Wooden spoons are doubling as microphones in kitchens across Britain, as six in ten people (59%) say they love turning up the tunes for an impromptu kitchen disco, new research reveals.
And when the music starts, anything goes, with more than a quarter (26%) admitting they have grabbed a kitchen utensil, such as a wooden spoon, and used it as a makeshift microphone.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults1, commissioned by home improvement retailer Wickes, found that a third (33%) believe the kitchen is the best room in the house for a boogie, while more than eight in ten (88%) insist it really is the heart of the family home.
Saturday is the most popular day for a kitchen disco, according to half of those polled, with the typical party kicking off at around 3.30pm and lasting for 37 minutes – just enough time to work off lunch or build up an appetite for dinner.
For one in five, what began as a civilised party has even ended in guests abandoning their seats and taking over the kitchen dancefloor. And it’s the sounds of the eighties that are most likely to get families throwing shapes, with 43% favouring hits from the decade. This is followed by 37% opting for nineties pop classics, and 29% preferring to turn up the volume for a rock anthem.
Some of the nation’s favourite disco tracks have also been revealed, including the likes of Queen and Abba, while Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners also hits the list with 19%.
Just behind are Journey’s air-punching classic Don’t Stop Believin’
Dancefloor favourites Uptown Funk, It’s Raining Men, Simply the Best and Sex on Fire were each backed by 17%, while eighties favourites including a-ha’s Take on Me, Toto’s Africa, the Bee Gees’ Night Fever and Madonna’s Vogue also feature in the wider list.
They’re joined by crowd-pleasers from Fleetwood Mac, Van Morrison and Sister Sledge, alongside newer favourites from Rihanna, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa and Sabrina Carpenter, showing kitchen discos span the generations and proving that families do not only rely on golden oldies to get the party started.
To bring the findings to life, Wickes has partnered with Bauer Media to launch Kimberley Walsh’s Kitchen Rhythms with Wickes playlist – 15-tracks designed for cooking, cleaning and dancing at home – available on Magic Radio and available on Rayo.
Music is already helping Brits take the drudgery out of everyday kitchen jobs, with 58% saying it makes washing up easier.
Half (50%) put on tunes while cooking dinner, while 46% listen when mopping the floor and 38% do so while wiping down surfaces.
More than half (55%) say music is vital for motivating them to clean the kitchen, while 46% choose what to play depending on their mood.
When it comes to the family member with the best moves, mum takes the crown, with a third (32%) saying she can throw the best shapes. Dad comes second on 21%, narrowly beating the family teenager on 20%.
Nearly three in ten families (29%) even have a special family anthem – a go-to track guaranteed to get everyone singing, dancing or reminiscing together – while over two in five (41%) believe a shared family boogie brings the generations together and helps everyone feel closer.
The findings reflect the role kitchens play beyond cooking, with Wickes Design Consultants seeing customers increasingly looking for spaces that work just as well for spending time together and entertaining, as they do for everyday meals.
Kitchen islands and breakfast bars create social hubs within the home, while clever storage solutions and layered lighting help keep spaces practical and welcoming. The Wickes Design Consultants are experts in creating a space equally suited to family mealtimes, entertaining guests and those spontaneous moments that bring people together.
Paul Bangs, Category Director of Kitchens and Bathrooms at Wickes, added: “The kitchen really is the heart of the home, and our research shows it’s now also the dance floor for many families. A kitchen needs to work hard for everyday life, from cooking and cleaning to entertaining, and those spontaneous moments that bring everyone together. We have a range of kitchens at Wickes and a team of experts to help create a kitchen you love spending time in, whether that’s for cooking or having an impromptu dance.”
THE NATION’S TOP KITCHEN DISCO ANTHEMS
Don’t Stop me Now – Queen – 28%
Dancing Queen – Abba – 27%
Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi – 25%
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen – 23%
Waterloo – Abba – 21%
Summer of 69 – Bryan Adams – 21%
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond – 20%
I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston – 20%
Mr Brightside – The Killers – 19%
Come on Eileen – Dexys Midnight Runners – 19%
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey – 18%
9 to 5 – Dolly Parton – 18%
Happy – Pharrell Williams – 18%
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars – 17%
It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls – 17%
Simply the Best – Tina Turner – 17%
Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon – 17%
Take on Me – a-ha – 16%
Umbrella – Rihanna – 16%
Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera – 16%
Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac – 15%
Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader – 15%
Hips Don’t Lie – Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean – 15%
Night Fever – Bee Gees – 14%
Africa – Toto – 14%
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison – 14%
Blame It on the Boogie – The Jackson 5 – 14%
We Are Family – Sister Sledge – 13%
All Night Long – Lionel Richie – 13%
Town Called Malice – The Jam – 13%
Single Ladies – Beyoncé – 12%
We Found Love – Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris – 12%
Valerie – Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse – 12%
You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes – 12%
Proud Mary – Tina Turner – 12%
Hey Ya! – Outkast – 11%
Crazy in Love – Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z – 11%
Toxic – Britney Spears – 11%
Can’t Stop the Feeling! – Justin Timberlake – 11%
Flowers – Miley Cyrus – 11%
Could You Be Loved – Bob Marley and the Wailers – 11%
Respect – Aretha Franklin – 11%
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor – Arctic Monkeys – 11%
Spinning Around – Kylie Minogue – 10%
Jump Around – House of Pain – 10%
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd – 10%
Vogue – Madonna – 9%
Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes – 9%
Sorry – Justin Bieber – 9%
Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles – 8%
Freed from Desire – Gala – 8%
Drop It Like It’s Hot – Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams – 8%
Dance Monkey – Tones and I – 8%
Superstition – Stevie Wonder – 8%
Style – Taylor Swift – 7%
Blinding Lights – The Streets – 7%
Something Kinda Ooooh – Girls Aloud – 6%
New Rules – Dua Lipa – 6%
Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter – 5%
Over and Over – Hot Chip – 3%
From tailored advice in store to working with expert Design Consultants, Wickes helps make kitchen dreams a reality. Wickes offers a free design service including a home visit and measure. Book your free appointment today at wickes.co.uk/
