Top 100 Songs: Music Therapy for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

In alphabetical order, these are the top 100 most-requested songs in my music therapy groups for adults with intellectual disabilities (ranging in age from 22-60). This list is a good place to start for interns and music therapists who are building up their repertoire for this population. Many of these songs will be familiar to clients who have grown up in the United States.

Remember that each group consists of unique individuals with their own preferences! Ask your clients about their favorite songs. It's likely that multiple members of the group will enjoy some of the same artists.

​*The lyrics to some of these songs may be inappropriate for your setting - you can modify accordingly or use a different song!

1. Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus
2. All I Have to Do Is Dream by The Everly Brothers
3. All Star from Shrek
4. A Whole New World from Aladdin
5. Baby by Justin Bieber
6. Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book
7. Beat It by Michael Jackson
8. Beauty and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast
9. Behind These Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson
10. Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis
11. Can't Stop the Feeling from Trolls
12. Can You Feel the Love Tonight from The Lion King
13. Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas
14. Country Roads by John Denver
15. Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) by Harry Belafonte
16. Defying Gravity from Wicked
17. Donna by Ritchie Valens
18. Do Re Mi from The Sound of Music
19. Everybody (Backstreet's Back) by the Backstreet Boys
20. Fight Song by Rachel Platten
21. Firework by Katy Perry
22. Go the Distance from Hercules
23. Hakuna Matata from The Lion King
24. Happy from Despicable Me
25. Hello by Adele
26. Hound Dog by Elvis
27. How Much Is that Doggie in the Window by Patti Page
28. I Believe in Music by Mac Davis
29. I'll Be There for You from Friends
30. I'm a Believer by The Monkees
31. Into the Unknown from Frozen 2
32. I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash
33. I Want Candy by the Strangeloves
34. I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys
35. It's a Small World
36. Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield
37. Jukebox Hero by Foreigner
38. La Bamba by Ritchie Valens
39. Lean on Me by Bill Withers
40. Let It Be by The Beatles
41. Let It Go from Frozen
42. Life Is a Highway by Rascal Flatts
43. Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
44. Love Me Tender by Elvis
45. Love Story by Taylor Swift
46. My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music
47. My Heart Will Go On from Titanic
48. ​One Way or Another by Blondie
49. Paradise by Coldplay
50. Paradise by Phil Collins
51. Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid
52. Perfect by Ed Sheeran
53. Play It Again by Luke Bryan
54. Poker Face by Lady Gaga
55. Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul & Mary
56. Put the Lime in the Coconut by Harry Nilsson
57. Que Sera Sera by Doris Day
58. Radioactive by Imagine Dragons
59. Rainbow Connection from The Muppets Movie
60. ​Remember Me from Coco
61. Renegades by X Ambassadors
62. Roar by Katy Perry
63. Rockin' Robin by Bobby Day
64. The Rose by Bette Midler
65. Scarborough Fair
66. Señorita by Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes
67. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
68. Shape of You by Ed Sheeran
69. Somewhere Over Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz
70. Stand by Me by Ben E. King
71. Summer Nights from Grease
72. Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys
73. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These) by Eurythmics
74. Swinging on a Star by Bing Crosby
75. Take Me Out to the Ball Game
76. Take My Breath Away from Top Gun
77. Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper
78. Thank You for Being a Friend from The Golden Girls
79. The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens
80. The Tide Is High by Blondie
81. This Is Me from Camp Rock
82. Thriller by Michael Jackson
83. Tomorrow from Annie
84. True Colors by Cyndi Lauper
85. Uptown Funk by Bruni Mars
86. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!
87. We Are the World by Various
88. We Go Together from Grease
89. We Will Rock You by Queen
90. What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
91. What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction
92. When I'm 64 by The Beatles
93. When You Wish Upon a Star from Pinocchio
94. With a Little Help from My Friends by The Beatles
95. Yellow Submarine by The Beatles
96. Yesterday by The Beatles
97. YMCA by Village People
98. You Are My Sunshine
99. You Give Love a Bad Name by Bon Jovi
100. Zip A Dee Doo Dah from Song of the South