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Recommended club and dance music

[2026] Iconic and Popular Songs for Super-Cool Breakdance [Breaking]

Born in the South Bronx of New York in the 1970s, the street dance known as breaking.

Also widely known as breakdancing, breaking has deep ties to music—especially hip-hop—and has played an important role in street culture.

More recently, it was officially recognized as a competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Some younger people may have become interested in breakdancing after watching the Olympics.

For those readers, this article rounds up essential classic tracks that are inseparable from the history of breaking.

We also feature many of the songs used at the Paris Olympics, so be sure to check them out!

Playlist

[2026] Iconic and Popular Songs for Super-Cool Breakdance [Breaking]
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastBreaker’s RevengeArthur Baker
Breaker's RevengeArthur Bakerplay_arrow
A pioneer of electro hip-hop, Arthur…
2eastMama Said Knock You OutLL Cool J
Mama Said Knock You OutLL Cool Jplay_arrow
This track features an intense beat and powerful rap...
3eastCh-Check It OutBeastie Boys
Ch-Check It OutBeastie Boysplay_arrow
A New York hip-… formed in 1978
4eastBreak WomanDJ Fleg
Break WomanDJ Flegplay_arrow
A powerful force that shakes the breakdance floor…
5eastGive It Up Or Turnit A LooseJames Brown
Give It Up Or Turnit A LooseJames Brownplay_arrow
Known by the nickname “Mr. Dynamite,” he/they…
6eastSlamOnyx
SlamOnyxplay_arrow
The underground hip-hop scene, huh...
7eastDancing in the MoonlightToploader
Dancing in the MoonlightToploaderplay_arrow
The English rock band Topload…
8eastMaria TambiénKhruangbin
Maria TambiénKhruangbinplay_arrow
A bewitching sound suffused with exotic fragrance...
9eastHappy SoulDave Cortez & The Moon People
Happy SoulDave Cortez & The Moon Peopleplay_arrow
Sharp drums and Latin percussion surge and swirl, then suddenly cut short…
10eastJuice (Know the Ledge)Eric B. & Rakim
Juice (Know the Ledge)Eric B. & Rakimplay_arrow
The 1992 film “Juice”…
11eastBrooklyn is BurningHead Automatica
Brooklyn is BurningHead Automaticaplay_arrow
A Brooklyn-based rock band, …
12eastFunky LoverEruption
Funky LoverEruptionplay_arrow
Forged in mid-1970s London f...
13eastPoisonKool G Rap & DJ Polo
PoisonKool G Rap & DJ Poloplay_arrow
Legendary duo from Queens, New York...
14eastKillingThe Apples
KillingThe Applesplay_arrow
A brass-and-turntable ensemble from Israel...
15eastSqueeze MeKraak & Smaak
Squeeze MeKraak & Smaakplay_arrow
A trio of producers/DJs from the Netherlands…
16eastBeggin’Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Beggin'Frankie Valli & The Four Seasonsplay_arrow
Emerging from New Jersey in the 1960s...
17eastDon’t Sweat The TechniqueEric B. & Rakim
Don't Sweat The TechniqueEric B. & Rakimplay_arrow
Alright, this song is also by the old-school old man...
18eastBring The PainMethod Man
Bring The PainMethod Manplay_arrow
This track is defined by its powerful beats and aggressive flow…
19eastHot MusicSoho
Hot MusicSohoplay_arrow
An electr... that instantly amps up the party vibe
20eastScenarioA Tribe Called Quest
ScenarioA Tribe Called Questplay_arrow
An American hip-hop group formed in 1988…
21eastIt’s Just BegunThe Jimmy Castor Bunch
It's Just BegunThe Jimmy Castor Bunchplay_arrow
Formed around Jimmy Castor...
22eastBegginMadcon
BegginMadconplay_arrow
Breakdancing, just like an MC battle, …
23eastRoof OffLaura Vane & The Vipertones
Roof OffLaura Vane & The Vipertonesplay_arrow
A cross-border ... spanning the UK and the Netherlands
24eastDope on PlasticUptown
Dope on PlasticUptownplay_arrow
It was released by Tommy Boy in 1989...
25eastYellow SunshineYellow Sunshine
Yellow SunshineYellow Sunshineplay_arrow
The low-centered drums and rough, wild guitar suddenly...
26eastListen to MeBaby Huey
Listen to MeBaby Hueyplay_arrow
Psychedeli… born in Chicago in the 1970s
27eastThe SpaniardMR WIGGLES
The SpaniardMR WIGGLESplay_arrow
From the South Bronx of New York to the world...
28eastFlesh FailuresJulie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity
Flesh FailuresJulie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinityplay_arrow
The British singer, who was also active as an actress, …
29eastThe BreaksKurtis Blow
The BreaksKurtis Blowplay_arrow
Mr. Kurtis Blow relea...
30eastThe WitchThe Bamboos
The WitchThe Bamboosplay_arrow
The Australian soul band, The Ban...
31eastRockitHerbie Hancock
RockitHerbie Hancockplay_arrow
A familiar song from variety shows, a classic track...
32eastAin’t Got Time To Waste feat. YZAiM
Ain't Got Time To Waste feat. YZAiMplay_arrow
Funky electro music and hi...
33eastThe MexicanBabe Ruth
The MexicanBabe Ruthplay_arrow
The backgound music used in breakdancing is ofte…
34eastIt Takes TwoRob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
It Takes TwoRob Base & DJ E-Z Rockplay_arrow
The intro feels nice! If anything, it's more like…
35eastHippy Skippy Moon StrutMighty Show Stoppers
Hippy Skippy Moon StrutMighty Show Stoppersplay_arrow
Insanely cool, deep funk...
36eastFull Moon feat. CommonArmand Van Helden
Full Moon feat. CommonArmand Van Heldenplay_arrow
Speed garage, house music…
37eastApache (Grandmaster Flash Mix)Incredible Bongo Band
Apache (Grandmaster Flash Mix)Incredible Bongo Bandplay_arrow
A funky number where bongos and brass shine.
38eastHow GeeBlack Machine
How GeeBlack Machineplay_arrow
If you're a dancer, you've probably heard it at least once...
39eastGet Off feat. Street StylerMr. Bass
Get Off feat. Street StylerMr. Bassplay_arrow
If you're looking for some offbeat background music, check out this '…
40eastYou’re Hip Miss PastorfieldFred Karlin
You're Hip Miss PastorfieldFred Karlinplay_arrow
The Ame... who has left behind many famous songs in numerous feature films
41eastCanned HeatJamiroquai
Canned HeatJamiroquaiplay_arrow
Jamiroquai, who are hugely popular in Japan as well! Their songs…
42eastSet It OffBig Daddy Kane
Set It OffBig Daddy Kaneplay_arrow
This is a true classic in breakin'! It's easy to dance to…
43eastDancing MachineThe Jackson 5
Dancing MachineThe Jackson 5play_arrow
Since it has an impressive intro, showcase…
44eastI Know You Got SoulBobby Byrd
I Know You Got SoulBobby Byrdplay_arrow
A major success from the 1950s through the 1990s…
45eastI Feel for You – RemixChaka Khan
I Feel for You - RemixChaka Khanplay_arrow
The diva of the soul and funk scene—her…
46eastBuffalo GalsMalcolm McLaren
Buffalo GalsMalcolm McLarenplay_arrow
People who immediately get it when they hear the name Malcolm McLaren…
47eastMade You LookNas
Made You LookNasplay_arrow
Characterized by a powerful beat and striking phrases, this co…
48eastPaid In Full (Seven Minutes Of Madness – The Coldcut Remix)Eric B. & Rakim
Paid In Full (Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix)Eric B. & Rakimplay_arrow
In hip-hop, there’s the Golden Age hip…
49eastLet The Sunshine InJames Last
Let The Sunshine InJames Lastplay_arrow
German composer James Last...
50eastGoing Back To CaliLL Cool J
Going Back To CaliLL Cool Jplay_arrow
As expected, his tracks are insanely slick…
51eastU.F.OESG
U.F.OESGplay_arrow
A distinctive funk beat and a simple melod...
52eastBreak DownTony B
Break DownTony Bplay_arrow
Because in breakdancing, hitting the beats (musical accents) is highly valued...
53eastBOOM!The Roots
BOOM!The Rootsplay_arrow
Characterized by a powerful, energetic beat…
54eastThink (About It)Lyn Collins
Think (About It)Lyn Collinsplay_arrow
Lyn Collins’s globally sampled track
55eastStraight Outta ComptonN.W.A
Straight Outta ComptonN.W.Aplay_arrow
A legend you can't avoid when talking about hip-hop...
56eastBeat Box (Diversion 1)Art Of Noise
Beat Box (Diversion 1)Art Of Noiseplay_arrow
A big, intricately chopped piece crafted with masterful use of the sampler...
57eastThe CreatorPete Rock & CL Smooth
The CreatorPete Rock & CL Smoothplay_arrow
Known to those in the know, a legendary hip… in New York
58eastI Can Do This – Uptown MixMonie Love
I Can Do This - Uptown MixMonie Loveplay_arrow
This is a catchy funk! Brea—
59eastPlanet RockAfrika Bambaataa
Planet RockAfrika Bambaataaplay_arrow
The founding father of hip-hop, Afrika Bambaataa…
60eastFight The PowerPublic Enemy
Fight The PowerPublic Enemyplay_arrow
Public Enemy, who pioneered the hip-hop scene…
61eastRapper’s DelightThe Sugarhill Gang
Rapper's DelightThe Sugarhill Gangplay_arrow
Funky hip-hop. By the way, “Hi…
62eastThe Rockafeller SkankFatboy Slim
The Rockafeller SkankFatboy Slimplay_arrow
This track, when it comes to old-school hip-hop, is...
63eastGet On The Good FootJames Brown
Get On The Good FootJames Brownplay_arrow
Once I start introducing JB’s songs, there’s no end to it…
64eastFunkier Than a Mosquito’s TweeterNina Simone
Funkier Than a Mosquito's TweeterNina Simoneplay_arrow
Here comes a track that epitomizes the very essence of funk and soul...
65eastElectric KingdomTwilight 22
Electric KingdomTwilight 22play_arrow
Known as a pioneer of electro-funk…
66eastPolice WomanHenry Mancini
Police WomanHenry Manciniplay_arrow
...skillfully incorporating elements of funk and soul.
67eastThe Learning (Burn) ft Big Noyd & Vita [JAY-Z Diss]Mobb Deep
The Learning (Burn) ft Big Noyd & Vita [JAY-Z Diss]Mobb Deepplay_arrow
The duo with an alluring low, deep voice, Mob De…
68eastBeats To The RhymeRun-D.M.C.
Beats To The RhymeRun-D.M.C.play_arrow
King of hip-hop, call and response…
69eastR-9Cybotron
R-9Cybotronplay_arrow
Electro music from Detroit…
70eastSound of da PoliceKrs-One
Sound of da PoliceKrs-Oneplay_arrow
With gritty sampling and razor-sharp breakbeats...
71eastLove The Life You Live (Pt. 1 & 2)Kool and The Gang
Love The Life You Live (Pt. 1 & 2)Kool and The Gangplay_arrow
A legendary fan with a career spanning over 50 years…
72eastSo Whatcha Sayin’EPMD
So Whatcha Sayin'EPMDplay_arrow
As a legend in the hip-hop scene...
73eastI’ll Be (ft. JAY-Z)Foxy Brown
I'll Be (ft. JAY-Z)Foxy Brownplay_arrow
A leading figure in New York’s hip-hop scene...
74eastIt’s Like ThatRUN DMC, Jason Nevins
It's Like ThatRUN DMC, Jason Nevinsplay_arrow
In the music video, they look like they're having fun dancing in a circle...