[2026] The Appeal of Twerking: A Roundup of Western Songs Perfect for Twerk Dance

GullySpank Rock

Spank Rock – Gully

This track has a bass house/techno vibe.

I find it really satisfying when the bass hits this hard.

This is audio-only, but in the music video you can see some hip-shaking dance moves.

The content is a bit bold, so if you’re curious, go check it out! I think it’s an easy song to dance to.

Shake It OffTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift – Shake It Off

Looking back, 2014 felt like a tumultuous year—country singer Taylor Swift dressed in hip-hop fashion, and unexpected artists incorporated hip-hop and new dances into their music videos, resulting in some great songs.

This track was a long-running hit, wasn’t it? The dance that appears in the middle features twerking.

Express YourselfDiplo, Nicky Da B

Express Yourself (Radio Edit)

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.

Pon De Floor (feat. VYBZ Kartel)Major Lazer, VYBZ Kartel

Pon De Floor (feat. VYBZ Kartel)

This is the controversial track that made Major Lazer globally famous.

Back then, Diplo wasn’t as prominent yet, but this song was also produced by him.

It was such a hit that even Beyoncé sampled it.

You can see authentic twerking.

The music video is explicit, so check it out if you’re curious.

I couldn’t feature it here.

We Can’t StopMiley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus – We Can’t Stop (Official Video)

It’s not a song you’d twerk to the whole way through, but they still slip it into the MV right away.

Since the track was released in 2013, they were pretty early to it, I think.

In the opening, they’re wearing gold grills—the go-to for advanced hip-hop fashionistas.

Back in the day, Madonna, Rihanna, Johnny Depp, and in Japan Koki Tanaka, among others, caused a stir with them.

As an aside, wearers say the upkeep is a real hassle.

Twerk ft. Ben CristovaoDJ Wich

DJ Wich – Twerk ft. Ben Cristovao (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

It’s straight-up a twerk-ready track.

This song had a moment on TikTok and other social media.

The surging, dirty lead is emblematic of big-room EDM.

The drop gives off the vibe of something you’d hear at a massive festival.

I’d love to see you take on the challenge like the female dancers in the music video.

#KETSUFUREYayoi Daimon

#KETSUFURE

This is a clear, straightforward title! Now that’s a hip-shaking dance.

Isn’t this perhaps the first time in Japan that twerking has been expressed this directly? The music video is a must-see.

Yayoi Daimon is a singer-songwriter from Osaka, an artist who came up as a street dancer influenced by Black music.