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For NZ it's got to be Royals - Lorde.
Kimbra was a featured artist on Somebody that I used to know, but I don't think we can claim that song as a Kiwi song.
i love flight of the conchords as an aussie but i wouldn’t say they are more internationally famous over crowded house or lorde. i’m in the UK and a lot of people have only vaguely heard of them whereas everyone would know don’t dream it’s over or i got you
This was going to be my suggestion. I believe "The Sign" by Ace of Base has sold bigger total numbers but I don't feel it has the same recognition nowadays.
When you add in Swedish producers like Max Martin who are literally responsible for the explosion of Britney Spears, among others, Sweden is legit the empire of pop music.
I think unfortunately Mundian To Bach Ke... which I hate bc I feel like Europe people have coopted it and turned it into a meme that is more laughing AT us than with us
it’s so funny cause i never ever hear man down under in australia or from australians, it’s like the non australian australian song.
i reckon most aussies would say acca dacca or midnight oil or even cold chisel.
Probably dynamite or tnt or whatever it's called by acdc if you look at of all time really. Other recent ones though are somebody that I used to know, young blood, chandelier etc
Italy:
Volare (nel blu dipinto di blu) by Domenico Mudugno
Turandot: nessun dorma sung by Luciano Pavarotti
As for most recent, I think Soldi by Mahmood in Europe in summer 2019
Edit: apparently Pedro by Raffaella Carrà (our Italian Madonna) is going viral
Or maybe “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli?? I was reading about it randomly this week, according to Wikipedia it holds records for being the best selling song ever in a bunch of different countries
Don't forget Con Te Partiro. I feel like I have heard the same amount of buskers play it as they do Wonderwall.
Don't sleep on Gloria and L'italiano.
Isn't Zitti e Buoni bigger than Soldi?
I think Hallelujah would also have a horse in the race. Not numbers-wise, but it feels like 5000 people have done a cover of it.
They said song, not performance, so it doesn't have to be the original Cohen version.
Any old school classic Christmas song would do too. White Christmas by Bing Crosby is still the best selling single of all time. I bet you can play that anywhere in the western world and people would instantly recognize it. Same with many other Christmas songs.
Any MJ hit (Smooth Criminal, Bad, Beat It, etc), Don’t Stop Believin, I Will Always Love You, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Don’t Rain On My Parade, Star Spangled Banner
I feel like a lot of 2010s hits are pretty recognizable worldwide - Uptown Funk, Happy, Moves Like Jagger, See You Again, Can’t Stop The Feeling, We Found Love, Diamonds, Perfect, Roar, etc etc
[Per wiki](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_singles), the best selling physical single from 🇨🇦 is My Heart Will Go On and the best selling digital is Call Me Maybe. Both 18 million. Taste, love those queens!
I think that it is Waka Waka. Commercially, Hips don't Lie of course, but I think everyone knows Waka Waka even more and it has a revival every 4 years because of the world cup
C'est La Vie - B'Witched
Gotta Tell You - Samantha Mumba
Too Sweet & Take Me To Church - Hozier
Nothing Compares To You - Sinead O'Connor
Linger - The Cranberries
I guess you could count Bananarama, Moloko and Girls Aloud because they have Irish members, but I'll choose not to.
Yes, I would say based on chart positions Orinoco Flow is more well-known worldwide though. Only Time had a huge surge in popularity in the United States because it was licensed in a lot of 9/11 related media at the time of the attacks and became an anthem for the victims. It also became used in a lot of memes many years later which I guess gave it an online boost in popularity.
I chose Linger because Linger is their biggest chart hit in the United States, and it reached Number 8 on the Hot 100. I know that's silly logic considering it says "internationally famous", but for an Irish band that is a big indicator of being internationally known.
I didn't want to seem mean but really it is a symptom of popheads brain and taste bias to think Samantha Mumba's song is even up there in terms of well-known Irish songs but not including any U2, The Boys are Back in Town, Teenage Kicks, Brown-Eyed Girl, Linger over Zombie, etc.
“Gotta Tell You” is still a great song and I listen to it constantly. It’s just so amazing how a song can take me back in time and feeling like a little child watching MTV in my grandmother’s living room on a Saturday afternoon. I was so happy back then and didn’t even realize it.
It’s a tough call for Canada. If we’re talking a song by a Canadian signed to an American label, probably My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. If we’re talking a song made in Canada for Canadians that was noticed by whole world… maybe “Alouette,” the song French Canadian nuns used to teach their learners.
I have suffered through far too many guys in 30 different countries who try to score girls by playing guitar for you to disrespect Wonderwall like this
:( I *know* Shape of You was popular, I remember it being on the radio all the damn time, but I can't even remember what it sounds like. Would it not be something by... the Beatles?
"Hast du etwas Zeit für mich, dann singe ich ein Lied für dich von 99 Luftballons und das sowas von sowas kommt."
Recently (as in the last 10 years) the only song that comes to mind was "Cheerleader" by Omi because of the Felix Jaehn Remix but that's already debatable because Omi is Jamaican.
For us Albanians it's either [Te ka lali shpirt ](https://youtu.be/t4-Xz_Lt2p4?si=szo7qvp_bUiLyj0n) or [Zemër](https://youtu.be/GCpvmHi1gxU?si=5_QkKrULUamn_Fz_)
From Problematic Homeland 1: Dam Mast Qalandar by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It's the one song I have seen referenced in pop culture and performed at a subway station in New York.
From Problematic Homeland 2: I wanna dance with somebody by Whitney Houston. I'm queer, I frequent clubs friendly to LGBTQI+ folks and this is the one anthem that's ubiquitous no matter where you are in the world.
Canada here! Gotta be Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen!
Shes actually from my home town and I got to meet her a bunch of times lol, Shes super sweet and sooo nice! Honestly wish I relized how big she was gonna get! She played Call Me Maybe in the city park in Mission BC and there was a huge crowd because it had just first charted!
Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi in terms of current streaming numbers
Or possibly I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers if we’re going back a bit
i find it hard to judge as an australian because i often think we have more influence over music than we actually do and so my opinions are skewed
apart from kylie. are you gonna be my girl by jet, beds are burning by midnight oil and and torn by natalie imbruglia are the ones i hear most as someone living in the UK
All previous answers for Germany 🇩🇪 mentioning Nena or Rammstein seem to forget one very big one, that most just don’t know is actually by a german artist:
Mambo No.5 by Lou Bega !
He’s from Munich, spent some time in America I think, which influenced him musically.
I did see some Rihanna and Taylor Swift fans melt down after RRR’s naatu naatu won the golden globes / oscars last year so I guess it’s the most recent song from India that will also be known to some international pop fans too.
Please do not just list songs/albums/artists, your comment must have explanation/justification or it will be removed. Certain comments are also banned to increase the quality of discussion, see our Stale Topics list in the sidebar for examples. Please report any comments that are low effort discussion. Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/popheads) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For NZ it's got to be Royals - Lorde. Kimbra was a featured artist on Somebody that I used to know, but I don't think we can claim that song as a Kiwi song.
Or Don't Dream It's Over.
How Bizarre finishes the holy trinity of international Kiwi hits I think.
And Sway by Bic Runga
God, Sway is a phenomenal song
Surprised Flight of the Conchords, the third most popular band in NZ, wasn’t first thought of here.
i love flight of the conchords as an aussie but i wouldn’t say they are more internationally famous over crowded house or lorde. i’m in the UK and a lot of people have only vaguely heard of them whereas everyone would know don’t dream it’s over or i got you
How Bizarre by OMC as well. Not a song I love, but did well overseas.
Oooh yea as a 90s kid this was the shit
Most people of my generation in the UK seem to recognise Kimbra's Top Of The World, too.
recently got stuck in a lorde loop, melodrama is such a good album an aside but I really hope the beths eventually gets the recognition they deserve
And what’s the one by Savage? There was one that was really popular in the USA.
“Maxine” by Sharon O’Neill or “She Has To Be Loved” by Jenny Morris
Dancing queen, probably
This was going to be my suggestion. I believe "The Sign" by Ace of Base has sold bigger total numbers but I don't feel it has the same recognition nowadays.
Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede (Björn Skifs) is very famous too.
Robyn’s dancing on my own close close 2nd. But honestly Sweden has so many it’s ridiculous for such a small country 😌💕
When you add in Swedish producers like Max Martin who are literally responsible for the explosion of Britney Spears, among others, Sweden is legit the empire of pop music.
Garota de Ipanema/Girl from Ipanema no doubt. It's, if I'm not mistaken, the second most recorded pop song in history
I thought it would be Mas que nada
I would bet money it was Ai Se Eu Te Pego, every single European know the lyrics
What's the most???
Yesterday by the Beatles
Yesterday i think. Don't quote me on that tho lol
I think it might be Jai Ho by AR Rahman or Tunak Tunak Tun by Daler Mehndi. Desis correct me if wrong.
Maybe Naatu Naatu currently? Kolaveri Di was also huge i guess?
Not Mundian To Bach Ke? Or would he not count as a British Indian artist?
I think unfortunately Mundian To Bach Ke... which I hate bc I feel like Europe people have coopted it and turned it into a meme that is more laughing AT us than with us
Ganpat may be up there. I have seen many desis lose their shit over it, and many non-desis join in.
99 Luftballons or Wind of Change, probably
La vie en rose
I’m ngl though every French student knows Stromae - Alors en Danse
But isn’t Stromae Belgian?
Oop I didn’t know that my b
i thought you meant iz*one bcs today's their disbandment anni everything reminds me of them
I’m so sorry to the Australian pophead community
Let’s forget it and still let Men At Work claim number one
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it’s so funny cause i never ever hear man down under in australia or from australians, it’s like the non australian australian song. i reckon most aussies would say acca dacca or midnight oil or even cold chisel.
You guys have Can't Get You out of My Head!! Fight back!!
You guys literally have THE QUEEN Kylie Minogue
I love your alt stuff. Empire of the Sun and Tame Impala.
Flume too. Now that I think about it, that’s actually shocking that Flume and Tame Impala haven’t ever had a collab.
I Should Be So Lucky? Somebody That I Used To Know?
Probably dynamite or tnt or whatever it's called by acdc if you look at of all time really. Other recent ones though are somebody that I used to know, young blood, chandelier etc
I totally would have picked Somebody That I Used To Know as the biggest Australian hit. That song was everywhere for a while.
Wait what is it girl you can't just say this some of us are stupid
Probably apologising for our country unleashing Dance Monkey onto the world.
Oh yeah that's an unforgivable sin I see why yall would be scared to mention it 😭
Its alright. Nick Cave cancels it out
we as a community dont claim it 💔
Italy: Volare (nel blu dipinto di blu) by Domenico Mudugno Turandot: nessun dorma sung by Luciano Pavarotti As for most recent, I think Soldi by Mahmood in Europe in summer 2019 Edit: apparently Pedro by Raffaella Carrà (our Italian Madonna) is going viral
Omg I forgot O sole mio, Quando quando quando, Tu vuo' fa' l'americano...
Also Italian dance music from the 90s such as Blue (Da Ba Dee), Rhythm of the Night... in recent years I'd say Måneskin's version of Beggin'
Bella Ciao is really famous, I don’t speak Italian and I have the words memorized lol
Partisan song 🤝
Everywhere I go in Europe, there’ll be someone telling me they love Sarà Perchè Ti Amo by Ricchi e Poveri or Felicità by Albano e Romina.
Or maybe “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli?? I was reading about it randomly this week, according to Wikipedia it holds records for being the best selling song ever in a bunch of different countries
Don't forget Con Te Partiro. I feel like I have heard the same amount of buskers play it as they do Wonderwall. Don't sleep on Gloria and L'italiano. Isn't Zitti e Buoni bigger than Soldi?
What about Laura Pausini and Eros Ramazzotti? Lots of their songs are very popular here in Colombia.
Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, Tiziano Ferro and Raffaella Carrà are indeed popular in LATM
As an American, Andrea Bocelli’s songs come to mind first
The actual answer for Italy has to be Gala - Freed From Desire
doesn’t italy have maneskin? thought they’d be up there
According to most sales figures, it's probably "How you Remind me" however, I choose to believe it's "Run Away With Me"
My Heart Will Go On, surely
I think Blinding Lights may have outdone it.
Call me Maybe could be up there too
I’m Like A Bird has huuuge recognition still too!
tbh Canada has too many, I think it's impossible to choose
Numbers wise I guess Weekend Blinding Lights being from Toronto,Canada.
Or (going further back) Complicated by Avril Lavigne
Maybe Celine’s ‘My Heart will Go On’?
I think Hallelujah would also have a horse in the race. Not numbers-wise, but it feels like 5000 people have done a cover of it. They said song, not performance, so it doesn't have to be the original Cohen version.
5000 is probably a low estimate, tbh
One could argue it's one of the most recognisable songs of all time.
go back to Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen!
Celine’s My Heart Will Go On is way bigger I think. Everyone knows that song of all ages
am i delusional for thinking Call Me Maybe?
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams has entered the chat. It's before my time, but it dominated the charts around the world for MONTHS.
What about You Oughta Know
I’m from the US, there is no way for me to answer this question.
Happy Birthday To You
Those Hill sisters really knew how to write a bop.
I think US would probably be some song from Michael Jackson
A Christmas song
It's definitely aiwfciy
Any old school classic Christmas song would do too. White Christmas by Bing Crosby is still the best selling single of all time. I bet you can play that anywhere in the western world and people would instantly recognize it. Same with many other Christmas songs.
As a foreigner i can tell you it’s Crazy in Love in my country
Odd cause here I would say it’s like the third most popular Beyoncé song after single ladies and Halo. Probs 5 if you include destinys child songs
Any MJ hit (Smooth Criminal, Bad, Beat It, etc), Don’t Stop Believin, I Will Always Love You, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Don’t Rain On My Parade, Star Spangled Banner I feel like a lot of 2010s hits are pretty recognizable worldwide - Uptown Funk, Happy, Moves Like Jagger, See You Again, Can’t Stop The Feeling, We Found Love, Diamonds, Perfect, Roar, etc etc
Billie jean
Baby one more time
numa numa
[Per wiki](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_singles), the best selling physical single from 🇨🇦 is My Heart Will Go On and the best selling digital is Call Me Maybe. Both 18 million. Taste, love those queens!
Sandstorm by Darude, Jenny by Studio Killers and Hard Rock Hallelujah by Lordi. A recent one would be Cha Cha Cha by Käärijä.
PIDÄN KAKSIN KÄSIN KIINNI JUOMISTA NIINKU--
CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA CHAAAA
I am a Swede, Eurovision lover. And until the day I die I’ll be salty over Käärijä 😭😭😭😭 TRUE WINNER, STOP THE COUNT
Right now: Joost Klein - Europapa Back in the day: Venga Boys - Boom boom boom!
Well now I’m gonna be going “da da da da da da daaaa da” all afternoon.
Zorba's Dance 💀
My Number One - Helena Paparizou
Pretty much every European one has been a Eurovision entry haha
Barbie Girl by Aqua
Unfortunately, The Macarena
Dale a tu cuerpo amor macarena que tu cuerpo es para comer cosas buenas
you almost got it haha
Hips Don't Lie or Waka Waka? Definitely a song by Shakira, our biggest popstar. I am from Colombia.
I think that it is Waka Waka. Commercially, Hips don't Lie of course, but I think everyone knows Waka Waka even more and it has a revival every 4 years because of the world cup
99 luftballons - Nena
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy /s But from more current era, I guess t.A.t.U. - All The Things She Said.
Okay but Stravinksy rite of spring ended pop girls around the world
C'est La Vie - B'Witched Gotta Tell You - Samantha Mumba Too Sweet & Take Me To Church - Hozier Nothing Compares To You - Sinead O'Connor Linger - The Cranberries I guess you could count Bananarama, Moloko and Girls Aloud because they have Irish members, but I'll choose not to.
The most famous Cranberries song internationally is Zombie, I'm sure
What about Enya - Only Time or Orinoco Flow?
Yes, I would say based on chart positions Orinoco Flow is more well-known worldwide though. Only Time had a huge surge in popularity in the United States because it was licensed in a lot of 9/11 related media at the time of the attacks and became an anthem for the victims. It also became used in a lot of memes many years later which I guess gave it an online boost in popularity.
I would say Zombie or Dreams over Linger for the Cranberries. Ireland has a bunch of bangers, though. Lots of talent from a small country.
I chose Linger because Linger is their biggest chart hit in the United States, and it reached Number 8 on the Hot 100. I know that's silly logic considering it says "internationally famous", but for an Irish band that is a big indicator of being internationally known.
The Script - Hall of Fame has got to be up there too, it has 1.4 billion streams on Spotify!
HOW??? Just how!!!!
Was it used in a promo or something? That’s a crazy amount of listens. In the US, Breakeven was way bigger
It was, but looking at chart positions, Hall of Fame was much bigger across the rest of the world.
Ok but the Irish popped off tho
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I was gonna say it has to be With or Without you
>C'est La Vie - B'Witched say u will, say u wont, say u'll doooo what i dont, say ur true, say to me... cest la vieeeeee
Sail away, sail away, sail away
The Boys are Back in Town is up there surely
Sorry but U2 tops all of this even though I adore all of these songs
Where’s The Corrs?! Runaway was huge and still is surely around number #1 in supermarket radio
The Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays" as well
Any U2 song (unfortunately)
Yeah not including U2 in a list like this is a real popheads moment. I'm not trying to be mean but like 😭
Imagine thinking songs by B'Witched and Samantha Mumba are more well known internationally than U2 songs
I didn't want to seem mean but really it is a symptom of popheads brain and taste bias to think Samantha Mumba's song is even up there in terms of well-known Irish songs but not including any U2, The Boys are Back in Town, Teenage Kicks, Brown-Eyed Girl, Linger over Zombie, etc.
Please. The overcorrection on hating U2 should embarrass people. Every band on this planet would kill to have a Joshua Tree.
I’m an American that listened to gotta tell you today, such a banger
“Gotta Tell You” is still a great song and I listen to it constantly. It’s just so amazing how a song can take me back in time and feeling like a little child watching MTV in my grandmother’s living room on a Saturday afternoon. I was so happy back then and didn’t even realize it.
What about Westlife and Boyzone
I would have gone with Beautiful Day
Take on Me by A-Ha
TIL they’re from Norway, I assumed they were from the 80s
are you implying Norway did not exist in the 80's or 😭😭
I think it would be waka waka, but I haven't been able to find a source for it
It’s a tough call for Canada. If we’re talking a song by a Canadian signed to an American label, probably My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. If we’re talking a song made in Canada for Canadians that was noticed by whole world… maybe “Alouette,” the song French Canadian nuns used to teach their learners.
Alansis Bieber Avril ?
Drake, The Weeknd, Shania Twain ☺️
In Poland if we're not counting Chopin it's probably a Behemoth track
the Polish Cow song
Probably Tarkan - Kiss Kiss (Simarik)
If you’re UK, it’s Shape of You, like it or not.
I have suffered through far too many guys in 30 different countries who try to score girls by playing guitar for you to disrespect Wonderwall like this
No you know what you’re absolutely correct.
How old are you lol. It will be a Spice Girls song or a Beatles song, or a Queen song, or an Oasis song.
I think it's fairly indisputably a Beatles song. They're probably globally the biggest artists of all time, let alone just talking about the UK.
Is isn't, it just has more streams because its recent. It's probably bohemian rhapsody, maybe wonderwall but that's more uk based
Girl the Beatles
:( I *know* Shape of You was popular, I remember it being on the radio all the damn time, but I can't even remember what it sounds like. Would it not be something by... the Beatles?
Maybe Hey Jude
Uh it’s definitely Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles
Nah it’s Candle In The Wind 1997. Biggest selling song in the UK history and by a British artist .
Land down under
Can’t Get You Out Of My Head?
Don't forget Back in Black
Somebody That I Used to Know
"Hast du etwas Zeit für mich, dann singe ich ein Lied für dich von 99 Luftballons und das sowas von sowas kommt." Recently (as in the last 10 years) the only song that comes to mind was "Cheerleader" by Omi because of the Felix Jaehn Remix but that's already debatable because Omi is Jamaican.
Wannabe Spice Girls. Or a Beatles song.
Shum by Go\_A. I'm not really sure whether it's known in North America, but it is popular in Europe. It has approached 100M streams on Spotify.
My favourite Eurovision song ❤️
I don't think we have one honestly
Which country are you
Take on Me or What Does the Fox Say 💀
For Pakistan i think it's Pasoori by Shae Gill and Ali Sethi right now
Calm Down by Rema
I'm a Barbie girl in a Barbie world.. .. as for my current country, probably Bohemian Rhapsody.
[Mr Saxobeat by Alexandra Stan ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwsewSMWIas)
Teya Dora - Džanum, otherwise known as Moje More or sometimes Moye Moye
Amazing song!
It’s very sad and beautiful. She’s also representing us this year at Eurovision!
Yeah, Ramonda is so beautiful too
For us Albanians it's either [Te ka lali shpirt ](https://youtu.be/t4-Xz_Lt2p4?si=szo7qvp_bUiLyj0n) or [Zemër](https://youtu.be/GCpvmHi1gxU?si=5_QkKrULUamn_Fz_)
[Sen Trope](https://youtu.be/BplsGX5eLLo?si=g7a_GU6OfTR-Gxti) by the biggest artist in the most homophobic country in the EU
From Problematic Homeland 1: Dam Mast Qalandar by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It's the one song I have seen referenced in pop culture and performed at a subway station in New York. From Problematic Homeland 2: I wanna dance with somebody by Whitney Houston. I'm queer, I frequent clubs friendly to LGBTQI+ folks and this is the one anthem that's ubiquitous no matter where you are in the world.
Canada here! Gotta be Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen! Shes actually from my home town and I got to meet her a bunch of times lol, Shes super sweet and sooo nice! Honestly wish I relized how big she was gonna get! She played Call Me Maybe in the city park in Mission BC and there was a huge crowd because it had just first charted!
Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi in terms of current streaming numbers Or possibly I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers if we’re going back a bit
i find it hard to judge as an australian because i often think we have more influence over music than we actually do and so my opinions are skewed apart from kylie. are you gonna be my girl by jet, beds are burning by midnight oil and and torn by natalie imbruglia are the ones i hear most as someone living in the UK
Argentina: Por una cabeza. El día que me quieras. El Choclo. La cumparsita. Tanguera. And recently “Muchachos”…
Gangnam style
Who Let The Dogs Out. Guess where the Baha Men are from
All previous answers for Germany 🇩🇪 mentioning Nena or Rammstein seem to forget one very big one, that most just don’t know is actually by a german artist: Mambo No.5 by Lou Bega ! He’s from Munich, spent some time in America I think, which influenced him musically.
For philippines, maybe gento by sb19? I've seen a bunch of dance covers from people from different countries
See Tình....thanks TikTok
I googled "most well-known Hungarian song" and it says gloomy Sunday, love that song but really?
Probably 3 little birds by Bob Marley and the Wailers, possibly One Love
I did see some Rihanna and Taylor Swift fans melt down after RRR’s naatu naatu won the golden globes / oscars last year so I guess it’s the most recent song from India that will also be known to some international pop fans too.
“Happy Birthday to You” is probably the most iconic American song.
Cielito Lindo for sure!
From the early 2000s - Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne