Most Moving Western Songs Ranking [2025]

PhotographEd Sheeran1rank/position

Ed Sheeran – Photograph (Official Music Video)

There’s a timeless song that accompanies those sentimental moments when you look back on summer memories alongside your photos.

It’s a track by Ed Sheeran, the globally renowned singer-songwriter from the UK.

Featured on the acclaimed album ‘×,’ which won British Album of the Year at the 2015 BRIT Awards, this folk-pop ballad was released as a single.

Centered on a long-distance relationship, it portrays a couple reaffirming their love through photographs.

The message—that even apart, hearts remain close—gently seeps in, carried by his soft vocals and acoustic sound.

The music video, which uses real home videos from his childhood, deepens the song’s warm yet bittersweet atmosphere and is truly moving.

As summer comes to an end, why not listen to it while thinking of someone special?

Just The Way You AreBruno Mars2rank/position

Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are (Official Music Video)

Bruno Mars, a genius who effortlessly commands pop and R&B.

This is one of his signature songs and a hugely popular choice for wedding background music.

Its charm lies, above all, in the lyrics that unabashedly and straightforwardly lavish praise on the one you love.

Just listening to it makes you feel happy.

Released in July 2010 as his solo debut single and included on the album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, this track also won at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

With piano at its core and an easy-to-remember melody, it’s very approachable to try.

If you sing it when expressing your feelings to someone special, it’s sure to be a hit!

Tears in HeavenEric Clapton3rank/position

Eric Clapton – Tears In Heaven (Official Video)

Eric Clapton, revered worldwide by musicians and often called the “God of the Guitar,” crafted this gem of a ballad out of the most painful experience of his life.

In the wake of the sudden tragedy in 1991—the immeasurable sorrow of saying goodbye to his beloved son—he wrote it while sending his thoughts to the child in heaven, as a way to endure the grief.

Carried by gentle acoustic guitar, his voice asks whether his son will remember him when they meet again, a question that tugs at the listener’s heartstrings.

Created as the theme song for the film Rush, its performance on the live album Unplugged drew global acclaim.

A deeply personal sorrow was transformed into a universal song of healing and hope—an undeniably moving track that stands as one of the defining songs of the 1990s.

See You Again ft. Charlie PuthWiz Khalifa4rank/position

Wiz Khalifa – See You Again ft. Charlie Puth [Official Video] Furious 7 Soundtrack

This is a gem of a ballad infused with feelings of friendship that pierce the heart.

The moving collaboration by American rapper Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth beautifully sings of the sorrow of losing someone close and the hope of reunion.

Created in March 2015 as the theme song for the film Furious 7, it also serves as a tribute to the late Paul Walker.

The song set an astonishing record by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks, bringing tears to people around the world.

It’s especially recommended for those who have experienced parting from someone dear, or who wish to reaffirm the bonds with family and friends.

I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys5rank/position

Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way (Official HD Video)

A pop ballad about aching love propelled America’s Backstreet Boys to global stardom.

Released in April 1999, the song reached No.

1 on the charts in more than 25 countries and earned an impressive three Grammy nominations.

While the lyrics are ambiguous, its beautiful melody and the group’s exquisite five-part harmonies are sure to soothe anyone struggling with love.

It was featured in a Samsung Electronics commercial in 2021, and even after more than 20 years, its appeal remains undiminished.

Highly recommended for those dealing with heartbreak or long-distance relationships.

HelloAdele6rank/position

Adele – Hello (Official Music Video)

The phrase in the chorus, “Hello, from the other side, I must’ve called a thousand times,” conveys the pain of a woman trying somehow to apologize for her shortcomings, making “Hello” a moving ballad.

Released by Adele in 2015, the song achieved major commercial success, hitting number one in most of the countries where it charted, including her home country of the UK.

It has high name recognition in Japan as well, having been featured on TV programs, so even people who don’t usually listen to Western music might know it!

Viva La VidaColdplay7rank/position

Coldplay – Viva La Vida (Official Video)

This is a song by the British rock band Coldplay, whose grand strings portray the sorrow of a king who has lost his power, striking straight at the heart.

Released in May 2008 from the album “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends,” many will remember it for winning Song of the Year at the 51st Grammy Awards.

You may also have heard it in Apple’s iPod commercials.

Among fans, it enjoys overwhelming popularity as “majestic yet bittersweet,” and “like an anthem for life.” The protagonist’s emptiness—“I once ruled the world, and now I sleep alone”—echoes the hollow feeling that can follow great success.

Reflecting on the fragility of life revealed only after reaching the top makes you want to cherish the happiness you have now.