60 Slow Dance Songs, From Timeless Classics to Today's Ballads

What is the best song to slow dance to?

The song people name most often is "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers, followed closely by "At Last" by Etta James and "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley. They have an easy, steady rhythm, a melody everyone knows and the kind of slow build that makes a dance feel like a moment. For a modern pick, "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran is the one today's couples choose most.

Classic slow dance songs

1. "Unchained Melody", The Righteous Brothers: the ultimate slow dance.
2. "At Last", Etta James: the love was worth the wait.
3. "The Way You Look Tonight", Frank Sinatra: elegant and warm.
4. "When a Man Loves a Woman", Percy Sledge: soul at its most devoted.
5. "Chances Are", Johnny Mathis: smooth and romantic.
6. "Can't Help Falling in Love", Elvis Presley: timeless.
7. "Unforgettable", Nat King Cole: a velvet-voiced standard.
8. "Stand by Me", Ben E. King: a gentle sway for any age.
9. "Earth Angel", The Penguins: the 1950s doo-wop slow dance.
10. "Only You", The Platters: a sweet classic.
11. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", The Platters: dreamy and old-fashioned.
12. "Fly Me to the Moon", Frank Sinatra: a little faster, perfect for a swing slow dance.
13. "L-O-V-E", Nat King Cole: short, bright and sweet.
14. "La Vie en rose", Louis Armstrong: romance with a French accent.

70s and 80s slow dance songs

15. "Your Song", Elton John: simple and sincere.
16. "Wonderful Tonight", Eric Clapton: about watching her get ready.
17. "Lady in Red", Chris de Burgh: the 80s slow-dance anthem.
18. "Endless Love", Lionel Richie and Diana Ross: the classic duet.
19. "Three Times a Lady", Commodores: a waltz-like slow dance.
20. "Open Arms", Journey: the power ballad.
21. "Islands in the Stream", Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton: a sway-along duet.
22. "Careless Whisper", George Michael: that saxophone.
23. "Take My Breath Away", Berlin: straight from Top Gun.
24. "Time After Time", Cyndi Lauper: a promise to always be there.
25. "Lady", Kenny Rogers: written for him by Lionel Richie.

90s slow dance songs

26. "I Swear", All-4-One: the 90s wedding slow dance.
27. "Kiss from a Rose", Seal: dramatic and romantic.
28. "Truly Madly Deeply", Savage Garden: a sweet pop ballad.
29. "Amazed", Lonestar: the country crossover hit.
30. "Because You Loved Me", Celine Dion: gratitude in a ballad.
31. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", Aerosmith: the rock slow dance.
32. "Have I Told You Lately", Rod Stewart: a gentle favorite.
33. "Iris", Goo Goo Dolls: for prom nights in every decade since.
34. "Back at One", Brian McKnight: an R&B countdown to love.
35. "You're Still the One", Shania Twain: a love that lasted.

Modern slow dance songs

36. "Perfect", Ed Sheeran: the modern standard.
37. "Thinking Out Loud", Ed Sheeran: easy to sway to.
38. "All of Me", John Legend: piano and devotion.
39. "A Thousand Years", Christina Perri: dreamy and slow.
40. "Make You Feel My Love", Adele: quiet and heartfelt.
41. "My Love Mine All Mine", Mitski: a soft, recent favorite.
42. "Until I Found You", Stephen Sanchez: retro and romantic.
43. "Die with a Smile", Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars: a duet about forever.
44. "Golden Hour", JVKE: builds beautifully for a dance.
45. "Say You Won't Let Go", James Arthur: a love story in four minutes.
46. "Lover", Taylor Swift: cozy and slow.
47. "Best Part", Daniel Caesar featuring H.E.R.: soft and intimate.

Country slow dance songs

48. "Tennessee Whiskey", Chris Stapleton: the modern country slow dance.
49. "Speechless", Dan + Shay: about being lost for words.
50. "Die a Happy Man", Thomas Rhett: needing nothing more.
51. "It's Your Love", Tim McGraw and Faith Hill: a real couple's duet.
52. "Then", Brad Paisley: love that keeps growing.
53. "Forever and Ever, Amen", Randy Travis: a sweet promise.

R&B songs to slow dance to

54. "Let's Stay Together", Al Green: soul for a long marriage.
55. "Adorn", Miguel: smooth devotion.
56. "Spend My Life with You", Eric Benét and Tamia: the R&B wedding duet.
57. "Ribbon in the Sky", Stevie Wonder: love that was meant to be.
58. "Nothing Even Matters", Lauryn Hill and D'Angelo: a quiet late-90s gem.

Prom slow dances

59. "Yellow", Coldplay: a prom slow dance for twenty years running.
60. "Love Story", Taylor Swift: a fairy tale for the dance floor.

Add "Perfect", "Iris", "A Thousand Years" and "Golden Hour" from the lists above, and every prom-goer will have a song they know.

Oldies for a slow dance

For a 50s or 60s night, or for grandparents who still dance at every wedding, add a few doo-wop and early soul favorites to the classics above: "In the Still of the Night" by The Five Satins, "Since I Don't Have You" by The Skyliners, "Sea of Love" by Phil Phillips and "Stand by Me". They are short, steady and easy to sway to, which is exactly what a slow dance needs.

Slow dancing at home

Some of the best slow dances happen in the kitchen while dinner cooks. Put on "La Vie en rose", "Lover" or "My Love Mine All Mine", turn the lights down and hold on. Couples who do it once a week often say it is the habit they would keep if they had to drop everything else.

What makes a good slow dance song?

A comfortable slow dance tempo is roughly 60 to 80 beats per minute: slow enough to sway, fast enough not to stall. Songs in 3/4 time, like "Three Times a Lady" or "Can't Help Falling in Love", feel like a gentle waltz. Three to four minutes is the ideal length; anything longer and couples start looking at the bar.

How do you slow dance?

• Stand close, facing each other. One partner's hands go on the other's waist, the other's on the shoulders, or take the classic hold with one hand clasped.
• Sway gently from foot to foot with the beat. That is all a slow dance needs.
• Turn slowly in a small circle as you sway.
• Add a spin at the chorus if you are feeling brave.
• Look at each other, not your feet.

Slow dances at a wedding

At a reception, the DJ usually plays three or four slow songs during the night: the first dance, the parent dances and one or two moments when all couples are invited onto the floor. "At Last", "Can't Help Falling in Love", "Unchained Melody" and "Perfect" are the safest choices because every generation dances to them. See our lists of first dance songs and last dance songs.

A slow dance playlist by decade

If you are building a playlist for an anniversary or a themed party, pick songs from the year the couple met. The 50s and 60s belong to "Earth Angel" and "Unchained Melody", the 70s to "Your Song" and "Three Times a Lady", the 80s to "Lady in Red", the 90s to "I Swear" and "Truly Madly Deeply", the 2000s to "Iris" and "Amazed", and the 2010s and later to "Perfect" and "All of Me".

A slow dance song written about the two of you

Every song above was written for someone else. A personalized love song tells your story: how you met, the first date, the moment you knew and the life you are building. It is the slow dance that belongs only to you, whether it is your wedding, your anniversary or a Tuesday night in the kitchen. See our custom first dance song guide and our anniversary songs.

How to create your slow dance song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: ballad, country, R&B, swing and more.
2. Add both of your names.
3. Share three moments from your story, each with one concrete detail.
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 $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Dance to a song that is only yours: create your song and hear four previews for free.