The exposure of young people to alcohol in the media is a major concern given its potential impact on drinking behaviours. Young people spend increasing amounts of time listening to popular music, within which US studies have found a growth in alcohol references and brand promotion. Little information exists on alcohol-related content in UK popular music despite its international influence. We examined the lyrics of Top 10 UK singles in 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 for references to alcohol. Prevalence of alcohol references increased sharply between 2001 and 2011, when almost one in five (18.5%) songs referred to alcohol and one in eight (12.6%) to heavy drinking. In multivariate analyses, alcohol-related lyrical content was associated with the year 2011, Urban music genres (R&B/Rap/Hip-Hop) and artists from the USA. Alcohol-related references were often positively framed, linking alcohol use to valued attributes and favourable outcomes. Up to 3.0% of songs contained branded alcohol references. Further research should identify the impacts of alcohol references in lyrics on drinking attitudes and behaviours. Health and other professionals should recognize increased alcohol promotion in popular music and ensure this does not reinforce binge drinking culture or contribute to already high burdens of alcohol on young people.