![[2025] The Appeal of Syncopation: A Collection of Songs with Striking Syncopation](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/K0-Dm4wMJpQ/maxresdefault.webp)
[2025] The Appeal of Syncopation: A Collection of Songs with Striking Syncopation
This is a bit sudden, but are you familiar with the word “syncopation”? It’s a musical term for creating a distinctive effect by deliberately shifting meter or rhythm—such as changing the accents of strong and weak beats within a bar.
If you don’t play an instrument or study music theory, you might not have heard of it.
But in fact, syncopation is widely used in the music you enjoy every day.
This time, focusing on pop and rock, we’ve put together a variety of “classic syncopation tracks” from both Western and Japanese music, across different eras.
Your favorite song might actually be using syncopation too!
[2025] The Allure of Syncopation: A Collection of Memorable Syncopated Songs (1–10)
Surfing JohnnyKeisuke Kuwata
A pop song whose dynamic melody resonates in your heart, like a surfboard gleaming under the summer sun.
Released by Keisuke Kuwata in July 2001, this work beautifully captures the pain of heartbreak and the loneliness at summer’s end.
Also featured in a Coca-Cola commercial, it became Kuwata’s first solo single to sell over a million copies.
It topped the Oricon weekly charts and cemented its status as a quintessential summer anthem.
The love story unfolding against a backdrop of blue seas is sure to become a cherished memory in your heart.
ROSIERLUNA SEA
LUNA SEA laid the foundation for 1990s visual kei and has continued to renew their legend since their 2010 reunion.
This work is a renowned classic known as one of their signature songs, released as their third single in July 1994.
It features a distinctive rhythm that skillfully uses syncopation and is marked by Ryuichi Kawamura’s passionate vocals.
Included on the album MOTHER and selected for many best-of compilations, it enjoys overwhelming support from fans.
The lyrics, which depict urban loneliness, despair, and a longing for love, resonate deeply with listeners.
It is also famous as an indispensable number in their live shows—be sure to give this piece, brimming with LUNA SEA’s appeal, a listen.
ThrillerMichael Jackson
When it comes to masterpieces that make the most of syncopation, you can’t leave this one out.
Its groovy rhythm sticks in your ears and makes you want to listen on a street corner after nightfall.
The dance scene with zombies that every music fan knows is an essential element of Halloween festivities and costume parties.
The solid bassline paired with Michael Jackson’s high-tone vocals leaves a powerful impression on listeners.
Released in November 1982, this track went on to achieve the remarkable feat of winning eight Grammy Awards the following year.
It’s a song with universal appeal that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere—not just during the Halloween season.
BreakoutSwing Out Sister
A signature song by Swing Out Sister, where the syncopation resonates pleasantly.
Its catchy melody and sophisticated arrangement are irresistible, and the hook is so memorable you’ll find yourself humming along.
Corinne Drewery’s transparent vocals blend beautifully with the nostalgic sound.
Released in May 1987, it became a major hit, reaching No.
4 in the UK and No.
6 on the U.
S.
Billboard charts.
While richly reflecting the atmosphere of the ’80s, it carries a message of individuality and freedom.
It’s the perfect track for anyone ready to take a step beyond the everyday.
instinctRingo Sheena
The song released in 1999 by singer-songwriter Ringo Sheena, who revolutionized the Japanese music scene, is a shocking track that seizes listeners’ hearts.
Depicting a fleeting nighttime encounter, it powerfully conveys liberation from social constraints and the joy of following one’s instincts.
Its innovative sound fuses jazz and rock elements, with a distinctive sense of rhythm and striking syncopation.
The music video—featuring her in a nurse costume smashing glass—also generated major buzz.
Chosen as the ending theme for NTV’s “FUN,” the track became Sheena’s biggest hit and achieved million-seller status.
Bad LiarSelena Gomez
This track, remarkable for its syncopation, deftly captures the complex emotions of someone falling in love.
Released in May 2017, it drew attention as a new musical venture for Selena Gomez.
By incorporating a bassline inspired by Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer,” the American singer fused classic elements with a contemporary sound to striking effect.
The lyrics, which portray feelings that can’t be concealed no matter how hard one tries, are sure to resonate with many listeners.
The music video, set in 1978, also garnered buzz for Selena’s performance as four different characters.
It’s a song perfect for those wrestling with matters of the heart or for a season when emotions run high.
GetawayEarth, Wind & Fire
Let me introduce a masterpiece that fully brings out the allure of syncopation.
Released by Earth, Wind & Fire in September 1976, this track sings of an escape from the everyday.
Its thrilling horn section and driving, exhilarating rhythm will lift your spirits.
Featured on the album “Spirit,” it topped the Billboard R&B chart.
As a forerunner of the disco boom, it whipped dance floors into a frenzy.
It’s a song especially for those living stressful days—one that lets you feel the liberating power of music.