30 Best Songs to Test Your Studio Monitors: A Definitive Guide

Updated at: 14/03/2025

Choosing the right studio monitors is crucial for any audio engineer or music enthusiast, ensuring accurate representation of your mixes. This quest for sonic perfection often leads to hours spent listening, meticulously analyzing the nuances of each frequency. To help navigate this process, we’ve compiled a collection of songs that truly put your monitors to the test, showcasing their ability to reproduce the full spectrum of sound. From the soaring vocals and dynamic range of powerful ballads, to the intricate layering of guitars and driving basslines, these tracks reveal the subtleties and imperfections of your audio setup. We're celebrating the enduring power of music by highlighting the songs that offer a diverse and enriching listening experience, encompassing the breadth and depth of musical expression.

These carefully selected tracks represent a journey through musical history, showcasing the evolution of production techniques and artistic expression. Their timeless appeal allows you to experience the true potential of your monitors, revealing the crisp highs, the powerful lows, and the intricate details often overlooked in less demanding audio. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a curious listener, exploring this selection will significantly enhance your understanding of audio fidelity and the art of sound reproduction. The result is a deeper appreciation for the music itself, and a clearer understanding of how your studio equipment shapes that experience. So, prepare to embark on this sonic adventure, and discover the true capabilities of your monitors.

  • Rolling in the Deep
    1

    Rolling in the Deep

    Adele

    2010

    21

  • November Rain
    2

    November Rain

    Guns N' Roses

    1991

    Use Your Illusion I

  • The Hills
    3

    The Hills

    The Weeknd

    2015

    Beauty Behind The Madness

  • Smells Like Teen Spirit
    4

    Smells Like Teen Spirit

    Nirvana

    1991

    Nevermind (Remastered)

  • Bohemian Rhapsody
    5

    Bohemian Rhapsody

    Queen

    1975

    A Night At The Opera (Deluxe Remastered Version)

  • Sweet Child O' Mine
    6

    Sweet Child O' Mine

    Guns N' Roses

    1987

    Appetite For Destruction

  • Billie Jean
    7

    Billie Jean

    Michael Jackson

    1982

    Thriller

  • Africa
    8

    Africa

    TOTO

    1982

    Toto IV

  • If I Were a Boy
    9

    If I Were a Boy

    Beyoncé

    2008

    I AM...SASHA FIERCE

  • Another Day in Paradise
    10

    Another Day in Paradise

    Phil Collins

    1989

    ...But Seriously (Deluxe Edition)

  • Hotel California
    11

    Hotel California

    Eagles

    1976

    Hotel California (2013 Remaster)

  • Hey Jude
    12

    Hey Jude

    The Beatles

    1968

    With The Beatles (Remastered)

  • Don't Worry Be Happy
    13

    Don't Worry Be Happy

    Bobby McFerrin

    1988

    Simple Pleasures

  • Imagine
    14

    Imagine

    John Lennon

    1971

    Imagine

  • Let's Groove
    15

    Let's Groove

    Earth, Wind , Fire

    1981

  • In The Air Tonight
    16

    In The Air Tonight

    Phil Collins

    1981

    Face Value (Deluxe Editon)

  • Let It Be
    17

    Let It Be

    The Beatles

    1970

    Let It Be (Remastered)

  • Superstition
    18

    Superstition

    Stevie Wonder

    1972

    Talking Book

  • Stairway to Heaven
    19

    Stairway to Heaven

    Led Zeppelin

    1971

    Led Zeppelin IV (Deluxe Edition)

  • Like a Rolling Stone
    20

    Like a Rolling Stone

    Bob Dylan

    1965

    Highway 61 Revisited

  • Be My Baby
    21

    Be My Baby

    The Ronettes

    1963

    Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica

  • Brass Monkey
    22

    Brass Monkey

    Beastie Boys

    1986

  • Bright Lights Bigger City
    23

    Bright Lights Bigger City

    Cee Lo Green

    2010

  • What A Wonderful World
    24

    What A Wonderful World

    Louis Armstrong

    1967

    What A Wonderful World

  • Theme from Jurassic Park
    25

    Theme from Jurassic Park

    John Williams

    1993

  • Time
    26

    Time

    Pink Floyd

    1973

    The Dark Side of the Moon

  • Black Cow
    27

    Black Cow

    Steely Dan

    1977

    Aja

  • Montagues and Capulets
    28

    Montagues and Capulets

    Sergei Prokofiev

    1935

  • Morning
    29

    Morning

    Beck

    2002

  • Flight of the Cosmic Hippo
    30

    Flight of the Cosmic Hippo

    Béla Fleck and the Flecktones

    1991