There are different kinds of crushes.
Hope can make a big difference.
With some crushes, there is hope you could end up with the object of your crush.
With others, there is no hope whatsoever. Like celebrity crushes.
One thing they all have in common are intense feelings. The kind that lead people to write songs about crushes.
What differs is the nature of the feelings. Unrequited crushes can be torture.
Our list of songs about having a crush includes both types. And you’ll notice the difference in the feel of the songs.
Songs About Crushes
As we always do with these lists, we did our best to include songs from a variety of genres. That way, there should be at least a few songs below that appeal to everyone.
Crush by Jennifer Paige
Jennifer Paige’s pop hit Crush is perfect for a playlist about a crush thanks to its catchy chorus and upbeat melody. The song perfectly captures the excitement and nervousness of developing feelings for someone special.
The song was released in 1998 and was the first single from her debut album. It topped the charts in numerous countries such as Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Memorable lyrics include “It’s just a little crush” and “not like I faint every time we touch.” It’s a perfect singalong melody that I would recommend for any playlist about crushes.
You Belong with Me (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift
As the queen of songs about crushes, this Taylor Swift song is certainly one to add to the playlist. The relatable anthem speaks about the agony of watching your crush with someone else. With its catchy lyrics and upbeat tempo, the song has become a go-to for anyone experiencing unrequited love.
The song was originally released in 2008, with Swift re-releasing it in 2021 as a song she now owns. It comes from the album Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and has hints of country and pop running through the track. You can sing along with lyrics such as “if you could see that I’m the one who understands you” and “Why can’t you see? You belong with me.”
Swift has a reputation (mostly among people who are not huge fans) of only writing about relationships. But her songwriting talent extends far beyond that. Check out our article on the lyrics and meaning of Safe and Sound for a good example.
Teenage Dream by Katy Perry
Katy Perry’s pop track Teenage Dream captures the euphoria and excitement of young love and experiencing a crush. The song’s upbeat tempo and dreamy lyrics make it an ideal addition to any playlist about having a crush.
Perry released the song in 2010 and it came from the album with the same title Teenage Dream. It was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammys, so I’m not alone in thinking it is a great tune to add to the playlist. Sing to lines like “you make me feel like I’m living a teenage dream” and “you think I’m pretty without any makeup on.”
Adore You by Harry Styles
Harry Styles’ Adore You is a modern pop gem that expresses the intensity of admiration and affection during the initial stages of a relationship. As such, the song is about a crush that is returned and acted upon.
The track was released in 2019 and comes from his Fine Line album. It climbed up to the sixth spot on the US singles charts and hit number seven in the UK. Styles sings lyrics like “I get so lost inside your eyes” and “I’d walk through fire for you, just let me adore you.”
You’re Beautiful by James Blunt
James Blunt’s well-known ballad You’re Beautiful is a soulful and sometimes sad exploration of seeing someone beautiful in passing. The song’s is full of emotion and all about the start of catching feelings for someone.
It was released in 2004 and has elements of both pop and R&B in it. The song was written by James Blunt, Sacha Skarbek and Amanda Ghost. It features on Blunt’s debut album Back to Bedlam. The lyrics include lines such as “I saw an angel, of that I’m sure” and “you’re beautiful, it’s true.”
As such, this song could have made our list of songs about angels, but it didn’t. There are many other songs I wanted to include and while this song was more popular than most of the inclusions, it is a song I always hated, so I left it off. But I did include it here, which I figure is good enough.
Into You by Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande’s Into You is a pop anthem that captures the excitement and desire of a new romantic interest. Grande is feeling her crush and knows the feelings are reciprocal, so she expresses her wish that they would just go ahead and act on their feelings already.
Grande released the song in 2016 on her Dangerous Woman album. As well as being a pop song, the track also has dance and electro elements to it.
The song peaked at number one in Argentina and was also an instant hit in Greece, New Zealand and Canada. You can sing to catchy lyrics such as “I’m so into you” and “a little less conversation and a little more touch my body.”
Just The Two Of Us by Bill Withers
Bill Withers’ R&B classic is a soulful expression of love and companionship. While not explicitly about a crush, the song’s sentiment of wanting to be alone with someone special resonates with the initial stages of attraction.
Released in 1980, this song will add some nostalgia to your crush playlist. This song reached number two on the charts, and to this day it’s still a popular song, particularly when it comes to television adverts! You can sing to lines like “we can make it just the two of us” and “I want to be the one with you.”
How Deep Is Your Love by Bee Gees
Bee Gees’ disco hit How Deep Is Your Love is a soulful and romantic exploration of love and connection. It was written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, with Barry and Robin contributing vocals.
This song was released in 1977 and comes from the album Saturday Night Fever. It was also used at the soundtrack for the film Saturday Night Fever.
The song reached number three on the charts in the United Kingdom and Australia and topped the charts in the states. Lyrics include the lines “you know the door to my very soul” and “we belong to you and me.”
Still Into You by Paramore
Paramore’s pop-punk track Still into You is a celebration of enduring love and continued affection. The energetic sound and Hayley Williams’ dynamic vocals make it a lively addition to playlists about lasting crushes.
The song comes from the band’s fourth studio album which is also called Still into You. The song was praised by critics and reviewed as being catchy and effective.
Key lines to the song are “cause after all this time, I’m still into you” and “I should be all over the butterflies.” This song is about a crush never leaving, even when you’re still in a happy relationship.
Crazy In Love by Beyonce ft Jay-Z
This may be one of the most iconic songs about having a crush. Beyoncé’s energetic and upbeat anthem captures the intense and exhilarating feelings of being crazy in love.
The song was released in 2003 and was Beyonce’s first song as a solo artist. It has become one of the most listened to songs across the world since its release and one of Beyonce’s most popular. It also features a verse from rapper Jay-Z to add an element of hip-hop to the song.
You can sing along to words such as “I look and stare so deep in your eyes” and “your kiss got me hopin’ you’ll save me right now.” It’s certainly one to add to your crush playlist.
I’m Yours by Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz’s acoustic-pop hit is a soulful expression of surrendering to the feelings of love and affection. The song was released in 2008 and features genres of reggae, R&B and pop. The song was so popular it was nominated for two Grammy awards.
You can find this track on Mraz’s album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Lyrics about a crush include “I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted” and “look into your heart and you’ll find love.”
What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction
One Direction’s infectious pop hit celebrates the beauty in simplicity and captures the essence of admiring someone for who they are. This was the band’s debut single after winning the X-Factor and it was an instant success.
The song was released in 2011 and is also featured on their album Up All Night. The song won a Brit Award for Song of the Year, and the bubblegum pop track is still just as popular twelve years later.
You can add this to your crush playlist and sing along to iconic lines such as “you’re insecure, don’t know what for” and “you light up my world like nobody else.”
Perfect by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran’s romantic ballad Perfect is a heartfelt expression of finding someone who feels just right, making it an ideal choice for a crush playlist. He released the song in 2017 from the album Divide. The song peaked at number one on both UK and US charts.
You can sing to lines like “I found a love, for me” and “I will not give you up this time.” I would certainly recommend it as a song to add to any playlist about a crush.
She Looks So Perfect by 5 Seconds of Summer
5 Seconds of Summer’s pop-rock hit is an upbeat song about the perfection and allure of any crush. The song was released in 2014 and thanks to its catchy tune and lyrics, it soon had plenty of fans singing along to it.
5 Seconds of Summer are an Australian band and She Looks so Perfect was their debut single. The song peaked at number one in Australia, the United Kingdom and and New Zealand.
Notable lyrics include “You look so perfect standing there in my American Apparel Underwear” and “your lipstick stain is a work of art.” You can add this to any playlist about a crush and it’ll instantly put you in a good mood.
Songs About Having A Crush: Final Thoughts
Hopefully some of these songs about crushes have helped make you feel a little better. Or helped you tell your crush how you feel. To that end, you could also check out these Spanish songs about love. Saying ‘te amo’ instead of just ‘I love you’ can be especially romantic.
As mentioned, the goal was to include songs about having a crush on someone from as many different genres as possible. But I know we missed a few. You can help.
If you know of any more great songs about crushing on someone, especially in underrepresented genres, please let us know in the comments below. We will be happy to add good suggestions to the list in a future update.
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