Several songs released or popular in 1970 were widely interpreted as being about drugs, either by listeners or explicitly by the artists themselves.
Top 40 Drug Songs
In the 1970s cocaine regained popularity as a recreational drug and was glamorized in the U.S. popular media. Articles from the time proclaimed cocaine as non-addictive. The drug was viewed as harmless until the 1985 emergence of crack.
The iconic song with "addiction" in the title that was a #1 hit is Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love," which reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986, largely due to its famous music video featuring robotic models. While other songs touch on addiction (like Martika's "Toy Soldiers", Linkin Park's "Breaking the Habit", or Amy Winehouse's "Rehab"), Palmer's track is the one directly associated with the phrase and a major chart-topper.
Check out these song that will hit you right in the feels.
Researchers from The University of St. Andrews have determined the most addictive songs. Here is the official list: 1. Queen, “We Will Rock You” 2.
The 1970s: Marijuana Use and Rise of Cocaine
During this era, cocaine was often viewed as a “luxury drug” with less stigma than today, creating a false sense of safety around its use. Heroin use also increased significantly, especially in urban areas and among veterans returning from Vietnam.
In the mid to late-1970s disco club scene, there was a thriving drug subculture, particularly for drugs that would enhance the experience of dancing to the loud dance music and the flashing lights on the dancefloor. Substances such as cocaine (nicknamed "blow"), amyl nitrite ("poppers"), and Quaaludes.
By the mid-sixties, seemingly overnight, marijuana and LSD use was common across the country, especially among the young. Many books were written to explain or vilify this phenomenon, many others to justify the use of these drugs.
Songs About Addiction
The "best" pump-up song is subjective, but popular choices include energetic anthems like Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now", empowering tracks like Eminem's "Lose Yourself", and modern hits like The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights", with many playlists featuring classics like Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" and AC/DC's "Thunderstruck", alongside hip-hop and electronic bangers.
Method Man & Redman, “How High”
So high that I can kiss the sky/ (Up, up to the sky!)” Potency: FIVE. Though it only has a few literal weed references, this mid-'90s rap gem was the original theme song for one of the greatest stoner music duos to date, Method Man & Redman.
Cringe songs are tracks that evoke feelings of awkwardness, embarrassment, or secondhand discomfort, often due to overly earnest, cheesy, vapid, or nonsensical lyrics, bizarre music videos, or being tied to embarrassing internet trends (like "brainrot" music). They can range from novelty hits like "The Gummy Bear Song" or""It's Corn"" to mainstream pop with cringe-worthy lines, or even personal songs that feel too vulnerable, making the listener feel embarrassed for the artist.
Quaaludes soon became known as “Disco Biscuits”, providing users with a tranquil high, reducing inhibitions and enhancing sensory experiences. The drug even found fame by David Bowie and Frank Zappa who sang about Quaaludes in their songs.
Hippies created their own communities, listened to psychedelic music, embraced the sexual revolution, and many used drugs such as marijuana and LSD to explore altered states of consciousness.
In the early 1970s, fenfluramine was developed to treat obesity, but it only achieved minor results, and patients complained of nausea, anxiety, and other uncomfortable side effects.
“Mother's Little Helpers”
For those wishing to lose weight and be happier housewives, amphetamines were readily available. Along with general everyday tasks of life and prescriptions of all kinds of amphetamines came the “trendy anxiety”, treated by Valium, Librium, or the most popular of all: Miltown.
Both LSD and DMT gained popularity in the 1960s and then in the early 1970s were classified as Schedule 1 drugs. Mescaline and psilocybin followed suit and were classified as Schedule 1 drugs in 1971.
One drug that became popular during the 60s was marijuana. Though this drug had been around for years, it was During the hippie era that people started using it more openly. Yes, the drug was illegal, but this was well before the “War on Drugs” started, and even before it was classified as dangerous.
There's no single "catchiest song ever," as it's subjective, but scientific studies often point to Spice Girls' "Wannabe" for quick memorability, while other research highlights anthems like Queen's "We Are the Champions" and novelty hits like Village People's "YMCA", all featuring strong hooks, vocal effort, and memorable melodies that stick in your head. Pop, rock, and even children's songs like "Baby Shark" frequently appear on lists, showing catchiness crosses genres.
Top 30 Most Overused Songs in Movies and TV
A straight rendition of the "Chicken Dance" by Werner Thomas, "The Birdie Song" was voted the most annoying track of all time in a 2000 Dotmusic poll. The Clash guitarist Mick Jones also named it the worst song ever written (along with "Billy Don't Be a Hero" by Paper Lace), as did Simon Burnton in The Guardian.