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Classic pop hits come from all over the world, and the Dutch have contributed their fair share!<\/p>\n
From rock\u00a0to Eurodance\u00a0–\u00a0the Netherlands<\/a> has brought forth some popular English-language or instrumental ditties that you may think were created by native English speakers. The country may be small, but its influence on the international music industry is bigger than you might expect.<\/p>\n Here are 10 pop songs by Dutch artists that became\u00a0international hits over the past several decades.<\/p>\n Hailing from The Hague<\/a>,\u00a0Golden Earring is probably one of the most famous Dutch rock bands in history. The 70s song Radar Love is about a driver who is on the way to his lover, and communicates with her through letters and phone calls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Recorded in 1969, this rock song reached the number one spot\u00a0in nine different countries!\u00a0It was written by Robbie van Leeuwen, and performed by Shocking Blue, a band from The Hague that played psychedelic rock.<\/p>\n This instrumental Van Halen song was written and almost exclusively performed by the innovative electric guitarist Eddie van Halen in 1978. Together with his older brother Alex, a drummer, they founded hard-rock band Van Halen. The pair was\u00a0in Nijmegen<\/a>, but relocated to America when they were quite young.<\/p>\n Dutch electronic music group 2 Unlimited created a range of hits, among which Get Ready For This (1992) was the most successful, together with No Limit.<\/p>\n Get Ready For This is one of the most frequently played songs at sporting events around the world, and can be heard\u00a0in various movies and television shows.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This Eurodance song quickly gained popularity in the US and other countries in the late 90s.<\/p>\n The Vengaboys are from Rotterdam<\/a>, and their other hits include Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!\u00a0and We’re Going to Ibiza. They were awarded the name of best selling dance group of the year by the World Music Awards in 2001.<\/p>\n 2007 brought forth a touching duet by Dutch singer Alain Clark and his father, Dane Clark. The song was a hit in various European countries. The two dedicate the refreshingly honest ballad to their relationship as family<\/a> and friends, and take pride in being in each other\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n 1971 song Hocus Pocus soared through the charts across various countries. It was performed by Dutch progressive rock band Focus, made up of performers from the pit band for the Dutch production of the rock musical Hair.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Including sounds like yodelling, scat singing, whistling, organ playing and flute riffs, the hyperactive and eccentric piece gained much appreciation\u00a0from the public. It still pops up as background music in various television shows.<\/p>\n Born in Amsterdam<\/a> in 1988, the Dutch singer Natalie La Rose\u00a0achieved international success with her debut song Somebody in 2014. The song’s popularity was aided by the fact that it was produced in Miami, and featured established American singer and rapper Jeremih.<\/p>\n Somebody uses samples of the iconic\u00a0I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston, as well as a few other songs, and became a popular track at nightclubs<\/a> and events<\/a> around the world.<\/p>\n 2000 hit song Better off Alone inspired a more accessible and commercial brand of trance music. Alice Deejay was a pop-trance collective by DJ Jurgen, a DJ and music producer from Delft<\/a>. They created a few more songs, but Better off Alone was their undisputed highlight.<\/p>\n A little less conversation was a popular song performed by Elvis in the 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little. In 2002, it was remixed by the Dutch Junkie XL – also known as Tom Holkenborg –\u00a0and became a worldwide hit once again. You can often hear the song in pop culture films and commercials.<\/p>\n The remix featured a later recording of Elvis with a lower voice, more focus on guitars and horns, and an added funk drum beat.<\/p>\nHits by Dutch artists<\/h2>\n
1. Radar Love,\u00a0Golden Earring<\/h3>\n
2. Venus,\u00a0Shocking Blue<\/h3>\n
3.\u00a0Eruption,\u00a0Van Halen<\/h3>\n
4. Get Ready For This,\u00a02 Unlimited<\/h3>\n
5.\u00a0We like to party,\u00a0The Vengaboys<\/h3>\n
6.\u00a0Father & Friend,\u00a0Alain Clark<\/h3>\n
7.\u00a0Hocus Pocus,\u00a0Focus<\/h3>\n
8.\u00a0Somebody,\u00a0Natalie La Rose<\/h3>\n
9.\u00a0Better off Alone,\u00a0Alice Deejay<\/h3>\n
10. A little less conversation (2002 remix),\u00a0Junkie XL<\/h3>\n
Successful Dutch DJs and singers around the world<\/h2>\n