40 Songs About Change, Growth and Starting Over

What is the most famous song about change?

"Changes" by David Bowie is the most famous song about change, with "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke and "The Times They Are a-Changin'" by Bob Dylan as the classics of social change. For personal change, "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson and "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac are the favorites.

Famous songs about change

1. "Changes", David Bowie: the anthem of reinvention.
2. "Man in the Mirror", Michael Jackson: change starting with yourself.
3. "Landslide", Fleetwood Mac: written by Stevie Nicks at a crossroads.
4. "Turn! Turn! Turn!", The Byrds: a season for everything.
5. "Wind of Change", Scorpions: the soundtrack to the end of the Cold War.
6. "Changes", Black Sabbath: a surprisingly tender piano ballad.
7. "Big Yellow Taxi", Joni Mitchell: change you only notice when it is too late.
8. "Let It Be", The Beatles: accepting what you cannot change.

Songs about a fresh start

9. "Unwritten", Natasha Bedingfield: a whole new story ahead.
10. "Breakaway", Kelly Clarkson: leaving home to chase something bigger.
11. "Begin Again", Taylor Swift: trying love again after heartbreak.
12. "New Shoes", Paolo Nutini: a lighthearted fresh start.
13. "Shake It Out", Florence + the Machine: leaving the past behind.
14. "Feeling Good", Nina Simone: a soaring song of renewal.
15. "A Change Would Do You Good", Sheryl Crow: an upbeat push to shake things up.
16. "Here I Go Again", Whitesnake: setting out on your own.
17. "Wide Open Spaces", The Chicks: a young woman leaving home.
18. "Brand New Day", Sting: optimism for starting over.

Songs about changing the world

19. "A Change Is Gonna Come", Sam Cooke: the civil rights anthem.
20. "The Times They Are a-Changin'", Bob Dylan: the 60s protest classic.
21. "Changes", 2Pac: a hard look at a world that needs to change.
22. "Glory", John Legend and Common: from the film Selma.
23. "The Change", Garth Brooks: about making a difference, even a small one.
24. "Imagine", John Lennon: picturing a better world.
25. "What's Going On", Marvin Gaye: a gentle plea for understanding.

Songs about people and relationships changing

26. "Everybody's Changing", Keane: feeling left behind as friends change.
27. "Change", Taylor Swift: about the underdog finally winning.
28. "Change the World", Eric Clapton: a gentle love song from the movie Phenomenon.
29. "Grow as We Go", Ben Platt: a couple growing through change together.
30. "Change", Tracy Chapman: a reflective song about changing your ways.
31. "Fast Car", Tracy Chapman: dreaming of a different life.

Songs for life's big turning points

32. "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)", Green Day: for graduations and goodbyes.
33. "Circle of Life", from The Lion King: change across generations.
34. "Let It Go", from Frozen: becoming who you really are.
35. "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes", Jimmy Buffett: for a move or a retirement.
36. "Live Like You Were Dying", Tim McGraw: what a diagnosis teaches about living.
37. "The Climb", Miley Cyrus: growth is in the journey.
38. "Forever Young", Rod Stewart: a blessing for whatever comes next.
39. "Slipping Through My Fingers", ABBA: a parent watching a child change.
40. "Cat's in the Cradle", Harry Chapin: about time lost between a father and son.

Songs about change for a graduation

Graduation is the biggest change most young people have faced. "Unwritten", "Breakaway", "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" and "Forever Young" fit a ceremony or slideshow. For the full list, see our graduation songs.

Songs for a new job, a move or a retirement

For a coworker leaving or a family moving away, "Here I Go Again", "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" and "Brand New Day" keep the mood light. For more, see our retirement songs and songs about home.

Songs about change after a breakup or divorce

When a relationship ends, "Begin Again", "Shake It Out", "Landslide" and "Feeling Good" help turn an ending into a beginning. See our songs about divorce and songs about moving on.

Songs about changing yourself

Some songs are about the hardest change of all, the one inside you: "Man in the Mirror", "Changes" by David Bowie, "Let It Go" and "The Climb". They are favorites for a fresh year, a sobriety anniversary or anyone working to become a better version of themselves. For more, see our songs about second chances.

Why songs about change help

Change is unsettling even when it is good. Songs give it shape: they remind us that others have stood at the same crossroads, that seasons turn, and that the scary part usually comes before the good part. That is why a song about change can mean so much in a speech, a card or a slideshow.

A song for someone going through a big change

For a friend starting a new chapter, a graduate, a new parent or someone recovering from a hard year, a personalized song can name what they are going through and what you believe about them. It makes a thoughtful gift for a send-off, a milestone or simply a hard week.

How to create a song of encouragement

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: pop, acoustic, country, rock and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share the change they are facing and three strengths that will carry them through.
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.

Help someone through their next chapter with a song: create a song and hear four previews for free.