Top 10 Linda Ronstadt Songs

Feature Photo: Carl Lender, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

It would be easy to argue that Linda Ronstadt was the most popular female singer of the 1970s. Hit after hit, Linda Ronstadt’s wholesome vocals appealed to a mass audience, laying the foundation for a long, successful career. Linda Ronstadt’s songs intertwined country melodies and rock grooves, foreshadowing modern-day country pop in 2024. Furthermore, those great songs were elevated to an entirely new level by the pitch-perfect, soulful, country-blessed vocals of Linda Ronstadt.

Linda Ronstadt’s recording career began in 1965 with her trio, The Stone Poneys. After releasing three albums with the Stone Poneys, Linda Ronstadt began a successful solo career, which has seen the release of over 30 studio albums. During her career, she earned 13 Grammy Awards. In 1981, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in the play The Pirates of Penzance “as Mabel. In 1983, she became the first rock and roll star to release a jazz vocal album entitled What’s New?

Linda Ronstadt had the same rock-pop-country crossover appeal as bands like The Eagles. The combination of her incredible, radio-friendly, perfect-pitch voice and knack for picking the right material to record contributed to her incredible chart success. There are not many bands that can crossover on the charts like Linda Ronstadt did. Bands and artists like The Beatles, Billy Joel, and Elton John appealed to a mass audience in pop and rock. However, Linda Ronstadt’s appeal reached those same audiences and eventually added the country, jazz, and Broadway audiences. No one in music has ever done that before.

# 10 – Someone To Lay Down Beside Me

We open our Linda Ronstadt songs article with the beautiful song “Someone To Lay Down Beside Me.” The song’s tender opening is driven by a haunting yet sweet piano solo that draws the listener in instantly. That focus quickly turns into a listening experience that is simply breathtaking, as Linda Ronstadt’s mesmerizing vocals ring through the speakers. With every passing measure and every verse, the song becomes more heart-stopping. And it’s all because of Linda.

“Someone To Lay Down Beside Me” was released on the album Hasten Down The Wind. Warren Zevon wrote the title track. The song “Someone To Lay Down Beside Me” was composed by Karla Bonoff. It was released as a single and peaked at number forty-two on the Billboard Hot 100.

# 9 – How Do I Make You

As the New Wave movement of 1979 raged across the globe, even singers like Linda Ronstadt were affected by the global interest in the new music genre. Linda Ronstadt’s album Mad Love was a mixed bag, blending New Wave-inspired music with some old-school Linda Ronstadt. “How Do I Make You: featured the virtuoso vocals of Linda Ronstadt on top of a pulsating, driving new wave groove that was simply all killer.

# 8 – Different Drum

We could not compose a Top 10 Linda Ronstadt Songs list without including her first big hit recorded with the Stone Poneys in 1967. The song “Different Drum” has been a staple of FM radio since its release in the late 1960s. Mike Nesmith of The Monkees wrote the song. It reached the number thirteen position on the Billboard music charts in 1967. Just listen to the sound of that voice. No one sounded like Linda Ronstadt.

# 7 – When Will I Be Loved

The song “When Will I Be Loved” was written by Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers. The song reached the Top 10 for The Everly Brothers upon its 1960 release. However, Linda Ronstadt had a penchant for re-recording hit songs and having even more success with her versions. Linda Ronstadt’s version reached the number two position on the Billboard charts in 1975. This song defined Linda Ronstadt’s classic mid-seventies sound. If you were a fan of AM radio in the 1970s, you couldn’t turn on the radio for 15 minutes in 1975 without hearing this excellent recording.

# 6 – Hurt So Bad

The song “Hurt So Bad” was the second single from her 1980 Mad Love album. The song was originally recorded by Little Anthony & The Imperials. It was a top 10 song for Little Anthony & The Imperials back in 1960. Linda Ronstadt’s version also reached the top 10 in 1980. Her vocals on the song were simply stunning. Hands down, it is one of her most passionate performances. While the Mad Love album had a very new-wave feel throughout, this one paid tribute to Linda Ronstadt’s old style.

# 5 – What’s New

Linda Ronstadt was, in essence, one of the first rock and roll stars to record an album of jazz standards, which proved very successful. Others had done it here before, but none had the success that Linda did. From 1983 to 1986, Linda Ronstadt recorded three albums of standards. Truly great vocalists can sing anything, and Linda Ronstadt proved that point by delivering a stunning body of work in the jazz genre. Her first release, What’s New, and the title track have always been our favorites.

# 4 – Tracks of My Tears

It’s incredible how Linda Ronstadt could record songs that were already massive hits and deliver even more stunning, successful versions. However, her version of this song was not as successful as Smokey’s. Not many singers would attempt to cover a Smokey Robinson song, but Linda Ronstadt made a career out of covering legendary vocalists’ songs. Linda Ronstadt’s version appeared on her 1975 album Prisoner in Disguise.

Linda Ronstadt put her own spin on “The Tracks of My Tears”, turning it into a hit that climbed into the top 40 on the US pop charts. Under the production of Peter Asher and released by Asylum Records as the album’s second single, Ronstadt’s rendition resonated with audiences, securing the number twenty-five spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It also made an impressive showing on the Billboard C&W chart at number eleven 11, paired with its B-side, “The Sweetest Gift,” a duet with Emmylou Harris. Additionally, the track reached the UK Singles Chart in 1976, peaking at number 42.

# 3 – Ooh Baby Baby

If you thought Linda Ronstadt’s cover of Smokey Robinson’s “Tracks of My Tears” was terrific, you would be blown away by her version of Smokey’s “Ooh Baby Baby.” The song was released on her 1978 Living in the U.S.A. album. Then, Linda Ronstadt could do no wrong. Everything Linda Ronstadt recorded and released was huge. “Ooh Baby Baby” was a top 10 hit on multiple Billboard music charts.

It climbed to number two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. while also appearing on the R&B and Country charts, hitting number eighty-five on the country charts and number seventy-seven on the US Billboard Hot Soul Single chart. Not many performances will chart on such a diverse set of music charts. David Sanborn performed the opening saxophone solo.

# 2 – You’re No Good

If the song “Different Drum” introduced Linda Ronstadt to the world, the song “You’re No Good” augmented her place in popular music history for good. The song was released on her 1974 Grammy Award-winning album Heart Like A Wheel. It was an album that was eventually placed on the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. Over the years, Linda Ronstadt recorded so many out-of-this-world vocal performances on vinyl; “You’re No Good” will always stand as one of her best.

# 1 – Lose Again

Linda Ronstadt’s recording of “Lose Again” was, in essence, her most outstanding performance. Linda Ronstadt’s vocal performances on all her recordings have always been pitch-perfect. She has always lent tremendous energy and style to all her releases. However, on “Lose Again,” Linda Ronstadt delivered an emotionally fused vocal that stands as one of the most incredible performances in popular music of all time. The song was the opening track on her 1975 album Hasten Down the Wind. Karla Bonoff wrote the song.

Photo Carl Lender [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Updated March 12, 2026