100 Best Torch Songs
Classic Torch Songs for Your Playlist
Love manifests itself in strange ways. When you suffer from unrequited love, it feels unimaginably painful. Torch songs echo the varied sentiments associated with unreciprocated feelings of love, whether you move on or feel stuck in the moment forever. When you have strong feelings for someone and the other person is oblivious to them, you may feel lovelorn and lost in love.
What Are Torch Songs?
Torch songs are sentimental songs that portray different aspects of unrequited love or lost love. The term “torch” originates from the idiom “to carry a torch for someone” which refers at being in love or romantically infatuated with a person who does not reciprocate these feelings. Typically, torch songs explore complex situations in which relationships end but one individual still has strong and intense feelings of love for the other, thereby keeping the flame alive with unrequited love.
Through different forms of lament, torch songs convey passionate expressions of grief and sorrow. Regret and disappointment about love are showcased in a confessional manner with lyrics drawing the listener’s attention towards different melancholic attributes that affect relationships. In certain songs, singers and songwriters intricately describe how it feels when a person you love does not love you back and moves on to find a new partner.
What Is Torch Singing?
Torch-singing refers to a passionate jazz-influenced style of vocal delivery that relies on a distinct melodic structure. Primarily used in ballads, this form of singing expresses the devotion of loving a person unconditionally, even if the person does not love you back.
The passion and intensity of lovelorn feelings and unrequited love is exquisitely showcased with a mournful ambiance of lyrics and music. Although torch-singing is often associated with the laidback or theatrical singing styles in jazz, blues, and broadway, over the years, new forms of torch ballads have become excessively popular in the realms of mainstream pop, rock, and R&B.
Characteristics of Torch Love Songs
Typically, torch love songs are characterized with somber elements of melancholy. The feeling of pensive sadness associated with unrequited love is described in an emotive manner in these songs. The gloomy mood in torch songs attributes to deep distress caused by failed relationships. The intensity of one-sided love is sometimes thematically used to justify certain actions committed by a lovelorn person. Certain torch ballads convey the message of misunderstood feelings about love in a philosophical manner.
Although a wide range of characteristics is associated with torch love songs, lyrics in these songs often depict or symbolize
- Disappointment
- Loss
- Sorrow
- Grief
- Lost Love
- Feelings
- Misfortune
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Unrequited Love
- Heartbreak
- Guilt
- Behavioral Addiction
- Rejection
- Hopelessness
- Woe
- Anguish
- Retribution
- Ego
- Hurt
The list below showcases an epic collection of torch songs from different genres. If you have a view, opinion, or song suggestion about the unrequited game of love, let us know in the comments section.
Top 10 Best Torch Songs
- “Good for You”—Selena Gomez featuring ASAP Rocky
- “Hello”—Adele
- “It Will Rain”—Bruno Mars
- “Drivers License”—Olivia Rodrigo
- “Love the Way You Lie”—Eminem featuring Rihanna
- “Havana”—Camila Cabello
- “One Last Time”—Ariana Grande
- “Young and Beautiful”—Lana Del Rey
- “Back to Black”—Amy Winehouse
- “Stay”—Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko
#11–20
11. “Bad Liar”—Selena Gomez
12. “Te Amo”—Rihanna
13. “Blue Jeans”—Lana Del Rey
14. “80’s Romance”—The Belle Stars
15. “You Belong with Me”—Taylor Swift
16. “As Long As You Love Me”—Justin Bieber featuring Big Sean
17. “Radioactive”—Rita Ora
18. “Bad Things”—Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello
19. “All I Ask”—Adele
20. “Close”—Nick Jonas featuring Tove Lo
#21–40
21. “Boyfriend”—Tegan and Sara
22. “Yesterday”—The Beatles
23. “The One That Got Away”—Katy Perry
24. “Eternal Flame”—The Bangles
25. “…Baby One More Time”—Britney Spears
26. “Cry Me a River”—Arthur Hamilton
27. “All Night”—Beyoncé
28. “Brokenhearted”—Karmin
29. “I’m Sorry”—John Denver
30. “Animals”—Maroon 5
31. “Lover”—Taylor Swift
32. “Destiny”—Zero 7
33. “All Mine”—Portishead
34. “Wicked Game”—Chris Isaak
35. “Un-Break My Heart”—Toni Braxton
36. “Mirrors”—Justin Timberlake
37. “I Know You”—Skylar Grey
38. “Hold Back the River”—James Bay
39. “Miss You”—Aaliyah
40. “Heartbreak Hotel”—Elvis Presley
#41–60
41. “Work from Home”—Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign
42. “Against All Odds (Take A Look at Me Now)”—Phil Collins
43. “Let Me Love You”—DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber
44. “Never Forget You”—Zara Larsson and MNEK
45. “Stitches”—Shawn Mendes
46. “Love on the Brain”—Rihanna
47. “Back to December”—Taylor Swift
48. “Crying in the Club”—Camila Cabello
49. “Nothing Compares 2 You”—Sinead O’Connor
50. “When We Were Young”—Adele
51. “Give Your Heart a Break”—Demi Lovato
52. “Black Magic”—Little Mix
53. “Come Back to Me”—Janet Jackson
54. “Finding U Again”—Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello
55. “Maps”—Maroon 5
56. “Talking to the Moon”—Bruno Mars
57. “Kayleigh”—Marillion
58. “Sorry”—Justin Bieber
59. “Changed the Way You Kiss Me”—Example
60. “Giant in My Heart”—Kiesza
#61–80
61. “We Belong Together”—Mariah Carey
62. “High by the Beach”—Lana Del Rey
63. “Where Are U Now”—Jack U with Justin Bieber
64. “Criminal”—Britney Spears
65. “Dancing With a Stranger”—Sam Smith and Normani
66. “Finally Found You”—Enrique Iglesias
67. “Work”—Rihanna featuring Drake
68. “Powerful”—Major Lazer featuring Ellie Goulding
69. “I Will Always Love You”—Whitney Houston
70. “When You’re Gone”—Avril Lavigne
71. “Suspicious Minds”—Elvis Presley
72. “Really Don’t Care”—Demi Lovato featuring Cheryl Lloyd
73. “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”—Yvonne Elliman
74. “Stay”—Hurts
75. “Goodbye My Lover”—James Blunt
76. “Summertime Sadness”—Lana Del Rey
77. “My All”—Mariah Carey
78. “Too Good at Goodbyes”—Sam Smith
79. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”—The Righteous Brothers
80. “What Do You Mean?”—Justin Bieber
#81–100
81. “How You Remind Me”—Nickelback
82. “Used to Love You”—Gwen Stefani
83. “Teardrops on My Guitar”—Taylor Swift
84. “Secret Love Song”—Little Mix
85. “When I Was Your Man”—Bruno Mars
86. “Can’t Let Go”—Mariah Carey
87. “Tearin’ Up My Heart”—NSYNC
88. “Rhythm of the Rain”—The Cascades
89. “Put it in a Love Song”—Alicia Keys featuring Beyoncé
90. “Makes Me Wonder”—Maroon 5
91. “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely”—Backstreet Boys
92. “Wish You Were Here”—Avril Lavigne
93. “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back”—Shawn Mendes
94. “Ultraviolence”—Lana Del Rey
95. “Stay”—Zedd and Alessia Cara
96. “Want U Back”—Cheryl Lloyd
97. “Fetish”—Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane
98. “Without You”—David Guetta featuring Usher
99. “Can’t Remember to Forget You”—Shakira featuring Rihanna
100. “Better Than I Know Myself”—Adam Lambert
List of Other Notable Torch Music
- “It Was Always You”—Maroon 5
- “Back for Good”—Take That
- “Just Can’t Get Enough”—Black Eyed Peas
- “Carousel”—Melanie Martinez
- “Hold Tight”—Justin Bieber
- “Stone Cold”—Demi Lovato
- “Battle Scars”—Guy Sebastian and Lupe Fiasco
- “All Around the World”—Lisa Stansfield
- “Bittersweet”—Fantasia
- “Dangerous”—Cascada
- “Adore”—Cashmere Cat featuring Ariana Grande
- “Feelings”—Maroon 5
- “Crying”—Roy Orbison
- “I Get Lonely”—Janet Jackson
- “Have You Ever?”—Brandy Norwood
- “If I Can’t Have You”—Bee Gees
- “Get Her Back”—Robin Thicke
- “Everything Is Embarrassing”—Sky Ferreira
- “Let Me Love You”—Mario
- “Glad You Came”—The Wanted
- “Mercy”—Shawn Mendes
- “When I Lost You”—Sarah Whatmome
- “Can’t Let Go”—Anthony Hamilton
- “When You’re Gone”—Bryan Adams featuring Melanie C
- “P.S. I Love You”—Robin Daggers
- “All That Matters”—Justin Bieber
- “How Will I Know”—Whitney Houston
- “Breathing”—Jason Derulo
- “Empty Room”—Sanna Nielsen
- “According to You”—Orianthi
- “Doing It”—Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora
- “Good Things Fall Apart”—Illenium and Jon Bellion
- “Blue Gardenia”—Nat King Cole
- “Kiss It Better”—Rihanna
- “Tryin’ to Get Over You”—Vince Gill
- “Cruel”—Snakehips featuring Zayn
- “Where Is the Love”—Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
- “Renegades”—X Ambassadors
- “Gangsta”—Kehlani
- “Let Me Down Easy”—Betty LaVette
- “Excuse Me Miss”—Jay-Z
- “Since I Don’t Have You”—The Skyliners
- “I Surrender”—Celine Dion
- “Forget Me Nots”—Patrice Rushen
- “Hungry Eyes”—Eric Carmen
- “Desire”—Years & Years
- “I Can’t Stop Loving You”—Don Gibson
- “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)”—Aretha Franklin
- “Sandcastles in the Sand”—Cobie Smulders
- “Here We Go Again”—Demi Lovato
- “Spending My Time”—Roxette
- “You’re Mine (Eternal)”—Mariah Carey
- “Getaway Car”—Taylor Swift
- “Love Me Again”—John Newman
- “You’re in Love”—Wilson Phillips
- “Have You Seen Her”—The Chi-Lites
- “Come and Get It”—John Newman
- “Official Girl”—Cassie
- “Trust Your Love”—Koda Kumi
- “Forever Now”—Ne-Yo
- “Harder to Breathe”—Maroon 5
- “Santa Monica”—Theory of a Deadman
- “The Man That Got Away”—Judy Garland
- “End of the World”—Skeeter Davis
- “U Drive Me Crazy”—NSYNC
- “I’ll Be Around”—The Spinners
- “Cheating”—John Newman
- “The Name of the Game”—ABBA
- “I Don’t Know Why”—Stevie Wonder
- “SOS”—Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc
- “Joey”—Concrete Blonde
- “Missing You”—Mary J. Blige
- “If I Never See Your Face Again”—Maroon 5 featuring Rihanna
- “Gone”—NSYNC
- “Miracle”—Cascada
- “You Were Mine”—Dixie Chicks
- “Down in the Depths (On the Ninetieth Floor)”—Ethel Merman
- “Straight Up”—Paula Abdul
- “If You’re Not the One”—Daniel Bedingfield
- “When She Loved Me”—Sarah McLachlan
- “Crazy”—K-Ci and JoJo
- “Save Me, San Francisco”—Train
- “Just When I Needed You Most”—Randy VanWarmer
- “Here I Go Again”—Mario
- “I’ll Stand By You”—The Pretenders
- “Always Wanting You”—Merle Haggard and The Strangers
- “Missing”—Everything but the Girl
- “I’ll Come Too”—James Blake
- “Misery”—Maroon 5
- “You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)”—Dawn Penn
- “Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)”—Backstreet Boys
- “I Stay in Love”—Mariah Carey
- “Written in Stone”—Lea Salonga
- “So Sick”—Ne-Yo
- “All Cried Out”—Alison Moyet
- “What Do I Have To Do”—Kylie Minogue
- “I’m Going Down”—Rose Royce
- “The Things We Did Las Summer”—Jo Stafford
- “It’s Gonna Be Me”—NSYNC
- “You’re Not the One”—Sky Ferreira
- “Like I Would”—Zayn
- “The Only Exception”—Paramore
- “Headlights”—Eminem featuring Nate Ruess
- “Sledgehammer”—Fifth Harmony
- “Asking Too Much”—All That Remains
- “Take Care”—Drake featuring Rihanna
- “Dark Paradise”—Lana Del Rey
- “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”—Dionne Warwick
- “Whole Lotta History”—Girls Aloud
- “Moanin’ Low”—Eva Taylor
- “Self Esteem”—The Offspring
- “If You Come Back”—Blue
- “Not Over You”—Gavin DeGraw
- “Will You”—P.O.D.
- “Sparrow”—Emeli Sande
- “I Go to Pieces”—Peter and Gordon
- “Love Hurts”—Nazareth
- “Chains”—Nick Jonas
- “Paralyzer”—Finger Eleven
- “I Don’t Believe You”—Pink
- “She’s Gone”—Hall & Oates
- “Work Out”—J. Cole
- “Flame”—Tinashe
- “Crying Time”—Ray Charles
- “No Reply”—The Beatles
- “Bluer Than Blue”—Michael Johnson
- “I Can’t Make You Love Me”—Bonnie Raitt
- “The Archer”—Taylor Swift
- “Somebody Else’s Guy”—Jocelyn Brown
- “He Did With Me”—Vicki Lawrence
- “You Don’t Know Me”—Cindy Walker
- “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me”—Sandie Shaw
- “Lovebird”—Leona Lewis
- “Wedding Bell Blues”— The 5th Dimension
- “Is It a Crime?”—Sade
- “Not Alone Anymore”—Traveling Wilburys
- “Second Hand Heart”—Ben Haenow featuring Kelly Clarkson
- “It’s You”—Zyan
- “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)”—A Flock of Seagulls
- “Raging”—Kygo featuring Kodaline
- “Boy”—Erasure
- “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me”—Dusty Springfield
- “Another Lonely Night”—Adam Lambert
- “Stormy Weather”—Ethel Waters
- “Latch”—Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
- “It’s the Same Old Song”—The Four Tops
- “Hello Jealousy”—Gin Blossoms
- “She’s Funny That Way”—Marion Harris
- “Without You”—Badfinger
- “Only One”—Yellowcard
- “Walk On By”—Dionne Warwick
- “Sussudio”—Phil Collins
- “Missing You”—Black Eyed Peas
- “Don’t Say You Love Me”—Fifth Harmony
- “I Still Can’t Get Over Loving You”—Ray Parker Jr.
- “Ass Back Home”—Gym Class Heroes
- “Never Gonna Leave This Bed”—Maroon 5
- “Mine Again”—Mariah Carey
- “Locked Away”—R City featuring Adam Levine
- “I’ll Never Stop”—NSYNC
- “Missing You”—Case
- “Obsession”—Sky Ferreira
- “Tell Me You Love Me”—Demi Lovato
- “Drive By”—Train
- “Won’t Go Home Without You”—Maroon 5
- “I Want You Back”—NSYNC
- “Stupid Girl”—Cold
- “My Man”—Tamar Braxton
- “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going”—Jennifer Holiday
- “Sober”—Selena Gomez
- “I Fall to Pieces”—Patsy Cline
- “Miss You”—Westlife
- “Just a Friend”—Biz Markie
- “No Reply at All”—Genesis
- “Middle of the Night”—The Vamps and Martin Jensen
- “(I Can’t) Forget About You”—R5
- “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”—Crystal Gayle
- “Milk”—Garbage
- “Caroline, No”—Brian Wilson
- “Wish I Didn’t Miss You”—Angie Stone
- “Make Me Wanna Die”—The Pretty Reckless
- “Thinking of You I Drive Myself Crazy”—NSYNC
- “Hurt So Bad”—Little Anthony 7 The Imperials
- “Show Me Love”—Robin Schulz featuring J.U.D.G.E.
- “Gold”—Victoria Justice
- “Wrong”—Zyan featuring Kehlani
- “Because of You”—Ne-Yo
- “Lost Without Your Love”—Bread
- “The World We Knew (Over and Over)”—Frank Sinatra
- “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry”—Jane Withers
- “Anyone Who Had a Heart”—Dionne Warwick
- “Never There”—Cake
- “Give a Little More”—Maroon 5
- “To Love You More”—Celine Dion
- “Ooo Ooo Baby”—The Miracles
- “Heartbreaker”—Justin Bieber
- “Angel in the Night”—Basshunter
- “It Was Almost Like a Song”—Ronnie Milsap
- “Shape of My Heart”—Backstreet Boys
- “My Love”—Jill Scott
© 2021 Ansel Pereira