70 Songs For When You’re Crushing Hard (Pop, R&B, Rock & More)

Filed Under: Relationships Songs

If the pleasures of puppy love weren’t sucked out of you by bad high school romances, then you might still get that tickle down your spine when you see someone special. Do these 70 songs remind you of your crush?

I. Latest songs about crushes (2019, 2020, 2021)

Oh, to be young and in love. Do the kids even know what that’s really like? You might be surprised to find love has changed a bit nowadays!

1)  Sucker

The Jonas Brothers’ magnificent return after a six year hiatus, deserves to be mentioned first. Only boy bands know what its like to crush on someone.

2) Eyes Off You

3)  One Shot

One shot is all you need. Why can’t you ever get one? Flow with PRETTYMUCH and woo that sadness away.

4)  The Pink Phantom

How many bands do you know that can mix grime with Elton John and get a beautiful flow that grabs your heart by its strings?

II. Secret crush songs

The worst part about having a crush is not having the words to tell them how you feel. Or being too scared to ask if they feel the same way!

1) Love Story

Secret love. Taylor Swift knows it best. If only they would say yes…

2)  Into you

3)  Teenage Dirtbag

The early 2000s is seriously underrated in terms of music. Bands like Wheatus really captured the isolated crushing teenager in a way no other time period could.

4)  Creep

A bit of a stretch, calling this a song about crushing, but not all one sided romances go so well. A little bit of narrative layering is good for the soul anyway.

III. Songs about crushes on a guy who doesn’t know

Don’t you hate it when a guy just can’t take a hint? It’s so frustrating when you put yourself out there, and they’re too thick or too innocent to even notice!

1) Call Me Maybe

You just can’t beat a classic. Also: Did you know this song syncs up with This is America by Childish Gambino’s music video?

2) You Belong With Me

3)  Teardrops On My Guitar

This is the kind of song that encapsulates: “if you love something, then set it free.” Taylor just knows how to mix love and tragedy.

4)  I Can Love You Better

Your crush deserves better. If only they knew that. The Chicks show that there are plenty of fish in the sea, and that they’re the better catch!

5)  Hot N Cold

It’s not always nice to be on the receiving end of a crush, especially if you feel the same way. If only he wasn’t a case of a love bipolar.

IV. Pop songs about crushes

You gotta love pop! It’s called popular for a reason. Crushing seems to be just as popular!

1)  Just the Way You Are

2)  One Thing

3)  Treat You Better

It’s not a crush song listicle without a Shawn Mendes song! Treat You Better encapsulates the “I’d be better for her” feeling better than any other song on this list.

4) Jessie’s Girl

5) Call your Girlfriend

6)  A Thousand Miles

Having a crush on someone can make you want to tackle the world and all the laws of physics. Vanessa Carlton really knows how to drive a piano.

7)  Perfect

8)  Take on Me

9) Digital Love

Daft Punk’s animated movie really captured romance in an epic way.The Lo Fi electronic music matches the excitement you feel from seeing your crush.

10) Beautiful soul

11)  Roses

12)  I Want To Hold Your Hand

The Beatles encapsulated the classic rock love song that made your parents go wild.

13) Girls Like You

14)  Bad Romance

You like bad boys? Are you eyeing a bad girl? If the two of you getting together means utter chaos, then GaGa’s got you.

15) Hands to Myself

16 )  Say Yes

Elliott Smith’s music can be described as ethereal and even melancholic at times. But Say Yes has an air of hopefulness to it that has you floating on your crush’s high.

17) Love You Like a Love Song

This description has been written before, and here is another one. Who needs super long similes when your feelings are this obvious?

18) Wrecking Ball

This one is more up to interpretation, but depending on which point you’re on in the whole “crush” phase this ought to fit really nicely.

19) Fallin’ for You

V. R&B songs about crushes

There’s no bigger tragedy than unrequited love. At least it makes for good music!

1)  Can’t Help Falling In Love

That’s right, it’s the king. See what it was like for your parents to have a crush back in the 60s.

2)  I Wanna Be Your Lover

That’s right, it’s Prince. See what we did there? Whatever. The pop icon’s first single is all about yearning from afar.

3)  Crush

You’d think this would fit in with the last category of the listicle, but no. This R&B classic is smooth and subtle like a caress on the cheek.

4)  Stay High

Modern crushes require modern love songs. Enjoy Brittany Howard’s signature blues voice or check out the version ft. Donald Glover.

5) U Got It Bad

“When you say that you love ‘em and nothing else matters no more?” Usher knows what he’s talking about.

VI. Rock songs about crushes

When your heart’s a flutter, you need a song that can keep up the pace. There is no alternative to rock! Sometimes you just need to scream your feelings out.

1) Damn I wish I was Your Lover

2)  Iris

3)  Golden

4) Can’t Fight This Feeling

5) I Was Made For Lovin’ You

6) The Less I Know The Better

Tame Impala isn’t for everyone, but their music flows like wine. Sometimes crushes are unrequited, sometimes they take a while. Better late than never!

7) Crazy Little Thing Called Love

This thing, called love? You just can’t handle it. Freddie knows it!

8)  Living Next Door To Alice

It’s that one song where everyone’s favorite drunk uncle sings the explicit version! Let this be a word of warning. Just take the chance.

9)  I’m A Believer

You were probably thinking about the Shrek version, right? But the rock ballad came from the Diamond himself and was originally covered by The Monkees!

10) Play the Game

VII. Rap/hip-hop songs about crushes

Old school rap might make you second guess this subgenre, but hip-hop is the modern day version of poetry. Romance has never flowed this well before!

1) Clumsy

2) Cupid’s Chokehold

Puppy love can be pretty funny at times. Ridiculous even! Give Gym Class’ bars a try if you agree.

3)  Love.

4)  Personova

The lyrics can be a bit hard to follow at times. But that just adds to the awkward charm. Revel in the awkwardness instead of losing yourself to it!

5)  Small Worlds

An introspective song about love and wealth. RIP Mac Miller. Your beats will forever be memorialized in a listicle <3

VIII. Country songs about crushes

Cowboys know what it’s like pine from afar. Herding cattle makes getting to know someone hard! So it makes sense that country music makes for some of the best music about crushes!

1)  Stuck Like Glue

2) Check Yes or No

3) Yeah Boy

This country hit won the Radio Disney Music Award for Best Crush song. Its credentials speak for itself.

4)  Girl Crush

Need a little LGBTQI representation in your crush mix? Little Big Town’s got you covered.

5)  In Case You Didn’t Know

6) One Of Them Girls

A little problematic if you think about the lyrics for more than a minute. Lee Brice should maybe take a hint and leave the girl alone.

7) Take Your Time

For the socially anxious cowboy.

8)  Smile

9)  Love You Out Loud

IX. Punk songs about crushes

Even the anti-establishment, hard-edged melodies of puck rockers can’t escape that crushing feeling. When you’re done crushing the Establishment, why not pine over your crush?

1)  Girlfriend

If you haven’t heard this song before, trust me, in a second you’ll be wrapped around its finger.

2) First Date

3) Thunder

4)  Stacy’s Mom

Have you ever thought your best friend’s mom is just irresistible? No? Well Fountains of Wayne have you covered anyway.

5) Hot for Teacher

Okay, but did you ever think your teacher was hot? Still no?

6)  #1 Crush

X. Songs with crush in the lyrics

I’m not running out of categories, you’re running out of categories! These are the types of songs that tell it like it is. There’s no time to be coy, you’ve got a crush and you’re here to sing it!

1)  Crush

You can’t get more obvious than this. But it’s Avril Lavigne! She’s been in the game for over 20 years by now! And she still knows how to channel pure lovestruck crushing.

2)  Crush

3)  Crush

More crush? “Moore” Crush?? You got it, chief. This one is as shy and self conscious as it gets!