The 51 best love songs of all time, ranked

Kim RenfroMay 5, 2020, 23:37 IST

Business Insider

From Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to Adele and classics like Etta James and Otis Redding, we ranked the best romantic songs across the decades.
The list starts off with "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey.
"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston (originally written and performed by Dolly Parton) is our pick for top love song of all time.
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From modern music magicians like Frank Ocean to classic groups including the Bee Gees and Earth, Wind, and Fire, there are many songs every music aficionado should listen to in their lifetime. But let's focus on the romantic side of musical storytelling. We're here to rank the best love songs ever penned in history.

Keep reading for a look at the greatest love songs of all time.

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1. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston (1992)

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

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

"Do you remember the 21st night of September?" Earth Wind and Fire

3. "You Make Loving Fun" by Fleetwood Mac (1977)

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

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

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

5. "Thinkin' Bout You" by Frank Ocean (2012)

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

6. "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele (2008)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10. "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel feat. Youssou N'Dour (1986)

We love everything about this piece of music. Peter Gabriel

11. "We Found Love" by Rihanna and Calvin Harris (2010)

"It's the way I'm feeling I just can't deny." Vevo/Rihanna

12. "Your Song" by Elton John (1970)

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

13. "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers (1965)

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

14. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (1967)

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

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

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

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

Say Anything lead singer Max Bemis performing in 2008. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

17. "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service (2003)

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

18. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Roberta Flack (1972)

Roberta Flack in 1972. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

"Look into my eyes/You will see/What you mean to me." AP photo/Adrian Dennis

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

This track was from Lewis' debut album. Vevo/Donna Lewis

23. "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure (1987)

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

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

Need we say more? AP Photo

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

"I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant, but nothing — I said nothing — can take away these blues." YouTube screencap

26. "I'll Make Love to You" by Boyz II Men (1994)

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

27. "For Once in My Life" by 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 great and timeless improvement. Reuters

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

"If you're lost you can look and you will find me, time after time." Portrait

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

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

30. "I Would Die 4 U" by Prince (19847)

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

31. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles

The Beatles' legacy of songwriting will live on for centuries to come. AP

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

Tom Cruise in "Top Gun." Paramount Pictures

33. "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo (1997)

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

36. "The Best" by Tina Turner (1989)

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

35. "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner (1984)

Foreigner captured peak '80s rock love ballad. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Live Nation

36. "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley (1961)

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

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

Daniel Bedingfield performing in 2003. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

38. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen (1980)

Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen, in 1982. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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

Otis Redding in 1967. AP

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

This disco era love song is perfection. SBME/Amazon

41. "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" by Jackie Wilson (1967)

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

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

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

Conor Oberst performing in 2004. Scott Gries/Getty Images

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

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

45. "Love Story" by Taylor Swift (2008)

Taylor Swift performing in 2007. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

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

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

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

Madonna is the queen of pop, and this is her best love song. Vevo/Madonna

48. "Love On Top" by Beyoncé (2011)

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

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

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

50. "Hands Down" by Dashboard Confessional (2002)

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

51. "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey (2005)

Mariah Carey is a pop ballad queen, and this is among her best work. YouTube/MariahCareyVEVO

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