20 Songs About Unrequited Love, from Jessie's Girl to On My Own

What is the best song about unrequited love?

"I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt is often called the most heartbreaking song about unrequited love. "On My Own" from Les Misérables is the Broadway classic, "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield is the 80s rock favorite and "Teardrops on My Guitar" by Taylor Swift is the modern one.

Classic songs about unrequited love

1. "Since I Don't Have You", The Skyliners: a 1958 doo-wop ballad.
2. "Crazy", Patsy Cline: a Willie Nelson song about loving someone too much.
3. "I Want You to Want Me", Cheap Trick: a power pop plea.
4. "Jessie's Girl", Rick Springfield: in love with a friend's girlfriend.
5. "Last Christmas", Wham!: giving your heart to someone who gave it away.
6. "Wicked Game", Chris Isaak: falling for someone who will only hurt you.
7. "I Can't Make You Love Me", Bonnie Raitt: the quiet acceptance of a love that is not returned.

Modern songs about unrequited love

8. "Creep", Radiohead: feeling unworthy of someone.
9. "Lovefool", The Cardigans: begging to be loved, even if it is pretend.
10. "Crush", Jennifer Paige: a light 90s hit about a crush.
11. "Out of Reach", Gabrielle: from the film Bridget Jones's Diary.
12. "Invisible", Clay Aiken: watching someone who never notices you.
13. "Teardrops on My Guitar", Taylor Swift: in love with a friend who loves someone else.
14. "You Belong with Me", Taylor Swift: the girl next door who sees it first.
15. "Dancing On My Own", Robyn: watching from the corner of the room.
16. "Friends", Marshmello and Anne-Marie: the other side, telling someone you just want to be friends.

Funny songs about unrequited crushes

17. "Just a Friend", Biz Markie: the famously off-key hip hop classic.
18. "Stacy's Mom", Fountains of Wayne: a teenage crush on the wrong person.

Unrequited love on Broadway and in movies

19. "On My Own", from Les Misérables: Éponine's song for Marius.
20. "Hopelessly Devoted to You", Olivia Newton-John: from the film Grease.

Why are there so many songs about unrequited love?

Unrequited love is a story with no ending, which is exactly why it makes such strong songs. The feeling never gets resolved, so it lives on in the music instead. Almost everyone has had a crush that went nowhere, which is why these songs feel so personal to so many people.

The story behind I Can't Make You Love Me

"I Can't Make You Love Me" was written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin, inspired by a newspaper story about a man whose girlfriend no longer loved him. Bonnie Raitt recorded it for her 1991 album Luck of the Draw, and her quiet, aching vocal made it one of the most covered ballads of the decade.

Unrequited love in musicals

Musicals love unrequited love because it gives a character a big solo moment. Éponine sings "On My Own" while walking alone through Paris at night, and Sandy sings "Hopelessly Devoted to You" in Grease, a song added to the film because Olivia Newton-John needed a ballad. Both have become audition favorites.

Songs about loving a friend

Many of these songs are about falling for a friend: "Teardrops on My Guitar", "You Belong with Me" and "Jessie's Girl" all come from inside a friendship. If the feeling turns out to be mutual, see our songs about falling in love, which includes songs about falling for your best friend.

How to get over unrequited love

Getting over someone who never loved you back can be harder than a breakup, because there is no clear ending. Give yourself time, spend less time around the person if you can and lean on friends. A playlist that moves from sad songs to hopeful ones can help. For the next stage, see our songs about moving on and songs about exes.

Should you tell them how you feel?

Many unrequited love songs are written by people who never said a word. If you are thinking of telling someone, keep it simple and honest, and be ready for either answer. Even when the feeling is not returned, saying it out loud often brings relief and lets you move on.

Songs about unrequited love for a breakup playlist

For a playlist after a one-sided love, start with "I Can't Make You Love Me" and "On My Own", add "Lovefool" and "Just a Friend" to lighten the mood and finish with a song about moving forward. Friends can help by adding their own favorites, and a night of singing them loudly together is better than any advice.

A love song for when the feeling is mutual

When you finally find someone who loves you back, a personalized song can tell your story: the way you met, the moment you knew it was mutual and the life you are building, with their name in the chorus. It makes a romantic anniversary or Valentine's Day gift.

How to create a personalized love song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: pop, acoustic, country and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three moments from your story together.
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.

Celebrate a love that is returned: create a song and hear four previews for free.