Some songs have an impact on the lives of people in profound ways. Many of those types of songs become anthems used to heal relationships or the soundtrack to falling in love all over again.
A song that pulls at the heartstrings often brings a smile to my face and sometimes the necessary tears, if truth be told. When it comes to songs about missing somebody you love, those same songs can give us all hope to get through another day without that special someone.
Take a look at these ditty’s to see which ones come to mind when the feeling of missing somebody is overwhelming.
Top Songs About Missing Somebody
“I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston
“I Will Always Love You” is arguably the most iconic love song of all-time. It is an intense and passionate song that can bring out the deep love someone has while also delivering hope for anyone else that is missing somebody.
This song brings a person to their most vulnerable state, which cannot be denied.
“Thinkin Bout You” – Frank Ocean
In this list of songs about missing somebody, the title of this one pretty much says it all. When it comes to nostalgia and pining for someone “Thinkin Bout You” is the go-to remedy song. It can get a person dancing in their living room or have them singing out loud while driving down the highway.
Named the fourth-best song of 2012 by Rolling Stone, there’s no sadness. There’s only appreciation and gratitude for having a deep affection for another human being.
“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” – Aerosmith
This classic song stands the test of time. It can help mend a broken heart or bring hope to a discouraging moment when missing someone. The beginning lyrics set the stage for an incredible journey of nostalgia.
“While you’re far away and dreaming, I could spend my life in this sweet surrender” are lyrics that anyone who’s missing somebody can relate to and want that person to be by their side at that very moment.
“I Want to Know What Love Is” – Foreigner
A song that makes a person remember the good times of a relationship can often be a song that also provides a teachable moment.
This track plays right into that concept and puts the listener in an open-minded and hopeful mindset, which makes it one of the songs about missing somebody that’s almost unbearable.
“I Want to Know What Love Is” has genuine lyrics that say the person who is being missed can also teach a thing or two about how to love.
“Someone Like You” – Adele
Among the diverse songs about missing somebody, Adele manages takes the topic to an even deeper level. It hurts to miss someone special. But when it’s a breakup, the pain is heavy and sometimes too much to bear.
“Someone Like You” puts the breakup in the right perspective for moving on even though the memories are still on the heart. While moving on is difficult, and the pain of missing someone is enormous, wishing them well helps to lift the burden of needing things to be any different than they are.
“Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinead O’Conner
In the number of songs about missing somebody this is a tearjerker. Nothing Compares 2 U tells the exact time by hours and days (it’s been seven hours and 15 days) of missing the person.
There’s simply no denying there isn’t anything that can take away the pain – except for giving the relationship another try. There is a glimmer of hope. Whoever is being missed has a welcome place back into their life.
“Let Me Know” – Aaliyah
Perhaps it’s a crush or a hidden love affair. “Let Me Know” provides sincere dialogue that simplifies the pain of not having the other person around.
It’s a song that welcomes open-heartedness without being afraid of the outcome. Listening to this song offers anyone a hopeful message that things don’t need to be the way they are.
“Fix You” – Coldplay
Sometimes getting through the night can be the hardest part and this is one of the songs about missing somebody that expresses it perfectly. “Fix You” puts the mellowness in a person’s heart and offers a peaceful opportunity to take a moment and reflect while the memories of the person wash over every emotion.
The lyrics glide listeners into a deep understanding of valuing another human being and ignites the passion to elevate a relationship to a higher level.
“See You Again” – Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth
From long-lost friends to failed relationships, “See You Again” goes deep to send a message of love, honor and respect for the time spent together.
There’s no other way to get around the intense emotions felt while listening to this song. It almost makes missing somebody worth the uneasiness that is being expressed so eloquently.
“Dancing With a Stranger” – Sam Smith
There are fewer things harder than having ongoing memories of a person after a breakup while also beginning a brand-new relationship. Sam presents this type of entanglement softly and kindly and allows the person to honor those conflicting feelings.
“Dancing With a Stranger” is amongst the songs about missing somebody that provides an outlet for the contrasting emotions and memories that someone may still need to work through before moving on.
“Back to December” – Taylor Swift
In this song from her “Speak Now” album, Taylor Swift laments the end of relationship that she blames herself for causing. Like many of Swift’s song, this tune is based on a real-life relationship.
Taylor Lautner is the alleged subject of the song and Swift claims that she didn’t try hard enough at the relationship, despite how sweet Lautner was to her. Since Swift is in the midst of re-issuing all of her previously recorded albums, it will be interesting to see her new take on “Back to December.”
“Hello” – Adele
Addressing a previous lover in “Hello”, Adele attempts to reach out over the phone to apologize for how she treated this person. She finds out they have married and have a family, but continues to say that she’s sorry for breaking their heart. Despite her efforts, Adele doesn’t believe this person would come back to her. “Hello” was the anthem of 2016 and was one out of the many songs about missing somebody that received widespread media attention, even getting a parody on Saturday Night Live.
“It Must Have Been Love” – Roxette
This 80s pop anthem is the perfect breakup ballad. Featured in Pretty Woman after Julia Roberts’ and Richard Gere’s characters end their love affair, this song encapsulates breakups with two simple lines; “it must have been love. But it’s over now.” Throughout the verses, the lead singer complains of how she misses laying next to her partner and what their relationship could have been.
“Home” – Michael Bublé
If you’ve ever tuned into an adult contemporary station, you’ve heard this tune from crooner Michael Bublé. Even if you haven’t, country singer Blake Shelton also has his own cover version that plays with some frequency as well. In the class of songs about missing somebody, Bublé here sings of how despite being in enviable locations like Paris, he still misses his lover at home.
“Heartbreak Anniversary” – Giveon
Possibly one of the saddest songs on this list, “Heartbreak Anniversary”, Giveon is singing of a lost love. Lines like “why you walked out of my life?” and probably the saddest, “do you ever think of me?” Giveon begs his former love to explain what happened and their reasoning for leaving the relationship. It is safe to presume that “Heartbreak Anniversary” means the anniversary of their breakup. Tik Tok helped this song reach the top of the charts and it doesn’t look like it’ll drop its position anytime soon.
“drivers license” – Olivia Rodrigo
Included in this roundup up songs about missing somebody is the breakup song of 2021. Olivia Rodrigo released a deeply personal track about getting her drivers license and driving past a former boyfriend’s house. It is unclear the guy she is addressing, but the “blonde” she discusses is suspected to be actress and singer Sabrina Carpenter. Known for impressive vocal riffs and this gorgeous sort of wailing, “drivers license” isn’t going anywhere.
“Heat Waves” – Glass Animals
With the line “Sometimes all I think about is you”, the English band describes a passionate summer love affair. The lead singer then concedes that he “can’t make you happier now”, implying that the love was over with and that he cannot come back and have a second chance. This groovy tune has made its rounds on Tik Tok, much like the previously mentioned “Heartbreak Anniversary.”
“I Miss You” – Blink-182
Probably one of the songs about missing somebody with the most obvious theme, “I Miss You” by Blink-182 is the ultimate emo breakup song. The line “don’t waste your time on me, you’re already the voice inside my head” is perfect for belting after getting dumped. The singer grapples with whether or not to call his former love and how the indecision is killing him. Typically played on adult alternative stations, any true emo rock fan will know this ballad.
“Hey There Delilah” – Plain White T’s
Unless you’ve never listened to adult mix stations in the early 2000s and 2010s, there’s no way that you’ve never heard this song. The song lyrics “Hey there Delilah, what’s it like in New York City, I’m a thousand miles away” imply that the narrator and his love interest are on different sides of the country.
After this song came out, the lead singer confirmed that it was about his current girlfriend who was attending school in New York and how much he missed her. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that the relationship worked out.
“Dancing With Your Ghost” – Sasha Sloan
As far as songs about missing somebody goes, this song may take the cake. With the poignant lyric “baby, why’d you go away” Sasha Sloan begs her former love to explain to her how she is supposed to move on while she is still missing them. When she plays old songs that they used to listen to, Sloan describes it as “dancing with their ghost.”
“Wish You Were Here” – Pink Floyd
“Wish You Were Here” is a great classic directly showcasing how many people deal with a detachment by completely drawing away from society. This sad song talks about Pink Floyd’s founding member, Syd Barret, who had serious mental issues.
“Goodbye My Lover” – James Blunt
This is another one of the the sad songs about missing somebody that revealing the heartache of being left by someone who greatly impacted your life. Someone who was in every part as a lover and friend, but they are gone now, and you can’t get a hold of them. The song can effectively move you to tears, especially if you are a highly emotional person.
“Lost on You” – Lewis Capaldi
This is one of the songs about missing somebody that vividly defines how painful it can get when you lose someone you treasure a lot. The song depicts these emotions as everyday grief when you remember that one person who left. “Every day I’m a slave to the heartache’ is a perfect definition of the inability of a person to free themselves of the heartache caused by missing somebody you treasure.
“Hate That You Know Me” – Bleachers
Everyone has that one person that knows them best. It could be your spouse, your child, sibling, or parent. These people know when you are sad and happy when you are about to do something or not and many other aspects of your life that you cannot share with anyone else. How would you feel if you lose this person? You might feel lost and heartbroken, and this is the message that this song displays to others.
“Never Enough” – Kelly Clarkson
If you are in that place where you see somebody for a short time, then you are separated by distance or other circumstances, you will relate very well with this song. You can never get enough of seeing them. This is one of the great songs about missing somebody that you can share with your loved one that you miss so much.
“Someone You Loved” – Lewis Capaidi
This is one of the most popular songs on our list. The lyrics alone go like this “I need somebody to heal/somebody to know/somebody to have/somebody to hold.” This is one of the most upbeat songs about missing somebody with the sad bit removed. So you could dance your heartache away with this song by Lewis Capaidi.
“When I Was Older” – Billie Elish
Have you ever missed somebody, and all you can do is imagine a place where you two could meet, never to separate again? Well, these are the thoughts of many, including Billie Eilish, the musician.
According to the song, Billie sings ‘dreaming of a time and place where you and I remain the best friends”. If you keep thinking and imagining a place and time when you and your loved one could one day meet, then this is the best song to sing and dedicate to your loved one.
“Nothing Compares to You” – Sinead O’Connor
In the great group of songs about missing somebody this is one sing when you feel that your new dates can’t measure up to the love you had for someone that left you. The singer explains how she has tried to find other men who could replace her lost love, but they only remind her of one person. Many have felt this way, but sometimes you may feel guilty for thinking about somebody else when with your current! It’s normal to feel this way.
“Ain’t No Sunshine” – Bill Withers
Some people come into your life, and they make your life feel like it’s filled with more light and more sunshine. What would you feel if they are gone? You feel like there is no more light or no more sun in your world. Listen to this song whenever you feel sad about the light that has disappeared from your life. If you can, send a copy of the song to somebody you dearly miss to explain to them the impact they had on your life and how you feel after leaving.
“Better Together” – Jack Johnson
There are times when you feel like your life was once better than it was now when you were with someone. If you feel like this, you can listen to better together by Jack Johnson. Send some lyrics to the person you are reminded of when you sing this song. Try this lyric “I’ll tell you one thing/it’s always better when we are together.” This can be the best line you can send to them, perhaps you two have a mutual feeling, and your lost love might come back.
“A Picture of Me (Without You)” – George Jones
A song for when you try to picture your life without somebody who had an impact on it. The songs lyrics speak directly to your heart, and it’s easy to relate to Jones’ story here, one of the best songs about missing somebody.
Born and raised in Austin, David is a dedicated writer and avid fragrance lover. When he's not trying out perfumes, he enjoys traveling and exploring new restaurants.