All artists, including musicians, have muses — whether lovers, strangers or even fictional characters. But who better to inspire a song than the people in your life who mean the most to you?
From rock and roll to rap, nearly every genre houses songs that pay tribute to your loved ones. There are tracks that spotlight brothers and sisters like BTS’ passionate early release “Begin” and Mickey Guyton’s modern country anthem “Sister.” Songs like Adele’s emotional ballad “My Little Love,” Stevie Wonder’s bouncy triumph “Isn’t She Lovely” and John Mayer’s Grammy-award winning “Daughters” offer a shoutout to sons and daughters. And we can’t forget about the handful of tunes that honor mothers and fathers — including 2Pac’s public letter of appreciation “Dear Mama,” Taylor Swift’s cheerful ode “The Best Day (Taylor’s Version)” and late Swedish Avicii’s inspiring number “The Nights.”
Even if it’s your friends you call family, a variety of artists have got you covered on that front, too. Kanye West’s “Family Business” shouts out the people in his life who he can always count on having their support. Kenny Chesney’s “Don’t Blink” reminisces on life’s most precious moments with the people you love. And Kygo and The Chainsmokers’ 2019 collaboration “Family” paints a picture for all life’s ride-or-dies.
Whether you need some tunes to bust out at your next family reunion or just want to show a loved one how much you care, Billboard has rounded up the top 25 tracks that lay out the good, the bad and everything in between about familial relationships. Check out the list below.
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Kanye West, “Family Business”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo In “Family Business” from his Grammy-winning album The College Dropout, Kanye West reminds us that material goods “don’t mean a thing” if you don’t have your family (both blood and chosen). Listen here.
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Avicii, “The Nights”
Late Swedish DJ Avicii spins a high-energy track laying out the life lessons he learned from his father. Listen here.
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Sister Sledge, “We Are Family”
Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” is a classic — and has undoubtedly become an essential track for family reunions everywhere. Listen here.
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John Mayer, “Daughters”
John Mayer spotlights the relationship between father and daughter in his Grammy-winning acoustic track, “Daughters.” Listen here.
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2Pac, “Dear Mama”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo 2Pac gets personal in “Dear Mama” — a track that puts his love and appreciation for his mom in the spotlight. Listen here.
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Drake, “Keep the Family Close”
In “Keep the Family Close,” Drake expresses regret for not keeping his family closer after losing trust with friends and partners. Listen here.
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Lukas Graham, “7 Years”
Lukas Graham reflects on life lessons and growing up in “7 Years,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 . Listen here.
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Christina Aguilera, “Oh Mother”
Christina Aguilera dedicates “Oh Mother” to her own mom, who kept her head held high and protected her kids despite an abusive relationship. Listen here.
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JP Cooper feat. Stormzy, “Momma’s Prayers”
JP Cooper and British rapper Stormzy sing about a mother’s everlasting love in their moving ballad “Momma’s Prayers.” Listen here.
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Taylor Swift, “The Best Day (Taylor’s Version)”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo A teenage Taylor Swift writes a cheerful ode to all mama’s kids with “The Best Day (Taylor’s Version),” inspired by her relationship with her own mom. Listen here.
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Kenny Chesney, “Don’t Blink”
In “Don’t Blink,” Kenny Chesney sings a country ballad about cherishing every moment with the people you love, because “a hundred years goes faster than you think.” Listen here.
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Stevie Wonder, “Isn’t She Lovely”
“Isn’t She Lovely” is Stevie Wonder’s joyful dedication to his newborn — a track about the feeling all new parents can relate to when meeting their little ones. Listen here.
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Carrie Underwood, “All-American Girl”
Carrie Underwood sings an upbeat melody about the relationship between father and daughter in “All-American Girl.” Listen here.
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Adele, “My Little Love”
Adele incorporates intimate conversations with her son in “My Little Love,” an emotional ballad explaining the complexity of feelings and relationships. Listen here.
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George Michael, “Father Figure”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo George Michael’s Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Father Figure” might have “father” right there in the title, but it’s really about offering fatherly love to a significant other. Listen here.
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Beyoncé, “Be Alive”
Beyoncé honors Serena, Venus and Richard Williams and Oracene Price in “Be Alive” written for King Richard, a biopic that follows the tennis family’s upbringing. Listen here.
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Kygo & The Chainsmokers, “Family”
The Chainsmokers and Kygo spin up a rhythmic track about friendships having as strong a bond as those of blood relatives with “Family.” Listen here.
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BTS, “Begin”
Jungkook’s solo track “Begin” off BTS’ 2016 Wings album is an electric dedication to his chosen brothers — his bandmates — for helping him discover his truest self. Listen here.
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Lady Gaga, “Joanne”
Lady Gaga strips down her usual pop sound for “Joanne,” a track about struggling with the unfathomable loss of a family member. Listen here.
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The Killers, “Uncle Jonny”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The Killers’ “Uncle Jonny” was inspired by frontman Brandon Flowers’ actual uncle, who abused drugs but lived to tell the stories. Listen here.
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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ed Sheeran, “Growing Up”
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis tap Ed Sheeran for the hook of “Growing Up” — the Seattle rapper’s upbeat dedication to his firstborn. Listen here.
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Backstreet Boys, “The Perfect Fan”
Backstreet Boys’ Millennium ballad “The Perfect Fan” is a total ’90s-era tear-jerker — making the track the perfect way to tell your mom you love her. Listen here.
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Mickey Guyton, “Sister”
Mickey Guyton sings a powerful anthem for sisters and female friends everywhere in “Sister.” Listen here.
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Kane Brown, “For My Daughter”
Kane Brown released touching father-daughter ballad “For My Daughter” just a couple days after the birth of his firstborn. Listen here.
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Camilo & Evaluna Montaner, “índigo”
Image Credit: Cristian Saumeth* Camilo and Evaluna announce they’re expecting their first child together in “indigo,” the couple’s laid-back love song. Listen here.