From Ziggy Stardust to Zombies: The Magnetic Pull of Songs That Start with “Z”

There is a distinct thrill in the alphabetical alphabetization of music. When you reach the absolute bottom of a playlist, a record collection, or a meticulously organized digital library, you hit the letter Z.

Far from being an afterthought or a musical wasteland, the letter Z occupies a fierce, idiosyncratic corner of pop culture. It is the territory of avant-garde jazz, glam rock royalty, haunting indie laments, and infectious dance-pop earworms. Because starting a song title with Z is a deliberate choice—often requiring a bold, theatrical, or exotic word—the tracks that live here tend to be uniquely memorable.

Let’s take a sonic journey through the alphabet’s final frontier, exploring some of the most iconic, mesmerizing, and surprising songs that start with the letter Z.

1. The Glam Rock Icon: “Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie

Key Lyric: “Ziggy played guitar, jam-making, good-looking, nought-hand in the show…”

It is impossible to talk about “Z” songs without bowing down to the Thin White Duke’s most legendary alter ego. Released on David Bowie’s 1972 masterpiece, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, this track is the crown jewel of glam rock.

The song tells the tragic, operatic rise and fall of an apocalyptic alien rock messiah who acts as a messenger for extra-terrestrial beings before crumbling under the weight of his own fame and ego. Backed by Mick Ronson’s searing guitar riffs and an unforgettable acoustic rhythm, “Ziggy Stardust” isn’t just a song—it’s a cultural blueprint that redefined gender, performance, and rock storytelling forever.

2. The Indie-Pop Anthem: “Zou Bisou Bisou” by Gillian Hills (and later, Alison Brie)

Key Lyric: “Zou bisou bisou, je t’dis que j’t’aime…”

If you want a slice of retro chic, look no further than this sultry 1960s pop standard originally recorded by British-French actress and singer Gillian Hills. The phrase zou bisou bisou roughly translates to “oh, little kiss, little kiss” in a playful, affectionate French idiom.

While the original is a delightful piece of ye-ye pop history, global audiences fell back in love with the track when Alison Brie’s character, Megan Draper, performed a famously hypnotic, breathy rendition of it to her husband Don in the fifth season of Mad Men. It’s breezy, hypnotic, and impossible to get out of your head.

3. The Alt-Rock Heavyweight: “Zombie” by The Cranberries

Key Lyric: “In your head, in your head, they are fighting…”

Perhaps the most universally recognized “Z” song in existence, Irish alternative rock band The Cranberries released “Zombie” in 1994 as a protest song inspired by the Troubles in Northern Ireland, specifically mourning young victims killed in a Warrington bomb attack.

Driven by Dolores O’Riordan’s haunting, earth-shattering vocals and aggressive, grunge-infused distortion guitars, the track is a visceral cry against senseless violence. O’Riordan’s yodeling vocal delivery and the unforgettable chorus (“It’s the same old theme since 1916…”) turn personal grief into an immortal anthem of human resistance.

4. The Reggae-Pop Smash: “Zungguzungguguzungguzeng” by Yellowman

Key Lyric: “Zungguzungguguzungguzeng, check how the general lyrics gwaan…”

Dancehall royalty meets linguistic gymnastics in this 1982 landmark track by Jamaican artist Yellowman (Winston Foster). The title itself is an onomatopoeic vocal flourish mimicking the rhythm and machine-gun cadence of a chatty DJ flow.

While the title looks like a typo, the song’s influence on global hip-hop and dancehall cannot be overstated. Its signature bassline and vocal cadence have been sampled, interpolated, and referenced by dozens of artists across decades, from Notorious B.I.G. to Busta Rhymes. It proves that sometimes, the best “Z” words are the ones you invent on the spot.

5. The Modern Dancefloor Filler: “Zeigefinger” / “Zouké” (Global Beats)

Music from around the world continually reinvents the letter Z. In French-Caribbean Zouk music—a fast-paced, rhythmic style born in Guadeloupe and Martinique—the genre name itself sets the tone for high-energy dancing.