10 Best Rock Songs About Falling Out Of Love

Feature Photo: Ode/A&M, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Songs about falling out of love have long captured the emotions that accompany the painful unraveling of relationships. These songs reflect a universal experience, portraying everything from the subtle shifts that signal the beginning of the end to the raw finality of a breakup. The range of emotions tied to falling out of love is vast—bitterness, sorrow, regret, and sometimes even relief—and the songs we’ve selected for this list showcase these feelings through a mix of rock and pop classics. From the early stages of fading love to the heartbreaking moment when it’s clear that the relationship cannot be saved, these tracks explore every facet of this deeply human experience.

B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone” closes our list with a slow, melancholic blues anthem about the resignation that comes after love has lost its magic. Carole King’s “It’s Too Late” similarly speaks to that sad realization, but with a more introspective tone, acknowledging that no matter how hard two people try, sometimes the flame just dies. Annie Lennox’s “No More ‘I Love You’s'” brings a haunting quality to the list, with her powerful voice illustrating the emotional disconnection in a relationship that has hit its breaking point. Each song on this list presents a unique story, whether it’s Eric Carmen’s “Boats Against the Current,” which reflects on the struggle of moving forward while clinging to past emotions, or Glen Campbell’s “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” which captures the quiet, bittersweet departure of a lover who has finally had enough.

These songs represent the various stages of falling out of love, brought to life by artists who masterfully translate heartache into music. Throughout the article, we see how different artists from the world of rock and pop channel their personal and emotional experiences to address this universal theme, making falling out of love one of the most explored and beloved topics in all of music.

# 10 – Don’t Pull Your Love Out – Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds

The opening track on this brand-new list, Don’t Pull Your Love Out by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, stands as a quintessential heartbreak anthem of the early 1970s. Released in April 1971 as the group’s debut single, the song quickly became a chart-topping success, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching No. 1 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart. Written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, the song captures the desperation and emotional turmoil that often accompany the end of a relationship, making it an ideal starting point for a list focused on songs about falling out of love.

# 9 – No More “I Love You’s” – Annie Lennox

The second song on this list, “No More ‘I Love You’s'” by Annie Lennox, delivers a powerful and haunting exploration of the complexities of love lost. Originally written and recorded by David Freeman and Joseph Hughes of The Lover Speaks in 1986, the song achieved new life and commercial success when Lennox covered it in 1995 for her Medusa album. This version reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart and helped solidify Lennox’s reputation as a master of emotional interpretation. The song’s themes of emotional withdrawal and shifting dynamics in a fading relationship fit seamlessly into this list of the 10 Best Rock Songs About Falling Out of Love.

# 8 – Late For The Sky – Jackson Browne

“Late for the Sky,” the title track from Jackson Browne’s 1974 album Late for the Sky, is an emotionally charged exploration of the dissolution of a relationship. As the opening song on this album, Browne sets a deeply melancholic tone that encapsulates the sense of growing apart and inevitable loss. Written by Browne himself, the song is widely regarded as one of his finest achievements, both for its lyrical depth and for capturing the complexity of love and heartache. This song, perfect for a list of the best rock songs about falling out of love, dives headfirst into the feelings of isolation, regret, and longing accompanying the end of a relationship.

Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Browne and Al Schmitt, Late for the Sky features the core lineup of musicians who contributed to much of Browne’s early work: David Lindley on guitar and violin, Doug Haywood on bass, and Larry Zack on drums.

# 7 – It’s Too Late – Carole King

The perfect break-up anthem, It’s Too Late by Carole King, is a heart-wrenching reflection on love that has quietly unraveled. Featured on her seminal album Tapestry (1971), this song captures the essence of falling out of love, making it a perfect addition to any list of the best rock songs about the end of relationships. Released as a single in April 1971, It’s Too Late quickly climbed the Billboard charts, securing the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts, where it stayed for five weeks. Co-written by Toni Stern, who penned the poignant lyrics, and King herself, who composed the melody, this song embodies the melancholic realization that sometimes love cannot be saved, no matter how hard we try.

Read More: Top 10 Carole King Songs

# 6 – Eyes Without A Face – Billy Idol

From his Rebel Yell album (1983), Billy Idol’s Eyes Without a Face stands out as a haunting ballad of heartbreak and disillusionment. Released in April 1984 as the second single from the album, the song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Idol’s first top-ten hit in the United States. Unlike the more hard-hitting rock and punk-infused tracks that dominate Rebel Yell, this song reveals a softer, more introspective side of Idol. The title, borrowed from a 1960 French horror film, suggests a sense of emptiness and detachment, mirrored in the lyrics and the musical arrangement.

# 5 – I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near) – Michael McDonald

“I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” marks Michael McDonald’s seamless transition from The Doobie Brothers to his solo career. Released in 1982, the track was the lead single from his debut album If That’s What It Takes, and it quickly became one of his defining songs. Written by McDonald and Ed Sanford, the song climbed to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, while also charting on the R&B and Adult Contemporary charts. Its blend of smooth soul, R&B, and yacht rock sensibilities made it an instant classic, and it remains a standout in McDonald’s catalog for its combination of heartfelt lyrics and a slick, groove-driven arrangement.

Read More: Top 10 Michael McDonald Songs

# 4 – Boats Against the Current – Eric Carmen

Eric Carmen’s “Boats Against the Current” is a poignant reflection on love’s inevitable dissolution. The title track from his 1977 album Boats Against the Current, the song is deeply inspired by The Great Gatsby and draws on the line “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” Released as part of Carmen’s second solo album after the Raspberries disbanded, the track explores themes of regret, loss, and the endless struggle to hold onto something that has already slipped away. With its sweeping soft rock style and emotional weight, the song epitomizes the feeling of a relationship falling apart despite the best efforts to save it.

Read More: Top 10 Eric Carmen Songs

# 3 – Dance Me To The End Of Love – Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen’s Dance Me to the End of Love, first performed on his 1984 album Various Positions, is one of his most poetic explorations of love, loss, and longing. The song blends Cohen’s signature lyrical depth with a rich musical arrangement, creating an emotional and reflective piece. While not explicitly about falling out of love, the song evokes a sense of finality and the fragility of love, making it a poignant addition to any collection of songs about the end of a romantic connection. Its universal themes of love’s endurance through difficult times have given it a timeless quality, and over the years, it has been covered by many artists.

# 2 – By The Time I Get To Phoenix – Glen Campbell

“By The Time I Get to Phoenix” is one of the most poignant songs about falling out of love, blending heartbreak with a sense of resignation. Written by Jimmy Webb and popularized by Glen Campbell in 1967, the song tells the story of a man who has made the painful decision to leave his partner, chronicling his physical and emotional journey. Campbell’s version, featured on his album of the same name, topped charts in Canada and climbed to number two on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart. Its commercial success and critical acclaim made it one of the most celebrated torch songs of its time, earning Campbell two Grammy Awards.

Read More: Top 10 Glen Campbell Songs

# 1 – The Thrill Is Gone – B.B. King

As the final song on this list of the 10 Best Rock Songs About Falling Out of Love, B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone” stands as a haunting testament to the deep sorrow that comes with the end of a relationship. Originally written by Roy Hawkins and Rick Darnell in 1951, King’s version, recorded in 1969 for his album Completely Well, is widely considered the definitive rendition. The strings added by producer Bill Szymczyk, along with King’s signature soulful guitar, bring a polished and contemporary sound that elevated this slow 12-bar blues song to a broader audience, marking it as a crossover success.

Read More: Top 10 B.B. King Songs