K.K. Slider has been a staple of the Animal Crossing franchise from the very start, and he's the center of attention in the latest installment of the series. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the resident representative's goal is to grow the town enough so that K.K. would notice and come play tunes for the local residents.
Once this happens, the player will have quite the collection of songs that can be requested. K.K. is a versatile artist who can create a hit in almost any genre, so its no wonder he has been able to write 95 songs and counting. But which ones are his best? It's a matter of preference, but here's the top 10 any K.K. fan should listen to.
10 K.K. Bossa
This track is memorable in the Animal Crossing franchise because it was performed by K.K. in the film Dōbutsu no Mori, better known in the U.S. as Animal Crossing: The Movie. Margie, the villager who requested the song in the movie, has the song playing in her house in most of the games. The song is based on bossa nova music, which originated in Brazil and is known for its jazzy nature. The album cover features the famous sidewalk wave design of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, and also features Frank, whose design was inspired by the Brazillian yellow-faced parrot.
9 K.K. Disco
This funky bop is sure to get the player's feet moving. It is one of the newer songs in the series, with its first appearance in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The song is based on the popular music genre of the 1970s which famously became the butt of many jokes entering the 80s and later fell out of mainstream popularity. That said, its influence is still felt today, and K.K.'s song brings the listener right back to those clubs from a half-century ago. The album cover features K.K. and Fuchsia dancing under the disco ball.
8 Spring Blossoms
This track has been around since the very first game but was not obtainable until Animal Crossing: City Folk. In older games, this song would be performed if the player requested a tune that K.K. didn't know. It is inspired by Japanese folk music and was pulled from the Cherry Blossom Festival theme of Doubutsu no Mori and Doubutsu no Mori+, two of the early Animal Crossing games in Japan.
There are quite a few notable villagers under the cherry blossom tree with K.K. Slider on the cover, including Katt, Peck, Rocco, and Limberg.
7 K.K. Lullaby
Its music anyone can fall asleep to, for the right reason, of course. While K.K.'s live rendition of the song is more haunting, the aircheck version is played like a music box that can be put on for some relaxation. The ending of the song even plays like the restarting of a music box, as the last few notes play in reverse as if it were being rewound. On the cover, K.K. is a baby in the arms of Daisy. Gabi stands on the side watching Daisy rock the baby to sleep.
6 Stale Cupcakes
Let's keep the sad-sounding song train rolling. Similar to "Spring Blossoms," this song was originally in the game as a tune that plays when the player requests a song that doesn't exist. Implemented as an obtainable song in City Folk, this song sings a tune that would likely play at the lowest points in a film or TV show, with a montage of the main character walking down the street in the rain. Regardless, it is still a pretty song that can be appreciated even if the listener isn't in a gloomy mood.
5 Forest Life
A callback to the GameCube days, as this track was based on the theme of the first U.S. version of the game, Animal Crossing: Population Growing. It was among the first "invalid songs" created that later became obtainable in Animal Crossing: Wild World. The aircheck of this song is considered an example of minimalism, using simple instruments to recreate the iconic sound. This song is one of the most frequently-played in villager homes, with 27 villagers having it on at least once in the five main installments and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer.
4 Drivin'
This is the perfect music to listen to while driving on the highway at night, or while playing Mario Kart. This is a newly-obtainable song in New Horizons, while it could be heard as a possible tune following an invalid song request in New Leaf. It is inspired by jazz fusion, with the use of piano, guitar, and synth drums in the aircheck. The album art is inspired by famous jazz label Blue Note Records, which was known for putting an artist in front of black background and using simple designs to make the album stand out.
3 Go K.K. Rider
Imagine if K.K. Slider was a speed demon in his own television show and think about what the theme song would be like. This song embodies that and is one of the most action-packed, thrilling songs of his collection. It is inspired heavily by the Kamen Rider series, which was known for its motorcycle-racing superhero.
RELATED: Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Every Fruit, Ranked
This song is also notable because a remix version of the song appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and all subsequent games after that have the "Smashville" stage on it.
2 Bubblegum K.K.
Introduced in New Leaf, this bop has captured the heart of many Animal Crossing fans. The song is inspired heavily by the bubblegum pop genre, which was popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This happy-go-lucky song is sure to brighten anyone's mood, especially with two vibrant characters on its front cover in Chrissy and Francine. Similar to "Go K.K. Rider," this song was officially remixed for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U for its "Town and City" stage.
1 K.K. Cruisin'
Another cult favorite of the Animal Crossing fanbase, this track is perfect for walking through the city. This song is influenced by a popular genre of the 1990s called G-funk, which falls beneath the umbrella of hip-hop. K.K. Slider appears on the album cover of the song in a black suit wearing gold chains, which is likely inspired by popular artist Snoop Dogg. Like the last two songs, this appears in the Super Smash Bros. franchise. However, it appears only when K.K. Slider performs in "Smashville."