The 10 Most Mentioned Songs in Books

I love music. It can define my mood, my outlook, and help me change it. Music can relax me and pump me up. I’m not surprised that music and musicians are mentioned in books. Sometime the song title or artist name is the easiest way to convey things to the reader.

I’ve been very pressed for time these last few weeks with chairing a major conference (next week) and our daughter’s wedding (the end of the month). When I browsed Publisher’s Weekly though, I had to stop to enjoy the music. Here is the article by Gabe Habash, a New York University professor, on the the ten most mentioned songs in books.  Gabe mentions a website, Small Demons that acts as a book content web, connecting people, places, music, movies, TV/radio, books, food/drink, magazines, events, vehicles, and weapons mentioned in books.

What songs would you (or have you) referenced in your writing? Why did you choose them?

I’ll start. I referenced light jazz in Knight of Runes. When my heroine in the 21^st century drives 3 hours from London to her new home, Fayne Manor she listens to light jazz, probably Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five.”  

Here are the top ten from Small Demons.

10. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

9. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

8. “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

 7. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by The Beatles

 6. “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin

 5. “Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley

4. “Dancing Queen” by ABBA

3. “We Are the World”

2. “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley

1. “Hey Jude” by The Beatles

My heroine's “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck