discodiscdoll•

Song lists

Songs about missing someone

Forty-five songs about missing someone, sorted by the kind of distance: miles and deployments, a breakup, a loss, and the friends and family who live too far away.

Updated · by the discodiscdoll studio

Short answer

Songs about missing someone range from long distance love songs to breakup ballads and gentle songs of grief. Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers, A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton, Here Without You by 3 Doors Down and I’ll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday are some of the best known. Pick the ones that match your kind of distance.

Not every song about missing someone is sad. Some are a promise to come back, some a thank-you, a few are a bit angry. We sorted these by the reason for the distance so you can find the right tone fast, and every song was checked against a real music catalogue. If you’re building a mix to send, the last section covers how.

What are good songs about missing someone far away?

Good songs about missing someone far away include Hey There Delilah by Plain White T’s, A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton and Here Without You by 3 Doors Down, plus deployment songs like Letters from Home by John Michael Montgomery. These are the long distance songs to send while you count down to the next visit.

  1. 01Leaving on a Jet PlaneJohn Denver · 1969The goodbye-at-the-door song, with a promise to come back.
  2. 02A Thousand MilesVanessa Carlton · 2002That piano riff and the urge to walk any distance to see someone.
  3. 03Far AwayNickelback · 2006A rock ballad about being away too long.
  4. 04Come HomeOneRepublic · 2007A simple, aching plea for someone far away to come home.
  5. 05Letters from HomeJohn Michael Montgomery · 2004A soldier reading letters from his family. A deployment staple.
  6. 06Travelin' SoldierThe Chicks · 2002A young soldier and the girl who writes to him. Very sad, very beautiful.
  7. 07I'll Be Seeing YouBillie Holiday · 1944The wartime standard about seeing someone everywhere you look.
  8. 08We'll Meet AgainVera Lynn · 1939The wartime promise to meet again some sunny day.
  9. 09Every Mile a MemoryDierks Bentley · 2003Driving away and passing every place you’ve been together.
  10. 10Here Without You3 Doors Down · 2002Lonely nights on the road, thinking of someone far away.
  11. 11Miss You Like CrazyNatalie Cole · 1989A big late-80s ballad about missing someone so much it aches.
  12. 12Hey There DelilahPlain White T's · 2006The long-distance love song, written as a letter across the country.
  13. 13Wherever You Will GoThe Calling · 2001A promise to follow someone wherever they end up.

Pair a mix like this with something they can hold; our long distance relationship gifts include ideas that ship well.

What songs are about missing someone after a breakup?

Songs about missing someone after a breakup include Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers, The Night We Met by Lord Huron and Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi. Some wish they could go back, some are just honest about how quiet the house is now.

  1. 14Ain't No SunshineBill Withers · 1971Barely two minutes, and says everything about missing someone.
  2. 15I Miss YouBlink-182 · 2003Cello, brushed drums and a plain confession. Pop-punk at its most tender.
  3. 16The Night We MetLord Huron · 2015Wishing you could go back to the beginning.
  4. 17Back to DecemberTaylor Swift · 2010An apology to someone you let go.
  5. 18Nothing Compares 2 USinéad O'Connor · 1990The Prince song, counting the days since someone left.
  6. 19Without YouHarry Nilsson · 1971A huge, aching ballad about not being able to live without someone.
  7. 20Someone You LovedLewis Capaldi · 2018Bare piano and a voice that cracks. About losing the person who kept you steady.
  8. 21Missing YouJohn Waite · 1984Insisting you’re fine while plainly missing someone.
  9. 22MissingEverything but the Girl · 1994The dance remix made it a hit. A walk past an old address.
  10. 23Say SomethingA Great Big World · 2013The duet with Christina Aguilera, about giving up on someone.
  11. 24The ScientistColdplay · 2002Wanting to go back to the start. Piano and regret.
  12. 25Drivers LicenseOlivia Rodrigo · 2021Driving past someone’s street after they’ve gone. Marked explicit on streaming services.
  13. 26Same Old Lang SyneDan Fogelberg · 1980Running into an old love at the grocery store on Christmas Eve.

What songs help when you miss someone who died?

Gentle songs for missing someone who died include I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan, You Should Be Here by Cole Swindell and One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. We’re sorry if that’s why you’re here. These are for the months after, the anniversaries and the drives alone.

  1. 27I Will Remember YouSarah McLachlan · 1995A gentle promise to remember someone. Comforting more than sad.
  2. 28You Should Be HereCole Swindell · 2015Written after losing his father. About the big days someone is missing.
  3. 29Who You'd Be TodayKenny Chesney · 2005Wondering who someone would have become.
  4. 30One Sweet DayMariah Carey · 1995The duet with Boyz II Men about meeting again one day.
  5. 31GhostJustin Bieber · 2021About missing someone so much you’d take any piece of them.
  6. 32MarjorieTaylor Swift · 2020About her grandmother, and hearing her voice in everything.
  7. 33My ImmortalEvanescence · 2003A haunting piano ballad about someone who still lingers.
  8. 34Who KnewP!nk · 2006About someone you thought would always be around.
  9. 35If You're Reading ThisTim McGraw · 2007A soldier’s letter home, to be read if he doesn’t make it.
  10. 36Over YouMiranda Lambert · 2012Written about losing her husband’s brother. Quiet and raw.
  11. 37How Do I Say GoodbyeDean Lewis · 2022About a parent’s illness and the goodbye coming.

What songs are about missing friends and family?

Songs about missing friends and family far away include Friends by Michael W. Smith, So Far Away by Carole King and Hey Brother by Avicii. They’re for the best friend who moved across the country and the sibling you only see at Christmas.

  1. 38FriendsMichael W. Smith · 1983A farewell to friends moving on. Once a staple of graduations.
  2. 39My Old FriendTim McGraw · 2004Missing a friend from the old days.
  3. 40Somewhere Out ThereLinda Ronstadt · 1986The duet with James Ingram about two people under the same sky.
  4. 41Never Say GoodbyeBon Jovi · 1986Remembering old friends and old times. A big 80s power ballad.
  5. 42When You Come Back DownNickel Creek · 2000A friend promising to be there when the adventure ends.
  6. 43Hey BrotherAvicii · 2013A promise to a sibling, whatever the distance.
  7. 44Wish You Were HerePink Floyd · 1975Missing someone who has drifted away. Acoustic and spacious.
  8. 45So Far AwayCarole King · 1971Wishing someone lived closer. Gentle piano.

For the friend in question, our songs about friendship has forty more, and our songs about home suit anyone who misses the place as much as the people.

How do you send a mix to someone you miss?

To send a mix to someone you miss, choose 18 to 22 songs (enough to fill one 80-minute CD), burn them as an audio CD and post it with a note in the case. A disc plays in any car or stereo, needs no signal on a base or a ship, and it’s still there long after a playlist link has scrolled away.

  • Mix the moods. A few songs that ache, then a few that promise you’ll see each other again. End on the hopeful one.
  • Check the length. Our guide to how many songs fit on a CD has the math, and the playlist length calculator totals your list.
  • Write the liner notes. A line under each song about why you chose it. Our guide to making a mixtape has ideas.
  • Print a cover. A photo of the two of you on the free CD case template.
  • Clean or explicit: Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo is marked explicit on streaming services. A few others, like Far Away and Say Something, also turn up on compilations flagged explicit, so say which version you want.

Too far from a burner? We’ll burn your playlist to a custom CD and post it, with a photo of the two of you on the cover.

Questions people ask

What is a good song about missing someone?

A good song about missing someone is Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers, A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton, Here Without You by 3 Doors Down or I'll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday. Which one fits depends on whether the distance is miles, a breakup or a loss.

What are good long distance relationship songs?

Good long distance relationship songs include Hey There Delilah by Plain White T's, A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton, Leaving on a Jet Plane by John Denver, Far Away by Nickelback and Every Mile a Memory by Dierks Bentley.

What songs are good for a deployed soldier?

Songs for a deployed soldier and the family at home include Letters from Home by John Michael Montgomery, Come Home by OneRepublic, Travelin' Soldier by The Chicks and We'll Meet Again by Vera Lynn. A burned CD is handy for deployment because it needs no signal or streaming app.

What songs are about missing someone who died?

Gentle songs about missing someone who died include I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan, You Should Be Here by Cole Swindell, One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, and Marjorie by Taylor Swift. For music for a service, see our list of funeral songs.

What songs are about missing an ex?

Songs about missing an ex include The Night We Met by Lord Huron, Back to December by Taylor Swift, Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi, Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinéad O'Connor and Same Old Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg.

How do you send music to someone you miss?

To send music to someone you miss, make a mix CD of 18 to 22 songs, which fits on one 80-minute disc, and post it with a note in the case. A physical CD plays in any car or stereo and is something they can keep, unlike a shared playlist link.