135 Goodbye Songs

Goodbye Can Be Difficult

With each goodbye we say, we mourn the loss of pattern and familiarity in our lives. Marriages, friendships, jobs, and love affairs end. New career opportunities take us to different locations. Children go off to college. Loved ones die.

Some of the hardest goodbyes are the ones that are sudden, unexpected, and don't allow the luxury of parting words or gestures. At times it's a choice, while at others it's chance. If you're fortunate, you get to say farewell. But that often doesn't make the transition easier. Is it any wonder that many of life's most stressful events involve goodbyes?

If you're struggling with a goodbye, why not assemble a Goodbye Playlist for yourself or someone important in your life? Below, we have a long list of pop, rock, and country favorites to get you started. Our list includes songs that are wistful, melancholy, celebratory, grateful, and even snarky. You're bound to find some to ease you through this transition.

1. "Goodbye My Lover" by James Blunt

Clinging to the remnants of a dying relationship, the narrator in this 2005 song reminisces about all that he and his lover have been through. He grieves the loss of their relationship. They have been sweethearts and friends, and it wounds his soul to say goodbye.

2. "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day

Sometimes your life path diverges from that of friends and loved ones, as educational opportunities, job changes, or relationship obligations send you to far-flung places. This 1997 song sees such forks in the road as unpredictable and normal. As he says goodbye, the narrator rejoices, "I hope you had the time of your life."

3. "One More Day" by Diamond Rio

Goodbye has been difficult for the narrator in this country song from 2005. He has been left mourning the end of his relationship with the woman he loves, and more than anything he wishes he could spend one more day with her. Don't wait until goodbye to say what you need to say.

Diamond Rio was formed in 1982 when they performed as a musical attraction at Opryland USA Theme Park in Nashville under the name "The Grizzly River Boys." Decades later, the bandmates go by a different name but still haven't said goodbye to one another.

4. "The Dance" by Garth Brooks

If you've ever had a relationship that was perfect while it lasted but ended badly or too soon, then this 1989 country hit will resonate. The man in the song recalls the high point in the relationship when the couple danced under the stars. He had no idea that goodbye was in their future, but he still wouldn't trade their time and experience together for anything:

And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end, the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance.

5. "Candle in the Wind" by Elton John

Originally written as a tribute to iconic blond actress Marilyn Monroe (née Norma Jean Mortensen), this 1973 song recounts the meteoric rise and tragic death of a Hollywood legend. Because her mother was a paranoid schizophrenic, as a child, Marilyn found herself in foster care and in an orphanage, and she endured abuse and deep feelings of rejection.

As Marilyn became a model and actress and eventually rose to the heights of super-stardom, she struggled with addiction, depression, and deep issues with trust. At only 36 years old, the American icon died of a suspected drug overdose. Her death was ruled a suspected suicide.

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"Candle in the Wind" captures both her conflicted and larger-than-life persona:

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in.
And I would have liked to know you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did.

Elton John rewrote the song in 1997 after the death of Princess Diana of Wales. This version became the second-biggest selling song of all time.

6. "Farewell" by Rihanna

In this pop song from 2011, Rihanna is having trouble saying goodbye to an important person in her life who is striking out on their own in search of a better future. She wants to tag along but knows that as much as it hurts, she needs to stay and let them fly free.

7. "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLaughlin

Standing at the edge of goodbye, the narrator in this 1995 ballad emphasizes to the one she is parting with that it's important to recall the good memories without the tears. She promises to remember her friend and hopes that they will think fondly of her as well.

8. "50 Ways to Say Goodbye" by Train

When the narrator in this 2012 pop song is suddenly dumped by his lover without an adequate explanation, he replies, "Help me, help me, I'm no good at goodbyes!"

He promises to be classy, however when it comes to explaining the demise of the relationship to friends, he generates a number of funny excuses about why the relationship ended. Anyone who has ever experienced a bitter goodbye can appreciate this song.

9. "I’m Movin’ On" by Rascal Flatts

This poignant country song from 2001 is about a narrator who has struggled with personal ghosts and demons. Now he's sold his belongings and is moving out of town in search of forgiveness.

Sometimes parting ways is the healthiest for everyone involved:

There comes a time in everyone's life
When all you can see are the years passing by
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone.

10. "Goodbye to You" by Scandal

It's okay to celebrate saying "see ya later" (or "see ya never") if you want to! As much as such loves him, the narrator in this hit song from 1982 is finally done with waiting for her beau to love her back. She's been holding on too long and has decided to cut him loose, promising to recall both the good and the bad times. Sassy and in your face, she tells him that her heart just doesn't feel the same, so "Goodbye to you."

11. "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins

Some of us look all too forward to the next phase of our lives without fully valuing what we now have. In this 2008 country ballad, a teenage girl is overly eager about turning 18 and leaving home. Later, a new bride can't wait to have kids as she decorates her one-room apartment, and then a young exasperated mother apologizes to a plumber for her crying children.

The song emphasizes the value of appreciating what you have now rather than wanting to say goodbye to each of life's precious phases. The song resonated with singer Trace Adkins so much because he has five daughters of his own.

12. "Don’t You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds

In this quintessential '80s hit, the guy that's left dancing alone when his partner says goodbye wonders how parting ways will affect their relationship.

• Will she call his name?
• Will she try to deny the depth of their shared feelings?
• Will she walk on by, pretending "they" never happened?

This song was a worldwide hit in 1985 and appeared in the coming-of-age movie, The Breakfast Club.

13. "You’ll Think of Me" by Keith Urban

The heartbroken man in this 2004 country ditty is losing sleep as he ruminates about the way his sweetheart broke up with him (she cheated). He finds solace, however, in mentally fast-forwarding to the day when she comes to her senses and realizes what she gave up. At that point, he plans to be over her and on to the next chapter in his life:

Take your records, take your freedom
Take your memories I don't need 'em
Take your space and take your reasons
But you'll think of me.

14. "Bye Bye Bye" by *NSYNC

Tired of providing emotional support to someone who doesn't return it, the narrator in this pop song from 2000 tells her that enough is enough. He won't be her fool any longer: