The 10 Best Black Eyed Peas Songs of All-Time
One of the most popular and consistent musical groups in history, is the Black Eyed Peas. Founded in 1995 in L.A., members of the group include Will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo and Fergie (from 2003 to 2006). When they began their musical journey, they were considered by most a substantial musical force, and with their 2003 album, Elephunk, they hit the mainstream, never to look back. Since 1995, the band has sold over 80 million records and shows no sign of slowing down. If you’re new to the musical talents of the Black Eyed Peas, then stay tuned, because we’ve chosen our very own top ten favorite Black Eyed Peas songs to help you get a leg up on their illustrious career, and get you better acquainted with this unusual, unique and infinitely creative group.
10. Pump It
According to Will.i.am, the inspiration for “Pump It” came from a song sung by Dick Dale, “I was in Brazil doing some CD shopping. I came across this compilation and I thought it was one thing but it turned out to be something else. The Dick Dale song Miserlou was on it. At first I was angry this isn’t what I wanted to buy, but then, really, that song is hot. I said, ‘We should do a song like this.” The rest, as they say, became another successful notch in the belt of Black Eyed Pea history.
9. The Time
This is a fun, brilliant, cagey and quite resourceful piece centering the Peas love of the nightlife and all who inhabit it. When you first encounter “The Time”, you meet a sampling of “I’ve Had the Time of My Life”, from the film Dirty Dancing. Money received for the privilege of sampling the song, went to the Patrick Swayze Pancreas Cancer Research Fund. “The Time” can also be considered a motivational song of sorts, as Will.i.am explains, “You never know what’s going to happen, so you want to make the best of every day,” added Will.i.am. “We wanted to capture that feeling and release a song that celebrates with the fans because it wouldn’t have happened without them.”.
8. Ritmo
In 2019 the Peas partnered with one of the world’s greatest pop stars, J. Balvin, to record “Ritmo”. “Ritmo” was composed and performed for the movie, Bad Boys for Life. As for the overall tone of the song, Will.i.am had a particular idea in mind, “I wanted to re-imagine ‘Rhythm of the Night’ by Corona and give it a minimal, futurist, Afro-fused reggaeton vibe,”. You can find “Ritmo” on the movies soundtrack, as well as their album, Translation.
7. Imma Be
It’s no secret that the Peas are really into the clubbing scene, and this song is a testament to that love. Found on their fifth studio album, The E.N.D., “Imma Be” reached number one on Billboards Hot 100. The Peas scored a milestone with “Imma Be”, as it became their third number one single from their album, The E.N.D., making them the first group to have 3 number ones from one album in 19 years.
6. Rock That Body
“Rock That Body” is another composition by the Black Eyed Peas which expresses their love of the night life. Released in 2009, composed by the Peas and produced by David Guetta, “Rock That Body” comes off their album, The E.N.D., and reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. Not only is this a crazy fun tune, packed with hooks and catchy rhythms, but it also hits another milestone. Once “Rock That Body” hit the top ten, it became the fifth single from that album to do so, making The E.N.D., the first album in two decades by a group to have five top tens.
5. Where is the Love
Inspiration for this song concerned the changes in everyday life which occurred in a post 9/11 world. “Where is the Love” was co-written by Justin Timberlake, who also lends his vocals to the song. Not wanting involvement in this song to affect his own record, Justified his record label at the time decided it best to keep Justin’s work on the song as quiet as possible. “Where is the Love” is unique in terms of a Black Eyed Peas song. Most of their music is a celebration of life, clubbing, and living in the “now”. However, “Where is the Love” takes time to look at the world and analyze it as a thoughtful and logical dissident would.
4. Boom Boom Pow
What we’re witnessing with this song, is the Peas and their move into the digital world. Known as the Peas first number one single, “Boom Boom Pow” had a tremendous effect on not only the Peas, but the world of music. In simple terms, this is a song that celebrates the world of after hours clubbing, its vibe, energy and positivity The song is not complex, and Will.i..am explains why, “It says ‘boom’ 168 times. The structure has three beats in one song. It’s not lyrics — it’s audio patterns, structure, architecture. Lots of people say, ‘Black Eyed Peas **** is simple,’ and I’ll be like, ‘No, fool, it’s the most complex **** you even could fathom, that’s the reason it works everywhere around the planet.”
3. My Humps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObVxCC0a2tw
Written and produced by Will.i.am, “My Humps” concerns a gorgeous woman, a woman who is fully aware of her allure, and plays on it to her benefit. As seen in the accompanying music video, “My Humps” is actually a clever, catchy duet featuring Will.i.am and the Peas talented song bird, Fergie. Here, Will.i.am and Fergie perform an enjoyable dialogue touching on the promiscuous and downright naughty flirtations between two people, until Will.i.am gets down to business wanting to mix his Cocoa Puffs with her milk.
2. I Gotta Feeling
According to apl.de.ap, “I Gotta Feeling” is a “college anthem for people looking forward to escaping life’s pressures by going out and having a ball.”. In keeping with their well-known love of clubbing, “I Gotta Feeling”, embodies a hip, robust tune that has just the right hooks and timing to entrap even the most hardened curmudgeon. Made for the dance floor, this number one, took the clubs by storm and helped to bring the Peas deeper into the digital world of music, where they’d soon become its masters.
1. Lets Get It Started
Found on their 2003 Elephunk album, “Let’s Get Started”, saw the Peas receive a Grammy for the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Another fun fact, saw “Let’s Get it Started” become the first single in the U.S. to score over 500,000 downloads. If that weren’t all enough, “Let’s Get It Started”, was so catchy that it was scooped up by some pretty shrewd companies to use for their advertising campaigns. Because of these reasons, this song is the one out of their vast library which brought them out of the shadows and into the world of mainstream music.
Final Thoughts
If you are a music fan, searching for a musical source of positive vibes, love of the moment and a zest for life, than you’ve come to the right place. Why? Because that’s just what Black Eyed Peas songs do, and they do it perfectly and consistently. Their love for the nightlife, it’s characters and vibe is present on any and all compositions that will it to be so. You’ll never be at a loss with the Peas if you feel a need to either hit the dance floor at your favorite night spot, or in your bedroom at 3am, complete with jammies and fuzzy slippers. Their music pumps you up, enters your body, feeding your soul, and satisfying your hunger for living.
