Songs suitable for twerking and hip-shaking dances
The hip-shaking dance you often see in overseas music videos is called twerk or twerking.
It became established in local clubs in New Orleans, and it’s said that musicians who took notice started incorporating it into music videos in the 2000s.
Here in Japan, it’s been getting attention since around 2018, with TV features and trend-savvy teens adopting it as a dance style.
From cute, girlish twerk routines to more provocative moves, more and more high school and college girls have been casually uploading their videos to social media lately.
So, what songs are they dancing to?
We did some research.
We’ll also introduce the anthems that sparked the trend.
Songs suitable for twerking and hip-shaking dance (1–10)
Oh Nanana (Remix)Bonde R300
In this video it’s not full-on hip shaking—what you’d call twerking—but it’s been a long-running hit on social media worldwide, like TikTok.
In Japan it’s often danced casually, but it seems to be performed more seriously in overseas clubs.
It’s catchy, and I think the beat has an ideal tempo.
BAAMmomoland
This song also features a cute dance where you sway your hips side to side and flutter your skirt.
It seems to be super popular in places like South Korea! MOMOLAND is hugely popular in their home country too.
In Japan, besides this kind of dance, more casual choreography is trending as well.
Letting long hair sway while dancing also seems to be a key point!
El Terror (Feat. Jon Z & Lil Toe)Yellow Claw
Isn’t this a classic, easy-to-dance-to beat? What’s interesting is the track’s dual nature.
The intro locks into a twerk-focused beat, while the drop tweaks the groove just enough to make it easy for everyone to dance on the floor.
It’s reminiscent of Baltimore club—once affectionately known as Bmore—and its hip-swaying dance approach.
FeverVybz Kartel
A worldwide hit on social media, this video shows teens casually incorporating twerking.
In Japan, perhaps because many people are shy or due to cultural differences, there aren’t many who go this bold on social media.
Overseas, though, people dance casually as if it were a sport, giving it a wholesome image.
Twerk (Audio) ft. Cardi BCity Girls
A hit song from 2018 that popularized the word “twerk” around the world.
The sound leans heavily toward hip-hop, giving off the vibe of tracks that were popular in the 2000s.
In the music video, you can enjoy Cardi B’s greatest weapon—booty-shaking dance—and her eccentric fashion.
Too HotJason Derulo
I wouldn’t go so far as to say, “If BLACKPINK’s Lisa dances, everyone will come running!” but seeing a charismatic figure who’s an icon among teens embrace it makes me think the number of followers will surely grow from here.
That said, it’s not something you can easily copy, right? There’s nothing vulgar about it at all—it’s just downright cool!
Express YourselfDiplo, Nicky Da B
The twerk anthem that sent the whole world into a frenzy.
Diplo is a bona fide global hitmaker now, isn’t he? When I first heard this in 2015, the sound absolutely blew my mind.
Pure ghetto vibes.
It’s honestly not what you’d call classy, but it was a turning point—after this, lots of artists were influenced and started leaning hard into bass music.