50+ Best Songs About Missing a Loved One

Missing a loved one can be all-consuming. Whether you were in love, a friend moved away, or someone died. If you’re mourning the loss of a loved one in any way, chances are you can find dozens of songs to help you get through the grief.

Some of the world’s greatest musicians launched huge careers by expressing their emotions by writing music about those pointed and painful experiences. Oftentimes, the best sad song can be one that moves you, whether through melody or messages. It can offer a form of catharsis or just a way to let it all out.

We’ve compiled a list of 50 songs about missing loved ones that can pluck the heartstrings of any person who may be grieving.

Post-loss tip: If you are the executor for a deceased loved one, the emotional and technical aspects of handling their unfinished business can be overwhelming without a way to organize your process. We have a post-loss checklist that will help you ensure that your loved one's family, estate, and other affairs are taken care of.

Jump ahead to these sections:

• Love Songs About Missing Someone
• Sad Songs About Missing Someone
• Joyful Songs About Missing Someone
• Songs About Missing Someone Far Away
• Songs About Missing Someone Who Died

Love Songs About Missing Someone

Love songs often strike a balance between wistful and angry. They’re always regretful, though. 

1. "When I Was Older" by Billie Eilish

This song is about “dreaming of a time and place where you and I remain the best of friends.” Missing someone often means mentally imagining that things could be different. 

2. "Someone Like You" by Adele

Sometimes it’s hard to see that someone has moved on when you haven’t. This is a love song about knowing that you’ll be alright eventually, even if you miss someone. 

3. "Missing" by Everything but the Girl

Dealing with the way things used to be is difficult. “I’m walking down your street again / And past your door, but you don’t live there anymore” is a sad testament to that. 

4. "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi

This is a wistful, heart-wrenching song. The lyrics say “I need somebody to heal / Somebody to know / Somebody to have / somebody to hold.” 

5. "Never Enough" by Kelly Clarkson

This is a song about how “all the shine of a thousand spotlights” is nothing compared to love. If you miss someone, you know exactly what that’s like. 

6. "Hate that You Know Me" by Bleachers

It’s hard when the person that knows you best is gone. The singer talks about “sometimes I hate that you know me so well / Some days I wish I wasn’t myself / No luck!” 

7. "Lost on You" by Lewis Capaldi

“Every day I’m a slave to the heartache...” This is a tragic description of what grief feels like after you’ve lost someone. 

8. "Somebody to Love” by Jukebox the Ghost

Even if you’re not a Queen fan, this band does an admirable job of covering this classic song. It asks the age-old question: can anyone find [you] somebody to love?

9. "Goodbye My Lover" by James Blunt

This is a song about saying goodbye to someone that meant everything to you. Their handprints are all over your life, but they’re gone now. 

10. "Hollywood” by Jukebox the Ghost

At rare moments, life sometimes feels like a Hollywood romance. Even though the singer insists that “you want Hollywood, and this is real life”, he’s still in love. This is a great song to play for your spouse. 

Sad Songs About Missing Someone

Sometimes, you just need to fully feel everything. Sad songs help you get in that headspace. 

11. "Supermarket Flowers" by Ed Sheeran

This song is a tender ode from Sheeran. He wrote this melody after his mother died. With lyrics like “Oh, I’m in pieces, it’s tearing me up, but I know / A heart that’s broke is a heart that’s been loved”, it’s perfect when you’re missing your own mom. 

12. "Goodbye’s the Saddest Word" by Celine Dion

This is another loving memorial to a mother from the ultimate love ballad singer, Celine Dion. In this song, she describes how her heart will break when her mother finally says goodbye. 

13. "Pray" by Sam Smith

This is a raw, heartfelt song for when you’re lost and lonely. Smith sings about how “you won’t find me in church,” but he’s still begging for God to help him through this time. 

14. "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith

Sometimes, losing someone changes your entire world. “The moon, and the stars, are nothing without you / Your touch, your skin, where do I begin? / No words can explain.”

15. "Homesick" by MercyMe

This song was written during a very difficult year for MercyMe band members. Tragic loss had ripped through their band and left raw emotions behind. 

16. "This is Your Song" by Ronan Keating

This is a song about missing someone who brought out the best in you. It also expresses hope that you’ll be reunited again. 

17. "Joanne" by Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga wrote this song when her aunt passed away. “Take my hand, stay Joanne / Heaven’s not ready for you / Every part of my aching heart / Needs you more than the angels do.” 

18. "Talking to the Moon" by Bruno Mars

Have you ever been so lonely that you talk to the sky, hoping someone will answer? Bruno Mars knows what that’s like. 

19. "Candle in the Wind" by Elton John

This is Elton John’s late ode to Marilyn Monroe and popularized after the untimely passing of Princess Diana of Wales. It’s a reminder of both of these women, noting that “her candle burned out long before / your legend ever did.” 

20. "See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth

Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth penned a song capturing the feeling that no matter how much you miss a friend, you can hope to see them again. This song is a weary hope that “I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again.” 

Joyful Songs About Missing Someone

If you’re missing someone, you can look forward to seeing them again. 

21. "Missing You" by John Waite 

This song desperately insists that Waite doesn’t miss anyone. A classic ‘80s song, it still sounds upbeat and tragic at the same time. 

22. "Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson

Many of these songs sound like an exuberant celebration. Behind the upbeat melody, the artists express the pain of missing someone. They also talk about hoping to see someone again. 

23. "I Miss You" by blink-182

Have you ever met someone who was the best thing in your life? They brought light to your darkness and were the “angel in your nightmare.” 

24. "Miss You" by The Rolling Stones

Jagger acknowledges what it’s like to miss someone, even if you don’t want to. Sometimes, you love someone enough that your emotions won’t listen to logic. 

25. "Fly Before You Fall" by Cynthia Erevo

Erevo gently reminds you that it’s okay to miss someone. There’s no shame in it!

26. "Wish You Were Here" by Avril Lavigne

No matter what someone’s done, sometimes you just want them by your side. 

27. "I Need My Girl" by The National

Sometimes, you only realize you need someone after it’s too late. Changing to be worthy of someone you miss, though, is still worth it. 

28. "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn

Swedish singer and songwriter Robyn penned an upbeat song that will have anyone tapping their fingers and feet about the loss of seeing a former lover with someone new. She sings her heart out about being alone in the corner on the dance floor, and recognizes that she will be “dancing on her own” and ultimately, “just wanted to say goodbye.”

29. "I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith

If you miss someone, you treasure every moment you do get with them. The singer could “stay awake just to hear you breathing / Watch you smile while you are sleeping / While you’re far away and dreaming.” 

30. "Thinking ‘Bout You" by Ariana Grande

When you miss someone, memories might be all you have. If they’re good memories, that might be enough to get you through. 

Songs About Missing Someone Far Away

Sometimes, distance separates you, and there’s nothing you can do. 

31. "Somewhere Out There" by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram

Even if you’re separated by physical distance, there’s still comfort to be had. You’re both looking at the same moon and wishing on the same star. 

32. "Radar Love" by Golden Earring

Sometimes, you miss someone so much you do something impulsive. You might even “drive all night, hands wet on the wheel” to surprise them. 

33. "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T’s

This is a classic story in the music world. One person is left behind while the other chases their dreams through the world. 

34. "Get Here" by Oleta Adams

“You can reach me by railway, you can reach me on an airplane, you can reach me with your mind …” Adams doesn’t care, as long as she gets to see them again.

35. "I Drove All Night" by Celine Dion

Getting up in the middle of the night to drive to someone is a true expression of love. 

36. "Only Just A Call Away" by The Struts

Even glam rock can get emotional. Written by one of the bandmates for his long-distance girlfriend, it’s a reminder that he’s only a phone call away. 

37. "I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers

Have you ever missed someone so much that you would walk 500 miles to fall down at their door?

38. "Faithfully" by Journey

“I’m forever yours, faithfully.” Missing someone who’s far away can be hard, even if they promise themselves to you. 

39. "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum

Sometimes, it’s hard to see how you can live without someone near you. 

40. "I Don’t Wanna Live Forever" by Taylor Swift and ZAYN

“I just wanna keep calling your name till you come back home.” This ballad sung by two pop superstars Taylor Swift and ZAYN pinpoints the tragedy of losing a loved one and feeling miserable without them. 

Songs About Missing Someone Who Died

Missing someone who died is the worst kind of loneliness. These artists can sympathize. You can read our selections of popular funeral songs and the best songs about death for more.

41. "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor

There are some people you think will be in your life forever. What do you do when they die first?

42. "Love is Stronger than Death" by The The

Sometimes, a reminder that love is stronger than death is just what you need. 

43. "When I’m Gone" by Joey and Rory

“You’ll wonder why the earth still moves / You’ll wonder how you’ll carry on / But you’ll be okay.” This reminder can mean everything right after a death. 

44. “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton

This song, written after Clapton’s son died in 1987, won a multitude of awards for capturing the truly awful and singular grief of losing a young child.

45. "I’ll See You in My Dreams" by Giant 

After you’ve lost someone, sometimes dreams are all you have left. 

46. "Reminds Me of You" by Van Morrison

It’s hard to know when “your soul will find comfort.” 

47. "Stardust" by Nat King Cole

The lyrics were added after Nat King Cole’s original composition. It’s a song about memorializing someone you love with music. 

48. "Missing You" by Steve Perry

You can’t relive the past, even if you want to. 

49. “My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion

Written specifically as the theme song to Titanic, this is considered to be the ultimate love song and the song that launched Dion into superstardom. The song evokes powerful emotions about the loss of a loved one, whether through tragedy or time.

50. "Not A Day Goes By" by Lonestar

If you love someone, they will be in your memories every day. 

Creating a Soundtrack 

If you’re feeling low, you can create a soundtrack. It’s a great way to compile songs together to fit your mood. When you feel like a music pick-me-up, you can play these and remember your loved one. If you're still having a hard time, read our picks for the best books on grief to help you get through.