[2025] Focus on the lyrics! A roundup of coming-of-age Western songs you’ll totally relate to

OrdinaryAlex Warren

Alex Warren – Ordinary (Official Video)

Singer-songwriter Alex Warren, from the United States, moves listeners with lyrics rooted in his own experiences.

This song reminds us that the everyday moments spent with our soulmate are what truly make life special.

Ordinary days turn into irreplaceable treasures because of someone important—radiant with the glow of youth.

Amid time that seems to pass by unnoticed, it makes you realize that the person beside you is a miracle even angels would envy.

Released in February 2025, the track has garnered over 100 million views on social media.

Listen with a partner or your best friend, and your time together might feel even more precious.

That’s So TrueGracie Abrams

Gracie Abrams – That’s So True (Official Lyric Video)

Gracie Abrams, the Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter.

Featured on her album “The Secret of Us,” this track captures the raw, painfully honest emotions of youth, swaying in the midst of heartbreak.

Confronted with an ex’s happiness, the messy tangle of jealousy and self-loathing may resonate as a bittersweet memory many of us share.

Even so, the treasured experience of facing your own immaturity will surely give you strength when you struggle in the future.

After its release in November 2024, the song reached No.

6 on the U.

S.

charts.

Give it a listen on those nights when you feel overwhelmed by feelings you can’t control.

Live While We’re YoungOne Direction

One Direction – Live While We’re Young

A bubblegum pop track released in 2012 by One Direction.

It features smooth harmonies and reached the Top 10 on charts around the world.

The music video garnered over 8.

24 million views within 24 hours of its online release.

What WasBenson Boone

Benson Boone – What Was (Official Lyric Video)

A heart swaying between the radiant memories of love and a reality to which there’s no return.

Capturing the ache of youth, American singer-songwriter Benson Boone delivers it beautifully.

Catapulted to stardom through his activity on social media, his voice is a must-hear.

This song portrays the bittersweet struggle of reminiscing about days gone by while trying to accept that “the past is the past.” Released in April 2023 and included on his second EP, Pulse, it’s the kind of track that will gently stay by your side on nights when you’re tormented by an unforgettable love or suddenly grow sentimental remembering the past.

Why not turn those treasure-like memories into strength and take a step into the next season?

astridglaive

glaive – astrid (official video)

The pain and frustration of love you experience while climbing the steps to adulthood—this song by Grave, an artist who took flight from an American bedroom to the world and a pioneering figure in hyperpop, captures that raw, stinging side of youth.

You can feel the clumsy teenage heart that, overwhelmed by feelings for someone, tries to get their attention with bold words.

The sound, where emo-tinged guitars blend with electronic elements, seems to express a heart swaying like a roller coaster.

Released independently in June 2020, the track is also included on the acclaimed debut EP “Cypress Grove.” Listen to it on nights when you’re swept up in complicated emotions, and its painfully honest sincerity will surely stay close to your heart.

traitorOlivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo – traitor (Official Video)

What American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo powerfully conveys on her landmark album SOUR is the cruelty of young love and the searing emotions it unleashes.

When an ex quickly moves on to a new relationship, the swirling sense of betrayal that rises in your heart—those universally relatable, aching feelings—may be why her songs pierce so deeply.

Released in May 2021, this track, though just one cut on the album, made a huge splash, debuting at No.

9 on the U.

S.

charts.

The work’s disarmingly candid cries of the heart will gently stand by anyone carrying the unhealed wounds of love, offering a kind of emotional catharsis.

STAY (with Justin Bieber)The Kid LAROI

The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber – STAY (Official Video)

Sung over a brisk, catchy beat are regrets over mistakes made in youth and a piercing plea to “stay with me.” This track by Australia’s The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber portrays, in a starkly direct way, the heart‑rending emotions felt at the moment you’re about to lose someone precious.

Many listeners likely find themselves painfully reminded of their own younger days by such unflinchingly honest cries from the heart.

Released in July 2021, the song is a single from The Kid LAROI’s mixtape “F*ck Love 3: Over You.” The fact that it topped the Billboard Hot 100 is proof that it resonated with young people around the world.

Put it on during a night of romantic turmoil and melancholy, and it’s sure to keep you company.