Will Smith’s Top Five Songs: His Personal Ranking

August 20, 20253 min read

We all remember what happened with Will Smith. Once the biggest movie star for over two decades, his career took a hit after a notorious incident at the 2022 Oscars. Upset by a joke aimed at his wife, he walked onto the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock in front of millions. It’s a moment that remains shocking, recalling little else in celebrity culture, perhaps only Kanye West’s interruption of Taylor Swift comes close.

Since that fateful night, Smith has faced challenges in regaining his footing in Hollywood. He has not adequately addressed the incident, often sidestepping responsibility and focusing instead on his personal journey—starting with his complicated relationship with Jada Pinkett-Smith, which often plays out in the media.

On the music front, Smith has been making a return to his roots. His music career has indeed been impressive, with over 50 million albums sold since his debut with Big Willie Style in 1997, alongside 25 million singles, featuring chart-toppers like “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” and “Men in Black,” both of which are Multi-Platinum. His collaborations with DJ Jazzy Jeff as the Fresh Prince also brought in 5.5 million more album sales, particularly for the beloved summer anthem “Summertime.”

Despite the backlash from ‘the slap,’ Smith remains a talented artist. He won an Academy Award shortly after the incident for his role in King Richard, and his blockbusters like Independence Day and I, Robot have grossed more than $10 billion collectively.

Recently, Smith shared his top five songs in a blind ranking for Capital Radio. He confidently placed “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit’ It” at number three and his 2005 hit “Switch” at number five. Coming in at number two was his iconic song “Miami,” featuring Eva Mendes in the music video. When he heard the theme from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, he admitted to rethinking his rankings and tentatively placed it at number four. Finally, he proudly named “Summertime” as his top song, the laid-back classic that resonated with fans during his rise to fame from the TV show in 1991. “There it is,” he said, “I’ve done quite well.”

As he promotes his upcoming tour, which includes performances in stunning venues like Scarborough Open Air Theatre, Smith has also released a new single titled “Pretty Girls.” While it may not be his best work—featuring the lyrics “Heads, shoulders, knees and toes”—it shows that he’s still willing to venture into new artistic territory. Seriously, check out the video if you dare.