23 Of The Best Songs About Loneliness And Being Alone

Written by Dan Farrant
Last updated

Loneliness is a feeling everyone has experienced. It can be a heavy burden leading to isolation, deep sadness, and even depression.

Sometimes it’s not easy to get past this emotion. That’s why it’s important that one knows how to deal with loneliness.

In many cases, people turn to music to heal their souls. It has always been an effective outlet to express their feelings. That’s why we’ve come up with this compilation to help you get through such a challenging situation.

Without further ado, here are 23 songs about loneliness and feeling lonely that you can listen to today.

1. “Lonely” By Akon

Our first song, “Lonely,” is not only one of the most popular songs about loneliness. It is also one of the most popular Akon songs overall.

Akon samples the 1964 song “Mr. Lonely” by Bobby Vinton to create a melancholic hip-hop and R&B track. In the song, the singer admits he didn’t treat his girl right. She “took all the bullshit” and stayed with him throughout the years until she got tired of it and left him.

He backtracks on the years they were together to find out where he had gone wrong. He wants to make sense of their breakup because ever since she left, he’d been a lonely man.

2. “Scared To Be Lonely” By Martin Garrix And Dua Lipa

World-renowned DJ Martin Garrix and superstar Dua Lipa teamed up for this popular dance hit. “Scared to be Lonely” is simultaneously heartbreaking, riveting, and relatable.

This song with “lonely” in the lyrics reflects the kind of relationships that many get into. Even if you know the other person isn’t good for you, you still choose to be with them more so because you want to avoid being alone and feeling lonely.

A song like this would be very sad to listen to. We find out that the good times are only in the beginning. Soon more fights erupt, and more misunderstandings drive the gap even wider.

3. “All By Myself” By Eric Carmen

When we’re young, we feel like we can take the world on our own. We do things without needing the help of anybody. And sometimes, it’s too late to realize that we need people in our lives. That’s what Eric Carmen sings about in the 1975 hit “All by Myself.”

In the song, the singer now finds himself living alone. The friends he used to have are unreachable. This tells us what kind of relationships he had when he was younger. He was busy with things that no longer served him in his old days.

We can understand the desperation he feels as he laments about not wanting to be alone anymore.

4. “Lucky” By Britney Spears

We don’t have to be Hollywood stars in order to relate to the character in “Lucky.” This is an intriguing song about loneliness because Britney Spears tells a story about a girl who sounds a lot like her. A famous pop star who has what everyone else would think has a lucky life.

However, the song is about how this superstar feels lonely and depressed behind the camera. She has everything she ever needs, but she doesn’t understand why she feels so down.

Many can resonate with feelings of loneliness. Sometimes we think we’re not lacking. We have a job, families, and a lot of money. But at the end of the day, we come home feeling like we carry the world on our shoulders.

5. “Right Where You Left Me” By Taylor Swift

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is no stranger to sad songs, especially ones about breaking up and feeling lonely. But “Right Where You Left Me” stands out from her other songs.

Mainly because it paints a scene in which everything else in the world continues as normal. But the singer is stuck in place, alone, where her ex left her. Everybody has moved on except her.

It perfectly depicts feeling frozen in time, shocked, and blindsided. She does not see the breakup coming and cannot move on. So instead, she just sits alone forever (metaphorically, of course).

6. “Driver’s License” By Olivia Rodrigo

Another sad breakup song that conveys loneliness is “Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo. We can imagine her excitement about getting her own license, something that she and her boyfriend talked about. Imagine her surprise when it also signals the end of their relationship.

Now she has her license but without a boyfriend. She cries upon discovering that he’s with someone else already. To add insult to injury, the new girl is one she’d been insecure about.

But what makes her sadder is the fact that he doesn’t care about losing her. Because now she finds herself feeling blue while driving past his street.

7. “Lonely Boy” By Black Keys

When it comes to love, we do things we wouldn’t have done before. In “Lonely Boy,” The Black Keys talk about loving someone but must wait for reciprocation.

The singer must be a long-suffering man. He doesn’t mind that his love interest hurt him and left him bleeding. What’s more, she keeps him waiting all the time. The lack of assurance leaves him feeling lonely.

It’s too late when he realizes that he should have left her already, the way her own father had. But he falls in love with her, choosing to stay even if she keeps him waiting.

8. “Supalonely” By BENEE Ft. Gus Dapperton

You might mistake BENEE and Gus Dapperton‘s “Supalonely” for a happy-go-lucky song at first. But it actually speaks of guilt and loneliness that follows after a breakup.

The singer must have done something terrible to screw up her relationship. She wallows in self-pity, calling herself a loser and a quitter. Now, she sits alone with her thoughts, assuming her ex is partying and having a good time without her.

The good thing is that she is very self-aware of her sadness and how pathetic she feels. Loneliness keeps her company, and she finds herself “dancin’ by myself.” Judging by their breakup, she’ll probably end up being lonely for a while.

9. “The Lonely” By Christina Perri

Sometimes loneliness hits when you least expect it. In “The Lonely,” Christina Perri sings about finding herself at 2 a.m. in a crying fit.

The song is about saying goodbye to someone and feeling the aftermath of the breakup. “Dancing… in an empty room” drives home the fact that it will be her and loneliness for a while.

She tries to console herself, knowing that once she lets him go, loneliness will take his place. Furthermore, she recognizes that loneliness will keep her company until she falls asleep. It stays with her not only in bed when she sleeps but in her heart as well.

10. “A Thousand Miles” By Vanessa Carlton

Our next song, “A Thousand Miles,” is a classic, iconic track that brings back memories for many people. Vanessa Carlton sings about missing someone so dearly that she can go miles just to be with them.

The verses describe the singer out and about while people pass by her. No one would know what she’s feeling at the moment. Without her special someone, she feels lonely.

We can tell this is how life is for the singer from the time her lover left. We don’t know if it’s just a temporary separation or a painful breakup. But what we know is that her heart longs to be with him again.

11. “To Be So Lonely” By Harry Styles

People know Harry Styles as a charming and upbeat singer. So his song “To Be So Lonely” came as a surprise because it dives into some deeper topics like regret, shame, and loneliness.

In a song with “lonely” in the title, the singer confesses that he hasn’t been the best partner in the relationship. Even at this point, he points fingers and avoids the blame for whatever happened to them. What’s more, he can’t find it in his heart to admit he’s sorry.

Though there’s no justification for his behavior, we find out several verses later his reasons for being so. He doesn’t want to be friends with her because it makes moving on difficult. He can’t stomach going home, where he knows loneliness awaits him.

12. “A Solitary Man” By Johnny Cash

In “A Solitary Man,” Johnny Cash laments being unable to maintain a steady, long-lasting relationship. Thus he calls himself “solitary.”

We can understand his frustration after catching two of his past lovers cheating on him. He vows that he would remain a solitary man until the right woman comes along—a woman who won’t play with his heart.

It’s worth mentioning that being solitary doesn’t necessarily mean being lonely. Sometimes you’re alone, but you’re happy or content with that. However, the melancholy vocals tell us that the singer isn’t pleased about not being able to keep a good woman by his side, thus conveying a sense of loneliness.

13. “Wake Up Alone” By The Chainsmokers And Jhene Aiko

Our next song is a collaboration between The Chainsmokers and Jhene Aiko. “Wake Up Alone,” tells us that you might have everything you ever want. Money, material things, and fame. But they are useless when you have no one who loves you.

In the lyrics, we find that the singer lacks for nothing. Except for genuine love. Because while the crowd loves him, he hasn’t found someone who understands him.

Now she is slowly getting to know someone who says all the right things. But there’s still that fear of ending up alone in the morning when reality sets in. She wants to know if they still stay with her when all the material things are gone.

14. “Lonely” By Justin Bieber Ft. benny blanco

Another song that speaks to how being in the public eye can be extremely lonely is Justin Bieber‘s “Lonely.” He worked on this song with record producer benny blanco for Bieber’s Justice album.

Bieber became a household name in his teenage years, which may seem like a dream for many people. He “had it all” at such a young age. At the same time, most people worked all of their lives to get a slice of that dream.

But that dream has its own downsides. For while he had everything, “no one’s listening.” His fans only see things on the surface. They know a lot about his life, but no one really knows what he feels inside. And knowing he doesn’t have people who got his back leaves him feeling lonely.

15. “Alone Again” By The Weeknd

Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd is known for his sad instrumentals and for expressing his darker emotions. In” Alone Again,” he sings about being in Vegas to avoid being alone.

Vegas is supposed to be fun and exciting. But the singer has been going through some tough times at this point. He says he’s living somebody’s life, and it’s exhausting and miserable. So he hires a prostitute, more for the company than for anything.

But the feeling of loneliness persists, prompting him to call for his lover, or ex, to come and save him. He implores her to remind him who he is. At this point, he’s unsure whether he can deal with being alone.

Related: For more like this, check out our best songs about Las Vegas article here.

16. “Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely” By The Backstreet Boys

Many of us have dealt with loneliness after heartbreak. Thus, it’s easy to resonate with “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely.” This track is arguably one of the Backstreet Boys‘ most poetic, soulful, and heart-wrenching songs.

Since his lover went away, it has never been the same for our singer. Her absence left a hole in his heart that nothing or no one could fill. “So many words” are spoken to him, but none can console his broken heart.

The feeling is so new to him, perhaps because the heartbreak is fresh. He finds himself wondering if it’s going to be how it is from then on.

17. “Stone Cold” By Demi Lovato

Being heartbroken is one of the most painful experiences one can ever go through. In “Stone Cold,” Demi Lovato lets out their pain, showing us emotions that are so tangible we can almost feel them.

People often identify the feeling of loneliness with the feeling of not trying to feel at all. They’d rather be numb because the pain of loneliness is too challenging to experience.

That’s what this song beautifully expresses. And despite the pain coming from the lyrics and Lovato’s voice, we know they’re sincere when they say their happy for him that he found the one.

18. “Lonely Is The Night” By Air Supply

Sadly, you won’t know what you have until it’s gone. And Air Supply knows it all too well, as shown in their hit song “Lonely is the Night.”

This song mentions “lonely” as a way to describe how he is after losing his lover. He made a mistake by pushing her away, thinking he didn’t need her. And when he realizes this mistake, it’s too late.

Losing her gives him lonely nights. This gives him plenty of time to realize how dark his life has been ever since she left. Now he resolves to get her back in any way possible.

19. “Only The Lonely” By Roy Orbison

When you feel lonely for some reason, not all people will understand you. But “Only the Lonely” will, as Roy Orbison‘s song says.

We discover from the lyrics that the singer is brokenhearted. His lover left him, taking his heart and his happiness with her. And tonight, he feels blue.

In the middle of his pain, the singer laments that not all people know what he’s going through. Only the ones who had been in his shoes. Only those who have their hearts broken, too, and wallow in loneliness day in and day out. They would understand that, at this point, he would be crying for the love lost.

20. “Should’ve Been Us” By Tori Kelly

Breakups leave us feeling lonely, especially when we still have feelings for the other person. That’s what Tori Kelly says in “Should’ve Been Us” from her debut album Unbreakable Smile.

The first verse perfectly depicts feeling lonely even when the singer is surrounded by people. She got her “heart messed up,” leaving her feeling regretful that the relationship ended.

Still, it doesn’t stop her from wondering what it would have been if things were different. She sees them as “a fire” and “the perfect storm.” She believes that they could have been perfect together. They “coulda been the real thing.” Sadly, their relationship reached the end of the road.

21. “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” By Green Day

Up next is “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” This is one of Green Day‘s most famous hits, perhaps because the raw emotions are so relatable and heart-wrenching.

Sometimes songwriters depict loneliness by painting a picture of walking on a busy street. The feeling of loneliness is there because they are so wrapped up in their own thoughts and emotions.

However, Green Day paints the opposite picture. They create a metaphor for walking a very lonely road that no one else is on. There is no clear destination, so they call it the “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” When you feel like it’s only you and your shadow, that is a true feeling of loneliness.

22. “Lonely Together” By Avicii Ft. Rita Ora

Swedish DJ Avicii made a slew of hits with famous singers. “Lonely Together” is one of the most intriguing songs which he collaborated on with Rita Ora.

It’s an interesting song about loneliness because it’s actually about hooking up with someone else. You know that the person is not good for you and you don’t want to be with them. Why might someone do that? According to the lyrics, it’s a way to feel less lonely.

You might have to drink to get through it, and you might regret it in the morning. But sometimes you’re so lonely that you just want to wake up next to someone – regardless of who it is.

23. “She Gets The Flowers” By Beth McCarthy

Yet another song about feeling lonely is “She Gets the Flowers.” Beth McCarthy sings about this familiar emotion following a tough breakup.

In the lyrics, the singer laments how she was not good enough for her ex. She can’t help comparing herself to his new flame. What hurts is seeing that he treats his new girlfriend so much better than he ever treated her.

Along with loneliness, the song reeks of bitterness and rejection. She complains how, after all, that she’s done for him, the other girl “gets the flowers.”

Summing Up Our List Of Loneliness Songs

Loneliness is a sad yet significant emotion that many of us feel from time to time. Fortunately, music offers a way of expressing this feeling and understanding it better.

Notably, most of the songs on our list talk about the loneliness that comes from breakups—indeed, getting your heart broken leads to the blues.

But whether it’s due to a breakup or something else, we hope that the songs helped you feel, well, less lonely. Know that there are people out there who perfectly understand how it feels to be lonely.

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Dan Farrant, the founder of Hello Music Theory, has been teaching music for over 15 years, helping hundreds of thousands of students unlock the joy of music. He graduated from The Royal Academy of Music in 2012 and then launched Hello Music Theory in 2014. He plays the guitar, piano, bass guitar and double bass and loves teaching music theory.