12 Songs About Losing Someone That Will Help You Grieve

When someone you love dies, it can be hard to know what to say or do. There’s no right or wrong way to deal with death. But most people want to help by showing their support in some way. Maybe you’re looking for music to listen to but aren’t sure what would be best. If you’re looking for songs about losing someone that will help you grieve and remember them, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of 12 songs about losing someone. Every song on the list will help you get in touch with your feelings and release any pain and anger you may be feeling.

1. Brian and Jenn Johnson ‘You’re Gonna Be Okay

   It can feel like the end of the world when you’re in the depths of grief. As though you’ll be feeling this way forever. But it’s critical to remember that you’ll get through this. This incredible piece of music is so inspiring: it tells you to just keep walking since “you’re gonna be okay” in the end.

2. ‘Ocean Breathes Salt’ – Sun Kil Moon

   The band Modest Mouse has composed a wonderful yet sorrowful song about leaving away. We have chosen Sun Kil Moon’s rendition because it’s one of those rare situations when a cover version is done so brilliantly that it outperforms the original. Many individuals find this tune to be really relaxing. I’m not sure if it’s the acoustic guitar’s melancholy sound, the lyrics, or the singer’s wonderful voice – it’s definitely a combination of all three. “Your body may be gone. I’m gonna carry you in. In my head, in my heart, in my soul”.

3. ‘Long Live The Queen’ – Frank Turner 

   He’s sitting at her bedside, attempting to “raise her mood and tried to raise a smile.” She takes him in close and whispers to him: “You’ll live to dance another day. It’s just now you’ll have to dance for the two of us, so stop looking so damn depressed, and sing with all your heart that the Queen is dead.” This is a fantastic tune. It manages to make you laugh while also making you cry.

4. ‘Beloved’ – Mumford & Sons 

   Singer Marcus Mumford spent his final moments by his dying grandmother’s bedside. This beautiful song was inspired by a sorrowful occasion. A small child and his dying mother flee from the hospital for one last day together in the incredible video (nominated for a BAFTA in 2016). Make sure you’re emotionally prepared for this video.

5. ‘Who You’d Be Today – Kenny Chesney

   Here’s an upsetting song about losing someone too soon and the injustice of losing someone before their life has begun. In the chorus, Chesney laments, “It ain’t fair, you died too young.” “Like a story that had just begun, death tore the pages all away.”

6. ‘Tears In Heaven’ – Eric Clapton

   Eric Clapton wrote this touching song about losing his 4-year-old son Conor in a sad accident in 1991.  “I wrote this one to ask the question I had been asking myself ever since my grandfather had died. Will we meet again?” Clapton writes in his 2007 autobiography about the song. It also borrows Jimmy Cliff’s ‘Many Rivers to Cross,’ featured on our river music playlist.

7. Kanye West’s “Only One”

   In Swahili, ‘Kanye’ means ‘the sole one.’ In this video, Kanye West is dealing with the loss of his mother, Donda. It’s an emotional song, with none other than Paul McCartney on keyboards. (It’s commonly known that McCartney’s mother, who was the basis for the song “Let it Be,” died when he was young.) It’s been reported that they bonded over their shared losses.) West feels the lyrics of this song were channeled through him by his mother. So much so that he credits her with co-writing the song.

8. Luther Vandross’ “Dance with My Father”

   This was Luther Vandross’s final song, making it much more tragic. He lost his father when he was young, and one of his earliest recollections is of him dancing about the home. “My father would lift me high and dance with my mother and me.”

9. ‘Missing You’ – Diana Ross

   Diana Ross sings about her friend and former Motown colleague, soul superstar Marvin Gaye in this heartbreaking song. At the age of 44, his father fatally shot him. Lionel Ritchie’s touching tribute to the wonderful man perfectly portrays the grief of losing someone close to you. Check out Marvin Gaye’s song “What’s Going On?” on our songs about peace playlist if you’re not familiar with his work.

10. ‘Fire and Rain’ – James Taylor

    At the young age of 20, singer-songwriter James Taylor wrote this touching song about the death of his buddy Suzanne. “I always assumed I’d run into you again.” This song is also included in our collection of fire songs.

11. ‘Airplanes’ – Local Natives

    This fantastic tune comes from the Indie rocker’s debut album, Gorilla Manor. The film Airplanes is about Kelcey Ayer’s grandfather, who died when he was two years old. Many references to his possessions, such as “those chopsticks you had when you taught abroad.” He appears to be a pleasant individual. “Every question you took the time to sit and look it up, look it up in the encyclopedia’.”

12. Puffy Daddy, Faith Evans, and 112 – “I’ll Be Missing You.”

    Here’s a memorial to the Notorious B.I.G., a friend and colleague of Puff Daddy (now P.Diddy) who was assassinated. Notorious was contracted to P. Diddy’s Bad Boy Records at the time. Faith Evans, his wife, is also featured on the track. It’s one of the most well-known songs about someone missing you. “Thinkin’ of the day, when you went away, what a life to take, what a bond to break, I’ll be missing you.”