The 10 Best Kesha Songs of All-Time
Kesha Rose Sebert, commonly known as Kesha, is an American singer who first rose to prominence in 2009 when she was featured on Flo Rida’s number-one hip hop single “Right Round.” Though she’s always had remarkable commercial success, Kesha’s career hasn’t always been smooth. In 2014 the singer accused Lukasz Gottwald of sexual abuse, and he countersued her, claiming she was making a false accusation to get out of a recording deal. The legal battle is ongoing to this day, but so is her music career. Here are the top ten best Kesha songs of all time.
10. C’mon
C’mon is a song about being young and misbehaving. It’s all about the thrill of doing naughty things. While the lyrics are surprisingly dirty, it manages to stay PG by only implying what’s going on. Still, it’s a song about dating a bad boy, messing around, drinking, and stealing while you’re in high school. Many people can relate to the feeling of getting away with breaking the rules, though in a relatively minor way, while we’re young. It’s easy to lose yourself in a good time when you’re still young enough to have little concept of the consequences of your actions.
9. Praying
On the surface, Praying sounds like a relatively typical reverent piece that is predictably about praying. However, this song is actually about dealing with mental health issues. According to Pop Buzz, the singer said, “I have channeled my feelings of severe hopelessness and depression, I’ve overcome obstacles, and I have found strength in myself even when it felt out of reach. I’ve found what I had thought was an unobtainable place of peace. This song is about coming to feel empathy for someone else even if they hurt you or scare you.”
8. Take It Off
Take It Off is a classic Kesha song about getting freaky. While fans debate whether the song is about a glory hole or a drag show, the fact remains that this catchy tune is an earworm full of dirty innuendo and open sensuality. The music is based on the so-called Snake Charmer Song, an old rhythm created by early Hollywood to give the impression of belly dancers, the mysterious middle east, and Arabian Nights.
7. Blah Blah Blah
Blah Blah Blah is an open invitation, a female-centric view of the desire for a one night stand, or at least a no-commitment fling. With lyrics like, “Boy, c’mon and get my rocks off. Come put a little love in my glove box. Wanna dance, with no pants on?” there is no question what the singer is talking about. However, the point is that she doesn’t want to talk about it.
6. Blow
Blow is all about party life. While it doesn’t directly reference the drug that share’s its nickname, it would be easy to infer there was more than ‘dirt and glitter’ when the club decided to ‘blow.’ Regardless, this is a fantastic dance beat that makes you want to bop your head along with it every time you hear it. If you’re looking for a carefree, not at all deep, happy song about being wild in the club, Blow is at the top of that playlist. Some songs don’t need hidden depths to be good, and this is one of those songs.
5. Your Love Is My Drug
Your Love Is My Drug, from Kesha’s debut studio album, aptly titled Animal, immediately became a fan favorite. Although the music sounds happy, the undertone to this piece is much darker. Kesha sang this about an unhealthy, codependent relationship she had with an ex.
4. Die Young
Die Young is easily one of Kesha’s most played and replayed songs. Like so much of the singer’s music, the tune gets inside your head and takes up residence. Meanwhile, the lyrics are about having an affair with someone who is clearly taken. The passion in the forbidden is a topic most people can understand, whether they’d act on it or not.
3. Timber (With Pitbull)
There is no question why this song made the top three. Even the Youtube video of this incredible chart-topping song has had over a billion views. As collaborations go, we couldn’t ask for more than one between Pitbull and Kesha, especially from a piece about being young and having such a good time you get blackout drunk. According to Vertigo Schtick, the Billboard Hot 100 wasn’t the only chart this song topped. It was also number one with a bullet in the UK, Germany, and Canada, among other countries.
2. Tik Tok
Tik Tok shares the name of a very well-known social media app known for its short-form Vine-esque videos made by the users. Unsurprisingly, the song was wildly popular on the app, and it hit number one on the charts. Moreover, Tik Tok was featured in the couch gag on The Simpsons, in the movie adaptation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and she played it live on SNL.
1. We R Who We R
Being unapologetically sexy is part of who Kesha is, and this song perfectly personifies that attitude. What makes We R Who We R noteworthy is that it debuted as a number one hit. Previous to this, only seventeen other songs in history have ever had that distinction. Most have to climb the charts to become so popular, but a few rare pieces, like this We R Who We R, are just made different. Kesha has had several number one hits, but only this song started as part of a rare and limited group of hit singles.
Final Thoughts
Sadly, Kesha’s music career is a study of exactly how much money and success don’t buy happiness. If the old adage is true about great art coming from a place of pain, then we feel bad for Kesha because her music is undoubtedly outstanding. Lately, she’s been busy working on the remix of Fancy Like with Walker Hayes, and she seems to be enjoying it. While country music isn’t her usual style, this is one versatile and dynamic artist who can certainly do whatever she puts her energy into, and we can’t wait to see more.