77 Chill and Calming Songs to Help You Relax and Relieve Stress

The Best Songs to Calm You Down

There's just so much to enjoy about this life! That said, sometimes things can get to be too much, and we feel stressed, sad, anxious, or pressured. There are many ways to battle stress and depression, but I believe music is one of the best weapons we have. That's why I created this list. It contains 77 of the most calming songs that can be used to help you reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

Researchers found that listening to music not only helped to reduce a patient’s stress, it also improved immune system function and was more effective than prescription medications at reducing patient anxiety prior to surgery.

— McGill University Professor Daniel J. Levitin, March 2013 edition of Trends in Cognitive Sciences

1. "Ocean Eyes" by Billie Eilish

• Artist: Billie Eilish
• Released: 2017
• Album: Don't Smile at Me—EP
• Genre: Alternative/Indie

"Ocean Eyes" is a song recorded by Billie Eilish and written and produced by her brother Finneas (who is also a fantastic vocalist). Amazingly, Billie was only 14 when she recorded it!

This song served to catapult Billie Eilish to phenomenal success. It is about falling deeply in love and being hurt. It explores how we can blindly love someone, even when that person is hurting us badly. This song has a chill and relaxing vibe. Billie's voice is sweet and smooth in this song. Even though the lyrics might make you cry, the melody is very relaxing.

No fair

You really know how to make me cry

When you gimme those ocean eyes

I'm scared

I've never fallen from quite this high

Falling into your ocean eyes

Those ocean eyes

— Billie Eilish (Ocean Eyes)

2. "Sweet Creature" by Harry Styles

• Artist: Harry Styles
• Released: 2017
• Album: Harry Styles
• Genre: Soft rock, rock

After going solo during One Direction's hiatus, Harry Styles created some amazing songs. One of his most beloved tracks is "Sweet Creature." It's been described as a folk acoustic ballad about the difficulties of a relationship. The song is about two people who grew up together and, even with all the difficulties they faced, still consider each other to be the "home" that they always go back to. Harry sings beautifully over simple yet relaxing guitar playing.

Sweet creature, sweet creature

Wherever I go, you bring me home

Sweet creature, sweet creature

When I run out of road, you bring me home

— Harry Styles (Sweet Creature)

3. "Nobody" by Selena Gomez

• Artist: Selena Gomez
• Released: 2015
• Album: Revival
• Genre: Pop

"Nobody" serves as a bonus track from the deluxe edition of Selena Gomez's album Revival. On Twitter, Selena confirmed that the song is about how nobody is ever going to love her as God does. It's refreshing to hear a popular mainstream pop singer sing about her faith and spirituality. It's an absolutely beautiful song with incredible lyrics. The song is so powerful that it can cause you to forget your problems and make you feel loved and understood.

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No heart, no hands, no skin, no touch

Can get me there, nowhere enough

To love me like You do, to love me like You do

No kiss, no lips, no feel, no rush

Can you keep me high, I swear no one

Can love me like You do, can love me like You do, no

— Selena Gomez (Nobody)

4. "Best Part of Me" by Ed Sheeran (feat. YEBBA)

• Artist: Ed Sheeran
• Featured artist: YEBBA
• Released: 2019
• Album: No.6 Collaborations Project
• Genre: Pop

"Best Part of Me" is a heart-melting duet about being in love but still being anxious and insecure. The song has been described as a gentle ballad and has very relatable lyrics, which are backed by a soft melody that can definitely calm you after a stressful day. The song also explores how incredible it feels when someone accepts your love, even though you are struggling to love yourself at the time. In turn, this causes you to begin loving yourself more.

But she loves me, she loves me

Why the hell she love me

When she could have anyone else?

Oh you love me, you love me

Why the hell do you love me?

'Cause I don't even love myself

— Ed Sheeran ft. YEBBA (Best Part of Me)

5. "Exhale" by Sabrina Carpenter

• Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
• Released: 2019
• Album: Singular: Act II
• Genre: Pop

"Exhale" is a beautiful song that is very relatable. It's about wanting to take a break from the pressures and issues in our lives that are toxic to our well-being. This is a feeling that we can all understand. It's important that artists like Sabrina Carpenter share these things in their music because it helps us realize that we are not alone and that it's okay to feel tired sometimes.

Can I exhale for a minute?

Can I get this out in the open?

Can I sit down for a second?

Can I breathe?

Can I exhale for a minute?

Can we talk it out? I don't get it

Can I calm down for a moment?

Can I breathe for just one second?

— Sabrina Carpenter (Exhale)

6. "Grow as We Go" by Ben Platt

• Artist: Ben Platt
• Released: 2019
• Album: Sing to Me Instead
• Genre: Pop

"Grow as We Go" is one of my favorite love songs. It is about telling the one you love that they don't have to be apart from you to find themselves. It's about forgiving them and helping them work on their shortcomings. It's also about making amends and forging compromises to stay together.

This song explores how, even though there are no guarantees that our loved one will stay, we still try our best not to lose them. It's a beautiful ballad with sweet, heartfelt lyrics that remind us about the power of love.

I don't think you have to leave

If to change is what you need

You can change right next to me

When you're high, I'll take the lows

You can ebb and I can flow

And we'll take it slow

And grow as we go

Grow as we go

— Ben Platt (Grow As We Go)

7. "This Town" by Niall Horan

• Artist: Niall Horan
• Released: 2017
• Album: Flicker
• Genre: Country music, folk music

This song is another wonderful acoustic track. The lyrics explore how sweet love can be. "This Town" is about missing an old flame and reminiscing about the sweet moments you shared together. It's about the singer going back to the town where he grew up and met his loved one for the first time, only to discover that she's already moved on and is with someone new. It's a relatable tale of love with a relaxing melody that can take us back in time.

If the whole world was watching

I'd still dance with you

Drive highways and byways

to be there with you

Over and over the only truth

Everything comes back to you

— Niall Horan (This Town)

8. "Stay" by Blackpink

• Artist: BLACKPINK
• Released: 2018
• Album: Blackpink in Your Area
• Genre: Folk-pop, dance/electronic

"Stay" is another chill love song that expresses the pain and fear of losing someone. It's about not wanting to be apart from the one you love. The singer begs for her lover to stay, despite the pain he has caused her. Unlike the group's other fast-paced dance hits, this song has a soft and heartfelt melody that we can enjoy on days when we just want to relax.

Before the night traps me in

Don't leave my side

Do you still love me

If you feel the same way,

don't leave me today

Don't ask me why it has to be you

Just stay with me

— BLACKPINK (Stay - English Translation)

9. "Apple" by Julia Michaels

• Artist: Julia Michaels
• Released: 2019
• Album: Inner Monologue Part 1
• Genre: Pop

Julia Michaels is known for writing and singing incredibly honest songs that we can all relate to. This sweet and beautiful song has a relaxing melody. It's about being in a romantic relationship and all the sweet things that you do and experience with each other when you are in love.

Kissing in Summer, somewhere in the sand

In your apartment on the weekends

Lift up my dress to see where you've been

That's what I want and that's where I am

Bite off an apple right from your fridge

Come here and taste it right off my lips

Spill your emotions into my hands

That's what I want

— Julia Michaels (Apple)

10. "Comethru" by Jeremy Zucker

• Artist: Jeremy Zucker
• Released: 2018
• Album: summer,
• Genre: Pop

"Comethru" may be one of the most chill songs of all time. It's a cool acoustic tune about being alone and wanting someone to come over. It expresses how it's fine to seek someone's company because we all feel alone sometimes.

Now I'm shaking, drinking all this coffee

These last few weeks have been exhausting

I'm lost in my imagination

And there's one thing that I need from you

Can you come through, through

Through, yeah

And there's one thing that I need from you

Can you come through?

— Jeremy Zucker (Comethru)

11. "Not Today" by Alessia Cara

• Artist: Alessia Cara
• Released: 2018
• Album: The Pains of Growing
• Genre: Pop