What Is Love was released by Trinidadian-German singer Haddaway in 1993 and became a global Eurodance hit, later gaining a second life through its famous use in the 1998 film A Night at the Roxbury. The song's instantly familiar chorus made it a staple of clubs, radio, and party playlists before short clips spread across video platforms and meme edits. Today the hook is used less as a full song and more as shorthand for romance, confidence, and nineties nostalgia, instantly signalling the joke even when listeners hear only a few notes.
About this sound
The iconic hook from Haddaway's What Is Love, used in memes and video edits to soundtrack awkward romance, sudden attraction, or a comedic reveal.
What Is Love is a brief, instantly recognisable burst of Haddaway's 1993 dance-pop hit, built around its driving synth rhythm and the singer's urgent, melodic hook. Even in a fraction of a second, the polished Eurodance production and familiar melody signal romance, longing, or comic overconfidence to viewers who have heard it countless times in films, clubs, and memes. It lands like a punchline, turning an ordinary glance, entrance, or slow-motion moment into something dramatic and slightly absurd, which is why editors use it to heighten attraction, irony, or nostalgic nineties energy.
