400+ Best Slow Songs of all Time | Powerful Love Songs

The best slow songs can fill a floor just as reliably as the bangers, which is why every playlist needs a deep bench of them.

A great one pairs a melody you can sway to with a message that means something, whether you’re dancing with a partner or a room full of friends.

Slow songs are also among the most requested tracks at weddings and events, and the requests span every decade.

This guide collects the best slow songs of all time – classic and new – organized by decade and genre so you can find your era fast.

Best Slow Songs of all Time

A slow song sets the mood for an intimate night, a wedding reception, or the quiet hour of any party.

It shifts a room into romance mode faster than any lighting cue.

The best of them work for listeners of any age group, which is why they stay in rotation for decades.

The lists below mix nostalgic ballads, feel-good classics, and hits from today’s top artists.

50’s and 60’s Slow Dance Songs

Music makes a wedding, but finding songs that land with an older crowd takes some digging.

That’s where the 50s and 60s deliver – these slow hits were beloved then and still work today, transporting the whole room back in time.

Standards for the First Sway

1. Elvis Presley – Love Me Tender (1956)
2. Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling In Love (1961)
3. Nat King Cole – Unforgettable (1951)
4. Etta James – At Last (1960)
5. Frank Sinatra – The Way You Look Tonight (1964)
6. The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody (1965)
7. Ben E. King – Stand By Me (1961)
8. Patsy Cline – Crazy (1961)
9. The Platters – Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (1958)
10. Ray Charles – Georgia On My Mind (1960)
11. Frank Sinatra – Strangers In The Night (1966)
12. The Temptations – My Girl (1965)
13. The Beach Boys – God Only Knows (1966)
14. The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (1965)
15. Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World (1967)

The King opens the era’s slow-dance canon, and he still closes plenty of receptions.

Elvis Presley – Love Me Tender (1956)

“Love Me Tender” was one of the first slow ballads Elvis Presley recorded, and it remains one of his most requested slow dancing songs.

The single made history before anyone heard it, racking up more than a million advance orders ahead of release.

70’s Slow Dance Songs

When it comes to slow dancing or just enjoying great tunes with your favorite person, the good oldies of the 1970s are hard to beat.

Soft rock, soul, and singer-songwriter gold – the decade turned down the volume without losing the feeling.

Mellow Gold and Soft Soul

1. Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On (1973)
2. Elton John – Your Song (1970)
3. Fleetwood Mac – Landslide (1975)
4. Commodores – Three Times A Lady (1978)
5. Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight (1977)
6. Carole King – So Far Away (1971)
7. 10cc – I’m Not in Love (1975)
8. Fleetwood Mac – Dreams (1977)
9. Bee Gees – How Deep Is Your Love (1977)
10. Heatwave – Always & Forever (1977)
11. Billy Joel – Just the Way You Are (1977)
12. James Taylor – Fire and Rain (1970)
13. The Rolling Stones – Wild Horses (1971)
14. Kansas – Dust in the Wind (1977)
15. Gordon Lightfoot – Sundown (1974)
16. Alice Cooper – You And Me (1977)
17. Styx – Lady (1973)
18. The Rolling Stones – Beast Of Burden (1978)
19. Billy Joel – She’s Got a Way (1971)
20. Bette Midler – The Rose (1979)
21. James Taylor – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (1975)
22. Christopher Cross – Sailing (1979)
23. Seals & Crofts – Summer Breeze (1972)

The smoothest opener in the section belongs to the prince of soul himself.

Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On (1973)

Marvin Gaye is one of the greatest soul singers of all time, and “Let’s Get It On” was the title track of his hugely successful 1973 album.

The slow jam everyone knows still gets radio play today and has been covered by countless artists since.

80’s Slow Dance Songs

Feeling nostalgic for the 80s, when slow songs ruled the airwaves and played on repeat in every club?

This list rounds up the classic slow jams everyone knows and loves, from Whitney Houston’s era to Michael Jackson’s.

Synths, Sax, and Slow Jams

1. Phil Collins – A Groovy Kind Of Love (1988)
2. Chris de Burgh – The Lady In Red (1986)
3. Peter Cetera – Glory of Love (1986)
4. Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time (1983)
5. Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting (1989)
6. Madonna – Crazy For You (1985)
7. Chicago – Hard To Say I’m Sorry (1982)
8. Genesis – In Too Deep (1986)
9. Debbie Gibson – Lost in Your Eyes (1989)
10. Phil Collins – One More Night (1985)
11. Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes (1986)
12. Berlin – Take My Breath Away (1986)
13. Luther Vandross – Here And Now (1989)
14. Bryan Adams – Heaven (1984)
15. Patrick Swayze – She’s Like the Wind (1987)
16. Paul Young – Every Time You Go Away (1985)
17. The Jeff Healey Band – Angel Eyes (1989)
18. Roxette – It Must Have Been Love (1986)
19. Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart (1983)
20. Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings (1988)
21. Richard Marx – Hold On To The Nights (1987)
22. Air Supply – Having You Near Me (1980)
23. Joe Cocker – You Are So Beautiful (1974)
24. Diana Ross & Lionel Richie – Endless Love (1981)
25. Bangles – Eternal Flame (1988)
26. Chris Isaak – Wicked Game (1989)
27. Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me By Now (1989)
28. Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over (1986)
29. Peter Cetera & Amy Grant – The Next Time I Fall (1986)
30. Mike + The Mechanics – The Living Years (1988)

The section’s opener proves a great slow song can come from anywhere – even a movie about a bank robbery.

Phil Collins – A Groovy Kind Of Love (1988)

Phil Collins recorded “A Groovy Kind of Love” for the 1988 film Buster, and the single climbed all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

His hushed take on the 60s tune turned it into a definitive 80s slow dance, and it hasn’t left the rotation since.

80’s Rock Slow Songs

Guests will dance and sing along to these 80s rock slow songs every time.

Big hair, neon clothes, and a wall of synthesizers – no wonder the decade produced such committed slow jams.

What’s your favorite love song from the 1980s?

Lighters-Up Ballads

1. Poison – I Won’t Forget You (1986)
2. Foreigner – I Want To Know What Love Is (1984)
3. REO Speedwagon – Can’t Fight This Feeling (1984)
4. Journey – Faithfully (1983)
5. Pat Benatar – We Belong (1984)
6. U2 – All I Want Is You (1988)
7. Journey – Send Her My Love (1983)
8. Aerosmith – Angel (1987)
9. U2 – With or Without You (1987)
10. Warrant – Heaven (1989)
11. KISS – Forever (1989)
12. Tesla – Love Song (1989)
13. Journey – Open Arms (1982)
14. The Police – Every Breath You Take (1983)
15. The Cars – Drive (1984)
16. INXS – Never Tear Us Apart (1987)
17. Mötley Crüe – Home Sweet Home (1985)
18. Chicago – You’re the Inspiration (1984)
19. Journey – When You Love a Woman (1996)
20. Foreigner – Waiting for a Girl Like You (1981)
21. REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You (1980)
22. Cinderella – Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone) (1988)
23. Bad English – When I See You Smile (1989)
24. Skid Row – I Remember You (1989)

Glam metal’s softer side opens the list with a ballad most people file under deep cut.

Poison – I Won’t Forget You (1986)

Poison’s debut album Look What the Cat Dragged In was mostly swagger, but “I Won’t Forget You” showed the band could slow down and mean it.

It’s a road-worn ballad about holding on to someone you had to leave behind, and it became one of the album’s standouts.

80’s Slow Country Songs

The 80s were a time of big hair, synth pop, and cowboy hats, with a new generation of artists taking over the airwaves.

But when you think back, it’s the slow country songs that got played at every wedding reception for years afterward.

Waltzes from the Neon Era

1. George Strait – You Look So Good In Love (1983)
2. Garth Brooks – The Dance (1989)
3. Kenny Rogers – Through The Years (1981)
4. Randy Travis – Forever And Ever, Amen (1987)
5. Vince Gill – When I Call Your Name (1989)
6. Garth Brooks – Unanswered Prayers (1990)
7. Alabama – There’s No Way (1985)
8. Holly Dunn – Daddy’s Hands (1986)
9. The Judds – Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days) (1985)
10. George Strait – The Chair (1985)
11. Alabama – Feels So Right (1981)
12. Alabama – (You’ve Got) The Touch (1986)
13. Keith Whitley – Don’t Close Your Eyes (1988)
14. Anne Murray – Could I Have This Dance (1980)
15. Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes – Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer (1980)
16. George Jones – He Stopped Loving Her Today (1980)
17. Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers – Islands in the Stream (1983)

King George opens the era, singing the most bittersweet slow dance of the decade.

George Strait – You Look So Good In Love (1983)

George Strait is one of the most iconic country singers of all time, and his love songs are known the world over.

“You Look So Good In Love” is a classic ballad that captures the bittersweet ache of watching someone you love find happiness with someone else – heartbreak has rarely sounded this smooth.

90’s Slow Dance Songs

If you were a teenager in the 1990s, slow dance songs were everywhere – every school dance, prom, and social gathering saved room for at least one.

It seemed like every week brought another single about falling in love, and those songs still hold up.

For good old-fashioned tunes that bring the era right back, start here with these 90s Slow Dance Songs.

The School-Dance Canon

1. Edwin McCain – I’ll Be (1997)
2. Selena – I Could Fall In Love (1995)
3. Savage Garden – Truly Madly Deeply (1997)
4. Marc Cohn – True Companion (1991)
5. Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (1992)
6. Mariah Carey – Hero (1993)
7. Selena – Dreaming Of You (1995)
8. Rod Stewart – Have I Told You Lately (1991)
9. Aerosmith – I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing (1998)
10. Céline Dion – My Heart Will Go On (1997)
11. Spice Girls – 2 Become 1 (1996)
12. Chantal Kreviazuk – Feels Like Home (1999)
13. Hanson – I Will Come To You (1997)
14. Paula Abdul – Rush Rush (1991)
15. Bon Jovi – Bed Of Roses (1992)
16. Eric Clapton – Tears In Heaven (1992)
17. Edwin McCain – I Could Not Ask For More (1999)
18. Savage Garden – I Knew I Loved You (1999)
19. Céline Dion – Because You Loved Me (1996)
20. David Gray – This Year’s Love (1999)
21. Seal – Kiss From a Rose (1994)
22. Sarah McLachlan – Angel (1997)
23. 98 Degrees – Invisible Man (1997)
24. Ricky Martin – She’s All I Ever Had (1999)
25. Tom Petty – Angel Dream (1996)
26. Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way (1999)
27. Marc Anthony – You Sang To Me (1999)
28. Jewel – You Were Meant For Me (1996)
29. 98 Degrees – I Do (Cherish You) (1999)
30. Duran Duran – Ordinary World (1992)
31. Backstreet Boys – As Long As You Love Me (1997)
32. Bryan Adams – (Everything I Do) I Do It For You (1991)
33. *NSYNC – (God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You (1997)
34. Regina Belle & Peabo Bryson – A Whole New World (1992)

The list opens with the ballad that launched a thousand gym-floor slow dances.

Edwin McCain – I’ll Be (1997)

“I’ll Be” appeared on Edwin McCain’s 1997 album Misguided Roses and became his signature ballad.

He followed it in 1999 with “I Could Not Ask For More,” giving slow-dance playlists a matched pair that still gets requested together.

90’s R&B Slow Songs

Fast-paced music rules most parties these days, but the slow-jam faithful know better.

For good old-fashioned 90s R&B slow songs, this list is the mother lode.

Quiet Storm Essentials

1. Brian McKnight – Back At One (1999)
2. Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (1992)
3. Usher – Nice & Slow (1998)
4. Monica – Angel of Mine (1998)
5. SWV – Weak (1993)
6. Soul For Real – Candy Rain (1994)
7. TLC – Baby-Baby-Baby (1992)
8. Toni Braxton – Un-Break My Heart (1996)
9. Vanessa Williams – Save The Best For Last (1991)
10. Blessid Union of Souls – Let Me Be the One (1995)
11. Jon B – Pretty Girl (1995)
12. Next – Too Close (1997)
13. Mya – It’s All About Me ft. Sisqó (1998)
14. Brandy – I Wanna Be Down (1994)
15. 112 – Cupid (1996)
16. TLC – Diggin’ On You (1995)
17. All-4-One – I Swear (1994)
18. K-Ci & JoJo – All My Life (1997)
19. Keith Sweat – Nobody (1996)
20. Joe – I Wanna Know (1999)
21. Mariah Carey – My All (1998)
22. Tyrese – Lately (1998)
23. Groove Theory – Tell Me (1995)
24. SWV – I’m So Into You (1992)
25. Babyface – When Can I See You (1994)
26. Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men – One Sweet Day (1995)
27. Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday (1991)

Few voices carried the quiet storm era like the one that opens this list.

Brian McKnight – Back At One (1999)

Brian McKnight was one of the most successful R&B artists of the era, with a string of platinum albums to his name.

The title track of his 1999 album Back at One blends R&B and pop under his signature smooth vocal, and it remains one of the decade’s most beloved slow jams.

90’s Rock Slow Songs

Some of these are classics everyone knows, others are deeper cuts – but if it was popular in the 90s, it’s guaranteed to pull people onto the floor.

Flannel and Feelings

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under The Bridge (1991)
2. Guns N’ Roses – November Rain (1991)
3. Goo Goo Dolls – Iris (1998)
4. Creed – With Arms Wide Open (1999)
5. Metallica – Nothing Else Matters (1991)
6. Sixpence None The Richer – Kiss Me (1997)
7. Firehouse – Love Of A Lifetime (1991)
8. The Cranberries – Zombie (1994)
9. Dave Matthews Band – Crush (1998)
10. Saigon Kick – Love Is On The Way (1992)
11. Extreme – More Than Words (1990)
12. Collective Soul – The World I Know (1995)
13. Bon Jovi – Always (1994)
14. Scorpions – Wind Of Change (1990)
15. Counting Crows – Round Here (1994)
16. Guns N’ Roses – Don’t Cry (1991)
17. Boston – Livin’ for You (1994)
18. Air Supply – Without You (1991)
19. Poison – Something To Believe In (1990)
20. Firehouse – When I Look Into Your Eyes (1992)

The decade’s defining slow-rock moment came from an unlikely band of funk-rockers.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under The Bridge (1991)

The Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in Los Angeles in 1983 and became one of the most successful rock bands of all time.

The lineup that recorded “Under the Bridge” – Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante, and Chad Smith – traded their usual funk for something reflective, and the melodic result became the band’s signature ballad.

90’s Slow Country Songs

90s slow country songs are a huge hit at weddings and events to this day.

Whether you need to fill a dance floor or just want warm background music, these tunes do the trick.

Nineties Twang, Turned Down Low

1. Travis Tritt – Drift Off To Dream (1991)
2. Shania Twain – From This Moment On (1998)
3. LeAnn Rimes – How Do I Live (1997)
4. Faith Hill – Breathe (1999)
5. John Michael Montgomery – I Swear (1994)
6. George Strait – Carrying Your Love With Me (1997)
7. Brad Paisley – We Danced (1999)
8. Lonestar – Amazed (1999)
9. George Strait – I Cross My Heart (1992)
10. Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine (1996)
11. The Chicks – Cowboy Take Me Away (1999)
12. Clay Walker – Hypnotize The Moon (1995)
13. Shenandoah – I Wanna Be Loved Like That (1993)
14. Terri Clark – Now That I Found You (1998)
15. Reba McEntire with Vince Gill – The Heart Won’t Lie (1992)
16. Garth Brooks – You Move Me (1997)
17. McBride and the Ride – Just One Night (1992)
18. Sammy Kershaw – Love Of My Life (1997)
19. Joe Diffie – So Help Me Girl (1994)
20. John Michael Montgomery – Home To You (1999)
21. Tim McGraw – My Best Friend (1999)
22. Mark Wills – I Do (Cherish You) (1998)
23. Alison Krauss – When You Say Nothing At All (1994)
24. The Judds – Can’t Nobody Love You Like I Do (1999)
25. Jessica Andrews – Unbreakable Hearts (1999)
26. Collin Raye – If You Get There Before I Do (2000)
27. Alabama – Angels Among Us (1993)
28. Sawyer Brown – The Walk (1991)
29. Tim McGraw – Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me (1998)

The opener remains one of the decade’s most underrated slow-dance calls.

Travis Tritt – Drift Off To Dream (1991)

“Drift Off to Dream” comes from Travis Tritt’s debut album Country Club, hitting radio in early 1991.

Its unhurried, distinctly country sound delivers pure nostalgia for simpler times, which is exactly what a slow country set wants.

2000’s Slow Dance Songs

In the 2000s, slow dances were still how you spent quality time with your date – in each other’s arms, swaying to the music.

The decade’s soundtrack made those moments count.

The Y2K Slow Set

1. *NSYNC – This I Promise You (2000)
2. Evan and Jaron – Crazy For This Girl (2000)
3. Train – Marry Me (2009)
4. Kelly Clarkson – Breakaway (2004)
5. Norah Jones – Come Away With Me (2002)
6. Sade – By Your Side (2000)
7. Lifehouse – You and Me (2005)
8. David Gray – Be Mine (2002)
9. Dream – I Miss You Like Crazy (2001)
10. DHT – Listen to Your Heart (2005)
11. DJ Sammy – Heaven (2002)
12. Jessica Simpson – Angels (2003)
13. Enrique Iglesias – Hero (2001)
14. Vi3 – Eyes Closed So Tight (2002)
15. Ben Folds – The Luckiest (2001)
16. Boys Like Girls – Two Is Better Than One ft. Taylor Swift (2009)
17. Nickelback – Far Away (2005)
18. Evanescence – My Immortal (2003)
19. Iron & Wine – Such Great Heights (2003)
20. Marc Anthony – I Need You (2002)
21. Howie Day – Collide (2004)
22. Mandy Moore – Crush (2001)
23. Uncle Kracker – Drift Away ft. Dobie Gray (2002)
24. Owl City – Fireflies (2009)
25. Jason Mraz – I’m Yours (2008)
26. Matt Nathanson – Come On Get Higher (2008)
27. Kelly Clarkson – Because Of You (2004)
28. Britney Spears – Someday (I Will Understand) (2005)
29. Teddy Geiger – For You I Will (2006)
30. S Club 7 – Never Had A Dream Come True (2000)

The boy-band era saved its best ballad for the top of this list.

*NSYNC – This I Promise You (2000)

“This I Promise You” appeared on *NSYNC’s 2000 blockbuster No Strings Attached and became one of their most beloved ballads.

Written by Richard Marx, its heartfelt lyrics and soaring harmonies made it an instant slow-dance standard.

2000’s Slow Rock Songs

The 2000s were a transition decade for rock, with the charts tilting toward rap and pop.

Rock’s answer was to slow down and open up – the post-grunge era leaned hard into ballads, and radio rewarded every one of them.

Post-Grunge Power Ballads

1. 3 Doors Down – Here Without You (2003)
2. Hinder – Lips Of An Angel (2005)
3. Hoobastank – The Reason (2003)
4. Rob Thomas – Ever The Same (2005)
5. Five for Fighting – Superman (It’s Not Easy) (2001)
6. Nickelback – Photograph (2005)
7. Daughtry – Home (2006)
8. Oasis – Wonderwall (1995)
9. Plain White T’s – 1, 2, 3, 4 (2008)
10. Coldplay – Fix You (2005)
11. Goo Goo Dolls – Better Days (2006)
12. Nickelback – How You Remind Me (2001)
13. Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars (2006)
14. Creed – My Sacrifice (2001)
15. The Fray – You Found Me (2009)
16. 3 Doors Down – When I’m Gone (2002)
17. Coldplay – Speed Of Sound (2005)
18. Linkin Park – Shadow Of The Day (2007)
19. OneRepublic – Stop And Stare (2007)
20. Creed – One Last Breath (2001)
21. Seether – Broken ft. Amy Lee (2004)
22. Stereophonics – Maybe Tomorrow (2003)
23. Avril Lavigne – When You’re Gone (2007)
24. 311 – Love Song (2004)
25. Plain White T’s – Hey There Delilah (2006)
26. The Calling – Wherever You Will Go (2001)
27. Staind – It’s Been Awhile (2001)
28. blink-182 – I Miss You (2004)
29. Five for Fighting – 100 Years (2003)
30. Keane – Everybody’s Changing (2003)
31. Audioslave – Like a Stone (2002)
32. Shinedown – Simple Man (2003)
33. Incubus – Wish You Were Here (2001)
34. Daughtry – September (2009)
35. Coldplay – The Scientist (2002)
36. Green Day – Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (2004)
37. Matchbox Twenty – If You’re Gone (2000)
38. Green Day – Wake Me Up When September Ends (2004)

The era’s definitive rock slow song opens the batch.

3 Doors Down – Here Without You (2003)

“Here Without You” became a 2003 radio staple and one of those tracks nobody can help singing along to.

Its themes of longing and distance resonate across audiences – long-distance couples, the grieving, the homesick – which is why it became one of the band’s most enduring hits.

2000’s R&B Slow Songs

Building a playlist for a night in or the romantic hour of a party? These 2000s R&B slow songs belong on it.

Every one of them charted, from Mariah Carey to Usher to Alicia Keys.

Ringtone-Era Slow Jams

1. Jagged Edge – Promise (2000)
2. K-Ci & JoJo – Crazy (2000)
3. T-Pain – I’m Sprung (2005)
4. Nelly – Dilemma ft. Kelly Rowland (2002)
5. Rihanna – Take a Bow (2008)
6. Aaliyah – Rock The Boat (2001)
7. Mariah Carey – We Belong Together (2005)
8. Ja Rule – Always On Time ft. Ashanti (2001)
9. Mario – Let Me Love You (2004)
10. Ne-Yo – Because Of You (2007)
11. Shontelle – T-Shirt (2008)
12. Alicia Keys – No One (2007)
13. Christina Aguilera – Beautiful (2002)
14. Craig David – Unbelievable (2006)
15. Case – Missing You (2000)
16. Jagged Edge – Walked Outta Heaven (2003)
17. Timbaland – Apologize ft. OneRepublic (2007)
18. Usher – U Got It Bad (2001)
19. Ginuwine – Differences (2001)
20. Ne-Yo – Sexy Love (2006)
21. Alicia Keys – Fallin’ (2001)
22. Next – Wifey (2000)
23. Bobby V. – Slow Down (2005)
24. Ashanti – Foolish (2002)
25. R. Kelly – Step In The Name Of Love (2003)
26. Jagged Edge – Let’s Get Married (Remix) (2000)

Jagged Edge alone lands three entries here, starting with the smoothest of them.

Jagged Edge – Promise (2000)

“Promise” comes from Jagged Edge’s 2000 album J.E. Heartbreak, the multi-platinum release that made the group R&B royalty.

It’s devotion in slow-jam form, and it hasn’t aged a day.

2000’s Slow Country Songs

Nothing relaxes like a good country song – old boots, sweet tea on the porch, and a slow dance in the kitchen.

The 2000s supplied plenty of them.

Gravel Roads and Slow Dances

1. Rascal Flatts – Bless the Broken Road (2004)
2. Diamond Rio – One More Day (2001)
3. George Strait – Run (2001)
4. Tim McGraw – She’s My Kind of Rain (2002)
5. Keith Urban – You’ll Think Of Me (2004)
6. Blake Shelton – Home (2007)
7. Brad Paisley – She’s Everything (2005)
8. Keith Urban – Making Memories of Us (2004)
9. Trace Adkins – You’re Gonna Miss This (2007)
10. Lee Ann Womack – I Hope You Dance (2000)
11. Luke Bryan – Do I (2009)
12. Brad Paisley – Then (2009)
13. Gary Allan – Songs About Rain (2003)
14. Dierks Bentley – Come A Little Closer (2005)
15. Keith Urban – Tonight I Wanna Cry (2004)
16. Carrie Underwood – Just A Dream (2007)
17. Jason Aldean – The Best of Me (2009)
18. Kenny Chesney – There Goes My Life (2003)
19. Sugarland – Stay (2006)
20. Kenny Chesney – Anything But Mine (2005)
21. Toby Keith – Crash Here Tonight (2006)
22. Brad Paisley – Whiskey Lullaby ft. Alison Krauss (2004)
23. Lady A – Need You Now (2009)
24. Alan Jackson – Remember When (2003)
25. Steve Holy – Good Morning Beautiful (2000)
26. Rascal Flatts – My Wish (2006)
27. Kenny Chesney – Don’t Blink (2007)
28. George Strait – The Best Day (2000)
29. Alan Jackson – Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) (2001)
30. George Strait – She Let Herself Go (2005)
31. Chris Young – The Man I Want To Be (2009)
32. Trace Adkins – All I Ask For Anymore (2009)
33. Craig Morgan – That’s What I Love About Sunday (2005)
34. Brad Paisley – When I Get Where I’m Going ft. Dolly Parton (2005)
35. Darius Rucker – It Won’t Be Like This For Long (2008)
36. John Michael Montgomery – Letters From Home (2004)
37. Toby Keith – You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This (2000)
38. Chris Cagle – I Breathe In, I Breathe Out (2001)
39. Sara Evans – I Could Not Ask For More (2000)
40. Joe Nichols – She Only Smokes When She Drinks (2002)
41. Lady A – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (2008)
42. Jessica Andrews – Helplessly, Hopelessly (2001)

The section opens with the crossover ballad that defined the decade’s weddings.

Rascal Flatts – Bless the Broken Road (2004)

While Faith Hill and Garth Brooks were pulling country toward pop, Rascal Flatts kept one boot in tradition.

Their rendition of “Bless the Broken Road” became a Grammy-winning crossover smash and one of the most-played wedding songs of its era.

2010’s Slow Dance Songs

If you want a slow song to dance to with your favorite person, this decade delivers in bulk.

These 2010s releases have owned radio and streaming playlists ever since, from Bruno Mars to Taylor Swift to Justin Bieber.

Streaming-Era Slow Burns

1. Christina Perri – A Thousand Years (2011)
2. Ed Sheeran – Photograph (2014)
3. John Legend – All of Me (2013)
4. P!nk – A Million Dreams (2018)
5. Justin Timberlake – Mirrors (2013)
6. Adele – Someone Like You (2011)
7. Taylor Swift – Wildest Dreams (2014)
8. One Direction – Perfect (2015)
9. Katy Perry – Unconditionally (2013)
10. Mr Probz – Waves (2013)
11. Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud (2014)
12. Charlie Puth – One Call Away (2016)
13. Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball (2013)
14. Wiz Khalifa – See You Again ft. Charlie Puth (2015)
15. Selena Gomez – Lose You To Love Me (2019)
16. Taylor Swift – Lover (Remix) (2019)
17. P!nk – Just Give Me A Reason ft. Nate Ruess (2012)
18. Taylor Swift – Back To December (2010)
19. Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper – Shallow (2018)
20. Sam Smith – Lay Me Down (2014)
21. Lukas Graham – Love Someone (2018)
22. Rihanna – Love The Way You Lie (Part II) ft. Eminem (2010)
23. Billie Eilish, Khalid – lovely (2018)
24. Selena Gomez – Good For You (2015)
25. Bruno Mars – Talking To The Moon (2010)
26. Lewis Capaldi – Someone You Loved (2019)
27. Calum Scott – You Are The Reason (2018)
28. LANY – Malibu Nights (2018)
29. Lukas Graham – 7 Years (2015)
30. Justin Bieber – Love Yourself (2015)
31. James Arthur – Say You Won’t Let Go (2016)
32. Bebe Rexha – Meant to Be ft. Florida Georgia Line (2017)
33. Adele – Hello (2015)
34. ZAYN – PILLOWTALK (2016)
35. Bazzi – Beautiful ft. Camila Cabello (2018)
36. Why Don’t We – 8 Letters (2018)
37. gnash – i hate u, i love u ft. olivia o’brien (2016)
38. Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do (2015)
39. Shawn Mendes – In My Blood (2018)
40. Selena Gomez – The Heart Wants What It Wants (2014)
41. ZAYN, Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (2017)

One ballad from this decade never left the top of the request pile.

Christina Perri – A Thousand Years (2011)

When Christina Perri sings “A Thousand Years,” it feels like she’s singing straight to you, with a vulnerability that’s genuinely beautiful.

More than a decade on, it remains one of the most streamed love songs and a wedding first-dance favorite.

2010’s Slow Country Songs

Country built its name on slower, ballad-like songs, even as the 2010s pushed the genre toward fast-tempo party tunes.

These are the decade’s best slow country songs – proof the ballad never really left.

Modern Country, Tempo Down

1. Brad Paisley – She’s Everything (2005)
2. Luke Bryan – Strip It Down (2015)
3. Florida Georgia Line – Dirt (2014)
4. Dan + Shay – From The Ground Up (2016)
5. Blake Shelton – Sangria (2015)
6. Cam – Burning House (2015)
7. Jana Kramer – Why Ya Wanna (2012)
8. Easton Corbin – I Can’t Love You Back (2010)
9. Little Big Town – Girl Crush (2014)
10. Luke Bryan – Drunk On You (2012)
11. Brad Paisley – Remind Me (Duet with Carrie Underwood) (2011)
12. Darius Rucker – If I Told You (2016)
13. Gloriana – (Kissed You) Good Night (2012)
14. Cassadee Pope – Wasting All These Tears (2013)
15. Dierks Bentley – Different For Girls ft. Elle King (2016)
16. Blake Shelton – Came Here To Forget (2016)
17. Luke Bryan – Play It Again (2014)
18. Willie Nelson – The Scientist (2012)
19. Tim McGraw – Humble And Kind (2016)
20. Blake Shelton – God Gave Me You (2011)
21. Dan + Shay, Justin Bieber – 10,000 Hours (2019)
22. Jerrod Niemann – What Do You Want (2010)
23. Gary Allan – Today (2010)
24. Kane Brown – Used to Love You Sober (2016)
25. Craig Morgan – This Ain’t Nothin’ (2010)
26. Jason Aldean – Got What I Got (2019)
27. Thompson Square – Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not (2011)
28. Blake Shelton – Who Are You When I’m Not Looking (2010)

The list opens with the tribute ballad no request line ever retires.

Brad Paisley – She’s Everything (2005)

“She’s Everything” is Brad Paisley’s heartfelt tribute to the woman who means everything to him.

Warm, romantic lyrics and Paisley’s signature guitar work made it a wedding and first-dance standard that outlasted its own decade.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best slow song of all time?

“Unchained Melody” and “At Last” anchor the classic era, while “A Thousand Years” and “All of Me” own the modern one. For pure slow-dance mileage, few songs have worked harder than “Wonderful Tonight.”

How many slow songs should be played in a night?

Two or three spread across the evening is the usual sweet spot, plus dedicated moments like a first dance. Slow songs work best as breathers between high-energy sets.

Do slow songs have to be love songs?

No – some of the most requested slow songs are about grief, nostalgia, or growing up. Match the theme to the moment, though: a heartbreak ballad suits a quiet dinner hour better than an anniversary dance.

🎧Top DJ Gear Picks🔊

K12.2 Powered Speaker

Gator Cases Gear Carry Bag Padded

Latest Amazon Price

Latest Amazon Price

K12.2 Powered Speaker

Latest Amazon Price

Gator Cases Gear Carry Bag Padded

Latest Amazon Price

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Conclusion

We hope this list of the best slow songs of all time surfaced something new to become your favorite.

Classic love song or modern twist, there’s an ideal track for every mood in the decades above.

Slow music can make you feel anything from happy and nostalgic to mellow and reflective – pick the lane that fits the night.

Press play and let these tracks carry you off on the musical journey.

Looking for more? Browse all our DJ song lists and songs for DJs.

Ryan Conlon( Owner )

From discovering new songs to getting more gigs, I’m excited to share the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained through many years of DJing. [email protected]