s simplicity, it did the trick with listeners back in 2009. This song has an even stronger effect today, now with the tinge of nostalgia. This hit has always been a reminder of simpler times, but it feels especially so now.

“Party In The U.S.A.” — Miley Cyrus

It doesn’t matter where you are or who you are; everyone bends to the will of Miley Cyrus’ “Party In The U.S.A.” Whether it’s at a crowded club or a 4th of July cookout, many a great time has been had to this track. The effervescence of this song is insatiable.

Whether this song brings you back to a perfect night in your life or makes you imagine what one would feel like, this hit has a transportive power.

(Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)