The 20 best guilty pleasure songs

Who can resist putting their hands up and singing along when this 2009 Miley Cyrus hit hits your ears? It's an earworm, evidenced by the 12 million copies sold and 12-times-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Academy of America. 

Italian one-hit-wonders Eiffel 65 made a major splash in 1999 with "Blue (Da Ba Dee)," an infectious hit that was accompanied by a seriously weird, totally '90s alien-packed music video. 

Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas and legendary guitarist Carlos Santana teamed up for "Smooth," the catchiest — and most likely to get stuck in your head — song of 1999. The collaboration may have been a bit cheesy, but it still won three Grammy Awards and remains a favorite among even the snobbiest music fans. 

This cheater's anthem, released in 2000, was a massive success, eventually becoming the top-selling song of 2001. That's because it's a particularly infectious earworm with perfectly absurd lyrics. 

Whether you're actually in a tropical locale, Jimmy Buffett's 1977 hit "Margaritaville" will transport you to lovelier climes. Even if you don't actually consider yourself a Parrothead, there's no denying the appeal of a song that's all about drinking your problems away — and looking for a lost salt-shaker. 

Straight from the Bahamas, the Baha Men's "Who Let The Dogs Out" has inspired countless singalongs since its release in 2000. It also inspired many people to bark like a dog, which seems a little bit weird 23 years later. 

If you haven't been "Rick Rolled" by now, you're probably living under a rock. And even though it's become a widely derided internet meme, "Never Gonna Give You Up" is too catchy to leave in 1987. 

Britpop icons Spice Girls brought girl power — and a smash single — to the States in 1996 with their debut single, "Wannabe." Since its release more than two decades ago, "Wannabe" remains a beloved pop classic and has sold millions of copies across the globe. 

If you play this Journey hit in any given bar in the United States, it's almost assuredly going to inspire a singalong. "Don't Stop Believin'" is a little cheesy, but it's one of those songs that's (nearly) universally beloved. 

Thanks to its infectiously upbeat melody, Culture Club's 1983 smash "Karma Chameleon" is one of those songs you just can't get out of your head. Especially that chorus, which is just perfect for a road-trip singalong. 

This goofball track, released on the Bangles' 1986 album Different Light, is silly, but that doesn't take anything away from its pure catchiness. 

Even when Devo released "Whip It" in 1980, they weren't convinced it was going to be a hit. It sounded different than everything else on the radio, and that's what made it so unique — and a major success. 

A guilty pleasure for the Total Request Live era, "I Want It That Way" is easy to poke fun at. It's overly earnest and totally 1999, but that doesn't stop millennials everywhere from singing their hearts out every time this song comes up on their playlists. 

It's basically impossible not to start singing along when this 1984 Wham! song starts playing. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" may not have the deepest lyrics, but it remains an iconic part of the pop canon. 

Despite its goofy title, "MMMBop" is one of those songs that audiences and critics love, even though it's a little bit cheesy. It's classic '90s pop, thanks to its cheery melody and the dulcet harmonies of the brothers Hanson. 

Call it juvenile or inappropriate, but there's no denying the catchy (and slightly racy!) appeal of "Stacy's Mom" and its thoroughly '00s pop-punk sound. 

Now that she's an acclaimed actress, many forget that Mandy Moore's career began with one of the best bubblegum pop songs of the '90s. "Candy," released in 1999 when Moore was just 15, is an undeniable bop. You don't even have to feel guilty about loving it. 

Released in 1988, "Straight Up" was the first hit by Paula Abdul and is arguably her most enduring track. 

Even if you have no idea what "Tubthumping," or Chumbawumba for that matter, means, you can still appreciate the raucous party vibe of this 1997 sensation. Its lyrics also offer a decent bit of advice: when life knocks you down, get up again. 

"Kokomo," the namesake for this breezy Beach Boys bop, isn't a real place — at least not near the Florida Keys — but it definitely can be a state of mind, especially when sitting on the beach with a cocktail in your hand.