Hits don’t lie! Shakira’s 20 best songs, from World Cup anthems to huge duets – ranked! | Shakira

20. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) (with Freshly Ground) (2010)

Among Shakira’s World Cup anthems, the hilarious and upbeat “Waka Waka” from the 2010 tournament in South Africa is the most powerful. Featuring African music group Freshlyground, the Colombian superstar reimagines soccer superstars like Ronaldo and others as soldiers on the front line.

19. Anita and Shakira – Chukka Chukka (2026)

Heavy-handedly collaborating across genres, Shakira collaborates with Brazilian superstar Anitta on the stunning song Choka Choka. Fusing bailey funk with elements of hip-hop and dance – this siren-like synth sound is a not-so-subtle invitation to the dance floor – it’s a riotous two minutes that gets you moving.

18. Las de la Intuition (2005)

After becoming one of the biggest stars on the planet with her 2001 English-language debut album Laundry Service, Shakira rented a property in Madrid to work alone on the follow-up to Fijación Oral, Volume One. Celebrating feminine intuition over a pulsing synth line and a soft rock backbone, Las de la Intuición is an example of her mastery of easy, breezy melody.

17. Karol G and Shakira – TQG (2023)

Originally written as a solo track by Karol G, TQG was turned into a duet after fellow Colombian bandmate realized that Shakira had recently been mistreated by a man. The abbreviation of the title translates as “too big for you,” and Shakira turns this hyperbole into a verse in which she dismisses the idea of ​​her ex leaving since she’s literally Shakira.

16. Chantaji (with Maluma) (2016)

In this reggaeton battle of the sexes, the title of which translates to “Blackmail,” Shakira leads fellow superstar Maluma in a playful dance. Unsure of where he stands, Shakira innocently claims she’s not to blame for the relationship, before singing about not belonging to anyone, thank you very much, over the song’s addictive chorus.

15. I Can’t Remember to Forget You (featuring Rihanna) (2014)

In the pantheon of great pop duets, this Police team-up with pre-Anti Rihanna seems strangely overlooked. At the time, Shakira was heading into the gentle cul-de-sac of electronic dance music (there was a Pitbull collaboration), so the bouncy reggae, ska horns and sleek new wave came as a surprise. But there’s a lot to enjoy here, not least the duo unleashing their distinctive vocals.

14. Sega, Surdomuda (1998)

Bearing similarities to Estoy Aquí, her 1995 hit Ciega, Sordomuda (Blind, Deaf and Mute) showcases Shakira’s talent for turning the drama of love into a full-blown epic. Over blasts of mariachi horns and galloping pop-rock music, Shakira describes herself as “wide-eyed, scrawny, ugly, unkempt, clumsy, stupid, slow, foolish, crazy” in the face of a man she is dangerously obsessed with.

13. I Did It Again (2009)

Eager to build on the success of 2005’s Verbal Fixation, Volume 2, Shakira employed Pharrell’s services for the follow-up album She Wolf. On the best of her four songs, Shakira rides Pharrell’s thumping beat and minimalist percussion with aplomb, delivering the song’s fairy tale about being the other woman with the scenery-chewing passion of a telenovela star.

12. Te Felicito (with Rau Alejandro) (2022)

Te Felicito was released with the break-up of her long-term relationship with Spanish footballer Gerard Pique, and will eventually appear in the 2024 spin-off Opus Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry). Regardless of the tabloid context, it’s a great song, blending elements of electropop and reggaeton to create a ridiculously catchy midtempo kiss.

11. Ode to the Horse (2001)

There was always something joyful about Shakira’s songwriting. This Laundry Service album track tells the story of a struggling friend addicted to a ‘hydroponic pot’ who can’t look long enough to see what he’s lost – talking to him is like eating soup with a fork, or reading poetry to a horse. All delivered with unwavering passion via an enchanting blend of soul rock and nirvana.

10. Inevitable (1998)

Having just turned 21, and now managed by Emilio Estefan, who has helped stars like his wife, Gloria Están, and Enrique Iglesias break stateside, Shakira has a lot riding on her fourth album Dónde Están los Ladrones? Eager to develop her sound while not alienating her young fan base, on songs like “Inevitable,” with its melodic nods to Radiohead and Alanis Morissette, she showed her ability to turn heartbreak into stadium anthems.

9. Don’t Bother (2005)

Created alongside the Matrix, which made Avril Lavigne a huge star, Don’t Bother is a curious beast. Lyrically, we’re in classic Shakira surreal territory: the tall love rival is described as having a gravity-defying look while Shakira herself is a flea, or perhaps a cat. Regardless, Don’t Care Too Much, as its slow-burning Kelly Clarkson-style verses launch into a sweeping chorus built around the lyric, “Don’t care, I’m not going to die.”

8. Objection (Tango) (2001)

One of six singles to come off the 13 million-selling English-language Laundry, “Emotional Spleen Objection” (Tango) crosses musical reference points – No Doubt, B-52s, Surf-Rock, New Wave, Tango – with the fast-paced energy of dance professionals. Throughout Shakira carries it all with her catchy vocal melodies.

7. Men in This City (2009)

Co-written by mid-’00s dance-rocker Sam Endicott, who also helms Bravery, Men in This Town takes a somewhat implausible idea—that Shakira might struggle to find a man in Los Angeles—and explodes it into a sleek new wave twist. Name checking Matt Damon, the song’s stunning chorus builds to a psychedelic conclusion.

6. Shakira: Bozra Session, Volume 53 (2023)

Although the title may be unwieldy—it’s part of a series by Argentinian producer Bizarrap—its lyrical focus is razor-sharp. Shakira targets her ex-boyfriend Pique, also calling out his new girlfriend, his mother (who lived next door to him) and even the Spanish authorities who investigated Shakira for tax evasion (the investigation was later dropped). Celebrity gossip becomes even more delicious when combined with the synthpop of the song.

5. Under Your Clothes (2001)

One of two undeniable global smashes, the melancholic “Underneath Your Clothes” showcases Shakira’s ability to take popular mini-genres — in this case, the charismatic, delicate, jewel-toned singer-songwriter — and burden them with personality. Evoking the 1980s hit Eternal Flame by The Bangles, what could have been an overly sentimental song about finding the right person is instead given a unique setting about battles and conquered lands.

4. Beyoncé and Shakira – The Beautiful Liar (2007)

“Bae en say, pae en say” Pause. “Sha ki ra, sha ki ra.” Not many songs can turn what is essentially an in-song reading of a school record into an all-time earworm, but the sensual Pretty Liar is a cavalcade of hooks. Added to the reissue of Beyoncé’s B’Day album, the duet manages to bring out the best in its creators, with Beyoncé’s honeyed vocals rising to meet Shakira’s more somber tones via a marriage of flamenco and R&B that culminates in one of pop’s finest bridges.

3. Hips Don’t Lie (with Wycliffe Jane) (2006)

While its creation might be seen as a satirical critique of major labels – it was originally released in 2004 by Wyclef Jean as Dance Like This for Dirty Dancing 2 – Hips Don’t Lie manages to channel a carefree summer vacation into three and a half minutes. Latin pop, reggaeton and salsa embrace hip-hop as Shakira weaves her way around her signature song.

2. Whenever, Wherever (2001)

If that crushing hit is about her hips, the fantastically bizarre Andean-inspired song Whenever, Wherever, is famous for its focus on Shakira’s chest. Translated into English by Gloria Estefan, it is a likely top ten single in the US that celebrates smaller breasts and the inability to confuse them with mountains. As with Shakira’s best songs, the supernaturally catchy song is hypnotic and heartfelt.

1. Lupus (2009)

With dance-pop dominating the charts thanks to the Black Eyed Peas and the upcoming Lady Gaga, Shakira has chosen to lead her eighth album with a mix of hi-NRG pop, Italo disco and new wave, which was co-written by Bravery’s Endicott and includes a lyric in which she compares her relationship situation to an abused coffee machine in an office. She also manages to seamlessly drop “lycanthropy” into the first verse without batting an eyelid. While her peers took the tropes of pop songwriting with a straight bat, here Shakira turns the boredom of a relationship into a campy horror story as she plays her breathless, possessed character. A real one-time of a real one-time.