Ten years on, 2015 still fills dancefloors and charts of all kinds. “Uptown Funk” closed that year as the US and UK’s biggest single and later took Record of the Year at the Grammys.
Adele’s “Hello” set the 24-hour view record when it arrived, Drake’s “Hotline Bling” rewired pop culture in a week, and Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know The Better” has just crossed two billion Spotify plays.
Below are forty keepers from that year, each with one fast fact from the time and a quick note on what stuck by 2025.
- Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”: 2015 year-end No. 1 in the US and the UK; later won Record of the Year at the 2016 Grammys. The undisputed king of wedding receptions and sports arena hype music, its opening bassline remains an instant signal to party even in 2025.
- Adele, “Hello”: debuted at No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic and set Vevo’s 24-hour view record at 27.7m; the comeback that defined autumn 2015. Endures as the quintessential ballad of nostalgia and regret, constantly revived on singing competition shows and used as the emotional backdrop for film and TV trailers.
- Drake, “Hotline Bling”: meme magnet that went on to take two Grammys in 2017 for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Performance. Its iconic music video and dance moves are permanently etched into internet culture, frequently referenced in new memes and serving as a foundational text for the “sad bop” genre.
- The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel My Face”: summer radio king; pushed him from cult R&B star to arena headliner. It’s still a permanent fixture on “Throwback” and “Feel Good” playlists across all platforms, celebrated as the song that made disco-cool again for a new generation.
- The Weeknd, “The Hills”: the darker flip side that also hit US No. 1 and cemented his chart run.
- Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”: the rallying cry that critics crowned 2015’s best track; later won Grammys for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. It transcended music to become an enduring anthem for social justice movements. Its chorus is still chanted at protests and its message of perseverance feels as relevant as ever.
- Major Lazer x DJ Snake ft MØ, “Lean On”: Spotify’s most-streamed song of all time by November 2015, the year’s global festival staple.
- Justin Bieber, “Sorry”: UK No. 1 in November and the moment Purpose flipped his image from teen star to pop powerhouse.
- Justin Bieber, “What Do You Mean?”: debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, kicking off an unbroken run of giant singles.
- Skrillex, Diplo & Justin Bieber, “Where Are Ü Now”: the crossover EDM hit that won Best Dance Recording at the 2016 Grammys.
- OMI, “Cheerleader” (Felix Jaehn Remix): the sunshine smash that went to US No. 1 and soundtracked holidays everywhere.
- Wiz Khalifa ft Charlie Puth, “See You Again”: a No. 1 farewell to Paul Walker that ruled spring and early summer.
- Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”: slow-dance favourite that later won Song of the Year at the 2016 Grammys.
- Ellie Goulding, “Love Me Like You Do”: Fifty Shades power ballad that topped charts across Europe and lingered all year.
- Hozier, “Take Me To Church”: still everywhere in 2015 thanks to long tail airplay and year-end placements.
- WALK THE MOON, “Shut Up and Dance”: year-end US Top 10 and a reliable indie-disco ignition point a decade later. In 2025 it’s still a reliable indie-disco ignition point a decade later, guaranteed to get a crowd from their seats at any bar with a live cover band.
- Maroon 5, “Sugar”: wedding-video viral and a US year-end Top 5 fixture.
- Rachel Platten, “Fight Song”: hit UK No. 1 at the end of August and became the era’s go-to pep anthem.
- Years & Years, “King”: the trio’s UK No. 1 breakthrough and a benchmark of 2015 British pop.
- Calvin Harris & Disciples, “How Deep Is Your Love”: deep-house juggernaut, UK No. 2 and Dance chart No. 1 for weeks.
- Kygo ft Conrad Sewell, “Firestone”: tropical-house gateway hit that topped UK Dance and set the mood for the year.
- Tame Impala, “Let It Happen”: critics’ darling in 2015 and the track that pushed Kevin Parker into pop spaces.
- Tame Impala, “The Less I Know The Better”: late-2015 single that snowballed for years and passed 2 billion Spotify streams by 2025. The definitive psychedelic-pop crossover hit, recently surpassing 2 billion Spotify streams. It has become a gateway drug for Gen Z into indie music, fueled by its constant use on TikTok.
- Jamie xx ft Young Thug & Popcaan, “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)”: critics placed it near the very top in 2015, and it still sounds fresh.
- Grimes, “Flesh Without Blood”: left-field pop that landed on best-of-year lists and grew in stature over the decade.
- Carly Rae Jepsen, “Run Away With Me”: fan-canon classic that critics lined up behind, even if the charts were modest. It achieved cult-classic status and is now widely recognised as one of the best pop songs of the 21st century. Its iconic saxophone intro is instantly recognisable and it remains a cornerstone of “Poptimist” criticism.
- Rihanna, Kanye West & Paul McCartney, “FourFiveSeconds”: stripped-back star link-up, UK Top 3 and US Top 5 with a prime-time Grammys showing.
- Rihanna, “Bitch Better Have My Money”: hard-edged single that hit Top 20 in the US and became a setlist jolt.
- Sia, “Elastic Heart”: UK Top 10 and the track that kept her mid-tempo hits on every playlist.
- Shawn Mendes, “Stitches”: broke him globally in late 2015, later hitting UK No. 1 in January 2016.
- One Direction, “Drag Me Down”: surprise drop that debuted at UK No. 1 and set a first-week streaming record at the time.
- Elle King, “Ex’s & Oh’s”: alt-rock sing-along that climbed into the US Top 10 and scored two Grammy nods.
- Twenty One Pilots, “Stressed Out”: crept through 2015, then blew up to a Hot 100 No. 2 by early 2016.
- Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”: street-level earworm that peaked at No. 2 and set up a run of hits.
- Fetty Wap ft Remy Boyz, “679”: follow-up heater that kept his voice all over US radio.
- Silentó, “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)”: viral dance moment turned huge single and kids’ party staple.
- Taylor Swift, “Style”: sleek mid-tempo that became a long-tail fan favourite from 1989’s hit run.
- Taylor Swift ft Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”: remix helped it hit US No. 1; later won Best Music Video at the 2016 Grammys.
- Ed Sheeran, “Photograph”: slow-burn US Top 10 and a decade-proof wedding pick.
- Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”: country smash that took Best Country Song and Duo/Group Performance at the 2016 Grammys.
A decade later, the case for these picks is simple. The year-end leaders in the US and UK still bookend parties, the big trophies from early 2016 aged well, and a few slow-burners turned into streaming giants by 2025.
If you want a tight starter pack, take 1–10; if you want flavour, mix in the indie and dance cuts further down. Either way, 2015’s standouts still earn their spot today.
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