Songs that make you feel jubilant/happy

[DJ Yung Crunk]

So we had sad songs and then we had inspirational songs. Let's not let a good thing die, eh? How about we now turn the crosshairs on that under-appreciated emotion in pop music; happiness! Yes, there's a cultural belief that songs that are in a good mood somehow have less artistic merit than something that wallows in misery and torment. Poppycock, I say! I have the examples.

Aguas de Março
Holiday
I Say a Little Prayer
Don't Get Me Wrong

[Razade]

Jenny
Wolves
Perpålsa
Ormin lange Especially after the 2:36 mark
Brave as a Noun
Cyclic Cowboy

Those come to mind quickly enough I guess.

[Jada Masters]

Happy by Pharell

[JoshL]

Not sure about good-mood songs having less artistic merit (or the perception of that)...after all, that's been a staple of music since the beginning of time! My personal tastes run to joy-through-catharsis, but I think I could come up with a few.

Shiny Shiny - Haysi Fantayzee (okay, so technically this is a post-apocalyptic song, but such manic glee!!!)

Proclaim - Boneheadm (long since gone Pittsburgh pop-punk-happy-elf-music band. I STILL LOVE THEM! I would recommend listening to their whole album from 96-ish I think. They did put out one more under the name Kelly Superkool, but that one doesn't seem to be around. Hardly anyone but me really cares anyway)

Heart - Camper Van Beethoven (I used to listen to this in the morning if I wanted to have a chipper day. Again, lyrically a bit more sombre, but the song hits me just right).

Pressure Drop - The Specials (originally Toots and the Maytals, the Specials just OWN this tune! Man, I could probably just save time and make a classic 2-tone ska playlist here)

Unified Field - The Church (usually they'd belong on one of the other lists, but the intro riff from this just builds a wonderful anticipation in me, like the climb of a roller coaster. The Church in the 2000s are criminally underrated)

In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel (speaking of, this chorus never QUITE climaxes, which keeps it building in a way that keeps me smiling)

Friday I'm In Love (Strangelove mix) - The Cure (because I'm a cliche and keep coming back to the Cure, but the isolated guitar parts in the first 40 seconds are wonderful and beautiful and make it so much more rewarding when they come together)

We Close Our Eyes - Oingo Boingo (more melancholy, but fills me with so much joy. Boingo were the best.)

[Corlindale]

Great idea for a thread, I've been thinking of starting something similar for a while.

I listened to some of the suggestions above, so far I especially find Don't Get me Wrong and Jenny really catchy.

Here's some I discovered on this very forum, which have become some of my favourite upliftning songs:

Cold War Kids - Royal Blue

Anathema - Lightning Song

And some others:

Ayreon - Day 7: Hope

The Decemberists - Sons and Daughters

Marillion - Childhood's End?

Sigur Ros - Olsen Olsen (especially the flute that repeats the theme at the end, for some reason that really, really cheers me up).

Frank Turner - Get Better

The Flower Kings - Vox Humana

Grimes - California


Katzenjammer - Cherry Pie (can it get more happy than a song that's also a recipe for cherry pie?).

The Magnetic Fields - The Luckiest Guy On The Lower East Side

Phillippe Vachey - LBA 2 Theme (and really most of the music from that game)

Strawbs - Benedictus

[Kid Jake]

My go to. If I'm not happy beforehand, I am by the time he's finished.

[Marillion]

Cold War Kids - Royal Blue

Anathema - Lightning Song

And some others:

Ayreon - Day 7: Hope

Marillion - Childhood's End?

Great taste right here!

[Corlindale]

Thank you!

I assume you are also a fan of Marillion

Misplaced Childhood is one of my all time favourite albums and that song in particular genuinely helped me get through some of the bad times of my life. Especially the last verse is really uplifting, I think.

[KillingAScarab]

I could go through the entire Anamanaguchi catalog, but I'm just going to summarize by pointing to this acoustic version of "Airbrushed" performed on a sidewalk. Its not something you think of at all when you think of a chiptune band, but there's something incredibly inviting about acoustic guitars accompanying their NES-turned-syntheziser for anyone who walks by. They weren't unknown by this point, either. I don't know the date of this performance, but by the time this was uploaded Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game was out, for which they did the soundtrack.

[GAZ]

I actually have a whole "Happy" playlist on my iPod. Love this topic and going to check out everybody's recommendations. Here's a bit of what I've got.
Alanis Morissette - Head Over Feet for an aww so sweet kinda happy.
Bad Ronald - Let's Begin for an aww yeah, let's kick it kinda happy.
Bob Marley - One Love for an aww, man that's great sentiment kinda happy.
Chumbawamba - Tubthumping for an aww yeah, we keep it going kinda happy.
Dashboard Confessional - Hands Down for an aww yeah, there's A GIRL kinda happy.
Finch - Stay With Me for more of the above, but from my high school times!
Isley Brothers - Shout for that aww, yes a freaking classic for singing and dancing kinda happy.
Less Than Jake - We're All Dudes (ft Kel Mitchell for aww yeah, punk ska plus Good Burger kinda happy.
Lupe Fiasco - Superstar for an aww yeah, I am totally rocking everything right now kinda happy.
And a bunch more punk, rap, classic rock, and alternative stuff that struck those kinda cords with me.

[Antonok]

Song 1
Song 2
and the 'don't ask' Song 3

Don't know why but these 2 in particular no matter my mood, can put me in a good mood.

Also obligatory song

[chainer1216]

Pretty much anything by The Aquabats.

[KillingAScarab]

Song 1
Song 2
and the 'don't ask' Song 3

Don't know why but these 2 in particular no matter my mood, can put me in a good mood.

I had assumed "Song 2" would have been by Blur, which seemed a very odd choice for this topic. "Song 3," however, reminded me of something which might not be.