From Zager & Evans to Ziggy Stardust: The Ultimate Guide to Songs That Start with “Z”

When building the ultimate playlist, most music lovers organize by genre, mood, or decade. But every once in a while, it is fun to flip the script and explore the alphabet. We have all skimmed through massive music libraries, watching the tracklists transition from the melancholic “Y’s” to the grand finale of the alphabet.

So, what happens when a song actually starts with the letter Z?

As it turns out, finding tracks starting with “Z” is a delightful treasure hunt. From classic rock staples and avant-garde jazz to infectious K-pop beats and disco-era novelties, “Z” songs punch well above their weight class. Dive into this curated tour of the best, weirdest, and most iconic songs that start with “Z.”

1. The Sci-Fi Prophecy: “In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)” by Zager & Evans

• Released: 1969
• Genre: Progressive Pop / Psychedelic Folk

You cannot talk about “Z” songs without starting with the ultimate chart-topper of the letter. Written by Rick Evans, this haunting acoustic masterpiece shot straight to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1969 and stayed there for six weeks.

The song takes listeners on a bleak, centuries-spanning time-lapse into humanity’s future—from the year 2525 all the way to 10510. With its mesmerizing, marching rhythm and apocalyptic lyrical warnings about technology, human obsolescence, and biological cloning, it remains one of the most uniquely ambitious one-hit wonders in music history.

2. The Glam Rock Masterpiece: “Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie

• Released: 1972
• Genre: Glam Rock

While David Bowie’s legendary alter ego lends his name to the entire conceptual album (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars), the title track itself is a high-octane monument to rock mythology.

Driven by Mick Ronson’s searing guitar riffs and Bowie’s theatrical, world-weary delivery, “Ziggy Stardust” tells the tragic rise and fall of an extraterrestrial rock messiah who was “playing it left hand, but made it too far.” It is a glittering, poignant anthem that encapsulates the excess and allure of 1970s glam.

3. The Modern Chart-Topper: “Zou Bisou Bisou” by Gillian Hills (and later Jessica Paré)

• Released: 1960 (Popularized in 2012)
• Genre: French Pop / Yé-yé

Originally recorded by British-French singer Gillian Hills in 1960, this breezy, flirtatious Yé-yé pop tune enjoyed a massive resurgence in 2012 when actress Jessica Paré performed it as Megan Draper in the premiere episode of AMC’s Mad Men.

With its infectious, swinging rhythm and playful French lyrics (loosely translating to “Oh, kiss kiss”), “Zou Bisou Bisou” is the quintessential retro earworm. It instantly transports you to a smoky, mid-century cocktail lounge in New York City.

4. The Disco Roller-Rink Anthem: “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart” by The Trammps

• Released: 1972 / 1975
• Genre: Philly Soul / Disco

Originally written for Broadway in 1934 and famously covered by Judy Garland, this classic standard received an unbelievable reinvention in the 1970s. Philly soul and disco pioneers The Trammps took the romantic ballad and supercharged it with driving basslines, soaring falsettos, and lush string arrangements.

The result is a joyful, high-energy floor-filler that proves even a Tin Pan Alley standard from the 1930s could be transformed into a glittering disco masterpiece.

5. The K-Pop Powerhouse: “Zeze” by IU

• Released: 2015
• Genre: K-Pop / Indie Pop

South Korean singer-songwriter IU is celebrated for her deeply introspective lyricism, and her track “Zeze” stands as one of her most fascinating musical creations. Inspired by the young protagonist of the classic Brazilian novel My Sweet Orange Tree, the song layers eerie, whimsical instrumentation with breathy, captivating vocals.