Millennials are the children of Generation X and grandchildren of the Baby Boomers. Just Dance was released in 2009 and had a target audience of young Millennials. Born in 1981-1996 the younger end of Millennials were only ten years old when the game was released (the oldest in the generation being twenty-eight years old). Just Dance was released with a rating of ten plus creating a game palatable to the youngest of this generation. As Millennials were the youngest generation of age to play the game they were likely interested in current music released in the early to late 2000s. This type of music would have been the soundtrack to their childhoods including the popular genres of pop and hip hop. Some of the songs selected by Just Dance to catch the youth's interest included songs like those evaluated on this page.
"Who Let the Dogs Out" by Baha Men was released in 2000 and became popular after appearances in the soundtracks of Rugrats in Paris: The Movie and Men in Black II. The song hit number 2 in UK Singles and 1 in the Australia Chart. Contrary to the way the song is expressed in Just Dance, the song has feminist undertones effectively calling out men who catcall women in the streets. Dyson Knight, a member of Baha Men, explained how "Who Let the Dogs Out" was actually a "man-bashing song" emphasizing the phrase "who let the dogs out" referring to men as "dogs". This song introduces a very mature theme to the young target audience of Just Dance, but in the music video, we actually see Just Dance altering the meaning of the song to make it more palatable to Millennials. The dancer in the video wears a dog costume, making the song much more approachable to a younger audience. The blatant message of the song is overshadowed by the friendly nature of the costume and the just as friendly and fun accompanying dance moves. Even though the message of the song is lost in Just Dance, the popularity of the song and the iconic chant "who, who, who" that kids can sing along to is enough to draw them in and keep them satisfied.
"Womanizer" by Britney Spears was released in 2008 as one of the most popular songs in her album Circus. The song in the game was a cover sung by The Gym All Stars. Just like the aforementioned song, "Womanizer" has a deeper message than just a simple pop song for its audience. The song addresses a man who is charming but unfaithful, and the lyrics highlight the Spears' recognition of his manipulative ways. It’s about seeing through the façade of a “womanizer” and refusing to be fooled or taken advantage of. The song started out as number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its first week but quickly jumped to spot number one the following week. "Womanizer" has sold 3.5 million digital downloads in the United States and is Spears's top song of all time. In the videogame, the song is portrayed with high-energy and confident choreography that captures the essence of the song’s themes. The dance routine emphasizes bold and sassy moves, reflecting the empowering tone of the lyrics. The theme of empowerment found in this song is highly reflected in Just Dance's portrayal. When the game was released, Britney Spears’ music had been widely known and the inclusion of her most popular song in the videogame was sure to draw a younger audience in. While the original message of the song focuses on manipulation and women's empowerment, Just Dance attempts to focus the audience's attention on the catchy rhythms, beats, and dance moves to make the song more marketable to the Millennial generation.
"Hot n Cold" by Katy Perry was released in 2008 one year before the release of Just Dance. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. The song's lyrics emphasize a relationship with an inconsistent partner who is not fully committed to the relationship. This theme is prevalent in the Just Dance version on the song in the character choice and the emotion elicited from the dance moves. The woman dancing in Just Dance's video is wearing a wedding dress identical to the one that Perry wears in her iconic music video. The wedding dress that Perry wears symbolizes a seriousness and commitment to her relationship with the man that she sings about. The dancer in the videogame also demonstrates a frustration in her dance moves that carries over to the theme of the song of indecisiveness. The dance moves for Hot n Cold are designed to be energetic and easy for kids to replicate. The choreography includes exaggerated, silly movements that keep the routine lighthearted and entertaining. Distracting from the deeper themes of the song, Just Dance is able to easily market the song as a highlight of the game to their younger audience. At this point, Katy Perry was a very recognizable figure in the pop market with her success of "Hot n Cold" and her other well-known song "I Kissed a Girl". Millennials infatuated with pop culture would have been more likely to purchase the game with a featured song by Katy Perry.