100 Greatest Pop Ballads

Top 100 Pop Ballads

Every decade in music has showcased exemplary ballads. While rock ballads have earned their due, pop ballads haven’t quite. So, here’s a showcase of the best pop ballads.
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Ballads have been excessively popular in different music genres. While its jazz ballads of the 40s and 50s that first established the roots of balladry, the 60s paved the way for a new realm of ballads in pop and rock genres. The folk movement of the 60s led to an explosion of pop bands and rock bands. Furthermore, music experimentation in the 60s gave rise to new genres and subgenres taking poignant balladry to a new level. The sentiments expressed through ballads convey a whole range of emotions. Balladic themes differ with bands and artists.

However, songs about, love, trust, angst, breakup, feelings and emotional turmoil are exceeding popular in pop ballads.

Since the 60s pop music has been a commercially popular genre. Needless to say many singers carved a niche with their brand of pop songs right through the 60s and 70s. The 80s added fresh perspective to balladry, thanks to improvements in technology encompassed with fine production and recording techniques. While the 60s and 70s were a golden era for pop ballads, many music purists consider the 80s the decade that paved a new direction for pop ballads. Since the early 50s artists and bands have had chart success with different types of pop ballads.

Unlike rock ballads that have a power packed edgy sound, pop ballads pack a soft and mellow sound. Guitar ballads and piano ballads have become exceedingly popular in pop music since the 60s. While ballads in the pop genre have evolved significantly, since the year 2000 balladry has taken more poetic forms in musical structure. The lyrical and musical structure in ballads often mesmerizes listeners. A number of artists in the 80s and 90s have released pop ballads that have gone onto become memorable anthems associated with nostalgia. Also, music television channels showcased pop ballads and rock ballads of bands and artists in a big way in the 80s and 90s.

100 Greatest Pop Ballads

  1. Someone like You- Adele
  2. All of Me- John Legend
  3. Broken Strings- James Morrison featuring Nelly Futardo
  4. Everything Has Changed- Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran
  5. Pledging My Love- Johnny Ace
  6. In My life- The Beatles
  7. Stay With Me- Sam Smith
  8. Bleeding Love- Leona Lewis
  9. Unchained Melody- The Righteous Brothers
  10. Killing Me Softly- Roberta Flack
  11. Marry Me- Train
  12. He’ll Have To Go- Jim Reeves
  13. When I Was Your Man- Bruno Mars
  14. Broken Ones- Jacquie Lee
  15. Endless Love- Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
  16. Can’t Help Falling In Love With You- Elvis Presley
  17. Somewhere Only We Know- Lily Allen
  18. With or Without You- U2
  19. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head- B.J. Thomas
  20. Just The Way You Are- Billy Joel
  21. I’m Yours- Jason Mraz
  22. Jar of Hearts- Christina Perri
  23. All I Have To Do Is Dream- The Everly Brothers
  24. You Mean Everything To Me- Neil Sedaka
  25. Story of My Life- One Direction
  26. If You Don’t Know Me By Now- Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
  27. (Where Do I Begin?) Love Story- Andy Williams
  28. I Knew I Loved You- Savage Garden
  29. Since I Met You Baby- Ivory Joe Hunter
  30. Thinking Out Loud- Ed Sheeran
  31. Lean On Me- Bill Withers
  32. All I Have To Do Is Dream- The Everly Brothers
  33. Jealous Guy- John Lennon
  34. Cry Me A River- Julie London
  35. I’ll Make Love To You- Boyz 2 Men
  36. How Deep Is Your Love- Bee Gees
  37. Always On My Mind- Willie Nelson
  38. If- Bread
  39. End of the World- Skeeter Davis
  40. Shape of My Heart- Sting
  41. I’d Really Love To See You Tonight- England Dan and John Ford Coley
  42. Baby I Love You- The Ronettes
  43. Lovin’ You- Minnie Ripperton
  44. Apologize- OneRepublic
  45. To Sir With Love- Lulu
  46. Dream Lover- Bobby Darin
  47. Crying in The Rain- Everly Brothers
  48. Take Good Care of My Baby- Bobby Vee
  49. Key largo- Bertie Higgins
  50. From This Moment- Shania Twain
  51. Black & Blue- Paloma Faith
  52. You Make Me Feel Brand New- The Stylistics
  53. Julie, Do Ya Love Me- Bobby Sherman
  54. I Think I Love You- The Partridge Family
  55. Love Will Keep Us Together- Captain & Tennille 
  56. Have I Told You Lately- Van Morrison
  57. Love Me or Let Me Be Lonely- The Friends of Distinction
  58. Biggest Part of Me- Ambrosia
  59. When I Need You- Leo Sayer
  60. Sealed With A Kiss- Brian Hyland
  61. Lego House- Ed Sheeran
  62. Adorn- Miguel
  63. Best of My Love- The Emotions
  64. Unbreak My Heart- Toni Braxton
  65. April Love- Pat Boone
  66. I Want To Be your Everything- Andy Gibb
  67. I Won’t Let you Go- James Morrison
  68. A Little More Love- Olivia Newton John
  69. Fields of Gold- Sting
  70. So Amazing- Luther Vandross
  71. Tonight, I Celebrate my Love- Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
  72. Mack The knife- Bobby Darin
  73. How Long Will I Love You- Ellie Goulding
  74. Crazy- Patsy Cline
  75. Wrecking Ball- Miley Cyrus
  76. How Can I Tell You- Cat Stevens
  77. Breath of Heaven- Amy Grant
  78. It’s All In The Game- Tommy Edwards
  79. Love Me Tender- Elvis Presley
  80. Kiss From A Rose- Seal
  81. Human- Christina Perri
  82. Impossible- James Arthur
  83. Brand New Me- Alicia Keys
  84. We Both Know- Colbie Caillat featuring Gavin DeGraw
  85. The Power of Love- Jennifer Rush
  86. Close to You- Carpenters
  87. Bonfire Heart- James Blunt
  88. Need You Now- Lady Antebellum
  89. Katy Perry- Unconditionally
  90. My Love- Petula Clark
  91. Saving All My Love For You- Whitney Houston
  92. Love Letters In The Sand- Pat Boone
  93. Untouchable- Taylor Swift
  94. Set Fire To The Rain- Adele
  95. Daydream Believer- The Monkees
  96. Let Her Go- Passanger
  97. Hand On Heart- Olly Murs
  98. Memories are Made of This- Dean Martin
  99. You Are The Sunshine of My Life- Stevie Wonder
  100. Don’t Know Much- Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville

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