- New study reveals a definitive list of the top 30 dance floor fillers of all time, topped by Abba’s Dancing Queen (36%)
- After a summer of cancelled festivals and gigs, more than half (51%) of dance-loving Brits miss dancing at festivals, gigs, or on nights out with friends and family
- To get people dancing in their homes and keep them connected to the things they love, Virgin Media has announced the temporary and virtual return of its iconic V Festival for 2020, featuring headline performances from artists including Olly Murs, Anne Marie, Dizzee Rascal
A nationwide study has revealed a definitive list of the 30 greatest dance floor fillers, topped by Abba’s Dancing Queen (36%), Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners (33%) and It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls (27%).
While these classics take the top spots, the list includes a number of modern tracks, including Beyonce’s Crazy in Love (20%), Olly Murs’ Trouble Maker (13%) and Dance with Me by Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris (8%).
The study, to mark the return of Virgin Media’s V Festival, found that more than half (51%) of the nation have missed dancing on a night out, at a festival or at a gig this summer.
But Brits are proven to be a nation of movers wherever they are – with almost a third (32%) claiming that there are songs that compel them to get up and dance the moment they start playing.
The nation’s love of dancing is clear to see, with people claiming it always puts them in a good mood (56%), fills them with energy (40%), or reminds them of happy times (34%). More than a third (36%) go as far to say that dancing is one of life’s great pleasures.
Brits suggest dancing is more than just a way to have fun, with one in eight (77%) saying that connecting with with friends and family by dancing together is what they’ve missed most during lockdown.
Festivals are a way that many enjoy dancing with loved ones, and as we near the end of what is traditionally festival season, one in five (20%) say the prospect of a festival-less summer makes them feel down.
In fact, festival and gig-starved Britons are even missing the traditionally less enjoyable parts of attending a festival or gig, with 15% nostalgic about queuing for the loo, 18% missing being rained on, and 21% feeling wistful about having to shout into their pals’ ears as the music is so loud.
Perhaps it’s no surprise then, that 44% of Brits are planning to recreate a festival experience at home before summer ends, 26% have been dancing in their kitchens, 19% have been having virtual parties on platforms such as Zoom, and more than one in 10 (12%) have been watching footage of past festivals over lockdown.
The latest social media trend has dancing at its heart too, with 9% of Brits learning new dance routines on TikTok.
Cilesta Van Doorn, Virgin Media spokesperson, added: “This research shows just how much we in this country love music but also the way in which dancing – whether it’s in the living room, on a night out or at a festival – is a way for us to feel connected with our family and friends.
“That’s why we are bringing V Festival back this summer – with a virtual twist. Although we can’t flock to the fields physically this year, we hope that three nights of great music and headliner tips on how to recreate the festival experience will have people off their sofas and dancing in their living rooms and gardens – tents optional.”
Virgin Media’s V Festival 2020 will air on ITV2 on 21st – 23rd August. Broadcast across three nights, the festival will be without the crowds of 170,000 it drew in its heyday across sites in Staffordshire & Essex, but the performers will still be heading back home to the iconic Chelmsford site, Hylands Park, while the public can watch along at home.
Each one-hour episode will feature a mix of exhilarating live music performances, a nostalgic look back at some of the most iconic V Festival sets of all time, including Amy Winehouse, Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and Bruno Mars, plus exclusive interviews between headliners Anne Marie, Olly Murs and Dizzee Rascal and the hosts Joel Dommett and Maya Jama.
Top 30 floor fillers
- Dancing Queen by Abba – 36%
- Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners – 33%
- It’s Raining Men by the Weather Girls – 27%
- Happy by Pharell Williams – 25%
- I Want to Dance with Somebody by Whitney Houston – 23%
- Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond – 22%
- Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen – 20%
- Crazy in Love by Beyonce – 19%
- Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen – 19%
- Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams – 18%
- Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns and Roses – 17%
- Staying Alive by the Bee Gees – 16%
- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye – 15%
- Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars – 15%
- Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon – 14%
- Hey Ya by Outkast – 14%
- Rock DJ by Robbie Williams – 14%
- Trouble Maker by Olly Murs – 13%
- Shake it Off by Taylor Swift – 12%
- Valerie by Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse – 12%
- Get Busy by Sean Paul – 11%
- We’re Going to Ibiza by the Vengaboys – 11%
- Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap – 11%
- Heaven is a Place on Earth by Belinda Carlisle – 11%
- Believe by Cher – 10%
- Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) by Backstreet Boys – 10%
- Toxic by Britney Spears – 10%
- You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by Jimmy Somerville – 9%
- Dance with Me by Dizzee Rascal – 8%
- Timber by Pitbull and Kesha – 7%
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