West Coast Swing (Old School) with Beats per Minute
The River by Kat Wright (95 BPM)
Fire by Tessanne Chin (112 BPM)
This Girl by Cookin’ On 3 Burners (feat. Kylie Auldist) (101 BPM)
Misbehavin’ by Pentatonix (107 BPM)
I’m Gonna Be Your Man by Keb’ Mo’ (100 BPM)
I Want to be Seduced by Rob Rio & The Revolvers (116 BPM)
Still Rainin’ by Jonny Lang (100 BPM)
My Girl by The Temptations (108 BPM)
Ham Hocks by Big Joe & The Dynaflows (120 BPM)
Them Boys from Memphis by Keith B. Brown (104 BPM)
I’m In Heaven When I’m With You by Roy Hamilton (102 BPM)
I’m on Your Side by Peach (112 BPM)
You Know I’m no Good by Amy Winehouse (98 BPM)
I’ll Walk Away by James Hunter (112 BPM)
Girl of My Dreams by Steve Kozak’s West Coast Blues Revue (108 BPM)
One Man Show by Ariana Savalas (100 BPM)
Mess Around by Ray Edge (116 BPM)
The Worst is Yet to Come by Keb’ Mo’ (96 BPM)
Tell Me by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (112 BPM)
Big Long Buick by Big Joe & The Dynaflows (112 BPM)
Alone by Susan Tedeschi (96 BPM)
Try Try Try by Nikki Yanofsky (112 BPM)
Love to Live the Life by Smokin Joe Kubek (118 BPM)
Confessin’ the Blues by Big Joe & The Dynaflows (118 BPM)
Chairman of the Board by Tommy Castro (108 BPM)
Blues Before Sunrise by Anni Piper (100 BPM)
Payin’The Cost To Be The Boss by Pat Benatar (112 BPM)
Love Potion #9 by Hansel Martinez (128 BPM)
It Don’t Come Easy by Darcey & Mo (122 BPM)
Fire That Burns by Andy Layfield (108 BPM)
Lonely by Duffy Bishop Band (108 BPM)
Skinny Little Women by Bobby Rush & Blinddog Smokin’ (108 BPM)
Evil by Duffy Bishop Band (104 BPM)
Slow Down Baby by Donald Ray Johnson (112 BPM)
Respect Yourself by Joe Cocker (100 BPM)
Rolling in the Deep by Aretha Franklin (112 BPM)
Moving Out of the Ghetto by A.C. Reed (100 BPM)
Makin’ Love by Armand & Bluesology (106 BPM)
Holding Out for Love by Mike Zito (100 BPM)
Tired of Being Alone by Rory Block (96 BPM)
Don’t Play that Song by Aretha Franklin (100 BPM)
Play to Win by Al Green (106 BPM)
Chain of Fools by Jimmy Barnes (114 BPM)
Fever by Joe Cocker (112 BPM)
Swingin’ by John Anderson (112 BPM)
Don’t Play that Song by Aretha Franklin (108 BPM)
I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Candice Glover (104 BPM)
You Can’t Have My Money by Valerie Wellington (120 BPM)
A Feather’s Not a Bird by Rosanne Cash (104 BPM)
Drive My Car by Professor RJ Ross (100 BPM)
Black Coffee and Cigarettes by Mo Rodgers (116 BPM)
Blue Drag by Allen Toussaint (108 BPM)
Turn It On, Turn It Up (Live) by Roomful of Blues (112 BPM)
A Real Good Sign by Corey Stevens (104 BPM)
Pontoon by Little Big Town (92 BPM)
Everybody Wants You by Jeff Golub (116 BPM)
Son of a Preacher Man by Joss Stone (92 BPM)
Blame it on the Boogie by The Jackson Five (112 BPM)
Tornado by Little Big Town (98 BPM)
Ninety Nine & 1:2 by Buddy Guy (104 BPM)
Ain’t That the Truth by Danny Brooks (118 BPM)
Popsicle Toes by Diana Krall (114 BPM)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours by Stevie Wonder (108 BPM)
Stop Thinking Take by Darrell Nulisch (112 BPM)
Telephone by Shelby Lynne (105 BPM)
California Dreamin’ by Lori Jenaire (96 BPM)
Right Place, Wrong Time by Dr. John (106 BPM)
I Sing the Blues by Etta James (96 BPM)
Once You Get a Taste by Tower of Power (116 BPM)
Always Together by Jaared (100 BPM)
Sunrise by Simply Red (106 BPM)
Cuppa Joe by Bellevue Cadillac (112 BPM)
Misunderstood by Carolyn Wonderland (108 BPM)
Why Don’t You Do Right by Sinéad O’Connor (110 BPM)
Baby What You Want Me to Do by the Al Jones Blues Band (108 BPM)
Who’ Been Talkin’ by Lucky Peterson (118 BPM)
Bad Boy by Kirk Fletcher (108 BPM)
Tell Her by James Hunter (112 BPM)
Funkafied Blues by EC Scott (104 BPM)
No Sorrow No More by Sugar Ray and the Bluetones (100 BPM)
Dedication To My Ex by Lloyd (116 BPM)
Tank Full of Blues by Dion (100 BPM)
Let’s Stay Together by Elise Testone (104 BPM)
Leap of Faith by Erika Mann (112 BPM)
Naughty and the Nice by Big Papa and the TCB (112 BPM)
Right Here Right Now by Big James And The Chicago Playboys (104 BPM)
Used to Rule the World by Bonnie Raitt (106 BPM)
You Got the Walk by Charles Walker (108 BPM)
You Dogged Me by Kashmar, Chortkoff & Zinn (104 BPM)
Let it Roll by Poonanny (108 BPM)
Just Got Started Loving You by Queen Emily (100 BPM)
Serves Him Right by Bettye LaVette (108 BPM)
The Word by Bettye LaVette (104 BPM)
I Still Want to Be Your Baby by Bettye LaVette (100 BPM)
All of My Love by Bettye LaVette (80 BPM)
Crossroads by John Mayer (112 BPM)
Planet of Love by Mandy Barnett (88 BPM)
Happy Hour Girl by Deb Callahan (96 BPM)
Take Me To the River by Al Green (110 BPM)
Hip Swingin’ Blues by Diedra (116 BPM)
Back It Up by Caro Emerald (108 BPM)
Take a Bullet by Warren Haynes (104 BPM)
Some Kind of Wonderful by Joss Stone (100 BPM)
Ability to Swing by Patti Austin 116 BPM
Allergic to Mink by Wanda Johnson (104 BPM)
Am I Wrong by Keb’ Mo’ (110 BPM)
Baby Please Don’t Go by Harry Manx (116 BPM)
Baby Baby Sweet Baby by Aretha Franklin (110 BPM)
Big Head Hundreds by Johnnie Taylor (110 BPM) Blues
Blue Drops of Rain by Corey Stevens (108 BPM)
Boom Sh-Boom by Martin Sexton (96 BPM)
Built for Comfort by Dion (96 BPM)
Burning Down the House by Tom Jones and the Cardigans (112 BPM)
Chills & Thrills by Bernard Allison (120 BPM)
Dirty Low Down and Bad by Keb’ Mo’ (100 BPM)
Do I Need You by Trudy Lynn (100 BPM)
Don’t Let Me Go by Mark & Deb (96 BPM)
Don’t You Mess With My Money by Sterling Harrison (108 BPM)
(Everything I do) Got to be Funky by Maurice John Vaughn (108 BPM)
Fear of Falling by Robbie Robertson (96 BPM)
Give it to Me Right by Melanie Fiona (116 BPM)
Gonna Tell You by Eugene Morgan (112 BPM)
Good Man Good Woman by Bonnie Raitt (108 BPM)
Honeydrippin’ Baby by Johnny Nicholas (116 BPM)
Honky Tonk by Preston Shannon (112 BPM)
I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Shaun Escoffery (104)
If You Love Me Like You Say by Mark May (120 BPM)
I’m Blue by Jackie Jackson (108 BPM)
Instead by Madeleine Peyroux (96 BPM)
I Remember by Ron Sunshine (118 BPM)
Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t (My Baby) by Diana Krall. 116 BPM.
Joe’s Blues by Todd Snider (114 BPM)
Just in Case by Jaheim (100 BPM)
Just One Dance by Caro Emerald (110 BPM)
Keep Doin’ What Ya Doin’ by Billy Gibson (104 BPM)
Lazy by Toby Lightman (108 BPM)
Let it Rip by Charlie Wood (116 BPM)
Let’s Take a Walk by Raphael Saadiq (108 BPM)
Love and Happiness by Al Green (100 BPM)
Man in Motion by Warren Haynes (96 BPM)
Midnight In Austin Texas (Special Guest Robert Randolph) by Renee Olstead (116 BPM)
Money Taking Momma by Sugar Ray and the Bluetones (112 BPM)
My Buddy Buddy Friends by Ronnie Earl (108 BPM)
New Shade of Blues by Cracked Ice (100 BPM)
Nights in Harlem by Luther Vandross (100 BPM)
Nobody But Me by Blue Harem (106 BPM)
Not that Kind by Anastacia (98 BPM)
On a Slow Boat to China by Renee Olstead & Carol Welsman (112 BPM)
Respect Yourself by Huey Lewis & The News (108 BPM)
Rock Steady by Patti Austin 104 BPM
Runaway Soul by Ruthie Foster (104 BPM)
Second Time Around by Robin Rogers (104 BPM)
Serves Me Right to Suffer by The Jimmy Johnson (110 BPM)
Shine by Ricky Fante (108 BPM)
Sixteen Tons by Lipbone Redding (104 BPM)
Sorry As They Come by Rob Roy Parnell (112 BPM)
Steamin’ by Scott Ellison (116 BPM)
Texas by Chris Rea (94 BPM)
Texas Love Machine by Rob Roy Parnell (116 BPM)
That’s Love by Dave Mason, 116 BPM.
The Itch by Keb’ Mo’ (96 BPM)
Too Much by Darrell Nulisch (100 BPM)
Try Matty’s by Aretha Franklin (108 BPM)
Turn the Heat Up by Shemekia Copeland (104 BPM)
You Don’t Know Me by Darrell Nulisch (118 BPM)
You Gotta Move by Sam Cooke (92 BPM)
You’re the One by Dion (104 BPM)
5 Women by Prince (96 BPM)
West Coast Contemporary Music with Beats per Minute
Shape of You by Ed Sheeran (96 BPM)
Destins et désirs (feat. Jeanne Added) by Toufic Farroukh (100 BPM)
Moving On and Getting Over by John Mayer (96 BPM)
Stevie Knows by Olly Murs (112 BPM)
Sumthin’ Sumthin’ by Maxwell (96 BPM)
I Took a Pill In Ibiza (Seeb Remix) by Mike Posner (100 BPM)
Star of the Show by Thomas Rhett (100 BPM)
Get My Name by Mark Ballas (122 BPM)
Get to Know Ya (Uncut) by Maxwell (100 BPM)
Told You So by Christopher (120 BPM)
24K Magic by Bruno Mars (108 BPM)
Pink Champagne by Nick Lopez (110 BPM)
Creepin’ Up on You by Darren Hayes (108 BPM)
Be Alright by Ariana Grande (109 BPM)
Forbidden Fruit by Korby Lenker (96 BPM)
Oh My My by OneRepublic (118 BPM)
Melt by Jones (104 BPM)
I Wish by Trijntje Oosterhuis (124 BPM)
Not Coming Down by Cleopold (110 BPM)
The Space Between by Cleopold (124 BPM)
Can’t Stop the Felling! by Justin Timberlake (112 BPM)
I Feel Good by Thomas Rhett (108 BPM)
What’s the Pressure? by Laura Tesoro (116 BPM)
Give Me Tonight by Taylor Hicks (110 BPM)
Crazy by Gnarls Barkley (112 BPM)
2067 by Z A C (116 BPM)
Jealous by Nick Jonas (96 BPM)
Lay It All On Me by Ed Sheeran & Rudimental (120 BPM)
White Lie by Jhameel (104 BPM)
She’s Not There by Steve Carlson (98 BPM)
She’s On Fire by Matt White (112 BPM)
She Came to Give It to You by Usher (120 BPM)
Blank Space by Taylor Swift (100 BPM)
Runaway by Ed Sheeran (104 BPM)
Waves by Mr. Probz (120 BPM)
Don’t by Ed Sheeran (94 BPM)
Love Runs Out by OneRepublic (116 BPM)
Tonight Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae (96 BPM)
In Your Arms by Nico & Vinz (116 BPM)
Treasure by Bruno Mars (116 BPM)
Tilt Ya Head Back by Nelly & Christina Aguilera (114 BPM)
There Goes the Neighborhood by Sheryl Crow (104 BPM)
Come When I Call by John Mayer (112 BPM)
The Search by April Hill (104 BPM)
Keep On Burning by Funky Nashville (96 BPM)
Counting Stars by OneRepublic (120 BPM)
Inside Out by Aynsley Lister (96 BPM)
Bring it On by Mani (116 BPM)
Start a Fire by Tiffany Affair (100 BPM)
Train in Vain by Annie Lennox (104 BPM)
Faded by Soul Decision (108 BPM)
Die Young by Kesha (120 BPM)
Domino by Jessie J (124 BPM)
Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke (120 BPM)
I Want to Take You Higher by Anastacia (112 BPM)
Give Me the NIght by Randy Crawford (98 BPM)
Black Sheep by Gin Wigmore (120 BPM)
Good Feeling by Flo Rida (128 BPM)
Face to Face by Daft Punk (116 BPM)
Back to Where I Was by Eric Hutchinson (92 BPM)
All She Wants To Do Is Dance by Don Henley (116 BPM)
Hero Dead and Gone by De Phazz (108 BPM)
Put the Gun Down by ZZ Ward (104 BPM)
Lester’s Methadone Clinic by Sonia Dada (108 BPM)
Ain’t Nobody by Kelly Price (106 BPM)
Yeah! by Usher (104 BPM)
Never Go Back by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals (112 BPM)
Brokenhearted by Karmin (120 BPM)
Looking for Love by Anuhea (92 BPM)
Brand New Chick by Anjulie (116 BPM)
Somebody Knows How You Feel by Beverlei Brown (108 BPM)
Lovely Day by Jill Scott (96 BPM)
Crank it Up by Ashley Tisdale (116 BPM)
Compass or Map by Robin Thicke (96 BPM)
Shady by Adam Lambert (104 BPM)
Good Time by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen (124 BPM)
Turn Me Loose by Ledisi (100 BPM)
Trouble Maker by Trouble Maker (116 BPM)
One Sided Love by Brooke Hogan (118 BPM)
Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul (118 BPM)
Forever Drunk by Miss Li (92 BPM)
Feel It (In the Air Tonight) by Naturally 7 (96 BPM)
Hey Mr. DJ by Zhané (96 BPM)
Hold On by En Vogue (100 BPM)
Uh by Fujiya & Miyagi (112 BPM)
Birthday Dress by Lil Playy (104 BPM)
I’ll Make you Dance by Elliott Yamin (108 BPM)
Word Up by Willis (100 BPM)
Dynamite by Taio Cruz (116 BPM)
Aht Uh Mi Hed by Shaun Escoffery (104 BPM)
After Midnight by Marc Cohn (98 BPM)
Ay, Doctor by Maná (192 BPM) (Dance at half tempo) Aslo good salsa.
Bad by Cab (104 BPM)
Because of You by Ne-Yo (108 BPM)
Blah Blah Blah by Kesha (128 BPM)
Born this Way by Lady GaGa (116 BPM)
Bust Your Windows by the Glee Cast (108 BPM)
Carry Out by Timbaland (104 BPM)
Clearview by Tal & Acacia (92 BPM)
Cocaine by Robin Thicke (118 BPM)
Come on Get Higher by Matt Nathanson (94 BPM)
DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love by Usher (118 BPM)
Don’t Hold Your Breath by Nicole Scherzinger (112 BPM)
Extravaganza by Jamie Foxx (100 BPM)
Freeze by Jordin Sparks (100 BPM)
Give me Tonight by Taylor Hicks (104 BPM)
Grown Man by New Kids On the Block, The Pussycat Dolls & Teddy Riley (118 BPM)
Higher by Taio Cruz (116 BPM)
Hi-Heel Sneakers by Urban Knights (100 BPM)
How to Save a Life by The Fray (120 BPM)
I Don’t Need It by Jamie Foxx (120 BPM)
If You Love Me by Brownstone (96 BPM)
Little Red Corvette by Mike Zito (104 BPM)
Lover Lover by Jerrod Niemann (112 BPM)
Me & You (Remix) by IceMan & Cassie (100 BPM)
Miss You by Rolling Stones (105 BPM) Pop/Rock
Morning After Dark by Timbaland (116 BPM)
On Fire by JJ Grey And Mofro (100 BPM)
Please Don’t Go by Mike Posner (116 BPM)
Ride Wit Me by Nelly featuring City Spud (Clean Version) (104 BPM)
So Cool by Joslyn (104 BPM)
Solid Air by Shaun Escoffery (106 BPM)
Sounds Sexy by Dude ‘n Nem (108 BPM)
Spotlight by Jennifer Hudson (108 BPM)
Stuck by Nessa Morgan (96 BPM)
Teenage Dream by Katy Perry (116 BPM)
Three Marlenas by The Wallflowers (100 BPM)
Wanted by Jessie James (112 BPM)
Whats Going Down by Jarrard Anthony (108 BPM)
What We Needed by Diedra (92 BPM)
Windy City by Da Producers (102 BPM)
Won’t Get Up by Gerald Levert (100 BPM)
Word Up by Cameo (116 BPM)
You Got It by Lucas Grabeel (114 BPM)
You’re Not My Girl by Ryan Leslie (108 BPM)
"Old School" & Contemporary
I’ve listed “Old School” songs at the top of the list and Contemporary at the bottom.
Everyone has their own interpretation of “Old School” West Coast Swing. Personally, I think the big change happened in the mid 90s. So, my definition of Old School is any song that would have sounded normal at a West Coast Swing dance prior to 1995 (Blues, Motown, etc…) This includes newer songs that have an old vibe.
As for the contemporary songs lower down in the list, I’ve not kept up in recent years. Feel free to suggest some new songs and I’ll add them to the list. Just to let you know, though, I don’t play West Coast Music slower than 90 BPM at dances and am unlikely to list any songs slower than 90 BPM here. I suppose that dates me a bit. When I started dancing in the late 1980s, it was common for West Coast to get over 130 BPM, but the dance has slowed way down.