10 Catchy Pop Songs for ESL Students to Sing in Class
Singing pop songs in class can be a fantastic way to motivate your students and create a fun, positive learning environment. The challenge, though, is that it can be incredibly difficult and time-consuming to find English pop songs that are appropriate for ESL students. Many songs don’t have clean lyrics, focus on unsuitable topics, or are simply too fast or off-pitch for learners to sing comfortably.
After many years of teaching pop songs in my ESL classes, I’ve put together this list of 10 catchy pop songs that students genuinely enjoy singing. Each song is classroom-friendly, fun to sing, and has clean lyrics suitable for kids and teenagers. You’ll also find downloadable lyrics worksheets for each one.
If you’re teaching younger learners, be sure to check out our other post on the best ESL songs for kids listed by topic.
Song 1: Shotgun by George Ezra
Don’t worry, this song is not about shooting or violence. ‘Shotgun’ refers to ‘riding shotgun’, i.e. riding in the passenger seat of a car, and NOT a deadly weapon.
This song was my students’ absolute favorite song to sing in class. The chorus and the melody is very catchy. It may seem a little difficult for ESL students to sing at first, but after practicing a few times the song will be stuck in yours and your students’ heads all day.
Song 2: The Show by Lenka
This is another incredibly catchy song that students love to sing. Even though this song is about life and love, both boy and girl students enjoy singing this song in class. The lyrics and speed of the song make this song easy to sing.
The below lyrics video is a ‘doodle video’ that I found on YouTube that was obviously made by students. Why not make your own doodle video in your class?
Song 3: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen
This song about love at first sight was another favorite of my students. The verses are a little fast, but the chorus is easy to sing and very catchy. I have taught this song with elementary, middle, and high school students and they all really loved singing this song.
TIP: If searching for this song on YouTube, search for lyric videos, not the original video as some scenes in the original video may not be appropriate for young learners (There’s a topless man in one scene). Here’s another ‘doodle’ video with the lyrics which is more appropriate for the classroom.
Song 4: Drag Me Down by One Direction
The lyrics to this song may be a little fast to begin with and young ESL students may have difficulty singing the whole song. But the chorus slows down and students love to sing ‘Drag me Down’ and ‘Nobody, Nobody!’ really loud. It’s a lot of fun once students have practiced the song a few times. The Music Video is pretty cool too!
Song 5: Everything At Once by Lenka
The lyrics to this song are incredibly easy and catchy and students, both young learners and teenagers, love to sing this song. This song is another great song for making a ‘doodle’ video in class like the one below.
Song 6: The Best Day of My Life by American Authors
The lyrics to this song are sang quite fast and many ESL learners may struggle to sing the song at first. But with practice, it’s possible. I even taught this song to a group of grade 4 elementary school students. After practicing for a few lessons, the students could sing along with most of the song.
TIP: Again this song’s original music video may not be appropriate for young learners (they go to a bar and drink alcohol in the video) so best to stick to lyric videos like the one below.
Song 7: Outdoors by Jason Mraz
This song is to the same melody as ‘I’m Yours’ but instead of being about love, it is about wanting to go out and play outside. This is great to sing in the spring / summer time. If students sing the song well, why not reward them by taking them ‘outdoors’ for their next lesson.
Song 8: Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay
This English pop song has a steady beat and is quite easy for students to sing along to. The music video is also very impressive and students love to watch this animation over and over again.
Song 9: Beautiful by One Direction
This song may be a little fast for some students, but the chorus is very catchy and guaranteed to get your students singing along.
Song 10: Rewrite the Stars by Zac Efron and Zendaya
This song from ‘The Greatest Showman’ Original Soundtrack is probably a little too difficult for younger learners, but teenagers will love singing this song.
Tips for Teaching Pop Songs in ESL Class
Your students will enjoy simply listening to these catchy songs, but to make the most of your lesson time, it helps to go beyond just listening. Below are some practical tips to help you get the most educational value from using pop songs in your ESL classroom.
Listen First
Before handing out a lyrics worksheet or assigning a task, simply play the song once all the way through. This gives students a chance to get used to the rhythm and overall feel of the song. See if they can catch any familiar words or phrases. After the first listen, ask a few open-ended questions like, “What do you think this song is about?” or “Did you recognize any words?” to spark discussion and activate prior knowledge.
Use Lyric Worksheets
Use the lyric worksheets above or create your own to highlight key vocabulary in the song. Seeing the words written out in context helps students understand their meaning, spelling, and usage. You can also leave out keywords and turn it into a gap-fill activity to encourage careful listening and word recognition.
Sing With Students
Singing in a new language can be challenging, especially for shy or less confident students. To build confidence, sing along with them. Start by singing one line at a time and have students repeat after you. Once they’re familiar with the lyrics and melody, sing the whole song together as a class. This gradual approach helps learners feel more comfortable and engaged.
Turn the Song into a Project
Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different section of the song’s lyrics. Ask them to create a poster that shows the meaning of their lines through drawings, words, or photos. Then take pictures of their finished posters, along with the students holding them, and put the images together into a simple music video. This adds a creative, collaborative element and gives students a real sense of accomplishment.
I hope your students enjoy singing these songs in class as much as mine did. Pop songs can bring so much energy and excitement into the classroom, and they’re a great way to build confidence with English in a fun and natural way. Happy teaching!