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February 10, 2012
The 50 Greatest Love Songs of All Time
Read this first! Bloggers, DJs, and critics helped us assemble this comprehensive list of great love songs. In the fall, we divided them up by decade, but in consolidating them, we've dropped some, moved up others, and rearranged with an eye towards timelessness, which means in many cases the older songs got the edge. (Honestly, you would've freaked out if we'd put Foo Fighters over Etta James.)
Before you tell us what we missed, a few notes. One, we excluded breakup songs and come-back-to-me songs and please-sleep-with-me songs. These are love songs — songs you could play to your current squeeze immediately after saying, "Steve/Miriam, this song explains my feelings for you, which may be nuanced but are ultimately positive," and not expect to sleep on the couch. Two, we limited it to one song per principal songwriter. Lastly, this list goes back to 1960, which we feel represents the dawn of pop music as we know it, but we apologize to Edith Piaf, Frank Sinatra, Mozart, et al. Okay, now you can tell us what we missed. Have fun! — The Nerve Editors
And don't forget to check out our Spotify playlist for the 50 Greatest Love Songs of All Time.
50. Crowded House, "Don't Dream It's Over" (1986)
Despite being memorably featured in the 90210 episode where Brenda and Dylan break up, this is not a breakup song. Instead, it's a defiant song of recommitment from singer Neil Finn to his wife. It's as perfectly constructed as it is touching in its "us against the world" spirit. — Peter Smith
Listen: Crowded House, "Don't Dream It's Over"
49. The Magnetic Fields, "The Book of Love" (1999)
The Magnetic Fields are nothing if not frank: "The book of love is long and boring... Some of it is just really dumb." But that candor only makes their earnest tenderness more affecting, when they sing, "I love it when you read to me, and you can read me anything." Bonus points for making reading romantic. — Kristin Hunt
Listen: The Magnetic Fields, "The Book of Love"
48. AIR, "Playground Love" (2000)
Teens in lust are a common pop-song topic, but this haunting theme from The Virgin Suicides turns hormonal hot-bloodedness into cool, clear devotion. "Anytime, anywhere, you're my playground love," purrs Thomas Marz, years ahead of his wider fame with Phoenix. Blanketed by smooth, subtle horns, he sounds like he's swirling a brandy years later, reliving a moment of infatuation he's now certain was the truest love he'll ever know. — Jeff Klingman
Listen: AIR, "Playground Love"
47. Modern English, "I Melt With You" (1982)
With bubbly keyboards and a thin, jerky guitar line, "I Melt With You" makes everyone dance — usually in a dorky, euphoric manner, relying on a lot of spinning and jumping up and down. If that's not a commentary on love, I don't know what is. — Colette McIntyre
Listen: Modern English, "I Melt With You"
46. The Righteous Brothers, "Unchained Melody" (1965)
Forget about Ghost. Just focus on Bobby Hatfield's spine-tingling vocal performance and Phil Spector's wall-of-sound production, both of which build slowly, until they become a tidal wive that threatens to overwhelm you... kind of like love. — Alex Heigl
Listen: The Righteous Brothers, "Unchained Melody"
45. The Four Tops, "I Can't Help Myself" (1965)
Forget Olivia Newton-John — The Four Tops are the best at hopeless devotion. However much their sugarpie honey bunch goes in and out of their life, these guys will always come running, in truly head-over-heels fashion. — K.H.
Listen: The Four Tops, "I Can't Help Myself"
44. Tears For Fears, "Head Over Heels" (1985)
While the first few synth chords will never let you forget what year it was, Curt Smith's voice and Roland Orzabal's lyrics never get old. "Head Over Heels" perfectly captures the feeling of being blindsided by love — how scary and thrilling it can be, all at once. — Carlos Cabrera
Listen: Tears For Fears, "Head Over Heels"
43. Norah Jones, "Come Away With Me" (2002)
Now that it's won eight Grammies and sold exactly one bazillion copies, it's hard to remember how anachronistically fresh Come Away With Me sounded in 2002. The smoky, elegant title track turns a simple entreaty into a world unto itself — one you can take someone's hand and escape into. — A.H.
Listen: Norah Jones, "Come Away With Me"
42. Bob Dylan, "Lay Lady Lay" (1969)
"Lay Lady Lay" is desirous and anticipatory. It wants to reach out and grab your hand, make you stay the night. In a deliciously low croon, Dylan tells his lover that she's "the best thing that he's ever seen," and in that moment the only place you want to be is pressed up against someone's body in a big brass bed, forgetting the time of day. — C.M.
Listen: Bob Dylan, "Lay Lady Lay"
41. Sade, "Your Love is King" (1984)
There is no operator smoother than Sade. "Your Love is King" hit radio at exactly at the right moment — disco had finally died and R&B was searching for its next sound. Earthy and understated yet undeniably sultry, the song proved that passion can be subtle and still intense. Its sexiness lies in its reserve; "Your Love is King" takes its time, but when the climax comes, it's well worth it. — C.M.
Listen: Sade, "Your Love is King"
Commentarium (102 Comments)
Hey, you struck a nerve, Nerve.
#6 is an ideal choice for a Beatles love song; reflective, imaginative, and poetic.
I made a remix of this back in the day (non-profit, mind you). I thought I'd share it with anyone who enjoys music, and who loves love. (Cheesy, I know.)
http://soundcloud.com/generalmusician/in-my-life-remix
I'd also like to say, I love the Beach Boys...anyone else fans of "You Still Believe In Me" or "Caroline, No"?
I've always thought that "You Still Believe In Me" was the secret gem on _Pet Sounds_...the outro where they harmonize the word "cry" like a choir of angels destroys me every time, but in a good way.
Not to be ridiculously picky, but you guys said "of all time". Ever heard of Gershwin? Nat King Cole? Sinatra? Etc. Since you already did individual lists for each decade after the 60s, I was hoping you'd broaden your range to at least the 1940s/50s if not all of those 20/30s songs.
I realize you guys made a disclaimer, but I think pop goes back much further. If recent generations can't easily think of a few popular love songs from before the Beatles, that's a problem.
You mention Sinatra. His opinion was that "Something" (#2 on this list) was the greatest love song ever written. Just sayin'
I'm not saying it's not one of the greatest. I just really, really wished they'd expanded the pool from what they'd just done. Give us more food for thought.
You clearly caught your mistake with your second comment. This is from the 1960's on. If you wanted different criteria, make your own list, don't criticize someone else's.
The decision to start at the '60s wasn't arrived at lightly. Depending on people's definition of "pop music," we could have gone back to Tin Pan Alley, but adding three more decades of love songs to the running would have been a nearly unmanageable list -- how do you judge the dozens of classic recordings of, say, "My Funny Valentine?"
not to mention that if you went back to TPA who reading this would know the songs?
It's totally reasonable that you had a cutoff, but why title it "...of All Time"? It makes it seems as though you either have no sense of history or don't understand the language. Just call it something vague, like "...of Our Time." Come on, part of pretending to be journalists is pretending that words mean something.
I agree with Hypersquared....."from 1960" is a far cry from "of all time", even if you are being hyperbolic.
the goo goo dolls over elvis and unchained melody ? really bro ?
bro?
Srsly.
Greatest all time ??? Ever heard of my single Für Elise?
tell me why do you think the guy mentions that his list goes back to 1960?
maybe of the western world in the latter half of the 20th century...
Nothing by Roxy Music? Really?
Exactly. Just put on "Avalon", there's about 5 songs that could be put on this flawed list. Even Bryan Ferry solo stuff deserves a mention.
Damn skippy. Avalon was one of the greatest albums of love songs of all time. Brian Ferry is king.
Best of all time.
Interesting how you have the greatest love songs of each decade, and then do this, and have songs conflict with each other...
Wasn't "Lay Lady Lay" about Dylan's dog?
Still love though. Gives lots of boners, that pup.
I've always thought "Downtown Train" was the second best love song of all time, but that's my only nitpick.
Go back to Sesame Street, you fucking twit.
Downtown train is kind of sad and not really about love so much as the desperation of women looking for it. Wouldn't belong on this list, but excellent lyrics IMHO
What? No "I'll stand you" by the Pretenders? This is a serious injustice!
Wouldn't It Be Nice isn't on this list. That's wrong.
They specifically said that they wouldn't include "please sleep with me" songs on the list. "Wouldn't it Be Nice" is the quintessential "please sleep with me song" in my opinion.
This is a remarkable top 10, which also just proves how freaking romantic the '80s were, AIDs aside.
If I Should Fall Behind - Bruce Springsteen
I'm just wondering where "The Way We Were" is. It definitely belongs on this list.
Nothing by Leonard Cohen? Are you out of you minds?
PREACH!
"You Really Got a Hold On Me" Smokey Robinson and the Mirlaces
wheres "woman"?!
We limited it to one song per songwriter, and Lennon wrote "In My Life."
If you' gonna go the Clapton route, get rid of the schmaltz that is Wonderful Tonight and replace it with the fiery paen to unrequited love that is Derek and the Dominos' Layla.
The intro says no unrequited love songs were considered
Of course you're always going to get complainers about lists like this, but I got the gist of the whole thing. A beautiful list, great job.
That you somehow managed to overlook the entire Burt Bacharach song catalogue is a bit unfortunate.
How you could exclude Roxy Music and Richard Thompson is a mystery to me.
Rather Debbie Boone than Roberta Flack.
Most Americans have never heard of him (maybe "Streets of London"?), but towering over every one this mediocre pile of pop drivel s a beautiful and honest love song by Ralph McTell: "Growing Old with Naomi".
And Gerry and the Pacemaker's "Walk Hand in Hand With Me", beautifully sung by Gerry Marsden,
also far superior anything on Nerve's silly list.
Frankly, I'm surprised you left out Paul Anka's "You're Having My Baby".
Mel Carter's "Hold me, Thrill me" , Lulu's "Oh me oh my", Stan Getz "Soul Eyes"....panty pullin' music of the highest order..and they didn't make the list??
Perhaps it's strange, but the first song I thought of when I saw the title of this list was "Alex Chilton" by the Replacements.
I'm in love with that song, even if it's more about loving Big Star than loving a person.
I was going to eat my computer monitor if you'd left off "Something."
Carry on.
The Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe" and Chicago's "Beginnings" are so much better and more romantic than almost all the songs on your list (which really does suck).
Please. Do yourself a favor. Listen to "Without You" by Nilsson. 1971 I think. Wonderful talent. John Lennon's pal through "the lost weekend" year.
We considered it, but it's a breakup song.
I agree with spirit of MsNerve's complaint. Ducky from Pretty in Pink would call you mad for placing "Enjoy the Silence" way ahead of "When a Man Loves a Woman." Maybe this is a generational thing (i am a classic Gen Xer), but I think classic '60s soul/R&B has it all over the 80s when it comes to raw passion. "Try a Little Tenderness," for example.
I actually completely agree with the #1 pick. Wow.
The #1 'God Only Knows' was one of the few I definitely wouldn't have on the list! Absolute crap! Otherwise, not a bad list considering music is all very subjective.
Many holes in this list, under no circumstances does GnR come ahead of the King... in any list.
No me gusta.
#1 is perfect. I think "Shower the People" by James Taylor and "You're My Best Friend" by Queen should be somewhere on this list.
There's an absolutely gorgeous song by John Martyn, "Couldn't Love You More," that people ought to know.
I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles
And the heavens open every time she smiles
And when I come to her that's where I belong
Yet I'm running to her like a river's song
Van Morrison - Crazy Love
The greatest love song of all time, and it's based on a rhetorical question. Are you kidding?! The Proclaimers have a better love song. Overall, lots of good stuff here, but I can't fathom how you got to #1.
Nothing from Johnny Mathis????
Howabout the greatest LUST songs? You know, Black Dog, My Sharona, you know, what rock n roll is all about?
Stay tuned on that.
My list includes...
Etta James -> Embraceable you
Jeff Healey Band -> Lost in your eyes
Tom Waits -> Little Trip to Heaven (on the wings of your love)
Led Zeppelin -> Thank you
Holding out for you -> Coco Montoya
Ok, I made a similar comment when the first version of your 60s list came out: Elvis Presley DID NOT WRITE "Can't Help Falling in Love"!!! Are you guys really that stupid that you don't bother to fix the mistakes the second time around????
For the record, the song was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore and George David Weiss.
It takes about 2 seconds to look it up on Wikipedia. I can't even finish going through this list because your stupidity is galling....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_JPEN-Kk3c&feature=endscreen
Add this one too the list! LOVE it! and it's all about LOVE!
I really, really like this list but I have the tiniest of beefs -a meatball, really -about the Spotify playlist. You guys put the Tina! version of "River Deep, Mountain High" on instead of the Phil Spector production of it. Maybe I'm just in love with the Wall of Sound, but I felt that was a mistake. Other than that? Solid.
"my beautiful reward" by Bruce.
Great list ! I agree with all of your choices, except that you omitted arguably THE greatest love song of all time.... unquestionably in the top 50... and that is Nick Drake's "Northern Sky". Absolutely needs to be on this list. And it should go in the top slot.
I had heard that Wonderful Tonight is actually about Clapton waiting for Pattie to get dressed and is like "yeah, yeah, you look wonderful let's go we're going to be late." Wonder if that's true.
I always hated that song. It's really patronizing and all about how she has great hair and makeup and carries his drunk ass home. He doesn't sound like someone in love so much as someone congratulating himself on making all his friends jealous.
You forgot 'I Only Have Eyes For You' !
Yeah, I was hoping The Flamingos' version of this song would be on the list. Pretty hard to dispute that one. It's a true classic that has endured while some of these have just left the gate.
Okay, I just read the intro, and apparently "I Only Have Eyes for You" wasn't eligible for consideration because it was released before 1960. Guess this list should've been called "The 50 Greatest Love Songs From 1960 to Present" just to make it clear that some classic tunes weren't even in the running.
#50 "Don't Dream It's Over" is the love song. "Don't Dream. It's Over!" is the breakup song
Frederick by Patti Smith (...And for the record, I'm NOT a Patti Smith fan.)
Van Morrison, "Tupelo Honey". A seven- minute slowdance that takes you around dozens of curves. Pure emotion, pure honesty.
Unbelievable you guys missed Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music.
What exactly do you guy do for a living?
"I Can't Help Myself" is kind of a come-back-to-me song and "Lay, Lady, Lay" is a please-sleep-with-me-song... They're great songs, but you broke your own rules there. Plus, I love "Iris", but Goo Goo Dolls song "Name" is soooo much more sentimental.
And just on the side note of songs that should have been on this list:
-The Only Exception by Paramore
-You're All I Need by Method Man and Mary J. Blige
-Wonderwall by Oasis
-Angel by Jimi Hendrix
Oh boy, that feels so good so see some Cindy Lauper up here:) Time after Time is so lovely, even though, well, a bit cheesy, but isn't that the whole point in love songs anyway? I do miss The Pretenders' I'll Stand By You. But you can't have everything^^
Id just like to ask,how in the world is Wicked Game - Chris Isaak no on this list? Its a great list but lets get real,Wicked Game should be on it!
Almost a fan of this list, just needed a little Beautiful by Gordon Lightfoot.
Roberta Fleck but no Donnie Hathaway...a song for you is top 5 all time too!!
Great list but where is la vie en rose?
no air supply? No Foreigner? and NO Clapton? where is the good music
I thought it was really good! I don't usually go through a list one by one but I swear this one kept me from #50 to #1! good job Nerve team!
I loved listening to all the song choices, some I had never heard before. Something is my #1 pick. Dave Matthews "Crush" is spectacular in the lyrics and melody.
You definitely forgot "Her" by Swans. Beautiful lyrics (more of a miniature poem), beautiful instrumentals, beautiful out-of-the-blue found tape loop. It's from 1992 I believe.
I'll admit I didn't take the time to read through all of the comments, so this may have already come up.
But "Our House" by CSNY has always been my favourite love song. Pure contentment.
Really? Best love songs of all time? Where is Open Arms or Faithfully from Journey? Those songs don't make the list, but the Foo Fighters and Guns and Roses sweet child of mine does.....REALLY......what a joke.
What about Bette Midler's "The Rose"?
Good list with one major collosal omission, which renders the list almost null and void; a list of the greatest love songs must have Dylan's "Make You Fell My Love" in the top 5. Check out Adele's version on her "19" cd.
When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love
When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love
I know you haven’t made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I’ve known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong
I’d go hungry, I’d go black and blue
I’d go crawling down the avenue
There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do
To make you feel my love
The storms are raging on the rollin’ sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain’t seen nothing like me yet
I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn’t do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
To make you feel my love
Great list! And for once (in these types of lists...) an undisputable number 1. But if I was going to choose a Magnetic Fields song: "It's Only Time"... it may be saccharine, but god, it's beautiful...
Got some good songs on the list. Just wondering why is roberta flack ranked less than al green on this list and is number 1 on your greatest 70's love songs list?
get some lovely songs
Nothing from sam cooke? You send me is at least in the top 10
Where is "I don't wanna miss a thing" by Aerosmith???
How could Billy Joel's Just the Way You Are not make this list? It's just a so romantic and enchanting song.
There must be some error on the list...perhaps a page is missing. How could you not have list NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP.
It was pure recording genius by yours truly.
Love,
Rick
Nice list. I'm certain the few I want to add don't follow the rules since they're aren't "Of All Time", but they're worth a listen.
Love You 'Til the End- The Pogues
Final Home - Esthero
Everyday is a Holiday with You- Esthero
Songbird- Eva Cassidy
Better Together- Jack Johnson
Rhythm of Love- Plain White Ts
Wrap Your Arms Around Me- Barenaked Ladies
She Loves Me - Stephen Tin Tin Duffy
It Must be Love - Madness
Con te Partiro - Andre Bocelli
"Calling You" from the movie Bagdad cafe
"I Only Have Eyes for You" by The Flamingos couldn't make it to the top 50?