10 Actors You Totally Forgot Had Hit Songs

10 Actors You Totally Forgot Had Hit Songs

You know these faces from blockbuster screens and binge worthy shows, but their names once owned the radio too. This list rewinds to those surprising moments when actors crashed the charts with undeniable bangers, from late 90s pop smashes to viral anthems.

As you scroll, you will remember hooks you danced to and choruses you never realized belonged to today’s A listers. Get ready for nostalgia, eyebrow raises, and the reminder that some screen legends also ruled the mic.

1. Will Smith – “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It”

You could not escape this in 1998. Will Smith rode a bounce-heavy track, Big Willie style swagger, and those na na na lyrics straight to multiple weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It is peak late 90s pop culture, a radio juggernaut that turned family friendly charisma into summer domination.

The song’s glossy video, tropical suits, and infectious choreography made you grin even if you tried not to. It bridged hip hop and mainstream pop with a wink, never taking itself too seriously. Decades later, the hook instantly transports you back to shiny suits, Will’s megawatt smile, and carefree dance floors.

2. Mark Wahlberg (as Marky Mark) – “Good Vibrations”

Before Oscar nods and gritty dramas, Mark Wahlberg flexed his way to a Billboard Hot 100 number one as Marky Mark. Good Vibrations was a relentless pulse of house piano, hip hop swagger, and workout video energy that had you bouncing in gym class and at school dances. It was brash, catchy, and everywhere.

The track’s success painted Wahlberg as a pop phenomenon long before he reinvented himself on screen. That chorus still hits like a jump rope sprint, fueled by adrenaline and unabashed confidence. If you forgot he topped the charts, press play and feel that early 90s rush return, complete with neon, crop tops, and a hook that refuses to quit.

3. Jamie Foxx – “Blame It” (feat. T-Pain)

Jamie Foxx did not just act his way to awards. With T Pain’s digitized gloss, Blame It soaked radio in slick, late night confidence and climbed to number one while owning every club playlist. The groove felt effortless, like your best friend whispering it is the drink talking.

It also snagged a Grammy, cementing Foxx as a rare double threat you could dance and laugh with. The track’s call and response hook made everyone in the room nod. Play it now and you can practically see frosted glass, VIP ropes, and lights strobing across a floor packed with weekend believers.

4. Eddie Murphy – “Party All the Time”

Eddie Murphy surprised skeptics by crooning through a Rick James produced synth groove that would not quit. Party All the Time became an 80s earworm, climbing to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and living forever in karaoke nights. You can feel the candy coated keys and glittering drums begging for a smile.

It was the definition of crossover fun, a comedian leaning into unabashed pop excess. Even if you laughed first, you probably sang along by the second chorus. The nostalgia rush is instant, with mirror ball reflections and a chorus that celebrates staying out far too late.

5. Patrick Swayze – “She’s Like the Wind”

You remember the lift, but do you remember the voice? Patrick Swayze delivered tender sincerity on She’s Like the Wind, a ballad from Dirty Dancing that rose to number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The melody floats like a whispered confession, the kind you play driving home after midnight.

It is a snapshot of 80s romance, glowing synths, and slow dance sway. The track showed a leading man unafraid of vulnerability, and you felt it in every line. Press play and the movie’s glow returns, all summer haze and hearts on sleeves, proving nostalgia can still make you breathless.

6. Don Johnson – “Heartbeat”

Miami Vice style did not stop at rolled sleeves. Don Johnson stormed the charts with Heartbeat, a gravelly, big chorus rock-pop record that crashed into the Billboard Top 5. It feels cinematic, like speeding through downtown at night while lights smear the windshield.

You can hear TV swagger morph into stadium ambition, hooks punching through synth fog with every drum hit. The song’s urgency invited you to sing at the top of your lungs, windows down. Remember it now and you can practically smell the ocean air, the 80s nightlife, and that relentless chorus chasing dawn.

7. David Hasselhoff – “Looking for Freedom”

In America he was Baywatch. In Germany he was a chart titan, taking Looking for Freedom to number one and soundtracking a generation’s optimism. The song’s chorus rings with wide open hope, the kind that makes you throw arms skyward at festivals.

You might not have felt the phenomenon stateside, but overseas the Hoff became larger than lifeguards and slow motion runs. The track’s Euro pop uplift still feels like a street party breaking out of history. Hit play, picture Berlin lights, and let that triumphant chant carry you farther than you expected.

8. Ryan Gosling – “I’m Just Ken”

Barbie turned a wink into a roar, and Ryan Gosling’s I’m Just Ken vaulted from soundtrack cut to Top 10 Billboard sensation. The song went viral because it is funny, sincerely sung, and secretly massive. You laughed, then you replayed it, then you learned the bridge.

It captures meme culture meeting stadium rock drama, with guitar solos and glitter raining down like confetti. Suddenly, Ken had feelings, and you were humming along while scrolling. It is proof that a clever character number can crash charts in the streaming era, one share at a time.

9. Tyrese Gibson – “Sweet Lady”

Before Fast and Furious engines revved, Tyrese rolled out a velvety R&B classic. Sweet Lady showcased a powerhouse vocal wrapped in late 90s gloss and climbed into Billboard’s Top 10. It sounded like flowers delivered at midnight, complete with heartfelt apologies and promises you wanted to believe.

The song’s smooth production and timeless hook made it a staple for slow jams playlists. You can feel the sincerity in every run, as if he is singing directly across a diner booth. Play it again and let the harmonies turn the night softer, warmer, and a little more hopeful.

10. Lindsay Lohan – “Rumors”

Long before wellness arcs and comeback talk, Lindsay Lohan dropped Rumors, a sharp edged pop cut that hit the Billboard Top 40. It was mid 2000s nightlife in a bottle, pulsing with camera flashes and whispered gossip. The hook pushes back, asking for space while inviting you onto the dance floor.

It became a time capsule of Sidekick phones, low rise jeans, and velvet rope drama. If you grew up then, you can still mouth the chorus by muscle memory. Press play and you will feel that neon glare again, a pop anthem built for defiance and glittering nights out.