10 Best Songs With The Word 'Love' In The Title

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The word “love” is arguably one of the most iconic and frequently used words in the history of rock and roll music. Songwriters have turned to love to explore passion, heartbreak, unity, longing, and just about every emotion in between. It is no surprise that so many unforgettable songs have been built around this one simple word. This list celebrates ten great songs with “love” in the title, each coming at the subject from a different place.

# 10 – The Look Of Love – Diana Krall

Few songs exude elegance and intimacy quite like Diana Krall’s rendition of “The Look of Love,” released on her 2001 album The Look of Love. Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the song had already become a standard long before Krall put her own late-night jazz stamp on it. Tommy LiPuma produced her recording, featuring Christian McBride on bass, Peter Erskine on drums, Romero Lubambo on guitar, Luis Conte on percussion, and the London Symphony Orchestra under Claus Ogerman’s direction. Krall’s phrasing and warm contralto give the song a slow, sensual pull that never feels forced. There have been so many versions of this song recorded, and if you’re wondering why we chose Diana Krall’s version, just press play below. You’re welcome.

Read More: Top 10 Diana Krall Songs

# 9 – Lotta Love – Nicolette Larson

Nicolette Larson’s “Lotta Love” is one of those records that seems to float out of the speakers. Written by Neil Young, who also recorded the song for Comes a Time, Larson’s version appeared on her 1978 album Nicolette and was produced by Ted Templeman. Her lighter, more polished reading turned the song into a major pop hit, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Easy Listening chart. The arrangement has that warm late-1970s California sound, but Larson’s voice is what makes the record feel so inviting. It is hopeful without becoming sugary, and that balance is what has kept “Lotta Love” sounding so good all these years.

Read More: Top 10 Nicolette Larson Songs

# 8 – When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge

Few records define soul music’s emotional power as completely as Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Written by Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright and recorded in Alabama in 1966, the song became a number-one hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B chart. The arrangement is simple enough to leave plenty of room for Sledge, and he uses every inch of it. His voice sounds wounded, devoted, desperate, and completely believable all at once. That is why this record never needed gimmicks, and it is why generations of listeners still feel every word when Percy Sledge begins to sing.

Read More: Top 10 Percy Sledge Songs

# 7 – What The World Needs Now Is Love – Jackie DeShannon

Jackie DeShannon’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love” remains one of the great calls for compassion ever put on a pop record. Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the song was released in 1965, with Bacharach arranging, conducting, and producing DeShannon’s recording. Her clear, heartfelt delivery gives the song exactly what it needs: sincerity without overstatement. The single became one of DeShannon’s signature recordings and later entered the National Recording Registry in 2023. More than sixty years later, the message still lands because the record never tries to make love complicated.

Read More: Top 10 Jackie DeShannon Songs

# 6 – Love Train – The O’Jays

The O’Jays’ “Love Train” takes the idea of love and sends it around the world on one of the most infectious grooves of the 1970s. Written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the song was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia with MFSB backing the group and appeared on the 1972 album Back Stabbers. In 1973, “Love Train” reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B chart. The O’Jays make the message of unity feel joyous instead of preachy, which is a big reason the record still sounds alive. Once that groove starts moving and those voices lock together, it is almost impossible not to get on board.

Read More: Top 10 O’Jays Songs

# 5 – Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding – Elton John

Elton John’s “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” opens Goodbye Yellow Brick Road with more than eleven minutes of pure ambition. Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and produced by Gus Dudgeon, the medley was recorded at Château d’Hérouville in France in 1973. The instrumental “Funeral for a Friend” builds like a storm before giving way to the hard-rocking heartbreak of “Love Lies Bleeding.” David Hentschel’s synthesizer work helps give the opening its cinematic scale, while Elton, Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, and Nigel Olsson turn the second half into one of the toughest performances on the album. This is heartbreak delivered with grandeur, anger, and a massive rock-and-roll punch.

# 4 – Sunshine Of Your Love – Cream

Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” is built around one of the most recognizable riffs in rock history. Written by Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, and Eric Clapton, the song appeared on the band’s 1967 album Disraeli Gears and was produced by Felix Pappalardi. Jack Bruce’s bass, Eric Clapton’s guitar, and Ginger Baker’s heavy, distinctive drumming give the record a sound that is both blues-rooted and completely its own. The song became Cream’s biggest U.S. hit, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100. More than anything else, “Sunshine of Your Love” just sounds huge, sexy, and dangerous, which is exactly what great Cream should sound like.

Read More: Top 10 Cream Songs

# 3 – Somebody To Love – Queen

Queen’s “Somebody to Love” takes loneliness and turns it into something enormous. Written by Freddie Mercury and released in 1976 on A Day at the Races, the song pushes Queen’s vocal arranging into gospel territory without ever losing the band’s rock identity. Mercury, Brian May, and Roger Taylor stacked their voices until the three of them sounded like a massive choir, while John Deacon’s bass kept everything grounded underneath. The single reached number two in the UK and number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100. Mercury sounds desperate, powerful, angry, and hopeful in the same performance, and that emotional swing is what makes “Somebody to Love” one of Queen’s greatest recordings.

# 2 – Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” hits like a wrecking ball from the opening seconds of Led Zeppelin II. Released in 1969 and produced by Jimmy Page, the track began with basic recording work at Olympic Studios in London before the album was completed through sessions and overdubs during the band’s American touring schedule. Page’s guitar riff, Robert Plant’s vocal, John Paul Jones’ bass, and John Bonham’s drums create a sound that is raw, heavy, and completely physical. The strange middle section, filled with theremin, echo, and studio effects, pushes the record into psychedelic territory before the band crashes back into the riff. The single reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Led Zeppelin’s biggest U.S. singles-chart hit. There are heavier records and stranger records, but very few combine both sides as perfectly as “Whole Lotta Love.”

# 1 – All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

It feels only fitting to close this list with The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.” Written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon-McCartney, the song was first performed by the band for the BBC’s Our World broadcast on June 25, 1967, reaching an estimated 400 million viewers in 26 countries. The single was released on July 7, 1967, and became a number-one hit on both sides of the Atlantic. George Martin’s arrangement gives the recording a celebratory sweep, while John Lennon delivers the central idea with almost childlike directness. The beauty of the song is that it never overexplains itself, because it does not have to. Of all the songs on this list, none made the word “love” sound bigger, simpler, or more universal.

Read More: Top 10 Beatles Albums