Love songs are the most permanent currency in popular music. They travel across decades. They survive format changes, streaming wars, and shifting trends. Above all, they endure because they speak to something constant. From wedding aisles to late-night drives, from first dances to final goodbyes, these records become markers of personal history.
The 1960s gave us the emotional directness of “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King and the tenderness of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley. The 1970s leaned into introspection with “Your Song. by Elton John. The 1980s turned love into widescreen drama, from “Purple Rain” by Prince to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler.
By the 1990s, power ballads dominated radio. “My Heart Will Go On” by Céline Dion became a global phenomenon, while “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith defined cinematic romance. The 2000s and 2010s ushered in confessional songwriting. “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey restored a superstar’s reign. “All of Me” by John Legend turned vulnerability into a wedding standard. “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran followed with modern classic status.
Below, we rank the 100 greatest love songs in history.
100. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams (1991)
Album: Waking Up the Neighbours / Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Soundtrack
99. Make You Feel My Love – Adele (2008)
Album: 19
98. Warwick Avenue – Duffy (2008)
Album: Rockferry
97. Always Remember Us This Way – Lady Gaga (2018)
Album: A Star Is Born Soundtrack
96. You Make It Real – James Morrison (2008)
Album: Songs for You, Truths for Me
95. When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge (1966)
Album: When a Man Loves a Woman
94. Love On Top – Beyoncé (2011)
Album: 4
93. How Do I Live – LeAnn Rimes (1997)
Album: You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
92. Last Request – Paolo Nutini (2006)
Album: These Streets
91. Save Tonight – Eagle-Eye Cherry (1997)
Album: Desireless
90. She’s Always a Woman – Billy Joel (1977)
Album: The Stranger
89. L-O-V-E – Nat King Cole (1965)
Album: L-O-V-E
88. I Want to Know What Love Is – Foreigner (1984)
Album: Agent Provocateur
87. Lego House – Ed Sheeran (2011)
Album: +
86. I’m With You – Avril Lavigne (2002)
Album: Let Go
85. We Belong Together – Mariah Carey (2005)
Album: The Emancipation of Mimi
84. When You Say Nothing at All – Ronan Keating (1999)
Album: Notting Hill Soundtrack / Ronan
83. There’s Nothing Holding Me Back – Shawn Mendes (2016)
Album: Illuminate
82. Delicate – Taylor Swift (2017)
Album: reputation
81. She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5 (2002)
Album: Songs About Jane
80. Back for Good – Take That (1995)
Album: Nobody Else
79. Take Me Home – Jess Glynne (2015)
Album: I Cry When I Laugh
78. My Love Is Your Love – Whitney Houston (1998)
Album: My Love Is Your Love
77. Kiss From a Rose – Seal (1994)
Album: Seal / Batman Forever Soundtrack
76. Stand By Me – Ben E. King (1961)
Album: Don’t Play That Song!
75. Your Song – Elton John (1970)
Album: Elton John
74. Versace on the Floor – Bruno Mars (2016)
Album: 24K Magic
73. The One That Got Away – Katy Perry (2010)
Album: Teenage Dream
72. The Reason – Hoobastank (2003)
Album: The Reason
71. You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift (2008)
Album: Fearless
70. Complicated – Avril Lavigne (2002)
Album: Let Go
69. Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) – Train (2001)
Album: Drops of Jupiter
68. Fast Car – Tracy Chapman (1988)
Album: Tracy Chapman
67. Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran (2014)
Album: x
66. Love Story – Taylor Swift (2008)
Album: Fearless
65. Killing Me Softly with His Song – Roberta Flack (1973)
Album: Killing Me Softly
64. I Have Nothing – Whitney Houston (1992)
Album: The Bodyguard Soundtrack
63. I’ll Stand By You – Pretenders (1994)
Album: Last of the Independents
62. If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys (2003)
Album: The Diary of Alicia Keys
61. Just Give Me a Reason – P!nk & Nate Ruess (2012)
Album: The Truth About Love
60. Better in Time – Leona Lewis (2007)
Album: Spirit
59. I’ll Make Love to You – Boyz II Men (1994)
Album: II
58. I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing – Aerosmith (1998)
Album: Armageddon Soundtrack
57. It’s All Coming Back to Me Now – Céline Dion (1996)
Album: Falling into You
56. Lover – Taylor Swift (2019)
Album: Lover
55. Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper (1983)
Album: She’s So Unusual
54. Unconditionally – Katy Perry (2013)
Album: Prism
53. A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay (2014)
Album: Ghost Stories
52. Without You – Mariah Carey (1993)
Album: Music Box
51. A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton (2002)
Album: Be Not Nobody
50. I Try – Macy Gray (1999)
Album: On How Life Is
49. Saving All My Love for You – Whitney Houston (1985)
Album: Whitney Houston
48. New Year’s Day – Taylor Swift (2017)
Album: reputation
47. Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You – George Benson (1985)
Album: 20/20
46. Endless Love – Lionel Richie & Diana Ross (1981)
Album: Endless Love Soundtrack
45. Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis (2007)
Album: Spirit
44. Fix You – Coldplay (2005)
Album: X&Y
43. Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler (1983)
Album: Faster Than the Speed of Night
42. Girls Like You – Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B (2017)
Album: Red Pill Blues
41. You’re Beautiful – James Blunt (2004)
Album: Back to Bedlam
40. You’re The First, The Last, My Everything – Barry White (1974)
Album: Can’t Get Enough
39. Truly Madly Deeply – Savage Garden (1997)
Album: Savage Garden
38. Wherever You Will Go – The Calling (2001)
Album: Camino Palmero
37. Out of Reach – Gabrielle (2001)
Album: Bridget Jones’s Diary Soundtrack
36. Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers (1971)
Album: Just As I Am
35. Take My Breath Away – Berlin (1986)
Album: Top Gun Soundtrack
34. No One – Alicia Keys (2007)
Album: As I Am
33. Apologize – OneRepublic (2007)
Album: Dreaming Out Loud
32. Heaven – Bryan Adams (1984)
Album: Reckless
31. Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer (1997)
Album: Sixpence None the Richer
30. Love Me Like You Do – Ellie Goulding (2015)
Album: Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack
29. Shallow – Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper (2018)
Album: A Star Is Born Soundtrack
28. Angels – Robbie Williams (1997)
Album: Life Thru a Lens
27. Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley (1961)
Album: Blue Hawaii Soundtrack
26. The Night We Met – Lord Huron (2015)
Album: Strange Trails
25. The Man Who Can’t Be Moved – The Script (2008)
Album: The Script
24. Every Breath You Take – The Police (1983)
Album: Synchronicity
23. Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol (2006)
Album: Eyes Open
22. Somewhere Only We Know – Keane (2004)
Album: Hopes and Fears
21. Say You Won’t Let Go – James Arthur (2016)
Album: Back from the Edge
20. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri (2011)
Album: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Soundtrack
19. I Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin (1968)
Album: Aretha Now
18. At Last – Etta James (1960)
Album: At Last!
17. Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers (1965)
Album: Just Once in My Life
16. Just The Way You Are – Bruno Mars (2010)
Album: Doo-Wops & Hooligans
15. Photograph – Ed Sheeran (2014)
Album: x
14. The Scientist – Coldplay (2002)
Album: A Rush of Blood to the Head
13. Careless Whisper – George Michael (1984)
Album: Make It Big
12. Stay – Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko (2012)
Album: Unapologetic
11. All of Me – John Legend (2013)
Album: Love in the Future
10. Purple Rain – Prince (1984)
Album: Purple Rain
9. Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinéad O’Connor (1990)
Album: I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
8. Halo – Beyoncé (2008)
Album: I Am… Sasha Fierce
7. Yellow – Coldplay (2000)
Album: Parachutes
6. True – Spandau Ballet (1983)
Album: True
5. Perfect – Ed Sheeran (2017)
Album: ÷
4. My Heart Will Go On – Céline Dion (1997)
Album: Let’s Talk About Love / Titanic Soundtrack
3. Iris – The Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
Album: Dizzy Up the Girl / City of Angels Soundtrack
2. With or Without You – U2 (1987)
Album: The Joshua Tree
1. I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston (1992)
Album: The Bodyguard Soundtrack
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