Few things capture the spirit of friendship quite like a great song on the topic. Whether you’re celebrating years of history with someone or just appreciating the people who’ve had your back, music can put those feelings into words. Below are some of the best songs that cover friendship from every angle.
Be sure to check out the Songs About Friendship Playlist at the bottom of this page.
Best Songs About Friendship
1. “You’ve Got a Friend” – Carole King
Lyric Sample: “You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running.”
King’s 1971 classic is about being there for someone when they need you most. Many consider this the best friendship song ever written.
Related: Grammy Record of the Year
2. “Friends Will Be Friends” – Queen
Lyric Sample: “Hold out your hand ’cause friends will be friends.”
This 1986 track about sticking together through whatever life throws at you became a favorite at Queen concerts for good reason.
3. “Hey Girl” – Lady Gaga
Lyric Sample: “Hey girl, I know you love me.”
This 2016 duet with Florence Welch is about lifting each other up and being there when things get hard. It’s about those late-night moments when you need your friend most.
4. “We’re Going to be Friends” – The White Stripes
Lyric Sample: “I can tell that we are gonna be friends.”
Jack White’s storytelling makes this feel like a childhood memory, capturing that hopeful feeling at the start of something new.
Related: Best Songs About School
Lyric Stories Newsletter
Don’t miss out on our latest song interpretations and curated music lists!
5. “Friends” – Led Zeppelin
Lyric Sample: “The greatest thing you ever can do now, is trade a smile with someone who’s blue now.”
Led Zeppelin’s 1970 track is about the importance of being there for others, even when it’s difficult. The message is that showing kindness to someone who needs it matters more than you might think.
6. “Anytime You Need a Friend” – Mariah Carey
Lyric Sample: “Anytime you need a friend, I will be here.”
Mariah Carey’s ’90s ballad is all about offering unwavering support to friends in need.
7. “I’ll Stand by You” – The Pretenders
Lyric Sample: “Won’t let nobody hurt you, I’ll stand by you.”
The Pretenders’ hit is about loyalty and protection. It’s one of the best songs about telling someone they’re not alone.
8. “True Colours” – Cyndi Lauper
Lyric Sample: “But I see your true colors shining through.”
Lauper’s 1986 hit encourages someone to show their authentic self. It’s one of the great “reassuring” songs.
9. “Friends in Low Places” – Garth Brooks
Lyric Sample: “‘Cause I got friends in low places.”
Brooks celebrates finding your people in unexpected places. It’s one of the most successful country songs ever created.
Related: CMA – Single of the Year
10. “You’re My Best Friend” – Queen
Lyric Sample: “Oh, you’re the best friend that I ever had.”
“You’re My Best Friend” is a rock classic that celebrates having a friend in your life who truly gets you.
11. “Count on Me” – Bruno Mars
Lyric Sample: “You can count on me like one, two, three, I’ll be there.”
Bruno Mars’ hit song is about showing up for your friends when they need you.
🎧 Listen to the Full Playlist ↓
12. “Gift of a Friend” – Demi Lovato
Lyric Sample: “It’s easy to feel like you don’t need help, but it’s harder to walk on your own.”
This 2009 track is about realizing you don’t have to go through everything alone.
13. “That’s What Friends Are For” – Dionne Warwick
Lyric Sample: “Keep smiling, keep shining, knowing you can always count on me, for sure.”
Dionne Warwick and Friends turned this into a massive 1985 hit that also raised money for AIDS research.
Related: Grammy Award for Record of the Year
14. “Friendship” – Tenacious D
Lyric Sample: “Friendship is rare, do you know what I’m saying to you?”
Tenacious D’s track is a comedic take on friendship that mixes absurd scenarios (fighting a bear) with cynical observations about the music business.
15. “Stand by Me” – Ben E. King
Lyric Sample: “So darling, darling, stand by me.”
This 1961 classic is one of the most covered songs in history. What started as a song about faith became one of the defining friendship songs.
Related: “Stand by Me” Song Meaning
16. “Long Live” – Taylor Swift
Lyric Sample: “Long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shined just for me and you.”
Swift’s 2010 track celebrates shared victories and the hope that those moments will be remembered.
17. “All My Friends” – LCD Soundsystem
Lyric Sample: “If I could see all my friends tonight.”
“All My Friends” captures the complexity of relationships and growing up with friends by your side. It’s bittersweet and honest about the passage of time.
18. “The Friends Song” – Michael Franti & Spearhead
Lyric Sample: “Let’s be friends, we could be friends”
“The Friends Song” celebrates new connections and staying out late making memories. It’s about the unique excitement of meeting someone you instantly click with.
19. “Wannabe” – Spice Girls
Lyric Sample: “If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends.”
This 1996 hit basically launched “girl power” into the mainstream. Friends come first, and the Spice Girls weren’t subtle about it.
Related: Brit Awards – Song of the Year
20. “Young Dumb & Broke” – Khalid
Lyric Sample: “We’re young, dumb, and broke, but we still got love to give.”
Khalid’s 2017 hit captures that specific moment when you’re figuring things out with your friends by your side.
21. “Me & My Girls” – Selena Gomez
Lyric Sample: “I don’t need a man, me and my girls.”
The 2015 pop track celebrates independence and the bond between friends who have each other’s backs on a night out.
22. “These Are My People” – Rodney Atkins
Lyric Sample: “These are my people, this is who I am.”
“These Are My People” is a country song about the friends who shaped who you are and the community you grew up in. It celebrates hometown roots and the people who stick with you.
23. “Brother” – NEEDTOBREATHE
Lyric Sample: “Brother, let me be your shelter, never leave you all alone.”
This 2015 collaboration with Gavin DeGraw is about always being there for your friends. The title says “Brother,” but it applies to any friendship.
Related: Best Songs About Brothers
24. “Goodbye Earl” – The Chicks
Lyric Sample: “Goodbye, Earl, we love you, but we just gotta kill you.”
The Chicks’ 1999 song is about two friends who take matters into their own hands. It’s protection taken to an extreme.
Related: Best Songs About Revenge
25. “With a Little Help from My Friends” – The Beatles
Lyric Sample: “Gonna try with a little help from my friends.”
In one of Ringo’s moments to shine, he sings about relying on the people around you. Joe Cocker’s cover became just as iconic.
🎧 Listen to the Full Playlist ↓
26. “True Blue” – Boygenius
Lyric Sample: “And it feels good to be known so well, I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself.”
“True Blue” is about the comfort of being truly known by someone who sees past your defenses. It’s about the kind of friendship where you can’t hide and don’t need to.
27. “Thank You for Being a Friend” – Andrew Gold
Lyric Sample: “Thank you for being a friend, traveled down a road and back again.”
Gold wrote this in 1978, but it found new life as the theme to The Golden Girls. It’s pure gratitude set to music.
28. “No New Friends” – DJ Khaled ft. Drake, Rick Ross, & Lil Wayne
Lyric Sample: “No new friends, no new friends, no new friends, no, no, no.”
This track from DJ Khaled and his collaborators celebrates loyalty to the friends who’ve been with you from the start.
29. “Kids” – Dream Wife
Lyric Sample: “I’m talking to my best friend, and we’re talking like these days will never end.”
“Kids” is about taking road trips with your best friend and feeling like those days will last forever. It captures both the joy and the bittersweet reality that everything changes.
30. “Best Friend” – Rex Orange County
Lyric Sample: “You’re gonna wanna be my best friend, baby.”
This 2017 indie-pop tune blurs the line between friendship and romantic feelings. It’s about wanting someone to be your best friend while struggling with deeper emotions.
Related: “Best Friend” Song Meaning
31. “Friends” – Nas & Damian Marley
Lyric Sample: “Your real friends won’t do you wrong, real friends don’t change.”
Nas and Marley distinguish real friends from fake ones in this collaboration. It’s about loyalty, mutual respect, and the people who stick around through both wins and losses.
32. “Graduation (Friends Forever)” – Vitamin C
Lyric Sample: “As we go on, we remember all the times we had together.”
Vitamin C’s classic became the graduation song for a generation. It’s about looking forward while recognizing what you’re leaving behind.
Related: Best Songs About the Past
33. “I’ll Be There for You” – The Rembrandts
Lyric Sample: “I’ll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour.”
This iconic theme song for Friends is a perfect representation of the support that true friends offer. Even people who never watched know every word.
34. “Bros” – Wolf Alice
Lyric Sample: “Oh, there’s no one, there’s no one who knows me like you do.”
This 2015 indie rock is about a friendship that’s been through everything. It’s nostalgic and captures that feeling of having someone who truly knows you.
35. “We Should Be Friends” – Miranda Lambert
Lyric Sample: “Well then, we should be friends.”
Lambert’s 2016 country tune lists all the messy, imperfect reasons two people would make good friends. It’s funny and self-aware.
36. “We’re All in This Together” – High School Musical Cast
Lyric Sample: “We’re all in this together, and it shows when we stand hand in hand.”
This big group number from High School Musical became a go-to song for celebrating unity and teamwork.
37. “What About Your Friends” – TLC
Lyric Sample: “What about your friends, will they stand their ground?”
TLC’s classic asks the hard questions about who’s really there for you. It’s a song about friendship and loyalty.
38. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” – Randy Newman
Lyric Sample: “You’ve got a friend in me, when the road looks rough ahead.”
Newman wrote this for Toy Story, and it became one of Pixar’s most beloved songs. It’s warm, reassuring, and works for all ages.
39. “My Best Friend” – Weezer
Lyric Sample: “You’re my best friend, and I love you so.”
This 2005 rock song is about being grateful for your best friend and promising to always be there for them.
40. “Lean on Me” – Bill Withers
Lyric Sample: “Lean on me, when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend.”
Withers’ classic is all about being there for someone when they need help. It’s become a go-to “friendship and support” track for thousands of people over the years.
Related: “Lean On Me” Song Meaning
41. “Umbrella” – Rihanna ft. Jay-Z
Lyric Sample: “You can stand under my umbrella.”
Rihanna’s 2007 mega-hit uses the umbrella as a metaphor for protection and support. It works for friendship just as well as romance.
Related: “Umbrella” Song Meaning
Conclusion
The best songs about friendship capture moments and feelings that anyone who’s had a close friend will recognize. From childhood bonds to lifelong connections, these songs show the many ways friendships shape our lives.
If you enjoyed this list, check out the Songs About Growing Up, Songs About Nostalgia, and the Best Love Songs lists!
