Songs About Space: 5 Astronomically Awesome Recommendations
Looking for some tunes that are out of this world? Or hear some songs about stars by some of the world’s biggest stars?
Humans have been rocking out to songs about aliens, planets, and space travel since before the space program began. Luckily for space fans, they don’t seem interested in stopping any time soon!
What is this obsession with the cosmos all about? Humans have long been fascinated by the unknown, and the mysterious, ever-expanding universe. Space is ripe with metaphors that can help us better understand humanity’s place in all of the chaos.
If you’re seeking wisdom, you’re in luck – there is no shortage of songs about space! It would be impossible to rank every galactic song in the galaxy, but here are five star-studded hits to get your playlist going!
1. Space Oddity by David Bowie
If you’re seeking space alien songs, I can’t go wrong by starting the list off with the Starman himself, David Bowie. Bowie released this chart-topper in 1969, the year known for the famous Space Race that finally put a man on the moon.
This iconic, melancholy tune tells the story of lonely spaceman Major Tom, who becomes cut off from ground control and floats out into the ether.
A fun fact? Astronaut Chris Hadfield once performed this song while aboard the International Space Station. That officially made Space Oddity the first music video shot in space!
2. Valentina by Komputer
British rockers Komputer released their song Valentina in 1997. It tells about the life and times of real-life Russian Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova.
The fascinating woman never dreamed of space but started her life as a skydiver. The song is more or less a rocking account of her life and accomplishments. If you listen to the lyrics, you might learn something about space history!
3. 2000 Light Years Away by Greenday
This song is slightly less space-related than the others. Even so, it capitalizes on that metaphor that is so compelling to humans – unfathomable distances between people and places. It might start your mind wandering and bring up questions, like how far is Venus from earth? If not, it might just make you think about lost love, which is okay, too.
4. Spacelab by Kraftwerk
Spacelab is the second song on the list that has actually been performed in outer space! Sure, the lyrics may leave something to be desired (if you’ve read the title, you’ve read all of them), but the funky synthetic sound will launch your daydreams!
5. There’s a Star for Everyone by Aretha Franklin
I thought I’d end the list with a beautiful tune by The Queen of Soul. It’s another song that expresses deep longing through the metaphor of the vast, unknowable universe and all the stars that it contains. Aretha asks “Where is my star?” and I can’t help but feel that longing right along with her.
You won’t find a more resonant and compelling tune about the stars than this 1981 hit.
Songs About Space for Humans and Aliens Alike
There is no shortage of pop songs about space to keep you moonwalking throughout your day! If you’ve ever felt like an alien, longed for the milky way, or simply imagined that you were weightless, hopefully, there was a jam here that satisfied!
Have another opinion? Leave your favorite space related songs in the comments so we can give them a listen! We’ll need a long playlist if we’re ever going to make it to Mars!