The 51 best dearest songs of all time, ranked

whitney houston

Whitney Houston.
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  • From Beyoncé and Adele to Etta James and Otis Redding, we ranked the best romantic songs ever made.
  • The list starts off with "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey.
  • "I Volition Ever Love You" by Whitney Houston is our selection for top dear vocal of all time.

fifty. "Hands Downwardly" past Dashboard Confessional (2002)

"My hopes are so high/That your kiss might kill me/And then won't you lot kill me/So I die happy."
Scott Gries/Getty Images

This essential emo/alt-rock love vocal was Dashboard Confessional's first Billboard Pinnacle ten hitting, and rightfully then. "Hands Down" captures the youthful crush stage of love and lust with lyrics perfectly suited for an AIM away message.

Mind to "Hands Down" here.

49. "Hold You in My Arms" by Ray LaMontagne (2004)

Ray LaMontagne performing in New York Urban center in 2005.
Scott Gries/Getty Images

This ballad is a simple, sweetness ode to lazy afternoons spent in the company of a loved one. "Hold You in My Arms" was i of Ray LaMontagne's get-go breakout singles, and remains a staple heard at wedding venues around the country.

Heed to "Hold You in My Arms" here.

48. "Honey On Top" past Beyoncé (2011)

Beyoncé performing "Love On Tiptop" at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
AP

Beyoncé is one of the greatest artists of our generation, with unrivaled vocal talent and a constantly evolving sound and style. "Love On Top" is Beyoncé at her most joyous, belting out lyrics in a way that lets you hear her grin through the words.

Become picket "Homecoming" on Netflix, and I dare you lot not to grin like maniac when "Love On Acme" enters the fix.

Listen to "Love On Top" here.

47. "Crazy for You lot" by Madonna (1985)

Madonna is the queen of pop, and this is her all-time dear song.
Vevo/Madonna

Y'all probably don't call back much about "Vision Quest," the movie for which this song was made, but "Crazy for You lot" is 1 of Madonna's all-time love songs. Information technology also earned Madonna her first of many Grammy Award nominations.

Listen to "Crazy For You" here.

46. "How Deep is Your Beloved" by the Bee Gees (1977)

From left to right, brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb.
Sydney O'Meara/Getty Images

When yous retrieve Bee Gees, you lot probably think dance and disco. But forth with "Emotions" (a fantastic break-up song), "How Deep is Your Honey" is evidence of the Bee Gees' ability to cut to the center of a soulful connection between two people.

Heed to "How Deep is Your Love" here.

45. "Dear Story" past Taylor Swift (2008)

Taylor Swift performing in 2007.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Taylor Swift cemented her role in pop civilization with her heartfelt guitar ballads, and "Honey Story" bridges the gap betwixt her land roots and modern pop music. The song epitomizes the blissfully ignorant days of idyllic young love.

Listen to "Dear Story" here.

44. "When You Say Nothing at All" past Alison Krauss (1995)

This vocal was originally performed by Keith Whitley, but Alison Krauss made it her ain.
Vevo/Alison Krauss

This simple honey ballad was sung gorgeously by country star Allison Krauss. "When Yous Say Cypher at All" captures the condolement and unspoken honey language shared betwixt partners with a timeless message of devotion.

Listen to "When You Say Cipher At All" here.

43. "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes (2005)

Conor Oberst performing in 2004.
Scott Gries/Getty Images

Unproblematic, slightly sad, emotionally resonant. "Commencement Day of My Life" is an emo/indie staple for a reason — Connor Oberst'due south vocalisation beautifully communicates the anguish associated with finally meeting someone who makes you feel every bit if your world has but changed.

Listen to "Start Mean solar day of My Life" here.

42. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler (1983)

Bonnie Tyler in the unforgettable music video for "Total Eclipse of the Heart."
Bonnie Tyler/Vevo

It would be a list of dearest songs without a serious dose of '80s melodrama, and "Full Eclipse of the Heart" is everything we could want in a glam rock carol that fits into our "pining just even so a love song" category.

Heed to "Total Eclipse of the Middle" here.

41. "(Your Beloved Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" past Jackie Wilson (1967)

Nosotros'd groove to this song every day if we could.
Amazon/X5 Music Group

We cartel you lot not to first borer your pes and grinning upon hearing Jackie Wilson'south number i R&B striking vocal "(Your Beloved Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and College," which has rightfully earned a place on any list of the happiest and catchiest dear tunes.

Listen to "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" hither.

xl. "Best of My Love" by The Emotions (1977)

This disco era love song is perfection.
SBME/Amazon

Keeping in our uptempo, neat streak, "Best of My Dear" is a classic found on movie and Television set soundtracks across the decades for proficient reason. You'll be bustling "Oh-o-oho, you've got the best of my love" all day after revisiting this runway.

Listen to "All-time of My Love" here.

39. "Try a Little Tenderness" by Otis Redding (1967)

Otis Redding in 1967.
AP

Sliding into the category of "love advice," this Otis Redding runway needs no introduction. Information technology was already considered a classic, and was solidified in pop culture history when Donkey belted information technology out in "Shrek" and then sampled for Kanye W and Jay-Z'southward "Otis."

Listen to "Try A Little Tenderness" here.

38. "Crazy Niggling Affair Chosen Love" by Queen (1980)

Freddie Mercury, lead vocalist of Queen, in 1982.
Hulton Annal/Getty Images

Queen'due south discography is chock-total of classic hits, but none fits best on the "love song" category than this melody. "Crazy Trivial Thing Called Beloved" is an uptempo, genre-bending unmarried that stands the test of time.

Listen to "Crazy Little Thing Chosen Love" here.

37. "If You're Not the One" past Daniel Bedingfield (2002)

Daniel Bedingfield performing in 2003.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

We know this veers more into heartache territory, but Daniel Bedingfield's "If You're Not the One" is the dance/electro-pop ballad we never knew we needed until information technology was 2002 and you lot couldn't turn on a radio station without hearing it.

Mind to "If You're Not the One" here.

36. "Tin can't Assist Falling in Love" past Elvis Presley (1961)

Elvis Presley sings during a 1973 concert.
Hulton Archive/Getty

Elvis Presley'south original will ever remain the most beloved amongst many encompass versions, from UB40 to Ingrid Michaelson and more than.

Listen to "Can't Help Falling in Love" here.

36. "The All-time" by Tina Turner (1989)

Tina Turner is the goddess of ballads.
AP Photo / Michael Euler

You might at present associate Tina Turner's "The Best" with Pepsi or Applebee'south thanks to its commercial appeal, but this vocal is the ultimate statement of devotion and deserves to be remembered as such.

Listen to "The Best" here.

33. "All My Life" past Thou-Ci & JoJo (1997)

Thou-Ci and JoJo attend the BET Walk of Fame accolade show in 2002.
Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images

Thousand-Ci & JoJo probably didn't realize they were recording a song that would soon become a schoolhouse trip the light fantastic staple, providing the soundtrack to awkwardly adorable PG slow dances everywhere. "All My Life" is the ultimate mix-CD track, movie score option, and karaoke jam, and it's more than than earned its spot on this list.

Listen to "All My Life" here.

32. "Take My Breath Away" past Berlin (1986)

Tom Prowl in "Top Gun."
Paramount Pictures

Both "Top Gun" and the earth of pop dearest songs wouldn't exist the same without "Take My Breath Abroad." We loved Jessica Simpson'south true-blue cover version, but nothing tin can touch the original carol.

Listen to "Take My Breath Away" here.

31. "I Want to Concord Your Mitt" past The Beatles

The Beatles' legacy of songwriting volition alive on for centuries to come.
AP

The simple pleasures of finding love are perfectly expressed in this Beatles song. To be able to only attain out and agree the hand of a person you love is actually all 1 needs, correct?

Listen to "I Desire to Agree Your Mitt" here.

30. "I Would Die 4 U" by Prince (1984)

Prince performing at Super Bowl XLI in Miami, Florida.
Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images

Prince's greatest hits are peppered with a joyous and infectious sense of beloved, but maybe none more than the devoted single "I Would Dice 4 U." The extra inflection Prince added for the line "darlin' if you desire me to" is pure starlight free energy.

Listen to "I Would Dice four U" here.

29. "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths (1986)

Morrissey, the frontman of The Smiths, is a stone music god.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Like others on our list, The Smiths are music legends. "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" is a dearest bittersweet song that stands the test of time thanks to the before-its-time emo message delivered with an English rock vibe.

Listen to "In that location is a Low-cal That Never Goes Out" hither.

28. "Fourth dimension After Time" by Cyndi Lauper (1983)

"If you're lost you lot can expect and you will notice me, time later time."
Portrait

Even so some other '80s archetype to grace our list, "Time After Time" is the sweetly nostalgia-driven pop song that's a karaoke classic (even for "The Role'due south" Kelly Kapoor).

Heed to "Time After Time" hither.

27. "For Once in My Life" past Stevie Wonder (1967)

The song was originally written and released in the earlier '60s as a slow ballad, but Stevie Wonder's version is a slap-up and timeless improvement.
Reuters

Let's face it — a dozen Stevie Wonder songs could be on this list. But the joyous tempo and unproblematic romantic message of "For Once in My Life" helps put information technology over the border of other Stevie classics.

Heed to "For One time In My Life" here.

26. "I'll Brand Love to You" by Boyz Ii Men (1994)

Boyz II Men attend the 20th Ceremony celebration of BET in 2000.
Chris Weeks/Getty Images

This follow-up hitting to "End of the Road" is the perfect ode to doting upon a loved ane.Blending the romantic and physical aspects of love, this sexy "Boyz 2 Men" '90s jam belongs on every beloved playlist.

Listen to "I'll Make Beloved To You lot" here.

25. "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor (1990)

"I tin swallow my dinner in a fancy eating house, but zip — I said nil — can have away these dejection."
YouTube screencap

No, Sinead (and Prince), nothing compares to this song. Both versions are commendable and stunning in their own right, but Sinead O'Connor's holds a special place in the legacy of heartache-fueled artistry.

Listen to "Goose egg Compares ii U" here.

24. "Osculation From a Rose" by Seal (1994)

Need nosotros say more?
AP Photo

No i can belt out a bang-up "baby!" like Seal. People of all ages tin probable sing along to near of this romantic ballad thanks to its utilise in movies and Tv set across the decades.

Listen to "Kiss From A Rose" hither.

23. "Only Similar Sky" by The Cure (1987)

"Show me, show me, show me how you lot do that trick."
Flickr / Taylor Ramos

No other song can sweep you up faster into daydreams about frenzied and absorbing honey the way "Only Like Heaven" does. The Cure is '80s alt-rock at its finest, and this song is one of their best.

Listen to "But Like Heaven" here.

22. "I Beloved You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis (1996)

This rail was from Lewis' debut anthology.
Vevo/Donna Lewis

When the beat kicks into "I Love You Always Forever," you realize what a truthful bop this '90s pop single truly is. Lewis seems to channel Cindy Lauper'south magic, merely a decade later and with slightly more pizzazz.

Listen to "I Beloved You E'er Forever" here.

21. "(Everything I Do) I Exercise It For You" past Bryan Adams (1991)

"Look into my eyes/Yous will encounter/What yous mean to me."
AP photo/Adrian Dennis

The art of parenthetical song titles has truly been lost. Candian vocalist-songwriter Bryan Adams crafted the love song to end all dearest songs with "(Everything I Do) I Do It For Y'all," and we'll never forget him for it.

Listen to "(Everything I Do) I Practice It For You" hither.

20. "My Love" by Justin Timberlake (2006)

This is one of Timberlake'south greatest songs.
Vevo/Justin Timberlake

Pop icon Justin Timberlake broke the mold with "FutureSex/Lovesounds," and "My Love" epitomized his blend of dance/R&B/pop/hip-hop with Timbaland's unrivaled production talents and a smooth, memorable, tricky chorus.

Listen to "My Love" here.

19. "Come up What May" past Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman (2001)

Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman sold the heck out of this vocal.
Twentieth Century Fox

Feel what you must nearly Baz Luhrmann'south "Moulin Rouge!" — this narratively significant love song is one of the best ballads featured in a movie. Always. And if you had dared to forget this fact, Canadian figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir reminded the world of its magic at this by yr'south Olympics.

Listen to "Come What May" here.

17. "Such Great Heights" by The Mail service (2003)

"I am thinking it'southward a sign/That the freckles in our eyes/Are mirror images/And when we buss they're perfectly aligned."
The Postal service

This synth-based electro-popular single captures a special catamenia of time in pop civilization, and remains blissfully timeless despite the changing mural of modern music over the last 15 years.

Listen to "Such Swell Heights" here.

xvi. "Alive With the Glory of Love" by Say Anything (2004)

Say Anything pb vocalist Max Bemis performing in 2008.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

"Live With the Glory of Love" is lusty and lovely and unexpectedly uplifting despite being about atomic number 82 vocaliser Max Bemis' grandparents — both of whom were Holocaust survivors. "Alive With the Glory of Love" is the greatest popular-punk dear song of all fourth dimension.

Listen to "Alive With The Glory Of Dear" here.

15. "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé and Jay-Z

"Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh, no, no."
YouTube/BeyonceVEVO

"Crazy in Love" remains ane of the all-time pop songs of all time, iconic in both its vanquish and the unforgettable music video that went along with information technology. As Beyoncé continues dominating the world as the goddess of the arts, information technology's hard to option just i of her best hits but this has to be the contender for greatest beloved song.

Listen to "Crazy In Love" here.

14. "Ain't No Mount Loftier Plenty" past Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (1967)

Everyone knows and loves this song.
AP Photo/Nancy Kaye

Dear by all generations, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is easily the nigh recognizable and timeless beloved song to e'er grace the music globe.

Heed to "Ain't No Mount High Plenty" here.

13. "Unchained Tune" past The Righteous Brothers (1965)

The Righteous Brothers, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield, were inducted into the Stone and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
AP Photo/Ed Betz

Falling back into the "pining" category, The Righteous Brothers' version of "Unchained Melody" became the most definitive and recognizable takes on this beautifully written ode to loving someone from afar.

Listen to "Unchained Melody" hither.

12. "Your Vocal" past Elton John (1970)

"I hope you don't mind/That I put down in words/How wonderful life is while you're in the globe."
Getty

Sir Elton John's sweet tune was inducted to the Grammys Hall of Fame, and easily earns its place in our list of the best dearest songs. The pure poetry of the piano ballad volition bring out the romantic in anyone.

Listen to "Your Song" hither.

xi. "Nosotros Establish Love" by Rihanna and Calvin Harris (2010)

"It'south the way I'm feeling I simply can't deny."
Vevo/Rihanna

Well-nigh dance pop songs churned out past producers these days won't stand the test of time, but in that location's a magic in "We Found Love" that keeps people returning even a decade afterwards. The gleeful build upward and Rihanna's vocals volition put a lush and loving glow on any trip the light fantastic floor.

Listen to "Nosotros Found Love" here.

10. "In Your Eyes" past Peter Gabriel feat. Youssou Northward'Bleak (1986)

We love everything about this slice of music.
Peter Gabriel

Cracking our top 10 is Peter Gabriel's '80s rock vocal that was cemented in movie civilisation with the 1989 movie "Say Anything" (the same film that gave our earlier choice's band name). "In Your Optics" manages to transcend its cheesiness and strike a romantic chord in our hearts every time.

Heed to "In Your Eyes" hither.

nine. "Your Hand in Mine" by Explosions in the Sky (2003)

Michael James of Explosions in the Heaven on stage in 2016.
/Getty Images

Stone band Explosions in the Sky may non have whatsoever lyrics to accompany its early-2000s unmarried "Your Hand in Mine," but the emotional weight carried past the title and into the building crescendos gives united states chills every time.

Listen to "Your Hand in Mine" here.

8. "The Power of Love" by Celine Dion (1993)

"Cause I'k your laaaaady, and you are my man."
Getty Images / Ethan Miller

"The Power of Love" is amongst the well-nigh heterosexual of all our love songs, and we honey Celine for the sheer strength she brings to this proclamation of woman-on-man bonding (which was originally a 1984 Jennifer Rush vocal).

Listen to "The Power of Love" hither.

seven. "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys (1966)

The Beach Boys together in 1968.
Central Press/Getty Images

"God Only Knows" finds itself at the top of well-nigh "best songs of all fourth dimension" lists for skilful reason. Visionary Brian Wilson crafted some of his all-time work on the 1966 album "Pet Sounds," and this heart-melting rails is one of the record'due south highlights.

Listen to "God Only Knows" hither.

vi. "Make You lot Feel My Beloved" by Adele (2008)

Adele performing in Washington, DC, in 2009.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Though picking one version of "Brand You lot Feel My Honey" is nearly incommunicable, Adele's rendition on "19" is devastatingly beautiful (and in one case over again falls into our "pining" category). Adele is serving up an emotional educational activity to us all, and we're here for the lesson.

Listen to "Make You Feel My Dearest" hither.

v. "Thinkin' Bout You lot" by Frank Sea (2012)

"Or do you not recollect then far ahead? 'Cause I been thinkin bout forever."
Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Frank Ocean is 1 of the most enigmatic creators working in music today. And while "Forrest Gump" and other singles commitment equally gorgeous tones of heartache and love, "Thinkin Bout You lot" sits on your brain with an uncanny warmth — even by Frank Ocean standards.

Listen to "Thinkin Bout Yous" here.

4. "At Last" by Etta James (1960)

Etta James performs at the Vine St. Bar & Grill in Hollywood, 1987.
AP Photograph/Alison Wise

Few other songs tin obsess a room with just the offset several notes, but "At Concluding" does merely that. This Etta James beauty has remained an unmovable classic love vocal for the ages, and we promise the spell lasts forever.

Listen to "At Terminal" hither.

iii. "Yous Make Loving Fun" by Fleetwood Mac (1977)

Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" is a rare perfect anthology.
Mike Segar/Reuters

Bringing us back to the uptempo rock genre of love songs, "Y'all Brand Loving Fun" is an easy, craven-soup-for-the-soul kind of classic.Sweetness wonderful you, indeed.

Listen to "You lot Brand Loving Fun" hither.

2. "September" by Earth, Wind, and Burn

"Do you lot remember the 21st night of September?"
Earth Air current and Fire

Funk group Earth, Wind, and Fire crafted one of the best songs of the century in "September," and the bonus for us is that it'due south a delightful dearest song to kick. One-half the song is simple, joyful belting of "Ba de ya," and we wouldn't take it whatsoever other way.

Mind to "September" here.

1. "I Volition Always Love Yous" past Whitney Houston (1992)

Whitney Houston lives on through her music.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Even so another ballad fabricated iconic by a moving-picture show, "I Will Always Love You" has transcended its meaning in "The Bodyguard" and become the root of Whitney Houston's legacy. Her unrivaled song ability and intense emotional performance makes Houston's "I Volition E'er Love You" (which was originally a Dolly Parton hit) the greatest dear song of all time.

Listen to "I Will Ever Love You" here.

This is an opinion cavalcade. The thoughts expressed are those of the author(s).

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