Top 100 Most Played Alternative Songs by Alt. Entertainments – 2025/26 Update

Welcome to the 2025/26 update of Alt. Entertainments’ Top 100 Most Played Alternative Songs. This list is built entirely from real DJ play data, tracking the songs that have consistently made their way into my sets and kept dance floors moving over the years.

Focusing firmly on the Alternative category, this chart captures the crossover space between indie, rock, punk, and heavier club-friendly tracks — the kind of music that thrives at alternative nights, indie discos, and rock-leaning wedding afterparties.

Following the structural changes introduced last year, genre-specific charts for indie and metal now sit alongside this list, allowing each scene to shine in its own right. This Alternative chart remains intentionally broad, reflecting the reality of mobile DJ sets where crowd energy, atmosphere, and nostalgia often matter more than strict genre boundaries.

To better represent the full scope of themed nights and events I DJ, the list also embraces influences from Motown, Northern Soul, Soul, Reggae, Rock ’n’ Roll, plus the occasional novelty track that has earned its place through sheer dancefloor impact. These additions reflect the diversity of real-world events while staying true to the alternative spirit.

The result is an honest snapshot of the music that continues to work in 2025 and beyond — a blend of timeless anthems, cult favourites, and reliable crowd-pleasers that define what an alternative DJ night truly sounds like.

Key

pp = Previous Position

↓ = Moving Down Chart

↑ = Moving Up Chart

- = No change in position

NE = New Entry/No previous chart position

TP = Total Plays

100. Sam & Dave - Soul Man (1967) (ppNE.-) 25 TP

Stax/Atlantic

99. The Kooks - Naive (2006) (ppNE.-) 25 TP

Virgin

98. Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock (1993) (ppNE.-) 25 TP

Hut

97. The Undertones - Teenage Kicks (1978) (ppNE.-) 25 TP

Sire

96. Blur - Girls & Boys (1994) (pp89.↓) 26 TP

Food

95. Enter Shikari - Sorry, You're Not a Winner (2007) (ppNE.-) 26 TP

Ambush Reality

94. Fatboy Slim - Praise You (1999) (pp.99.↑) 26 TP

Skint

93. Sweet - Ballroom Blitz (1973) (pp94.↑) 26 TP

RCA

92. The Coral - Dreaming of You (2002) (ppNE.-) 26 TP

Deltasomic

91. The Pogues - Fairytale of New York (1987) (ppNE.-) 26 TP

Chess

90. The Rolling Stones - Paint it Black (1966) (ppNE.-) 26 TP

Decca

89. The Spencer Davis Group - Keep On Running (1965) (pp82.↓) 26 TP

Fontana

88. Harry J All-Stars - The Liquidator (1969) (pp86.↑) 27 TP

Trojan

87. Primal Scream - Loaded (1990) (pp84.↓) 27 TP

Creation

86. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (1975) (ppNE.-) 27 TP

EMI

85. Queen - Don't Stop Me Now (1979) (pp95.↑) 27 TP

EMI

84. The Kinks - You Really Got Me (1964) (pp73.↓) 27 TP

Pye

83. The Stone Roses - Fools Gold (1989) (pp81.↓) 27 TP

Silvertone

82. Deep Purple - Hush (1968) (pp87.↑) 28 TP

Parlophone

81. Tenacious D - Tribute (2002) (pp83.↑) 28 TP

Creation

80. Al Wilson - The Snake (1968) (pp63.↓) 29 TP

Soul City Records

79. Blur - Parklife (1994) (pp79.-) 29 TP

Food

78. Coldplay - Adventure of a Lifetime (2015) (pp78.-) 29 TP

Parlophone / Atlantic

77. The Guess Who - American Woman (1970) (pp75.↓) 29 TP

RCA Victor

76. Toploader - Dancing in The Moonlight (2000) (pp80.↑) 29 TP

Sony Soho Square

75. Underworld - Born Slippy (Nuxx) (1996) (pp64.↓) 29 TP

Junior Boys Own

74. Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up (1971) (pp62.↓) 30 TP

Curtom

73. Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (1989) (pp59.↓) 30 TP

Mute

72. M-Beat - Incredible (Feat. General Levi) (1994) (pp85.↑) 30 TP

Renk Records

71. SL2 - On a Ragga Tip (1992) (66.↓) 30 TP

XL

70. The Housemartins - Happy Hour (1986) (pp74.↓) 30 TP

Go! Discs

69. Oasis - Wonderwall (1995) (pp70.↑) 31 TP

Creation

68. Pendulum - Tarantula (2005) (pp69.↑) 31 TP

Breakbeat Kaos

67. Pulp - Disco 2000 (1995) (pp68.↑) 31 TP

Island

66. Stevie Wonder - Superstition (1972) (pp76.↑) 31 TP

Motown

65. Beats International - Dub Be Good To Me (1990) (pp72.↑) 32 TP

Go! Beat

64. Blondie - Call Me (1980) (pp53.↓) 32 TP

Polydor/Chrysalis/Salsoul

63. Dawn Penn - You Don't Love Me (No, No, No) (1994) (pp52.↓) 32 TP

Big Beat

62. Deee-Lite - Groove is in the Heart (1990) (pp88.↑) 32 TP

Elektra

61. Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity (1996) (pp50.↓) 32 TP

Sony Soho Square

60. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Tyrell - Ain't No Mountain (1967) (pp61.↑) 32 TP

Tamla

59. The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup (1968) (pp56.↓) 32 TP

Pye Uni

58. The Prodigy - Out of Space (1992) (pp60.↑) 32 TP

XL / Elektra

57. Timebox - Beggin' (1967) (pp55.↓) 32 TP

Philips

56. Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag (2000) (pp54.↓) 32 TP

Columbia

55. David Bowie - Rebel Rebel (1974) (pp44.↓) 33 TP

RCA

54. Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls of Fire (1957) (pp49.↑) 33 TP

Sun

53. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Can't Stop (2002) (pp67.↑) 33 TP

Warner Bros.

52. The Clash - Rock The Casbah (1982) (pp48.↓) 33 TP

CBS / Epic

51. The Cure - Lovecats (1983) (pp45.↓) 33 TP

Fiction

50. blink-182 - All The Small Things (2000) (pp71.↑) 34 TP

MCA

49. Jackie Wilson - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher (1967) (pp58.↑) 34 TP

Brunswick Records

48. Jamiroquai - Little L (2001) (ppNE.-) 34 TP

CBS / Epic

47. Run D.M.C. - It's Tricky (1987) (pp46.↓) 34 TP

Profile

46. The Specials - Too Much Too Young (1980) (pp42.↓) 35 TP

2 Tone

45. Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (1957) (pp47.↓) 36 TP

RCA Victor

44. Faithless - Insomnia (Monster Mix) (1995) (pp51.↑) 36 TP

Cheeky / Arista

43. The Beach Boys - Get Around (1964) (pp39.↓) 36 TP

Capitol

42. Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers (2009) (pp43.↑) 37 TP

Dirtee Stank

41. Rage Against The Machine - Killing in the Name (1992) (pp41.-) 38 TP

Epic

40. Stevie Wonder - I Wish (1976) (pp65.↑) 38 TP

Tamla

39. The Courteeners - Not Nineteen Forever (2008) (pp38.↓) 38 TP

Polydor

38. Wiley - Wearing My Rolex (2008) (pp40.↑) 38 TP

Asylum / Warner

37. Oasis - Supersonic (1994) (pp35.↓) 40 TP

Creation / Epic / Helter Skelter

36. Sam & Dave - Hold On I'm Coming (1966) (pp32.↓) 41 TP

Stax / Atlantic

35. Limp Bizkit - Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle) (2000) (pp33.↑) 42 TP

Flip / Interscope

34. Rolling Stones - Start Me Up (1981) (pp34.-) 42 TP

Rolling Stones

33. Queens of The Stone Age - No One Knows (2002) (pp36.↑) 43 TP

Interscope

32. Arctic Monkeys - I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor (2005) (pp31.↓) 44 TP

Domino

31. DJ Fresh - Gold Dust (Feat. Cecile) (Shy Fx Re-Edit) (2012) (pp37.↑) 44 TP

Breakbeat Kaos / Data

30. Aretha Franklin - Respect (1967) (pp29.↓) 45 TP

Atlantic

29. Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno (1980) (pp30.↑) 45 TP

Late Night Feelings / EMI

28. Ed Sheeran & Rudimental - Bloodstream (2015) (pp27.↓) 45 TP

Asylum / Atlantic

27. Portugal The Man - Feel It Still (2017) (pp26.↓) 45 TP

Atlantic

26. The Police - Roxanne (1978) (pp28.↑) 45 TP

A&M

25. The Clash - London Calling (1979) (pp25.-) 47 TP

CBS

24. George Ezra - Shotgun (2018) (pp21.↓) 50 TP

Columbia / Sony

23. Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire (2008) (pp22.↓) 50 TP

RCA / Sony

22. New Order - Blue Monday (1983) (pp24.↑)

Factory

21. Reef - Place Your Hands (1996) (pp23.↑) 51

Sony Soho Square

20. Damian "Junior Gong" Marley - Welcome To Jamrock (2005) (pp19.↓) 56 TP

Universal / Tuff Gong

19. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991) (pp20.↑) 56 TP

DGC

18. The Contours - Do you Love Me (1962) (pp18.-) 57 TP

Gordy

17. Bloc Party - Banquet (2004) (pp15.↓) 61 TP

Witchita

16. Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger (1995) (pp16.-) 61 TP

Creation / Epic / Helter Skelter

15. Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al (1986) (pp.17↑) 61 TP

Warner Bros.

14. Arctic Monkeys - Mardy Bum (2005) (pp14.-) 63 TP

Domino

13. Gloria Jones - Tainted Love (1965) (pp13.-) 63 TP

Champion

12. The Smiths - This Charming Man (1984) (pp12.-) 66 TP

Rough Trade

11. The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) (1965) (pp.11-) 79 TP

Motown

10. The Jam - Town Called Malice (1982) (pp10.↓) 81 TP

Polydor

9. Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere (1988) (pp7.↓) 86 TP

Warner Bros.)

8. Madness - One Step Beyond (1979) (pp7.↓) 87 TP

Stiff

7. Diana Ross & The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love (1966) (pp.8-↑) 92 TP

Motown

6. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain (1977) (pp9.↑) 92 TP

Warner Bros.

5. House of Pain - Jump Around (1992) (pp5.-) 98 TP

Tommy Boy

4. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - (Love is Like a) Heatwave (1963) (pp4.-) 106 TP

Gordy

3. The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger (2006) (pp3.-) 122 TP

Fallout

2. Mark Ronson - Valerie (Feat. Amy Winehouse) (2007) (pp2.-) 128 TP

Columbia / Island

1. The Killers - Mr Brightside (2003) (pp1.-) 203 TP

Island / Lizard King