As National Day 2026 is slowly approaching, this year we have had the opportunity to get 3 new songs! Have you listened to them? Worry not, I have compiled this list of ALL 42 of our songs in the order in which I think they resonate with me. Join me as I unpack all the songs from 1984 to 2026! I am ranking these songs solely based on the songs themselves and not the music videos, though I do have comments about the videos. I have quite a few favourite songs, so it is difficult to pinpoint that 1 song that I like the most.
To kick things off, we are starting the list. The last songs are my favourites.
42. One Singapore (2013)
This is quite hated by my peers. Can we all agree that this is the worst NDP theme song of all time? With a musical song and cheesy lyrics, how can this song ever be good? That "Whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh" part is catchy though. LOL. Oh dear, there is even a rap? Nope, not a good song at all. 1 out of 10.
41. My People My Home (1995)
Nope, with the choir again. I have not heard this song before, or I have just forgotten about it. The melody is not interesting to me, and I prefer to hear distinct voices rather than a whole choir. I think songs should have a focal voice, while the choir can be in certain segments or as background, not as the entire song. Quite a boring song. 2 out of 10.
40. One People, One Nation, One Singapore (1990)
The intro does not appeal to me much. The lyrics are easy to remember, too. This time, it talks about unity in Singapore as one country. The start of a new decade will no doubt bring some uncertainty and excitement for the future. It is around this time that technology is starting to become more innovative. There is a distinct difference in production when compared to the 80s tracks. 3 out of 10.
39. We Are Singapore (1987 & 1988)
This song follows "Stand Up for Singapore" in terms of production. It goes back to us as Singapore, rather than individuals. I don't know why, but this song doesn't resonate with me that well. Maybe it has to do with my primary school that I have slight fears when I listen to this song. That Pledge in the bridge helped offer a new perspective on the Pledge. This version sounds different from the one I used to listen to in school. 5 out of 10.
38. Five Stars Arising (1989)
The first song that does not feature our country's name in its title. It has a catchy beat. It has a similar production to the first few songs in the 80s. Overall, not a very memorable song for me. It is nice that they focus on the flag for this song rather than the country. The melody is quite repetitive. 5 out of 10.
37. There's No Place I'd Rather Be (2007)
2007 has 2 songs. The legendary Kit Chan came back 9 years later. The lyrics make Singaporeans sound
very rich and well-travelled. It is beautiful, though, like a musical. I like how Kit Chan stretches her
vocals, especially towards the end. 5 out of 10.
36. In a Heartbeat (2011)
I am not too familiar with this song; it is similar to Song for Singapore. It is interesting that during this period, when EDM is prevalent, they decided to go in the opposite direction in creating ballads. 5 out of 10.
35. Love At First Light (2012)
Another fairy tale ballad song, this is like City for the World. I realise I am not a fan of choir or musical songs, I like more upbeat songs. I am not a musical person, so I might not appreciate these types of songs. It is an amazing song, but just not my cup of tea. 5 out of 10.
34. Shine on Me (2000)
Another beautiful song. I recall first listening to this song religiously in the late 2000s. It is another softer song. This comes from a string of songs with lesser bombastic production, like in the 80s, which makes the songs work even better. 6 out of 10.
33. Home (2004)
It is a remixed song sung by 3 child soloists and a girls' choir, and used for 2004's theme song. It sounds so cute. I do think the original is better. Not a fan of choir songs. 6 out of 10.
32. Song for Singapore (2010)
Corrine May sang a Christian song, so this song sounds like a Christian song too. She has a distinct tone. It has quite a boring melody, so the chorus saves it. 6 out of 10.
31. We Will Get There (2014)
Oh yes, I remember this mash-up of songs during the NDP as I was volunteering for the army. This was so lovely and modern. This year, they decided not to do a new song, probably because of the horrible reception from One Singapore. I was out of school during One Singapore, so I wasn't aware it was heavily criticised. It would take me years later to finally be interested in NDP, not just because school taught me, but because I feel patriotic. I cannot consider this a song; it is more like a performance. 6 out of 10.
30. Our Singapore (Remake) (2019)
2019 Our Singapore (Remake) 6/10
This song was a disappointment after 2018. They remade an older song again because it worked last year.
But I feel their voices didn't work well this time. This sounded like a medley performance instead of a song, just like in 2014's We Will Get There. 6 out of 10.
1984 & 1985 "Stand Up for Singapore" 7/10
We start our list of songs with a strong start, with simple and patriotic lyrics. It has a choir feel and sounds amazing in a stadium. It tugs at my heartstrings as I have heard this song many times.
1986 "Count On Me Singapore" 8/10
A slower song compared to "Stand Up for Singapore", but it continues with patriotic lyrics. This time, it talks about the individuals doing their own part while standing together, not just as a country. I like how the different voices all shine as their own but also collectively. The chorus is so catchy. The song gives me a calm feeling that the future will be bright. We have come such a long way since 1986.
1991 "It's the Little Things" 7/10
The title does not sound familiar to me. I wonder why I have not heard this before? It is completely different from past songs as it is a ballad, not a stadium song. It sounds pleasant. It sounds like the older sister of The Road Ahead.
1996 "Count On Me Singapore" 8/10
This is a spotlight of the 1986 song. The reception from "My People My Home" might have brought this change.
1997 "Singapore Town" 9/10
I remember liking this song the instant I heard it; it really stands out from the rest. I like the beat and melody. Well done, great song. There are not many patriotic lyrics, but about enjoying Singapore. Highlighting the people is always a good idea.
1998 "Home" 9/10
The iconic song that ALL Singaporeans can instantly recognise. It reappears often during NDP, too. I love this song dearly too; it tugs at my heartstrings and instantly brings me back to my childhood days. For this is where I know I'm home.🥹
1998 "City for the World" 8/10
This is not familiar, but it sounds so magical, like a fairy tale or musical. I like this, it is so beautiful and melodic. It goes to show that to make a great song, you need a great melody; no amount of production can save a bad song. Definitely an underrated song, but I guess when it is released in the same year as Home, any song will pale in comparison.
1999 "Together" 10/10
I love this song. It is one of my favourites, definitely. It is also underrated as not many people know of this song, but it combines great production with a strong melody. The video is also modern, as we were approaching not just a new decade or century, but a new millennium. I have even used this song during one of my class National Day performances.
2001 "Where I Belong" 10/10
I seem to remember this song is newer than Home. In Primary School, our class danced and sang to this song during our school National Day performance, while our teacher was giggling at us. Hahaha. I love this song too; the lyrics are so beautiful.
2002 "We Will Get There" 8/10
Another iconic song like Home. It is a beautiful song, but it invokes certain fears within me, too, probably due to school. I like the other Stefanie Sun song better. I think school forces us to keep singing this song, which I have negative connotations towards this song. I still think it is a great song, but I cannot say it is one of my all-time favourites. It picks up towards the end with the beat. I can hear the string instrument from time to time, and it adds a lot to the song.
2003 "One United People" 9/10
How can anyone not love this song? It is so underrated, especially when it is released after We Will Get There. But I have always loved this song more.
2005 "Reach Out for the Skies" 7/10
This is a fun one; it is probably the first song that featured choreography. I always felt it lacked something; if not, it would be a perfect song. It might be the melody.
2006 "My Island Home" 9/10
I have always enjoyed listening to this song. It starts off slow like a ballad, then the production kicks in, making it almost like a power ballad. It is like a sequel to Home.
2007 "Will You" 10/10
2007 has 2 songs. I prefer this song over There's No Place I'd Rather Be. I remember my classmates laughing at the guys in the music video for their over-the-top actions. I love the production and the quality of the singers' voices. Their individual voices add so much colour to this song, and they each stand out on their own. The music video is quite cool, too. A 2026 remake of this song would sound so amazing.
2008 "Shine for Singapore" 7/10
Slow song, it has been a while since recent songs had a big production. It has such a sweet melody.
It sounds like a 2000s song with the flute instrument at the back. The lyrics seem to be a mash-up of
the previous songs.
The title is like Shine on Me
"Deep inside your heart where it belongs" refers to We Will Get There
"Reach out for the sky, far and beyond" is an ode to Reach Out for the Skies
"As one we’ll stand, we’re Singapore" is from the OG Stand Up for Singapore
"It’s here that we belong" is Where I Belong
Not bad, I like how Singapore reheated their nachos in 2008.
2009 "What Do You See?" 9/10
This song didn't hit for me when I first heard it, but during the 2014 NDP, it came alive for me. It holds hopes and dreams for the new decade. With a great melody, the song will be great no matter what the production is, and the production here is great too. That bridge is amazing. Do you think it sounds like a Coldplay song?
2015 "Our Singapore" 9/10
This song is a fresh take, after years of musical-like songs; finally, we got a modern song. 2015 was monumental for Singapore too, as we celebrated the Golden Jubilee (SG50), and we marked 50 years of independence since 1965. The woah is done so beautifully as compared to One Singapore. Even the titles are similar. Shade, perhaps? LOL.
2016 "Tomorrow's Here Today" 8/10
I love this song and would listen to it sometimes. It sounds so bubbly and fun.
2017 "Because it's Singapore" 7/10
I remember feeling this was so boring, but after some listens, it grew on me. The melody sounds
pleasant and the lyrics are good.
2018 We Are Singapore (Remake) 10/10
This was the year and song that piqued my interest, and since then, I became interested in the songs.
The production is so cool and unique. I know some people didn't like it, but I did. I love how their voices all work together. They made this song even better than the original from 20 years ago. Even the Pledge rap sounded great. In theory, it could have sounded forced, but it was not. Charlie Lim did a great job with this.
2020 Everything I Am 7/10
Even the kids in my class didn't like this song. It was the COVID-19 song, but it didn't stand out much.
The production is good. But it is the melody that makes it plain.
2021 The Road Ahead 10/10
I cannot begin to describe how much this song broke ground. There was a cringey dance trend
they tried to start, but since then, the songs have become more engaging. The songs sounded quite safe
in recent years, but this one stood out so much because it was not about Singapore explicitly.
It kick-started the next few great joyful songs in the years ahead. The music video was expertly
done with beautiful animations, which is unprecedented in NDP theme song videos. They have always
been about real Singaporeans' lives, so this was so creative. The song was well-written, too; even if it
did not have this poppy production, it would still stand out.
2022 Stronger Together 9/10
That melody is like an earworm. This song does a great job following up on The Road Ahead.
I remember worrying it would not be as good as last year, but it did well, too. It sounded so great
during the NDP that I went to. There was a nice reference to The Road Ahead in the lyric. Taufik Batisah
even did choreography, just like 2005's Reach Out for the Skies. He is our Justin Timberlake.
2023 Shine Your Light 10/10
I love this song, and I listen to it often. This makes 3 songs in a row that are really good. They are
starting the new decade strong. I like songs where there are a few singers, but their voices are prominent,
not turned into a choir. The rap is so great, too. From start to finish, this song is just perfect. There is
even a choir part, but it fits nicely. If the whole song were sung by a choir, I might not like it as much.
2024 Not Alone 7/10
I felt this was a step down from the 3-song streak from The Road Ahead to Shine Your Light. It
reminds me of Shine for Singapore. Maybe I just didn't like how the guy is singing.
2025 Here We Are 6/10
Charlie Lim is back, since 2018 and 2019, but this song is not as good as 2018's We Are Singapore (Remake). I had high hopes for this since 2018 was such a great song. This song mentions tapetry again, like 2020's Everything I Am. The only memorable part of this song is the 3 words in the chorus.
2026 Giants 6/10
One of 3 songs in 2026. This year's songs don't sound like Singapore songs. I like the production, but it
is not my favourite, definitely. I think this is the worst out of the trio.
2026 Sparkle 6/10
One of 3 songs in 2026. It sounds like a gospel song with an old-school sound. It sounds good. But again, why is this for our NDP? This is the second song I like.
2026 You'll Be Okay 7/10
One of 3 songs in 2026. I love this the most out of the trio of 2026 songs.
And now here is my list, each has a video. Let me know in the comments below whether you agree with the list or if you have a different list.
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