110 R&B Love Songs

Ray has been an online music writer for over four years. Having sung in multiple competitions as a youth, he has a passion for the art.

R&B love songs are among the most heart-wrenching genres. These love songs make listeners feel uniquely intimate and relatable. Usually, the songs embody tender lyrics, polished vocals, and a touching message. Despite too many selections to include, we tried to have some that surely deserves a place on your playlist.

1. Boyz II Men – “On Bended Knee”

Album: II
Year Released: 1994

Facts About “On Bended Knee”

• “On Bended Knee” is one of the best R&B love songs by Boyz II Men.
• Jimmy Jam, an American R&B songwriter and producer, wrote and co-produced the song.
• As one of the most popular 90s R&B love songs, the track topped the Billboard Hot 100, replacing the group’s song “I’ll Make Love to You.”
• On December 3, 1994, the song reached #1 on the Hot 100 Airplay and #2 on the Hot Singles Sales.
• According to the lyrics, the guy apologizes for his wrongdoing and begs his ex-lover to return to him.

2. Beyonce – “Halo”

Album: I Am Sasha Fierce
Year Released: 2009

Facts About “Halo”

• The lyrics of “Halo” describe a sublime love in a pop and R&B power ballad. It is one of the most popular R&B love songs for him.
• The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards presented Halo as the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
• The song won the Best Song award at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards.
• In Halo, a girl forms walls around herself after being hurt so much that she can’t stand any longer.

3. Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You”

Album: Jolene
Year Released: 1974

Facts About “I Will Always Love You”

• American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton originally wrote and recorded “I Will Always Love You” in 1973.
• In 1992, Whitney Houston recorded her song’s version for the movie “The Bodyguard.”
• The song is the most successful single by a woman in music history.
• The song has earned a spot among the top R&B love songs for him of all time, spending a record-breaking 14 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

4. K-Ci and Jojo – “All My Life”

Album: Love Always
Year Released: 1998

Facts About “All My Life”

• The song “All My Life” is by American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo.
• The song hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for three straight weeks and was a commercial success.
• “All My Life” is a heartfelt tribute to JoJo’s 7-year-old daughter Kayla but can easily be used for any R&B love song.
• “All My Life” is one of the best R&B and soul songs. Music critics say this is the duo’s most successful song.

5. Boyz II Men – “I’ll Make Love to You”

Album: II
Year Released: 1994

Facts About “I’ll Make Love to You”

• “I’ll Make Love to You” is one of the hit R&B songs by Boyz II Men for the Motown label.
• The song won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. It also received a nomination for the Record of the Year prize.
• It is one of the best R&B love songs from a woman to a man, which goes straight to a woman’s heart.

6. Alicia Keys – “If I Ain’t Got You”

Album: The Diary of Alicia Keys
Year Released: 2004

Facts About “If I Ain’t Got You”

• American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys recorded “If I Ain’t Got You” for her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003).
• Throughout the song, the singer talks about material things not feeding the soul. It means you don’t care about material possessions as long as you love one person.
• Keys’ second consecutive number-one R&B single, “If I Ain’t Got You,” hit number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
• For six consecutive weeks, it was one of the best 2000 R&B love songs atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

7. John Legend – “All of Me”

Album: Love in the Future
Year Released: 2013

Facts About “All of Me”

• American singer John Legend wrote and recorded “All of Me” for his fourth studio album, Love in the Future (2013).
• The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Legend’s first U.S. #1 single.
• Legend’s song “All of Me” is a sensitive piano ballad inspired by his then-fiancée, now wife, model Chrissy Teigen.
• Music critics believe that this is one of the top R&B love songs ever written.
• The song admits that every relationship has issues, but you can overcome them as long as you accept each other and give your all.

8. Brian McKnight – “Back at One”

Album: Back at One
Year Released: 1999

Facts About “Back at One”

• “Back at One” is an R&B love song written and performed by American recording artist Brian McKnight, taken from his fifth studio album.
• McKnight’s biggest hit, “Back at One” reached the top ten in New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.
• This song is about falling in love and knowing you must do everything to keep her.

9. Stevie Wonder – “Ribbon in the Sky”

Album: Original Musiquarium I
Year Released: 1982

Facts About “Ribbon in the Sky”

• “Ribbon in the Sky” is one of the most popular classic R&B love songs by American singer Stevie Wonder.
• Stevie Wonder released the song on his 1982 greatest hits collection, Original Musiquarium I.
• “Ribbon in the Sky” appeared in Essence magazine’s list of the “25 Best Slow Jams of All Time” in 2009.
• Upon hearing the 80s song, readers can imagine a couple becoming certain of their unbreakable bond as they witness a rainbow during a challenging trial.

10. SWV – “Weak”

Album: It’s About Time
Year Released: 1993

Facts About “Weak”

• SWV recorded “Weak” as part of their debut studio album; It’s About Time (1992).
• This song’s theme is that love can have different effects on everyone and their actions. It can be physical, mental, and emotional.
• In July 1993, it topped Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, ending Janet Jackson’s two-month run at No. 1.
• The single “Weak” reached the #1 position on the Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for two weeks.

11. Alicia Keys – “No One”

Album: As I Am
Year Released: 2007

Facts About “No One”

• Alicia Keys’ song “No One” is from her third studio album, As I Am (2006).
• “No One” takes the perspective that no matter what happens, your love will always be there for you.
• The song was the third-biggest single of 2008 in Brazil and the U.S. It also picked up the most airplay on U.S. radio stations.
• At the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008, the song won the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and the Best R&B Song.
• The music website Popjustice says the song is one of the Keys’ best R&B love songs of all time.

12. Beyonce – “Crazy in Love”

Album: Dangerously In Love
Year Released: 2003

Facts About “Crazy in Love”

• “Crazy in Love” combines hip hop, soul, and 70s funk elements to craft a beautiful contemporary R&B love song.
• The lyrics of the song describe the protagonist acting out of character due to a romantic obsession.
• The song reached the top ten in various countries around the world. It was a #1 hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.
• Rolling Stone listed “Crazy in Love” at #16 among the 500 greatest songs of all time.
• One of the most prominent voices of the 21st century proclaimed the song to be the greatest of this century.
• A study by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) ranked Crazy in Love as one of the top R&B love songs of 2004.

13. Alicia Keys and Usher – “My Boo”

Album: Confessions
Year Released: 2004

Facts About “My Boo”

• Usher and Alicia Keys perform “My Boo” as a duet.
• With the single’s six-week stay at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, it becomes the duo’s third most successful single from the album.
• Hip hop-like R&B love songs like “My Boo” are excellent for romance. They have a mid-tempo rhythm.
• The song depicts the story of an ex-couple. They talk about their past love and how their feelings persist despite the two no longer being together.
• The song ranked 36th in the United States during the 2000-2009 decade, making it one of the best-selling 2000 R&B love songs.

14. Sade – “No Ordinary Love”

Album: Love Deluxe
Year Released: 1992

Facts About “No Ordinary Love”

• English band Sade released their fourth studio album, Love Deluxe (1992), with “No Ordinary Love.”
• The song ranked 43rd in the “The Best 90s R&B Love Songs” list published by Complex in 2012.
• According to the singer, she was lamenting a broken relationship. She loved her partner greatly yet ended up hurt by him.

15. Etta James – “At Last”

Album: At Last!
Year Released: 1960

Facts About “At Last”

• James’ version appeared on her debut album At Last! (1960) and admitted into the 1999 Grammy Hall of Fame.
• The song was the third from Etta James’s debut Argo Records album and became one of her signature tracks.
• The song talks about having the one you love and how everything seems better when he’s around.
• “At Last” is one of the best old-school R&B love songs of all time.

16. Percy Sledge – “When a Man Loves a Woman”

Album: When a Man Loves a Woman
Year Released: 1966

Facts About “When a Man Loves a Woman”

• “When a Man Loves a Woman” is one of the oldest and best R&B love songs of all time.
• A song was written by Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright, “When a Man Loves a Woman,” which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts.
• There are some things a man can do when in love with a woman that is unthinkable or somewhat crazy, and the lyrics to “When a Man Loves a Woman” demonstrate that.

17. Heatwave – “Always and Forever”

Album: Too Hot to Handle
Year Released: 1977

Facts About “Always and Forever”

• Rod Temperton wrote the R&B song “Always and Forever,” which was produced by Barry Blue.
• The song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, making it one of the best R&B love songs of the 70s.
• Love is at the heart of the song as it speaks about valuing time together with someone you love.

18. Anita Baker – “Caught Up In the Rapture”

Album: Rapture
Year Released: 1986

Facts About “Caught Up in the Rapture”

• Singer Anita Baker recorded the song “Caught Up in the Rapture” in 1986.
• The song was Baker’s third top ten R&B single, putting him at #6 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart.
• The song talks about what true love is like for a woman.
• As one of the best R&B love songs, the song reached #6 on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

19. Atlantic Starr – “Always”

Album: All in the Name of Love
Year Released: 1987

Facts About “Always”

• In 1987, the American R&B group Atlantic Starr released “Always” as their second single from their seventh studio album All in the Name of Love.
• In June 1987, the single peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs and U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts.
• The song is about a dream boy and how the singer wants to spend his life with him.
• In 2008, Filipina singer-actress Iya Villania covered the song on her album Finally! with rapper Jay-R.

20. Temptations – “My Girl”

Album: The Temptations Sing Smokey
Year Released: 1964

Facts About “My Girl”

• The song is one of the greatest R&B love songs of all time.
• It was the Temptations’ first U.S. #1 single, and it remains their most famous song.
• From a female perspective, the music carried the sentiment of unconditional love.

21. Mariah Carey – “Vision of Love”

Album: Mariah Carey
Year Released: 1990

Facts About “Vision of Love”

• The song is Mariah Carey’s debut single, one of the best R&B love songs ever.
• This track features a slow-dance theme tempo and Carey’s backing vocals. She also introduces the whistle register in this track.
• The song is about searching for someone who can fulfill your life only to find that person to be you.
• Lyrically, the song depicts a connection between a lover’s past and present.

22. Stevie Wonder – “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”

Album: Signed, Sealed & Delivered
Year Released: 1970

Facts About “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”

• “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” is a soul song by Stevie Wonder, a legendary American musician.
• In the song, the singer returns to his love and puts himself at her mercy.
• The song earned Wonder his sixth Grammy nomination, which is one of the reasons it deserves on top of the R&B love songs list.

23. Miguel – “Adorn”

Album: Kaleidoscope Dream
Year Released: 2012

Facts About “Adorn”

• Miguel’s song “Adorn” is the lead single from his 2012 studio album Kaleidoscope Dream.
• In “Adorn,” Miguel unveils his intention to love, cover, and protect his woman.
• To date, Miguel’s most successful single peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
• The song earned Miguel three Grammy nominations, for which Miguel won the Best R&B Song category.

24. Frank Ocean – “Thinkin Bout You”

Album: Channel Orange
Year Released: 2012

Facts About “Thinkin Bout You”

• The song is the lead single from Frank Ocean’s debut L.P., Channel Orange.
• Ocean’s music lyrically explores the turmoil of a relationship out of his reach and the regret he feels due to it.
• Some critics have noted the possible bisexual undertones of the song.
• A Grammy nomination for Record of the Year in 2013 helped the song make it to the best R&B love songs list.

25. D’Angelo – “Untitled (How Does It Feel?)”

Album: Voodoo
Year Released: 2000

Facts About “Untitled (How Does It Feel?)”

• D’Angelo’s “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” is a song he wrote and recorded.
• D’Angelo uses the music to ask for his lover’s attention while at the same time expressing his sensual desire for her.
• At the 43rd Grammy Awards in 2001, the song won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

26. Al Green – “Let’s Stay Together”

Album: Let’s Stay Together
Year Released: 1971

Facts About “Let’s Stay Together”

• The song is from Al Green’s 1972 album of the same name.
• It was a Top 10 hit for nine weeks on Billboard’s R&B chart, making it one of the greatest R&B love songs of all time.
• In 1972, the song ranked #1 on the R&B Billboard Year-End charts.
• Love is the theme of the music and how it endures regardless of good or bad circumstances.

27. Whitney Houston – “My Love Is Your Love”

Album: Whitney Houston
Year Released: 1999

Facts About “My Love Is Your Love”

• The track was a huge hit worldwide, becoming another Houston classic. It topped the charts in both Europe and New Zealand, peaking at #1.
• It’s a song about a couple who’ll always be there for each other no matter what happens.
• The song hit #4 on the Hot 100 in the U.S., #2 in the U.K. and #1 in New Zealand.

28. Eternal – “Angel of Mine”

Album: Greatest Hits
Year Released: 1997

Facts About “Angel of Mine”

• The song “Angel of Mine” is from the first compilation album of British R&B girl group Eternal, Greatest Hits.
• Monica’s version of the song topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the U.S.
• According to Monica herself, the song is about having a friend she falls in love with, which is not difficult for humans.

29. Shai – “If I Ever Fall in Love”

Album: If I Ever Fall in Love
Year Released:1992

Facts About “If I Ever Fall in Love”

• “If I Ever Fall in Love” is one of the greatest R&B love songs of all time that holds the record for the second-most weeks at #2 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
• “If I Ever Fall in Love” is the title track of American R&B-soul quartet Shai’s third album.
• The song tells a story of a man who met and fell for a woman who later left him because he didn’t cherish her like he ought to.

30. Jodeci – Forever My Lady”

Album: Forever My Lady
Year Released: 1991

Facts About “Forever My Lady”

• The song “Forever My Lady” is by the American R&B group Jodeci from their debut album of the same name.
• The group’s first number-one R&B hit, “Forever My Lady,” lasted two weeks on the US R&B chart.
• The song reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the top R&B love songs of all time.

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© 2021 Ray