Key Takeaways
- Expect to hear more country tracks and throwbacks from the 2000s at weddings in 2026.
- Industry experts note that some popular artists, including Taylor Swift, Zach Bryan, and Chappell Roan, will likely be played again and again.
- 2026 weddings will ultimately be defined by their diverse music choices.
With only three months left until the end of 2025, you may start to turn your attention toward the 2026 weddings you're scheduled to attend. In addition to selecting your ensemble, booking your accommodations, and purchasing a gift from the couple's registry, you may start to wonder about what you'll be able to expect from such a celebration.
While many brides and grooms continue to adhere to time-honored traditions, such as cutting the cake, listening to speeches from beloved family members, and sharing a first dance, there are also noticeable shifts with each passing year. For example, you may notice more 2025 couples leaning into a rococo-inspired aesthetic in their décor—or a plethora of duos opting for a micro-sized confection instead of multi-tiered creation. Yet, beyond fresh designs and innovative food choices, you'll also notice trends with the music that's played.
Meet the Experts
- Sam Jones is the east coast regional director for Dart Collective, a collective of DJs, bands, solo musicians, professional audio services, and sound technicians.
- Chris Valentin is a DJ based in Washington, DC., known as DJ PHLIPZ.
"I think some of the biggest trends we have seen this year are people really leaning into fun 2000s throwbacks," says Sam Jones, the east coast regional director for Dart Collective. "Everything from Blink 182 to Shani Twain to Calvin Harris have been creating epic moments on the dance floor, and I expect that to continue into 2026." Chris Valentin, who is known as DJ PHLIPZ, agrees, noting that he expects Gen Z brides and grooms to integrate the music of their childhoods into their nuptials, such as tracks from High School Musical or The Lizzie McGuire Movie. And if there's one artist whose entire discography may get a fair amount of play? "Taylor Swift," Valentin says.
In addition to throwbacks from the 2000s, expect to see more rustic tracks in 2026. "More and more couples want to include nods to country, whether that is things like Zach Bryan during dinner or 'A Bar Song (Tipsy)' during dancing," Jones says. Yet, even though a few genres may be particularly prevalent, he adds that 2026 weddings will ultimately be defined by their diverse music choices. "To have a wedding where we can play ABBA, Bad Bunny, and Chappell Roan all in one night means 2026 is going to be a magical year for wedding music," Jones says.
Below, Jones and Valentin identify 17 songs you can expect to hear at 2026 weddings.
01 of 17
"Pink Pony Club," by Chappell Roan
Lyrics of Love: "I'm gonna keep on dancing at the/Pink Pony Club/I'm gonna keep on dancing down in/West HollywoodI'm gonna keep on dancing at the/Pink Pony Club, Pink Pony Club"
02 of 17
"Golden," by Huntrix
Lyrics of Love: "You know we're gonna be, gonna be golden/We're gonna be, gonna be/Born to be, born to be glowin'"
03 of 17
04 of 17
"I Love It," by Icona Pop
Lyrics of Love: "You're on a different road, I'm in the Milky Way/You want me down on Earth, but I am up in space"
05 of 17
"What Dreams Are Made Of," by Hilary Duff
Lyrics of Love: "I've got somewhere I belong/I got somebody to love/This is what dreams are made of"
06 of 17
"Breaking Free," by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens
Lyrics of Love: "We're breakin' free/We're soarin', flyin'/There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach/If we're trying/Yeah, we're breaking free/Oh, we're breakin' free"
07 of 17
"Man I Feel Like a Woman," by Shania Twain
Lyrics of Love: "The best thing about bein' a woman/Is the prerogative to have a little fun"
08 of 17
"Like a Prayer," by Madonna
Lyrics of Love: "I hear your voice/It's like an angel sighin'/I have no choice/I hear your voice/Feels like flying"
09 of 17
"First Date," by Blink-182
Lyrics of Love: "When you smile, I melt inside/I'm not worthy for a minute of your time/I really wish it was only me and you/I'm jealous of everybody in the room"
10 of 17
"No Broke Boys," by Tinashe
Lyrics of Love: "Love is never really for free (No, no, no)/I know you hate to see what you lost/'Cause no one does it better"
11 of 17
"Dancing in the Moonlight," by King Harvest
Lyrics of Love: "Dancing in the moonlight/Everybody's feeling warm and bright/It's such a fine and natural sight/Everybody's dancing in the moonlight"
12 of 17
"Unwritten," by Natasha Bedingfield
Lyrics of Love: "Staring at the blank page before you/Open up the dirty window/Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find"
13 of 17
"Levels," by Avicii
Lyrics of Love: "Oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah/Get a feeling that I never, never, never, never had before, no, no"
14 of 17
"Believe," by Cher
Lyrics of Love: "Do you believe in life after love?/I can feel something inside me say/I really don't think you're strong enough, no"
15 of 17
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)," by ABBA
Lyrics of Love: "Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight/Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?/Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight/Take me through the darkness to the break of the day"
16 of 17
"All My Friends," by LCD Soundsystem
Lyrics of Love: "And so it starts/You switch the engine on/We set controls for the heart of the sun/One of the ways that we show our age"
17 of 17
"A Bar Song (Tipsy)," by Shaboozey
Lyrics of Love: "Tell 'em "Bring another round, we need plenty more/Two-steppin' on the table, she don't need a dance floor/Oh my, good Lord"
