Top 20 Best Piano Pop Songs

Top 20 Best Piano Pop Songs

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Best Piano Pop Songs.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the best popular tunes that most effectively use a piano. We’re keeping our definition of pop loose here, though, considering tracks that blend or oscillate between genres as well.

Did we forget a pop song worthy of this list? Let us know in the comments below.

#20: "Say Something" (2013)
A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera

Not every song needs a complicated arrangement to wow audiences. In “Say Something,” the piano builds slowly in a simple and effective introduction. The dramatic opening gives way to some high-quality work from every singer. Once Christina Aguilera chimes in, it’s clear this is an unforgettable collaboration for the ages. The production excels at squeezing every ounce of emotion from the music. Pauses accentuate the importance of every note, and the distinct piano style demands we pay attention. It’s no wonder this single ended up reaching a wide audience with its universal themes and terrific musicianship.

#19: "What a Fool Believes" (1978)
The Doobie Brothers

During Michael McDonald’s time in The Doobie Brothers, the rock band shifted their sound to a more pop-oriented output. This is reflected in the late 1970s classic “What a Fool Believes.” Powered by McDonald’s piano, the memorable track comes alive alongside some well-placed synthesizers. The singer’s velvet voice, for its part, makes the listening experience even better, giving audiences some extra awesomeness. A favorite for multiple generations, "What a Fool Believes" never disappoints with its catchy riffs. It also won multiple Grammys, reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100, and thus cemented its place in music history.

#18: "A Thousand Years" (2011)
Christina Perri

You don’t have to be a “Twilight” franchise fanatic to love this song. Originally from the soundtrack of the fourth film in the series, “A Thousand Years” is a meaningful track even without its association to vampire love. The haunting piano immediately sets the tone for Christina Perri’s emotional performance. Coupled with an impressive melody, the music invites listeners into a timeless story about an enduring romance. The lyrical storytelling only works as well as the instrumental underscoring it. Thankfully in this case, both are operating at such a high level that even pop naysayers have to stop and take notice.

#17: "Everytime" (2003)
Britney Spears

“Everytime” reminds fans that this star can do ballads just as well as she can do energetic pop. Using a key piano part, Britney Spears tugs at the heartstrings with a deeply personal tune. The tale of someone apologizing to an ex-boyfriend wouldn’t feel right without a haunting piano at its center. Spears co-wrote “Everytime,” and all these years later, it’s still one of the most enthralling works of her career. Indeed, we’re instantly transported back to the 2000s with the first few notes, and there’s nowhere else we’d rather be. With raw honesty and intensity, Spears takes our breath away at every turn.

#16: "Nightswimming" (1992)
R.E.M.

“Nightswimming” is unlike most R.E.M. tracks, taking away multiple prominently featured instruments in favor of spotlighting the piano. Mike Mills performs underneath the haunting voice of Michael Stipe to great effect, as the main instrumentation captures the nostalgia at the heart of the song. As Stipe details a heartfelt glimpse into the past, his bandmate makes the most of a simple riff with an engaging hook. The stripped down production doesn’t need much to pack an emotional punch. Before the vocals even kick in, we’ve already been taken on a journey via Mills’ expressive playing. The additional orchestration, meanwhile, highlights the beauty of this simple composition.

#15: "You've Got a Friend" (1971)
Carole King

With“Tapestry,” Carole King reminded everyone that she’s an amazing performer as well as a great songwriter. The album notably contains enduring classics such as “You’ve Got a Friend.” Featuring a delicate piano arrangement, it beats out other competition like the iconic intro on “I Feel the Earth Move”. King gives us a ballad that offers support to anyone feeling down or alone. Inspiring the likes of James Taylor to cover the song, she fosters the tune’s emotion, which is bolstered by a strong musical foundation. It all starts off with a beautiful arrangement that thrives off of King’s singing and piano playing.

#14: "Dancing Queen" (1976)
ABBA

This track is so well mixed that it’s hard to single out one particular instrument. If we have to pick one part that gives the single a massive boost, though, it would be the piano. After all, it provides the song with one heck of a bouncy rhythm. Masters of their craft, ABBA make infusing the instrument into the disco pop number feel like the most natural thing ever. The producers layer the piano in with string arrangements and the singers’ impressive vocals, allowing it to shine through at well-picked moments. All in all, the instrument plays a key part in making “Dancing Queen” extra joyful, and isn’t that all that matters?

#13: "All of Me" (2013)
John Legend

Supplying a soulful serenade, John Legend’s “All of Me” is a masterful work. It’s one of his most successful songs for a reason, as it showcases his brilliant and wide-ranging skills. Ultimately, the singer only truly needs a piano and his voice to get his point across in this musical love letter. With each passing note, Legend paints an enthralling picture of his partner in all her wonderful complexity. There’s deep, true emotion running through the song, and it comes out in the music. Along with romantic lyrics, the minimal production allows Legend’s delivery and message to come through uninterrupted.

#12: "The Way It Is" (1986)
Bruce Hornsby and the Range

With this successful single 1980s’ single, Bruce Hornsby and the Range deliver a frank musical discussion of the civil rights movement. The serious subject matter inspires some of the most resonant lyrics of the decade, which are accompanied by famous piano lines. The music and words combine for a powerful piece of work that later inspired legends like Tupac Shakur. Making the piano a real star, Hornsby shows off with two major, very imaginative solos. These moments manage to highlight the instrument better than almost any other tune of that era. Thus, “The Way It Is” blends the old and the new, and the results are iconic.

#11: "A Thousand Miles" (2002)
Vanessa Carlton

Vanessa Carlton shot to stardom in the early 2000s. Considering the riff that powers her debut hit, it’s easy to see why. To this day, “A Thousand Miles” stands alongside the most memorable piano songs of the century thus far. Her effortless playing keeps the energy high in a tale about yearning and unrequited love. Captivating audiences far and wide, the entire track is a success because of Carlton’s hold on her instrument. The punctuation from the strings only make the piece more compelling as it goes along. Whether you love it from “White Chicks” or from its initial run as a single, there’s no denying “A Thousand Miles” is an undeniably captivating crowd-pleaser.

#10: “Angel” (1997)
Sarah McLachlan

The go-to song for any television show craving for a tearjerker. Appearing on McLachlan's fourth album, the Billboard Hot 100 top 5 hit is a sorrowful ballad inspired by the death of Smashing Pumpkins keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin. Bolstered by her own passionate performance and the minimalistic piano accompaniment, “Angel” toes the line between tragic and uplifting, as the lyrics sympathize with a desire to escape from reality but stress to not take responsibility for other people's issues and focus on loving yourself.

#9: “Fallin'” (2001)
Alicia Keys

The lead single from Alicia Keys' debut album, "Songs in A Minor," "Fallin'" is a mesmerizing tour-de-force that propelled the then newcomer right to the top of the industry. Only 20 at the time, Keys presented a mature take on relationships which acknowledged that every couple experiences ups and down. Influenced by gospel and soul music, "Fallin" gradually builds into an epic and emotional crescendo that showcases Keys' fantastic vocal range and charisma. Peaking at number one on the Hot 100 charts, the Grammy Awards named "Fallin'" as the “Song of the Year.”

#8: “Clocks” (2002)
Coldplay

A moment of inspiration can be enough to conceive a masterpiece. Composed just a couple of months prior to the release of the band's second album, "Clocks" came to fruition during one random night when the iconic piano riff popped into Chris Martin's mind. Originally left for the third album, "Clocks" was considered too good to sit on and ended up winning a Grammy "Record of the Year" Award for Coldplay. Routed in psychedelic rock, the atmospheric piano melody reflects the contrasting lyrics pitting urgency against helplessness. Coldplay could not have released a better single as a follow-up to "The Scientist."

#7: “Isn't She Lovely” (1976)
Stevie Wonder

Stepping away from all the gloom and doom, here we have a classic song that embraces life. A child prodigy, and among the more successful musicians of the late 20th century, Stevie Wonder wrote "Isn't She Lovely" as a tribute to the birth of the singer's daughter and this sense of happiness can be felt in every delightful chord. Technically, "Isn't She Lovely" was never released as a commercial single, but it still managed to creep onto the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. A mix of jazz and pop elements, Wonder's song is guaranteed to put a smile on anyone's face.

#6: “Someone like You” (2011)
Adele

"Rolling in the Deep" declared that the British Singer was here to stay, "Someone like You" established Adele as a bonafide superstar. Peaking at the top of the UK and US pop charts, “Someone like You” stripped down the instrumental to a hypnotic melody and allowed the singer to cut loose. As the last track on an album dealing exclusively with a bitter end to a relationship, the song presents a more self-reflective and personal account that focuses on the future rather than the past. Cathartic and beautiful, Adele's ballad is simply unforgettable.

#5: “Your Song” (1970)
Elton John

From "Rocket Man" to "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," Elton John knows a thing or two about piano ballads. Created in conjunction with longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin, for the singer's sophomore record; "Your Song" was originally released as a B-Side but ended up being the musician's first significant hit. Taupin's innocent lyrics romanticize a relationship from the perspective of a self-deprecating man who stumbles into a declaration of love. Complemented by a simple string progression, the piano instrumental and Elton John's delicate vocal performance echo the lyrical content perfectly.

#4: “Imagine” (1971)
John Lennon

Certain songs transcend the medium to the point that almost everyone recognizes them; "Imagine" is one of those tracks. Hailing from the minds of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, this pure piano ballad might just be the most commercially viable political anthem of all time. Promoting the notion of a world free from religion, politics, or countries; "Imagine" is sweet like honey, but remains an effective anti-capitalistic tune, which was – ironically – the best-selling single of Lennon's solo career. While the lyrics don't dig too deep, Lennon's earnest performance and the smooth instrumental add weight to the overall production.

#3: “Piano Man” (1973)
Billy Joel

Semi-autobiographical in nature, there is a reason that Billy Joel is known as the piano man. Inspired by a brief stint the musician spent as a lounge singer in a Los Angeles bar, the characters who appear in the lyrics are based on real-life people that visited this establishment. At the time, "Piano Man" was only a moderate hit, but the success of Joel's 1977 album, "The Stranger," pushed the song back into the limelight and it is now considered a classic. Poetic and haunting, "Piano Man" serves its namesake well.

#2: “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)
Queen

Damn, but Freddie Mercury could out-sing the best of the best. Split into an opera, stadium rock, and piano ballad sections, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a progressive rock masterpiece that confounded critics upon release but grew in popularity and stature. Due to the way the song combines multiple musical styles, Queen's epic cannot be confined into any specific genre, but the piano section makes up the longest part of the track and contains some of Mercury's best verses. While nowhere near as grandiose as the later segments, "Bohemian Rhapsody's" emotional core is established during the ballad section.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

"My Immortal" (2003), Evanescence
This Haunting Track Features an Engaging Piano Part to Accompany Amy Lee’s Vocals

"When I Was Your Man" (2012), Bruno Mars
The Talented Musician Proves He’s as Skilled in a Piano Ballad as He Is in a Big Pop Number

"Somewhere Only We Know" (2004), Keane
The English Band Excels in a Piano Number with Heartfelt Lyrics & Resonant Music

"Someone You Loved" (2018), Lewis Capaldi
This Effective & Emotional Ballad Proves Piano & Pop Belong Together

"Don't Stop Believin'" (1981), Journey
This ‘80s Anthem Wouldn’t Work Without Jonathan Cain’s Triumphant Piano

#1: “Let It Be” (1970)
The Beatles

The song that marked the end of an era. The title track from The Beatles' final studio album, Paul McCartney announced his departure after "Let It Be" was released as a single. Described as more of a McCartney track than a Beatles song by John Lennon, "Let It Be" soars due to its iconic piano theme that is supported by an orchestral backing and a brilliantly on point, but edgy guitar solo by George Harrison. Lyrically, McCartney stated that it had nothing to do with religion, but instead referenced a dream the musician had about his late mother.