Songs with numbers in their titles: 25 Songs with numbers

Did you know that there are songs with numbers in the title? I mean, we know that songs are all about numbers. Music is actually nothing without numbers. A solid one-two-three-four is the bedrock of any great music anthem.

The majority of songs mainly consist of the number of times you repeat the hooks, the number of lines for the lyrics and the number of beats you have per line. They are also about the number of weeks it takes to get to #1 on renowned charts. This makes the link between music and math one of the most interesting especially when the songs have numbers in them.

The more you listen to music, you come to the realisation that musical pieces have patterns. These patterns connect maths strongly to music. So, for this article, we will take a look at how some composers made songs with numbers in them.

For now, let’s check out some popular songs with numbers in their titles and explore how wonderful they are.

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Classic songs with numbers in the title

1. Three times a lady by Commodores

“Three times a Lady” is a song produced in 1978 by Commodore for their album “Natural High” This song was a hit when it was released in 1978. The song also got nominated for two Grammys awards.

2. Eight Days a Week by The Beatles

This is arguably one of the most famous songs with numbers in its title. Given that it’s a Beatles song, that’s not really surprising.

3. It Takes Two by Katy Perry

Katy Perry’s It Takes Two is a song that has numbers in the title. Lyrically the song is fairly self-explanatory, in terms of accepting partial responsibility for a relationship breaking down. In the line when she sang “I admit half of it” and “but let me be the first baby to say I’m sorry” she was apologising but her lover obviously wasn’t understanding.

4. 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton

This song was written as far back as 1980 for a film of the same name by Dolly Parton. The film which was Parton’s acting debut dealt with life in an American office, where the workday time frame was between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. She wrote the song while the movie was filming.

Both the film and the song “9 to 5” exposed gender inequality in the workplace. It was done for the laughs, which was the only way it could reach a mass audience, but still made a strong statement, with three female leads taking on their stereotypically disparaging boss.

Although 9 to 5 didn’t start any movement, it did pass the message across.

Rock songs with numbers in the title

1. Song 2 by Blur

This song with a number in the title was recorded in 1996 but released in 1997. Some people mistake the song to be “Woohoo”

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2. 2+2=5 by Radiohead

Of course, we know that the addition of two to two isn’t five which leaves people wondering what the song is about before they listen. The song is about the exploitation of people by those in control and how people are oblivious to what is going on even when it is very obvious.

2+2=5 is mainly a reference that people can be made to believe anything even when the truth is clear. This is the advantage with which people are controlled.

3. Nine in the Afternoon by Panic At The Disco

This is the kind of song that gets stuck in your head after you listen to it for the first time, and of course, that’s what the band wanted. According to guitarist Ryan Ross, the plan was to write a song about the things that happened over the past few years, looking at them from a positive standpoint.

The song clearly talks about the band, the old music that inspired them, and the criticism they received after changing their sound.

4. 20 Years From Now by New Found Glory

“20 Years From Now” is one of the songs on this list of songs with numbers in the title. The song was released in the year 2017 by New Found Glory. In an interview, The Lead guitarist Chad Gilbert explained that the song was the compilation of all the things the band had learned after performing for over 20 years.

According to him, as you reflect on your life, you realise that wasting time on arguments, pride, and worrying about the little things won’t change anything. The band released the song as they wanted it to encourage people to let go and live life with true freedom.

5. 3 by Britney Spears

It’s quite understandable if you feel a bit confused here, but don’t be because you’re not wrong. The song’s title is really “3”. While there are a number of songs with numbers in the title, only a few can be considered as controversial as this song by Britney Spears.

The reason is simple, song 3 is very significant to the song as it refers to a sexual act involving three people. Many people find it surprising when they learn the true meaning of the song’s lyrics. Even with its provocative theme, the song proved to be a huge hit. It became the first one-digit song to top the Hot 100. It was released in 2009.

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6. One Minute to Midnight by ZHU

A climactic finale to the French duo, Justice’s influential debut album, “One Minute to Midnight”. It is a smouldering line of bassy synths that’ll have you breathing hard on the edge of your seat. It might not be a sonic allegory to the old Doomsday Clock, but in our hearts, it is.

7. The Four Horsemen by Cypher feat Deezell, Kheengz

This song with a number in its title has a biblical reference, however, the concept of the song isn’t confined to the Bible but based

Country songs with numbers in the title

1. 10,000 hours by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber

When you think of songwriters, a number of words come to your mind, except the word “geek”. However, in this song released in 2019 by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber, geek is just the word that best describes it.

The title was inspired by Malcolm Gladwell’s book, which explains that it takes a person 10,000 hours to become a master of his craft. Justin Bieber and Dan + Shay put a romantic twist on this idea, writing a catchy piece of music that sticks in your head.

Pop songs with numbers in the title

1. 7 Years by Lukas Graham

In 2015, Lukas Graham released one of the songs with numbers in the title that became popular around the world. According to the band’s lead vocalist, Lukas Graham, the song is about the hard things he went through in life and who he hopes to become in the coming years. He said that it was primarily about his goal of being a good father.

2.  4 Minutes by Madonna feat Justin Timberlake

Madonna is one artist that always brings her A-game. At every point, she leaves her fans wondering what next she might feed them with. The song “4 Minutes” was written by Madonna and Justin Timberlake.

She always had nice things to say when she’s collaborated with Justin. According to Madonna, before writing the song, the duo talked about situations from their lives, relationships with people, and problems in society.

This song was named “4 Minutes” because that’s the length of the song. There’s an exciting buildup toward the end, but it cuts off suddenly immediately it got to the 4-minute mark.

3. High 5 by Sigrid

A high-five is a form of greeting or mutual congratulation in which two people slap each other’s raised right hand. “Five” refers to the five fingers. However, this song with numbers in its title isn’t about the conventional high fives people have.

If you have ever had a relationship where you both are honest with each other, then this song is about that relationship. The song relates “the importance of those relations where you both dare to be completely honest with each other, rather than exchanging superficial ‘high fives.'”

4. 2 become 1 by Spice Girls

In 1996, the beautiful romantic song by the Spice Girls lit up the life of fantasy and imagination in hearts when this song was put on the airwaves. The song’s basic message is found in the title with a number as it is focused on the union and bond of two lovers.

5. One More Night by Phil Collins

As far as songs with numbers in the titles go, Phil Collins’s classic “One more night” is a standout. A love song where he is requesting one more night to prove his love to his crush.

6. Back at One by by Brian McKnight

“…if ever I believe my work is done, then I’ll start back at one.” This blockbuster by Brian McKnight was a hit released in 1999. The dark, tall, and handsome singer won hearts with this endearing song and his endearing voice.

7. Your Sweet Six Six Six by H.I.M

Your sweet six six six is a song about forgiveness. It talks about looking past the bad things a person has done and accepting the good things they have offered. It is a very touching song by H.I.M.

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Alternative/ Indie songs with numbers in the title

1. Six Feet Under by The Weeknd

Who doesn’t know how heavenly The Weeknd’s songs are? If you know, then you can imagine the ecstasy the song will bring when you listen. Although the title of the song has a number in it, it doesn’t make it less wonderful.

When you hear “six feet under” we all know what it means. But, this song puts a unique spin on the saying. This song is about a prostitute who would do anything for money. She doesn’t care about her clients one bit.

All she is after is to have more money in her pocket and to get rich. When you think about it, this is a very sad song. It depicts someone who struggles to find the balance between amassing fortune and doing what society deems acceptable. This is one song with a number in its title that you want to listen to over and over again.

2. Friend is a Four Letter Word by Cake

This song is about a girl who breaks up with a guy by telling him they should be “Friends” That was not what he wanted to hear. The heartbreak makes him think of the word “Friend” as dirty and cruel – similar to many vulgar 4-letter words in the English language.

Hip-Hop songs with numbers in the title

1. One more road to cross by DMX

DMX hit the rap scene with his hardcore rap hits in the early 2000s. His album, “And then there was X” contained a rap song with a number titled, “one more road to cross.” The content of the track highlighted the rough and tough life on the streets in order to get to where you are aiming for.

2. 8 mile by Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, popularly known as Eminem released the album with the same title in 2002. The story behind the song specifically was based on his life and what he experienced growing up on the 8-mile road. The song is also a soundtrack to a movie with the same name in which Eminem starred.

Dance/ Electronic Songs with numbers in the title

1. One More Time by Daft Punk

One More Time is by far one of the greatest dance music songs ever written.  The song topped the radio charts around the world. The song has number one in its title, making it one of the songs with numbers in the title.

Jazz songs with numbers in the title

1. Seven Falls by Laura Veirs

This is one song in our list of the songs with numbers in the title. It was released by Laura Veirs in 2018. She named the song after a waterfall near her family’s hometown in Colorado. In an interview with Uncut, the singer explained how the song reflects her behavior to her loved ones.

She said: “It’s about how I can be cold-hearted even when I don’t mean to be – how I slip up and can be mean to my husband, yelling at my kids, etc, even though I wish to be kind-hearted. I was raised in a sunny place, Colorado, in a happy family but I am still human; we all have a dark side, whether we like it or not. This song is lyrically the most revealing/vulnerable to me – who wants to admit they can be cold-hearted? Not Me! But that’s where the good stuff is.”

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Conclusion

Even without numbers in their titles, nearly every other song has use of numbers as part of their lyrics. Rap songs like Ludacris’ Area Codes is a whole song with about 50% of the lyrics as numbers. Or maybe, R Kelly’s 1-2-3 L.O.V.E. intro to his Loveland album.

It’s not just mainstream music, how about our Christmas holiday tunes such as the very popular “8 days to Christmas.” That’s another song with a number in its title, which was remixed by Beyonce at the turn of the millennium.

From the mastery of the metronome count to the studio mixing of a recorded song, music has everything to do with numbers. It is quite interesting to see the volume of songs with numbers in the title.

You can pick one of them from the list and listen to it, you could be surprised at the number of times you might want to hear it over again. And, for the oldies, you may want to go back a number of years again to see how that feels.