The 40 Most Famous Piano Songs, from Piano Man to Clair de Lune

What is the most famous piano song?

In pop music, "Piano Man" by Billy Joel, "Imagine" by John Lennon and "Let It Be" by the Beatles are among the most famous piano songs ever recorded. In classical music, Beethoven's "Für Elise" and "Moonlight Sonata" and Debussy's "Clair de Lune" are the pieces almost everyone recognizes.

Famous piano songs in pop and rock

1. "Piano Man", Billy Joel, 1973: a bar-room story song built on piano and harmonica.
2. "Imagine", John Lennon, 1971: simple, unforgettable chords on a white piano.
3. "Let It Be", the Beatles, 1970: Paul McCartney's gospel-tinged piano hymn.
4. "Hey Jude", the Beatles, 1968: a piano ballad that builds to a huge singalong.
5. "Bohemian Rhapsody", Queen, 1975: Freddie Mercury's piano ballad, opera and hard rock in one.
6. "Your Song", Elton John, 1970: his first big hit and a timeless love song.
7. "Tiny Dancer", Elton John, 1971: a slow-building piano epic.
8. "Rocket Man", Elton John, 1972: dreamy piano and space-age imagery.
9. "Bennie and the Jets", Elton John, 1974: stomping, glam piano chords.
10. "Don't Stop Me Now", Queen, 1979: joyful, galloping piano.
11. "Great Balls of Fire", Jerry Lee Lewis, 1957: pounding rock and roll piano.
12. "November Rain", Guns N' Roses, 1991: Axl Rose's orchestral piano ballad.
13. "Mandy", Barry Manilow, 1974: a soft-rock piano ballad.

Piano ballads of the 2000s and today

14. "Clocks", Coldplay, 2002: the rippling piano riff that won the Grammy for Record of the Year.
15. "The Scientist", Coldplay, 2002: a heartbreaking piano ballad.
16. "A Thousand Miles", Vanessa Carlton, 2002: one of the most recognizable piano intros of the century.
17. "Fallin'", Alicia Keys, 2001: soulful piano from a classically trained star.
18. "If I Ain't Got You", Alicia Keys, 2003: a piano love song for the ages.
19. "Mad World", Gary Jules, 2001: a haunting, slow piano cover of the Tears for Fears song.
20. "Someone Like You", Adele, 2011: just a voice and a piano.
21. "When I Was Your Man", Bruno Mars, 2012: a piano ballad of regret.
22. "All of Me", John Legend, 2013: a number one piano love song.
23. "Say Something", A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera, 2013: a quiet, aching piano duet.
24. "Someone You Loved", Lewis Capaldi, 2018: a piano ballad that became a global hit.
25. "Drivers License", Olivia Rodrigo, 2021: a record-breaking piano-led debut.

Famous classical piano pieces

For a composer who wrote dozens of famous works, see our most famous Mozart pieces.

26. "Für Elise", Ludwig van Beethoven: the most famous piano piece for beginners.
27. "Moonlight Sonata", Ludwig van Beethoven, 1801: the hushed, haunting first movement.
28. "Clair de Lune", Claude Debussy: a shimmering portrait of moonlight.
29. "Gymnopédie No. 1", Erik Satie, 1888: slow, calm and dreamy.
30. "Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2", Frédéric Chopin: a graceful, singing melody.
31. "Rhapsody in Blue", George Gershwin, 1924: jazz meets the concert hall.

Famous piano themes from film and TV

32. "Comptine d'un autre été", Yann Tiersen, 2001: the wistful theme from Amélie.
33. "River Flows in You", Yiruma, 2001: a modern piano favorite.
34. "Nuvole Bianche", Ludovico Einaudi, 2004: gentle, minimalist and hugely popular.
35. "Experience", Ludovico Einaudi, 2013: a building, emotional piece used in many films and ads.
36. "Mia and Sebastian's Theme", Justin Hurwitz, 2016: the piano theme from La La Land.
37. "Linus and Lucy", Vince Guaraldi Trio, 1964: the jazzy Peanuts theme.

Ragtime and piano duets

38. "The Entertainer", Scott Joplin, 1902: the ragtime classic revived by the film The Sting.
39. "Maple Leaf Rag", Scott Joplin, 1899: the rag that made Joplin famous.
40. "Heart and Soul", Hoagy Carmichael, 1938: the duet two people can play on any piano.

Why the piano works so well in songs

The piano can play melody, harmony and rhythm all at once, so a single pianist can carry a whole song. That is why so many great ballads, from "Imagine" to "Someone Like You", need nothing more than a voice and a piano. In rock and pop, the piano can be gentle and intimate or loud and percussive, as Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John and Freddie Mercury showed, and a memorable piano riff, like the ones in "Clocks" or "A Thousand Miles", can make a song instantly recognizable.

The great piano singers

Elton John and Billy Joel became the two most famous piano-playing rock stars of the 70s, and their songs, from "Your Song" to "Piano Man", are still the first ones many people learn. Alicia Keys, who trained classically before her pop career, brought the piano back to the center of R&B, and Adele, John Legend and Lewis Capaldi showed that a piano ballad can still top the charts. For more, see our Paul McCartney songs and Neil Sedaka songs.

Famous piano intros

Some piano songs are recognizable from the first second. The rolling chords of "Clocks", the bright riff of "A Thousand Miles", the opening of "Bennie and the Jets", the gentle arpeggios of "Imagine" and the hushed first notes of the "Moonlight Sonata" are among the most famous intros in music. Learning just the intro of a song you love is a great way to start, and it is often enough to impress friends and family.

Piano songs for a memorial

Solo piano is a comforting choice for a funeral or a celebration of life. "Clair de Lune", "Gymnopédie No. 1", "River Flows in You" and "Nuvole Bianche" are gentle instrumental pieces, and "Let It Be", "Imagine" and "Someone Like You" are moving songs to play as people gather.

How to start learning these songs

If you are a beginner, start with the simpler pieces: "Für Elise" (the famous opening section), "Heart and Soul", "Let It Be", "Imagine" and "Someone You Loved" use repeating patterns that are easy to learn. Work up to "Clair de Lune", "River Flows in You" and "Piano Man", and save "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Rhapsody in Blue" for when you are confident. For more ideas, see our easy piano songs.

Famous piano songs for a wedding

Piano music is perfect for a wedding ceremony. "River Flows in You", "Nuvole Bianche", "Clair de Lune" and "Canon in D" are lovely for the prelude or the processional, and "All of Me", "Your Song" and "If I Ain't Got You" are beautiful first dances. For more, see our first dance songs and wedding prelude songs.

Piano songs for a party

For a singalong, nothing beats "Piano Man", "Bennie and the Jets", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Great Balls of Fire" and "Hey Jude". If you want live piano at your party, see our dueling piano songs.

A piano ballad about them

The most moving piano songs are about one person. A personalized song can be a piano ballad about someone you love: their name, the story you share and what they mean to you, with a gentle classical or pop piano sound. It makes a beautiful anniversary, wedding or birthday gift.

How to create a personalized piano song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: classical, pop, acoustic, jazz and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.