Popular Western music. Latest rankings [2025]

The Heart Wants What It WantsSelena Gomez22rank/position

Selena Gomez – The Heart Wants What It Wants (Official Video)

This breakup song by Selena Gomez sings of lingering attachment.

Lyrics like “I know in my head I have to let go, but my heart refuses” are likely to resonate with many.

The sorrowful melody makes the song even more heartrending.

Also pay attention to Selena Gomez’s consistently wistful expression throughout the music video.

Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana23rank/position

Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video)

An American band that captured the alienation and anger of chaotic youth with ferocious dynamics, Nirvana delivers one of its signature songs here.

After a quiet intro, it pivots into roaring guitar riffs and vocals that sound like screams, vividly portraying both apathy toward society and a spirit of rebellion.

Since its release in September 1991, the track became a massive global hit, igniting the grunge movement.

As an iconic song from the album Nevermind, it resonated deeply with Generation X.

Its raw sound and lyrics infused with profound despair strike a powerful chord with those tormented by discomfort with the establishment and by self-loathing.

It’s the perfect song for facing your inner darkness or unleashing the anger buried deep within.

When You’re GoneAvril Lavigne24rank/position

Avril Lavigne – When You’re Gone (Official Video)

A power ballad that stirs the heart with bittersweet emotion is brought to you by Canadian artist Avril Lavigne.

Portraying the farewell to a loved one and the pain of loss against a piano melody, this gem is featured on the album “The Best Damn Thing.” Released in June 2007, the song reached the top 10 on the charts in the UK and Ireland, capturing the hearts of listeners across borders.

Its sweeping string arrangement and her emotionally expressive vocals blend beautifully, leaving a profound afterglow.

It’s a perfect recommendation for anyone who wants to connect with feelings for someone dear, or who is seeking a soul-stirring ballad that truly resonates.

Stay With MeSam Smith25rank/position

Sam Smith – Stay With Me (Official Music Video)

A beautiful ballad that gives voice to aching emotions became a signature song for the U.

K.

-born Sam Smith.

Featuring gospel-tinged choruses and lyrics that resonate deeply, it portrays the loneliness that follows a one-night encounter.

Released in the U.

S.

in April 2014, it reached No.

2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

At the 57th Grammy Awards, it won two categories, catapulting Sam Smith to global fame.

It’s a song that comforts anyone who has experienced heartbreak or longs for someone’s warmth.

In August 2024, a collaborative version with Hikaru Utada was also released, showcasing a fresh appeal.

Someone Like YouAdele26rank/position

Adele – Someone Like You (Official Music Video)

This is a gem of a ballad sung by Adele, a singer-songwriter from the UK, that brought tears to listeners around the world.

It’s based on her own real-life experience of learning that her ex had found someone new.

The lyrics, which bravely claim “I’ll find someone like you” while her heart cries out “It isn’t over for me yet,” are so honest they make your chest tighten.

That complicated state of mind—holding painful lingering feelings yet trying to wish the other person happiness—is something anyone who’s been through a hard breakup can’t help but relate to.

Listening to this song may bring back memories of a love you can’t forget.

Her soulful voice etches that sorrow even more deeply into the heart.

Bohemian RhapsodyQueen27rank/position

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (Official Video Remastered)

This is a track that resonates like a grand, roughly six-minute tale, as if you’re watching a single film.

Created by Queen, the song’s structure is breathtaking as it whirls from a beautiful ballad to opera and then into fierce rock.

Yet behind its dramatic sound lies the anguished cry of a protagonist who regrets his sins and struggles against fate, tightening your chest with sorrow.

Released ahead of the landmark album A Night at the Opera in October 1975, it’s also known for its memorable use in the film Wayne’s World.

When you’re crushed by inescapable loneliness or despair, surrendering yourself to this vast sonic world will let emotions well up from the depths of your heart.

HappyPharrell Williams28rank/position

Pharrell Williams – Happy (Video)

Many of you may remember how it lifted spirits around the world as the theme song for the animated film Despicable Me 2.

Created by the multitalented American artist Pharrell Williams, this feel-good track celebrates an invincible sense of happiness that can bounce back from any negative event.

There’s even an anecdote that it was born from a bout of creative block and a touch of irony—something that reminds us of life’s curious twists.

The song was also included on the album G I R L and spent ten consecutive weeks at No.

1 on the U.

S.

charts.

When you find yourself overthinking, listening to this track might free your heart like a room without a roof and help you rediscover the joy of being alive.