Loneliness is one of those universal human feelings that every person on earth understands, and it’s a subject that musicians keep coming back to again and again. Whether you’re missing someone specific, feeling alone in a crowd, or just sad about being alone, these songs have a way of putting your feelings into words.
Be sure to check out the Songs About Loneliness Playlist at the bottom of this page.
Best Songs About Loneliness
1. “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – Hank Williams
Lyric Sample: “Hear that lonesome whippoorwill, he sounds too blue to fly.”
Williams sings about the sorrow of being alone and longing for a lost love in this classic ballad. It’s easily one of the most well-known songs about loneliness ever.
2. “Only the Lonely” – Roy Orbison
Lyric Sample: “Only the lonely know why I cry.”
This 1960 tune is a dramatic portrait of heartache and shared misery among the heartbroken. Orbison sings about how only those who have experienced it can truly understand his situation.
3. “Dancing on My Own” – Robyn
Lyric Sample: “I’m in the corner, watching you kiss her.”
In this deceptively sorrowful dance hit, Robyn sings about being alone at a club, heartbroken as she watches her ex with someone else.
4. “Neon Moon” – Brooks & Dunn
Lyric Sample: “Now if you lose your one and only, there’s always room here for the lonely.”
“Neon Moon” is a country song about a man lost in his loneliness, spending his nights drinking under the glow of the neon bar signs. This is probably my personal favorite song on this list.
5. “Eleanor Rigby” – The Beatles
Lyric Sample: “All the lonely people, where do they all come from?”
This Beatles classic tells the story of two lonely souls, Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie. It’s a song about the unseen people who live and die in complete isolation.
Related: Best Songs with Female Names in the Title
6. “4 Seasons of Loneliness” – Boyz II Men
Lyric Sample: “The trees are bare when you’re not here, it doesn’t feel the same.”
This 1990s R&B ballad uses the changing seasons as a metaphor for the ongoing loneliness felt after a breakup. Boyz II Men sing about the way each season brings a different reminder of the relationship.
7. “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” – Elvis Presley
Lyric Sample: “Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?”
In “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, Elvis wonders if his former lover feels the same loneliness after their breakup. He looks back on their lost love and wonders if she still thinks of him.
8. “Lonely” – Justin Bieber & Benny Blanco
Lyric Sample: “Everybody knows my name now, but something ’bout it still feels strange.”
This 2020 pop song is about the emptiness that can come with fame. Bieber sings about the loneliness that remains despite being constantly surrounded by people.
9. “Alone Again (Naturally)” – Gilbert O’Sullivan
Lyric Sample: “To think that only yesterday, I was cheerful, bright and gay.”
A hit from the early ’70s, this song describes the emotional collapse of someone who once had hope but is now facing overwhelming loneliness and despair. It’s about the pain of abandonment, losing faith, and struggling with loss.
10. “Tired of Being Alone” – Al Green
Lyric Sample: “I’m so tired of being alone, I’m so tired of on-my-own.”
“Tired of Being Alone” captures the frustration of someone who longs to be with someone again. It’s a song about hoping for love to end the loneliness.
11. “Alone” – Marshmello
Lyric Sample: “I’m so alone, nothing feels like home.”
Marshmello’s 2016 trap hit is all about feeling disconnected and out of place. It’s an upbeat song, but it’s really about navigating life without a sense of belonging.
12. “All by Myself” – Eric Carmen
Lyric Sample: “Don’t want to be all by myself anymore.”
This 1975 ballad is about realizing that independence isn’t enough and yearning for someone to share life with. For many people, this is the go-to song about being lonely.
Related: Best Karaoke Songs for Women (Celine Dion version)
13. “So Lonely” – The Police
Lyric Sample: “Now no one’s knocked upon my door, for a thousand years or more.”
This 1970s reggae-rock tune is about isolation and the struggle of being alone after love fades. It’s about having no one to turn to and nothing but their own thoughts.
14. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” – Green Day
Lyric Sample: “My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me.”
Green Day’s smash hit follows someone moving through life feeling disconnected from the world around them. It’s about trying to push forward while hoping someone will eventually come along and break the loneliness.
15. “Never Knew Lonely” – Vince Gill
Lyric Sample: “I never knew lonely ’til you.”
“Never Knew Lonely” is another track about feeling utterly alone after a breakup. Gill sings about realizing how much he depended on his ex.
16. “Lonely Teardrops” – Jackie Wilson
Lyric Sample: “My pillow’s never dry of lonely teardrops.”
This 1958 R&B classic tells the story of a man devastated by a breakup. It’s about the pain of waiting and hoping for a second chance with someone.
17. “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely” – Backstreet Boys
Lyric Sample: “Is this the feeling I need to walk with?”
Backstreet Boys’ hit is about feeling confused and empty after a relationship falls apart. This may have been the most popular “lonely” song of the late ’90s.
Related: “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely” Song Meaning
18. “Lonely Day” – System of a Down
Lyric Sample: “Such a lonely day, and it’s mine, the most loneliest day of my life.”
This 2005 Grammy-nominated track captures the agony of a day that feels unbearable. It’s a modern portrayal of extreme loneliness and the toll it takes.
19. “Day ‘n’ Nite” – Kid Cudi
Lyric Sample: “Day and night, the lonely stoner seems to free his mind at night.”
In this 2008 hit, Kid Cudi sings about the loneliness and isolation he feels, even when trying to distract himself. It’s one of the better hip-hop songs about loneliness.
20. “No One Noticed” – The Marías
Lyric Sample: “No one tried to read my eyes.”
“No One Noticed” is a 2024 indie pop song that highlights the frustration of being overlooked in a world where digital relationships have replaced real ones.
Related: “No One Noticed” Song Meaning
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21. “Mr. Lonely” – Bobby Vinton
Lyric Sample: “Lonely, I’m Mr. Lonely, I have nobody for my own.”
Vinton’s 1960s classic tells the story of a soldier far from home, feeling forgotten and wanting to have someone to communicate with back home.
22. “911 / Mr. Lonely” – Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean & Steve Lacy
Lyric Sample: “I’m the loneliest man alive, but I keep on dancin’ to throw ’em off.”
This two-part song sees Tyler, The Creator struggle to mask his loneliness despite his fame. “911” is a call for help, while “Mr. Lonely” is about how success and material things fail to ease his sense of emptiness.
23. “One” – Three Dog Night
Lyric Sample: “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.”
Three Dog Night’s 1969 hit is about how unbearable solitude can feel, especially after a relationship ends. “One” becomes the symbol of intense loneliness.
24. “Scared to Be Lonely” – Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa
Lyric Sample: “Is the only reason you’re holding me tonight ’cause we’re scared to be lonely?”
Released in 2017, this electro-pop song is about a relationship held together by fear, not love. It centers on the struggle of staying in a toxic situation simply because both people are afraid of being alone.
25. “Modern Loneliness” – Lauv
Lyric Sample: “Modern loneliness, we’re never alone, but always depressed”
Lauv’s 2020 hit explores the emptiness of modern life, where constant social media and busy schedules can leave us feeling disconnected. It’s about how loneliness persists, even when you’re never truly alone.
26. “Loneliness” – Birdy
Lyric Sample: “The sky is falling down, it’s getting closer now, it’s getting hard to breathe.”
Birdy’s 2021 track dives into the suffocating feeling of being trapped in your own thoughts. It’s about wanting to break free from someone, but not being able to escape.
27. “Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell
Lyric Sample: “I hear you singing in the wire, I can hear you through the whine.”
Released in 1968, this country hit is about a lonely lineman working long hours while missing someone back home. It’s considered by many to be one of the best-written songs about loneliness ever.
Related: “Wichita Lineman” Song Meaning
28. “Lonely Boy” – Andrew Gold
Lyric Sample: “Oh, oh what a lonely boy.”
Andrew Gold’s folk song tells the story of a boy who feels neglected and isolated, first by his parents, then by the world around him. It’s a unique look at loneliness from childhood to adulthood.
29. “Nobody Wants to Be Lonely” – Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera
Lyric Sample: “Time is precious and it’s slipping away.”
This Grammy-nominated pop duet deals with the pain of feeling unfulfilled in a relationship. It’s about wanting to be close to someone, but not being able to fully connect.
30. “I Am… I Said” – Neil Diamond
Lyric Sample: “But I got an emptiness deep inside, and I’ve tried, but it won’t let me go.”
Diamond’s “lonely” classic is all about feeling isolated and disconnected. He describes his loneliness and his sense of not truly belonging anywhere, not even in Los Angeles.
Related: “I Am… I Said” Song Meaning
31. “Nobody” – Mitski
Lyric Sample: “And I don’t want your pity, I just want somebody near me.”
In this 2018 indie pop song, Mitski sings about wanting comfort from someone, but realizes no one can truly save her from her loneliness. It’s an upbeat tune, but its lyrics are definitely not the happy type.
32. “Alone” – Heart
Lyric Sample: “But the secret is still my own, and my love for you is still unknown.”
Heart’s legendary ’80s power ballad is about the pain and isolation of unrequited love. It highlights the struggle of wanting to be with someone and the loneliness that comes with unspoken feelings.
33. “I Am a Rock” – Simon & Garfunkel
Lyric Sample: “I am alone, gazing from my window to the streets below.”
This 1966 folk-rock song is about choosing isolation to ensure that love, friendship, and vulnerability can cause no harm. It’s a unique take on the theme.
34. “How to Fight Loneliness” – Wilco
Lyric Sample: “Smile all the time, shine your teeth ’til meaningless, sharpen them with lies.”
“How to Fight Loneliness” explores the paradoxical and unhealthy ways people attempt to cope with being alone. It’s about how suppressing true feelings by constantly forcing cheerfulness or distracting yourself ultimately worsens the loneliness.
35. “On My Own” – Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
Lyric Sample: “So many promises never should be spoken, now I know what loving you cost.”
Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald’s 1986 chart-topper is about the devastating loneliness that hits after a relationship ends. The song captures the pain of having expected “forever” and suddenly being forced to face an unknown future by yourself.
36. “Hello Walls” – Faron Young
Lyric Sample: “Hello walls, how’d things go for you today?”
This 1960s country tune sees the singer speaking to the walls as a way to cope with loneliness after a breakup. It’s about being left alone and having no one to turn to.
37. “Stranger in Moscow” – Michael Jackson
Lyric Sample: “How does it feel when you’re alone and you’re cold inside?”
In “Stranger in Moscow,” Jackson sings about the isolation that comes with intense public scrutiny and loss of privacy. The “stranger in Moscow” represents feeling abandoned, cold, and alone despite his fame.
38. “3 AM” – Matchbox Twenty
Lyric Sample: “It’s 3 AM, I must be lonely.”
This hit ’90s rock song is about the isolating experience of watching a parent struggle with cancer. Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas wrote this about his experiences taking care of his mother when he was young.
Related: Best Songs with Numbers in the Title
39. “Lonely People” – America
Lyric Sample: “Don’t you know this lonely boy loves you?”
“Lonely People” is an encouraging song of hope and optimism to those who feel isolated or left behind. It urges listeners to keep trying for success and companionship.
40. “Hey There Lonely Girl” – Eddie Holman
Lyric Sample: “Hey there lonely girl, lonely girl, let me make your broken heart like new.”
In this soul classic, Holman shows affection for a heartbroken girl. He sings about his own loneliness and the love that can fix him and help repair her broken heart.
41. “Lonely One” – Luke Combs
Lyric Sample: “So in the meantime, think on this, you’re not the only lonely one.”
This 2017 country track is about a bartender offering solace to a woman dealing with heartbreak. He reassures her that she’s not alone in her loneliness, having witnessed others in similar situations.
Conclusion
These songs cover the many facets of loneliness, from the pain of heartbreak to the difficulty of simply coping alone. They remind us that although the feeling is isolating, it is an experience shared by everyone. When you feel most cut off, these are the types of songs that confirm you are not the only one.
If you enjoyed this list, you might also like our picks for Songs About Missing Someone, Songs About Divorce, and the Best Love Songs.
