The Ultimate Z-Side: Exploring the Quirky World of “Z” Song Titles

When we think of legendary song titles, our minds usually drift to the classics starting with A or I—think “All You Need Is Love,” “Imagine,” or “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” But music history hides a fascinating, eccentric subculture at the very back of the alphabetical line: songs that start with the letter Z.

Far from being an afterthought, tracks beginning with Z often belong to artists who wanted to shake things up, lean into science fiction, evoke buzzing energy, or simply stand out in a sea of conformity.