16 Songs Every Bar Band Insists on Playing—Whether You Like It or Not

If you're the type who likes to unwind at the bar after a long work week and there’s a live band on stage, you can almost guarantee that at least a few of these songs are going to be played by the band before last call.

Is that a good thing? Depends on who you ask. Some folks are on the dance floor, losing their minds like it's the first time they've ever heard "Summer of '69." Others are glued to their bar stools, slowly dying inside while muttering, “Sweet Home Alabama again? Really?”

Am I tired of hearing some of these tunes being covered? Sure, but I get it. They're classics and crowd pleasers. The issue with me is that a lot of bands bite off more than they can chew. For example, if you've only been playing guitar for six months, maybe hold off on tackling Slash's guitar solo before the breakdown of "Sweet Child O’ Mine." Or if you sing like a wounded goose, "You Shook Me All Night Long" probably is not your moment.

Here’s a list I’ve been working on. It’s not ranked—just a snapshot of the songs you’ll hear on any given Friday night setlist at your local watering hole.

1. "Mustang Sally" – Wilson Pickett

Somewhere out there right now, a guy in a backwards baseball cap just screamed “RIDE, SALLY, RIDE!” while slowly spilling small amounts of his draft beer.

2. "Brown Eyed Girl" – Van Morrison

“Do you remember when…” Yes. We remember. Every weekend. But to be fair, it does still bring people up to sway on the dance floor.

3. "Don’t Stop Believin’" – Journey

This is everyone's cue to shout the lyrics, whether they can "sing" or not. Also, the point where the band either crushes it or completely crashes the train.

4. "Sweet Caroline" – Neil Diamond

You know it's coming.... “BAH BAH BAH!”. It’s late in the evening, and this one is less a song and more of a drunken social experiment.

5. "Takin’ Care of Business" – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

No one’s ever actually requested it, and yet it’s a staple. Maybe it’s because everyone knows it... or because it’s just really easy to play.

6. "Wagon Wheel" – Old Crow Medicine Show/Darius Rucker

A country crossover that gets the boots stomping and the beer flowing. If it’s not in the set, someone’s tipsy aunt is definitely shouting, "Play rock me mama!" from the back corner of the bar.

7. "Summer of '69" – Bryan Adams

This one just works every time. Sure, it came out in 1985, but it’s multi-generational—everyone knows it, and everyone can relate to it... even if their life version was the summer of ’99 and having zero idea what a Five and Dime actually was.

8. "Crazy B*tch" – Buckcherry

When it’s time for the band to “get edgy,” here comes Buckcherry. The crowd gets loud and someone’s definitely yelling “THIS IS MY SONG!”

9. "Sweet Child O’ Mine" – Guns N’ Roses

I’ve seen this one absolutely crushed... and I’ve also seen it go down in flames. It's the guitar player’s time to shine—or crash and burn in front of 40 strangers at a bowling alley bar.

10. "What I Got" – Sublime

A moment for the band to drop those chill California vibes. I've noticed many singers don't really know half the lyrics for this one... they'll often fake it, and lots of times no one even notices.

11. "Hotel California" – Eagles

Almost seven minutes long. Slows the pace down just enough for people to go order another drink or take a bathroom break. Almost 50 years later, this one's probably not going anywhere anytime soon.

12. "You Shook Me All Night Long" – AC/DC

No, the singer doesn’t need to sound like Brian Johnson—because no one else does, but if they can hit the notes, it’s a must-have for a crowd of Saturday night beer drinkers.

13. "Mr. Brightside" – The Killers

The millennials’ national anthem. They're singing louder than the singer of the band, and the floor is shaking from all of the stomping feet.

14. "Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi

Another multi-generational one here... it doesn't matter if you're 21 or 71, the entire crowd just screamed “WHOAAAAAA!” in unison. This one still hits every time.

15. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" – Def Leppard

It’s loud, it’s dirty, and ridiculously catchy. This one never fails to unleash the air guitars and fist pumps.

16. "Sweet Home Alabama" – Lynyrd Skynyrd

The unofficial anthem of bar bands everywhere. Yeah, it’s overplayed, but it gets the crowd singing and clapping every time.

Want to piss off a cover band? Yell out “Freebird” after they finish any of these. Want to make their night? Buy them a shot and literally request anything else.