Top 20 Songs That Will Make You Cry

[Music] welcome to watch mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 songs that will make you [Music] at the cry of the stairs [Music] for this list we're looking at the best and most beloved emotional songs that rarely fail to get the waterworks flowing what's your favorite song to cry to let us know in the comments number 20 what a wonderful world louis armstrong we start with an inspiring uplifting intensely emotional song that's never likely to be forgotten clouds of white louis armstrong's what a wonderful world is considered by many to be the soundtrack to the 20th century despite the bloody conflicts that dominated the period i love you a piece of music that puts everything into perspective it brings a tear to the eye because it pits the miracle of life against the waste of war hear babies crying i watch them grow the world would be a better place if we all just listen to these lyrics and actually put them into practice number 19 i will follow you into the dark death cab for cutie the afterlife is often a tricky topic to tackle but death cab for cuties ben gibbard talks us through with such brilliant tenderness it's all but impossible not to well up love of mine someday you will die i will follow you as one man one voice one acoustic guitar and one simple splendid ideal that we might meet our closest loved ones again when our life on earth has ended if heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied an outwardly depressing subject matter is turned into an incredibly hopeful moment as this song has us all take stock of ourselves and of the people who we care for the most number 18 someone like you adele oh friend why are you so shy probably the most popular modern breakup song to make today's countdown someone like you is still a signature tune for adele despite the countless hits that the uk singer has had before and since a touching almost tribute to an ex-boyfriend of hers she lays it all on the lyrical line with this one and almost every music listener respects her for it adele wears her heart firmly on her sleeve while we without a doubt wear our tears on our cheeks number 17 lay me down sam smith yes i do i believe that one day i will be where i was we could have gone with sam smith's stay with me for this spot but lay me down will make you cry just a little harder [Music] the lead single from smith's grammy award-winning debut album in the lonely hour lay me down was built around many of the same themes that are found on the album specifically unrequited love [Music] the video alludes to smith's ongoing hope that equal lgbtq plus rights will one day be a worldwide reality while the singer's powerful voice will haunt you and force you to bawl your eyes out number 16 fake plastic trees radiohead [Music] radiohead are well known for being a little brutal with their views on society but this is surely the band's best if not most depressing take on the world around them a scathing critique of the inescapable artificial nature of life in the 90s it grows more and more relevant by the day although exit music for a film is awfully melancholy in its own right there's just nothing else as bleak or as brilliant as fake plastic trees [Laughter] listen to it look at the world around you and we defy you not to be moved number 15 nothing compares to you sinead o'connor [Music] one of the most instantly recognizable songs and music videos ever created very little compares to this when it comes to tempting tears nothing compares to you is easily sinead o'connor's greatest commercial success [Music] not that the controversial performer got to enjoy much of the fame that it generated for very long originally written by prince this song is love loss and lots of emotionally effective close-up camera work o'connor's famous tier towards the song's end wasn't planned but wow does it work nothing can stop her lonely tears from falling or ours for that matter [Music] number 14 angel sarah mclaughlin a song originally written in relation to drug addiction and the spiraling psychology of those that suffer from it this especially touching sarah mclachlan number has subsequently been linked with teary-eyed topics of all kinds the ambiguous eponymous angel is an almost unknowable thing designed to give hope or relief when times are hard [Music] as mclaughlin's piano plays softly in the background her listener is invited to interpret her lyrics for themselves and project the pain of her voice onto their own past experiences a good cry that comes naturally [Music] number 13. fix you coldplay and the tears come stream down your face by now even the toughest amongst you may have at least a little something in your eye and if not then our next pick will set you sobbing no doubt tackling love and loss like so many on our countdown before them coldplay turns the saddest subject matter into a tear-filled roller coaster of a record with this song the first half had us subdued the second half had us singing along and if that doesn't have your eyes watering just watch them perform it live [Applause] number 12 wild horses the rolling stones exactly who this song was written for remains a mystery marianne faithfuls the most likely though it has also been linked to bianca jagger and keith richard's son marlon what is clear is that with one simple hook the stones produced an ageless piece of music that has stood hairs on end for generations distinctive voice finds a perfect match as this brooding crooning subdued song leaves the listener as lonely as the front man number 11 wake me up when september ends green day while good riddance is a tear-jerking song we all love our pick for green day had to go to this track from american idiot this rock ballad was originally written about lead singer billy joe armstrong's father who passed away from cancer when billy was only 10 years old but the song's backstory became even more emotional after hurricane katrina struck in late august of 2005 serving as a symbolic anthem for all the victims and family struck by the disaster this track's meaning was then further elevated by its accompanying music video that also served as a critique of the iraq war i thought of all people you would understand why don't you understand i did this for us i care for us number 10 the sound of silence simon and garfunkel the opening lines to our next tract are amongst the most recognizable in all of modern music written shortly after the jfk assassination this song also became an accompaniment to the vietnam war that was planted still remain it welcomes darkness and is perhaps most effective when it's played within it [Music] the combination of vocals and the high tones are as haunting today as they were in the mid-1960s while bridge over troubled water is another contender [Music] the legacy of the sound of silence is hard to beat [Music] number nine wish you were here pink floyd the title track to their 1975 album wish you were here was written for pink floyd founder member sid barrett in response to his alleged battle with schizophrenia so you think you can tell the whole album explores the theme of detachment and david gilmour's vocals retain a curiously absent quality as he pines for his friend the whole track comes across as an effortless piece of music a train of thought that is at once sad and beautiful in its simplicity [Music] number eight mad world michael andrews featuring gary jewels originally written by tears for fears in 1982 this song saw a big resurgence when it was showcased in the 2001 thriller donnie darko the dreams in which i'm dying [Music] with delicate piano notes and calming vocals by gary jules this new version quickly overshadowed the original song and resonated with listeners feeling helpless and intimidated by modern life we've all needed a song to drown our sorrows from time to time and mad world speaks to the difficult and uncertain journey we're all taking in this life allowing us to reflect on what true happiness might feel like number seven fast car tracy chapman one of the hardest things about growing up is figuring out who you want to be this question is even more difficult to answer for those living in poverty and with the odds stacked against them tracy chapman expressed this beautifully in the song fast car the lead single from her debut album in this track chapman describes a young woman desperately seeking out a better life for herself but struggling to get there everyone deserves happiness in this life yet without family or friends to help you get there it can be difficult to achieve and that's what makes this song just downright heartbreaking [Music] number six the living years mike and the mechanics every generation blames this 80s ballad once again picks apart the question of life and death and summarizes the conundrum in six short words it's too late when we die a global chart hint this song addresses an unresolved conflict between songwriter b.a robertson and his father shortly before he died about the bond between a boy and his father the idea is applicable to just about any relationship that we could have that's why it gets us singing along even if it is difficult to do that and not shed a tear [Music] originally penned in memory of marilyn monroe candle in the wind is also famously linked to diana princess of wales after elton played it at her funeral though the lives of its subjects have been tragically short-lived the song itself has endured for generations and rightly so [Music] it's emotional enough without context but it's a fitting tribute to two iconic women and to celebrities in general that die too young an elegy of the highest order number four hallelujah jeff buckley this song was powerful when leonard cohen sang it originally but when jeff buckley caressed his vocals around the lyrics hairs stood on end and lumps formed in throats but you don't really care for music do you it's love that's gone stale so it's relatable for many of us there's also anguish in his voice that's impossible to fake he isn't just singing the words he understands them a talent that was lost too soon this song is his legacy [Music] number three everybody hurts rem we defy anyone not to be moved by our first podium entry [Music] everybody hurts has become a staple soundtrack to modern day life everybody hurts adopted by the samaritan's charity it was originally written by the band for anyone struggling with severe depression this song not only prompts tears it saves lives according to the lyrics we all cry and most of us do when we sing them everybody hurts and after this song everybody's reaching for the tissues number two hurt johnny cash originally penned by trent resner of nine inch nails hurt was taken on by the legendary johnny cash several years later i hurt myself today it brings the memories of his past under the cold harsh spotlight of his present [Music] everyone cash was very frail when recording the song and he died seven months after its release relaying the unstoppable passing of time its accompanying music video is a memorial to one man but something that we'll all experience it's about as powerful as music can be if i could start again before we unveil our number one pick here are some honorable mentions iris google dolls [Music] adam's song blink 182 [Music] so far away avenged sevenfold [Music] who wants to live forever queen want more mojo sound mojo brings you music from new and emerging artists in all genres from across the globe from interviews to live shows and deep dives into music culture sound mojo has you covered be sure to check out sound mojo to find your new favorite artists [Music] number one tears in heaven eric clapton eric clapton's tears in heaven is an incredibly moving piece of music made all the more impactful by the great personal tragedy clapton experienced when his four-year-old son tragically passed away in 1991 we'd have understood if clapton never picked up a guitar again but he did and was able to produce a record that's as terrific as it is teary reminding us all of anyone who's passed tears in heaven verbalizes what everyone else would like to say it's a tear-jerking tune that gets us every time [Music] do you agree with our picks check out this other recent clip from watchmojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos [Music] [Music]

Channel: WatchMojo.com

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Rating: 4.7964859 out of 5

Keywords: Music, Pop, adele, breakup songs, coldplay, death cab for cutie, elton john, emotional music, emotional songs, eric clapton, gary jules, green day, jeff buckley, johnny cash, list, louis armstrong, mojo, pink floyd, r.e.m., sad music, sad music videos, sad songs, saddest music videos, saddest songs, sam smith, simon & garfunkel, songs about death, songs that will make you cry, the rolling stones, top 10, tracy chapman, watch mojo, watchmojo

Id: zwibxrrOc_I

Length: 20min 31sec (1231 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 09 2021