Top Western Music Rankings by Generation: Popular Picks for People in Their 40s

Big girl Don’t cryFergie85rank/position

Fergie – Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal) (Official Music Video)

This solo song by Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas is uptempo yet has a slightly bittersweet, mature-woman vibe.

The chorus might be a bit high and hard to hit, but I hope you’ll practice it—it’s a number that women in their 40s can truly make their own.

Don’t Worry Be HappyBobby McFerrin86rank/position

Bobby McFerrin – Don’t Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)

Included on the 1988 album “Simple Pleasures.” Featured as an insert song in the film “Cocktail,” released the same year.

Born in 1950, a musician from New York State.

This number beautifully blends his a cappella vocals with choral harmonies over a mid-tempo, gently flowing doo-wop rhythm.

You Give Love A Bad NameBon Jovi87rank/position

Bon Jovi – You Give Love A Bad Name

The Japanese title is “Forbidden Love,” released in 1986.

It was a single from their third album, “Wild in the Streets.” This song, one of Bon Jovi’s signature works, was also used in Japan in 2010 as the theme for a cup ramen commercial.

Highway to HellAC/DC88rank/position

AC/DC – Highway to Hell (Official Video)

If you’re listening while driving, this is the one.

It also made waves in 2016 when opera singer Cristina Ramos tore off her dress and started singing on a Spanish talent show.

It’s the perfect track for powering through your 40th birthday.

Walk Of LifeDire Straits89rank/position

Dire Straits – Walk Of Life (Official Music Video)

A song by Dire Straits, who were active from the 1970s through the 1990s and enjoyed worldwide popularity for their unique musical style that added originality to roots music.

Released as the fourth single from their fifth album, Brothers in Arms—known as their biggest hit with sales exceeding 30 million copies—the track hooks you with an arrangement that’s catchy yet distinctly apart from the trends of the time.

Its light, exhilarating sound still feels irresistibly addictive even today.

It’s a number that, while pop, carries a unique sense of melancholy—one that makes Dire Straits’ lasting popularity easy to understand.

SometimesBritney Spears90rank/position

Britney Spears – Sometimes (Official HD Video)

This song is one where Britney Spears, who often uses bold, confident expressions in her lyrics, carefully and tenderly sings about a single love.

In the music video, Britney’s silky hair and natural makeup give her a very fresh and striking presence.

Under the SeaThe Little Mermaid91rank/position

Samuel E. Wright – Under the Sea (from The Little Mermaid) (Official Video)

The theme song of the Disney film The Little Mermaid is “Under the Sea.” This bright, lively, and catchy tune even won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

It’s extremely popular not only in the original English version but also in the Japanese dubbed version.