Top 16 Songs That Will Make You Cry

#16: “Father and Son” (1970)

Cat Stevens

For many people, their parental relationships can be hard to articulate. “Father and Son” finds a way to tackle a common problem about generational communication. The singer-songwriter now known as Yusuf/Cat Stevens presents a back and forth between a father and his son, with each side trying to get their point across. It’s not hard to see why so many people might have a good, long cry about this one. Whether you grew up with your dad or not, this song celebrates the connections and misunderstandings of family life. Stevens sets it all to a folk arrangement that’s effective and unforgettable.

#15: “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” (1984)

The Smiths

This sad song lives on as an important piece of 1980s pop culture. If you’re never heard the original, you probably remember the Dream Academy cover in the film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” The pain of the original is even more heartfelt, with singer Morrissey in top form. The Smiths offer up yet another mix of sincerity, dark humor, and self-doubt. After a string of bad luck, this song captures that pit of despair we find ourselves trapped inside. In only a few short minutes, this track knows how to hit us in the feels.

#14: “Chasing Cars” (2006)

Snow Patrol

If you were a longtime fan, Snow Patrol had you back when they released “Run”. In another affecting track, the band won over an even larger audience with the release “Chasing Cars.” Singer Gary Lightbody only needs a minimal guitar riff and some poignant lyrics to make audiences listen. It’s a song that’s forever associated with the mid-2000s and an underrated composer. Lightbody’s voice encourages us all to forget the noise, embracing the person we’ve always wanted instead. It’s yet another beautiful single that causes listeners to take a step back and consider their priorities.

#13: “The Living Years” (1988)

Mike + The Mechanics

This ‘80s ballad picks apart the question of life and death, and summarizes the conundrum in 6 short words: “It’s too late when we die.” A global chart hit, this song addresses an unresolved conflict between songwriter B.A. Robertson and his father shortly before he died. Specifically about the bond between a boy and his father, the idea is applicable to just about any relationship that we could have – that’s why it gets us singing along – even if it is difficult to do that and not shed a tear.

#12: “Monsters” (2019)

James Blunt

You know him for his earlier works like “You’re Beautiful,” but there’s a chance you could’ve missed “Monsters.” James Blunt sings what could be the most emotionally-charged song of his entire career. Following serious health news about his father, Blunt chose to immortalize the moment into this gripping single. The lyrics are an incredible showcase for his sensitive soul. Pouring out his heart for this tribute, the singer does not hold back on this compelling tune about his dad. The music video only hammers home his feelings with his dedicated performance. It certainly makes you want to call a loved one, reminding everyone to cherish the people we still have.

#11: “Lazarus” (2015)

David Bowie

While a track can be sad on its own, sometimes the context surrounding it amplifies that emotion. David Bowie’s career was long and illustrious, spanning decades and genres. He continued working until the very end, with his last efforts including his swan song, “Lazarus”. It’s extremely self-aware, with the legend reflecting on life coming to an end. While the content is bleak enough, it being released shortly before Bowie’s death twisted the proverbial knife. It’s undoubtedly harrowing, but there’s also a sense of freedom – like he’d come to terms with his fate and was ready to tackle it head on. It became a fitting piece to cap off his legacy.

#10: “Who Wants to Live Forever” (1986)

Queen

While it may have been created for “Highlander,” this power ballad has become so much more. The orchestra-backed tune is gorgeous, and asks a simple yet existential question. Is living forever worth it without the person you love? While it’s always been melancholic, it was made even more sorrowful by Freddie Mercury’s passing in 1991. Suddenly, the lyrics took on a new, somehow even deeper message – and he and Brian May trading lines on the album version seemed extra fitting. The posthumous context has helped “Who Wants to Live Forever” endure beyond its soundtrack beginnings, cementing it as one of the most haunting and poignant entries in the band’s catalog.

#9: "Someone Like You" (2011)

Adele

"Someone Like You" is still a signature tune for Adele, despite the countless hits that the UK singer has had before and since. A touching almost-tribute to an ex-boyfriend of hers, she lays it all on the lyrical line with this one, and almost every music listener respects her for that. Adele wears her heart firmly on her sleeve, while we without a doubt wear our tears on our cheeks.

#8: "Lay Me Down" (2013)

Sam Smith

We could have gone with Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" for this spot, but "Lay Me Down" will make you cry just a little bit harder. The lead single from Smith's Grammy Award winning debut album In The Lonely Hour, "Lay Me Down" was built around many of the same themes that are found on the album, specifically unrequited love. The video alludes to Smith's ongoing hope that equal LGBTQ+ rights will one day be a worldwide reality, while the singer’s powerful voice will haunt you and force you to bawl your eyes out.

#7: "Fake Plastic Trees" (1995)

Radiohead

Radiohead are well known for being a little brutal with their views on society, but this is surely the band's best, if not most depressing, take on the world around them... A scathing critique of the inescapable artificial nature of life in the '90s, it grows more and more relevant by the day! Although "Exit Music For A Film" is awfully melancholy in its own right, there's just nothing else as bleak or as brilliant as "Fake Plastic Trees". Listen to it, look at the world around you, and we defy you not to be moved.

#6: "Fix You" (2005)

Coldplay

By now even the toughest amongst you must have at least a little 'something in your eye', and if not then our next pick will set you sobbing, no doubt! Tackling love and loss like so many on our countdown before them, Coldplay turns the saddest subject matter into a tear-filled rollercoaster of a record with this song! The first half has us subdued; The second half has us singing along! And if that doesn’t have your eyes watering, just watch them perform it live.

#5: “Wild Horses” (1971)

The Rolling Stones

Exactly who this song was written for remains a mystery. Marianne Faithful’s the most likely, though it has also been linked to Bianca Jagger, and Keith Richards’ son, Marlon. What is clear is that with one quite simple hook, the Stones produced an ageless piece of music that has stood hairs on end for generations. Mick’s distinctive voice finds a perfect match, as this brooding, crooning, subdued song leaves the listener as lonely as the frontman.

#4: “Wish You Were Here” (1975)

Pink Floyd

The title track to their 1975 album, “Wish You Were Here” was written for Pink Floyd founder member Syd Barrett in response to his alleged battle with schizophrenia. The whole album explores the theme of detachment, and David Gilmour’s vocals retain a curiously absent quality as he pines for his friend. The whole track comes across as an effortless piece of music – a train of thought that is at once sad and beautiful in its simplicity.

#3: “Candle in the Wind” (1974)

Elton John

Originally penned in memory of Marilyn Monroe, “Candle in the Wind” is also famously linked to Diana, Princess of Wales, after Elton played it at her funeral. Though the lives of its subjects have been tragically short-lived, the song itself has endured for generations – and rightly so! It’s emotional enough without context, but it’s a fitting tribute to two iconic women, and to celebrities in general, that die too young – an elegy of the highest order.

#2: “Yesterday” (1965)

The Beatles

With a discography as vast as theirs, it only makes sense for the Beatles to have multiple solid emotional tunes under their belt. Whether they’re talking about letting go or singing about love, they capture the human condition in plenty of their hits. “Yesterday” is one of their most wistful. It focuses on a relationship that’s recently decayed, and how the narrator wishes he could return to a time when they were still happy. The straightforward nature of the number only adds to the devastation. Using just one vocalist and string accompaniments, the band paints a clear picture of heartbreak that always gets us in our feelings.

#1: “Tears in Heaven” (1992)

Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” is an incredibly moving piece of music, made all the more impactful by the great personal tragedy Clapton experienced. When his 4-year-old son tragically passed away in 1991, we’d have understood if Clapton never picked up a guitar again. But he did, and was able to produce a record that’s as terrific as it is teary! Reminding us all of anyone who has passed, “Tears in Heaven” verbalizes what everybody else would like to say. It’s a tear-jerking tune that gets us every time!

Did we forget another song that made you bawl? Let us know in the comments below.