Best Time Songs
This playlist features the best time songs selected from a list of the top songs of all time.
You’ll find contributions from a wide range of musicians, from classic 60s and 70s artists like The Zombies and Jim Croce to current stars like Lizzo and Harry Styles.
The best time songs ever recorded
We hope you enjoy this playlist featuring the best songs about time. Also, be sure to check out the big list of time songs through the decades listed below. Enjoy!
1. Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper
Album: She’s So Unusual
Date: 1983
This bittersweet and poignant song has been covered by over 100 artists since Cyndi Lauper first recorded it. It sits at number 19 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s.
2. Baby One More Time by Britney Spears
Album: Baby One More Time
Date: 1998
Britney Spears burst onto the music scene in the late 90s with her hit song “Baby One More Time,” helped in large part by MTV’s continuous play of the song’s video. With more than 10 million copies sold, this catchy dance-pop song ranks as one of the best-selling singles of all time.
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3. Closing Time by Semisonic
Album: Feeling Strangely Fine
Date: 1998
This song about a bar turning on the lights and closing for the night is often used by bartenders as a not-so-subtle cue to their patrons that they need to move on. Lead singer and writer Dan Wilson also views the song as having a deeper meaning — a metaphorical expression of birth and new beginnings.
4. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day
Album: Nimrod
Date: 1997
The inspiration for this song is reflected in its bittersweet title. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong wrote it after his girlfriend moved away to go to school, ending their relationship. His feelings were of anger (“good riddance”) and of heartfelt acceptance (hope you have the “time of your life”).
5. Sign of the Times by Harry Styles
Album: Harry Styles
Date: 2017
This is the first single from Harry Styles’ debut solo album after he left One Direction. The song’s lyrics reflect his worldview that we may be enduring hard times but it’s important to stay resolute, keep moving forward, and things will get better.
6. Time In a Bottle by Jim Croce
Album: You Don’t Mess Around With Jim
Date: 1972
Singer-songwriter Jim Croce was inspired to write “Time In a Bottle” when his wife was about to give birth to their son, Adrian. Tragically, Croce perished in a plane crash along with five others in 1973. The song hit number one on the U.S. charts a few months later.
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More songs about time
7. Love Me Two Times by The Doors
Album: Strange Days
Date: 1967
Guitarist Robby Krieger’s inspiration for this song lies in the tumultuous times that flourished in the 1960s. America was at war in Vietnam. Soldiers were leaving and sometimes not coming back. The band’s keyboardist Ray Manzarek characterized the song as a cheeky tribute to love and loss.
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8. About Damn Time by Lizzo
Album: Special
Date: 2022
Lizzo wrote this song as a musical pep talk to herself when she’s feeling down. It’s a sassy celebration of self-acceptance, joy, and love. The funky disco single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. in 2022.
9. Isn’t It Time by The Babys
Album: Broken Heart
Date: 1977
Baby boomers hold a soft spot in their hearts for this 70s rock anthem. It details the moment before one leaps into the unknown, taking a chance at love, and even facing possible failure. Lead singer John Waite belts out the words with a passion that is easily felt.
10. Time of the Season by The Zombies
Album: Odessey and Oracle
Date: 1968
Keyboardist Rod Argent’s inspiration for this song lies in the ‘flower-power’ atmosphere of the 1960s. Even the cover of the band’s album features psychedelic floral artwork. Unfortunately for the band, they broke up before the song became a huge hit in America.
11. Sign O’ the Times by Prince
Album: Sign O’ the Times
Date: 1987
In this song, Prince reflects on some of the challenging social issues of the mid-1980s, in stark contrast to the popular image of Ronald Reagan’s America at the time. The reclusive artist wrote, produced, and recorded this song himself as he did with most of his songs early in his career.
12. The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan
Album: The Times They Are A-Changin’
Date: 1964
Bob Dylan wrote this folk anthem as a call to action for frustrated youth. It inspired many in the Civil Rights movement and other anti-establishment causes. Dylan knew the effect his song would have. “This is definitely a song with a purpose,” he wrote in the liner notes of his album. “I knew exactly what I wanted to say and who I wanted to say it to.”
The best time songs through the decades
Here is a sampling of more of our favorite songs about time over the decades.
1950s
Til The End of Time by Earl Grant
1960s
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams
Time Is On My Side by The Rolling Stones
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? by Chicago
Time Song by The Kinks
Any Time at All by The Beatles
Time Has Come Today by The Chambers Brothers
As Time Goes By by Jimmy Durante
A Sign of the Times by Petula Clark
1970s
Time by Pink Floyd
The Time Warp by Rocky Horror Picture Show
Time Waits for No One by The Rolling Stones
Bad Time by Grand Funk Railroad
Got the Time by Joe Jackson
Give Me Just a Little More Time by The Chairmen of the Board
Old Time Rock ’n Roll by Bob Seger
Haven’t Got Time for the Pain by Carly Simon
Feels Like the First Time by Foreigner
Do That to Me One More Time by Captain & Tennille
1980s
Time by The Alan Parsons Project
(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
Too Much Time on My Hands by Styx
If I Could Turn Back Time by Cher
Back In Time by Huey Lewis and the News
Time (Clock of the Heart) by Culture Club
Time Stand Still by Rush
One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston
Big Time by Peter Gabriel
This Time by Bryan Adams
Only Time Will Tell by Asia
Time Waits for No One by Freddie Mercury
All This Time by Tiffany
In My Time by Teddy Pendergrass
Somewhere in Time by John Barry
The Best of Times by Styx
The Longest Time by Billy Joel
Party all the Time by Eddie Murphy
Time Will Reveal by El Debarge
Maybe This Time by Michael Murphy
1990s
Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
Remember the Time by Michael Jackson
All This Time by Sting
Let the Good Times Roll by BB King
Time by Hootie & The Blowfish
Love Takes Time by Mariah Carey
If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time by R. Kelly
Praying for Time by George Michael
So Little Time by Arkarna
2000s
Time Is Running Out by Muse
Out of Time by Blur
Time to Get Away by LCD Soundsystem
This Time by John Legend
Time of my Life by David Cook
One Time by Justin Bieber
Times Like These by Foo Fighters
One More Time by Daft Punk
Only Time by Enya
What Time Is It? by the High School Musical 2 Cast
2010s
It’s Time by Imagine Dragons
Our Time by Lily Allen
Time by NF
First Time by M-22 (Featuring Medina)
The Time (Dirty Bit) by The Black Eyed Peas
Time by The Eden Project
What a Time by Julia Michaels (Featuring Niall Horan)
Time by Hans Zimmer
End of Time by Beyoncé
One Last Time by Ariana Grande
Turn Back Time by Daniel Schulz
One Last Time by Westlife
This is our Time by Planetshakers
Waste Your Time by Conor Maynard
Can’t Get Away From a Good Time by Logan Mize
Good Time by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
Time by Lil Baby (Featuring Meek Mill)
Same Time by The Script
Last Time by Reece
Take Your Time by Sam Hunt
For the First Time by The Script
All This Time by Britt Nicole
First Time by Liam Payne and French Montana
Some Time by Russ
Lost Time by Wild Cards
Right Girl Wrong Time by Jon Langston
Still Got Time by Zayn (Featuring PartyNextDoor)
Good Time by INNA (Featuring Pitbull)
In Another Time by Disturbed
Better Luck Next Time by Kelsea Ballerini
All the Time by Jeremih
A Thousand Bad Times by Post Malone
Slow Down Time by Us The Duo
2020s
Time In Disguise by Kings of Leon
Last Time by LXST
End of Time by K-391, Alan Walker & Ahrix
Right Time by Hayden James & Icona Pop
Time by NEMESIS
Wasted Time by NICOLOSI
Won’t be the Last Time by Madson and Powfu
Can’t be Happy all the Time by Tones and I
Good Times by Ghali
Wasting My Time by Insomnia & Resident
Thanks for checking out this playlist of the best time songs ever recorded. You’ll enjoy these other music playlists too: