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Beautiful tear-jerking songs / songs that make you cry your eyes out

Tear-jerking friendship songs in Western music: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks

Friends who stay by your side when times are tough and when times are happy—when you need them most—are truly invaluable and irreplaceable.

In this article, we’re featuring a rich selection of “tear-jerking friendship songs in Western music” you’ll want to dedicate to your dear friends, as well as songs that celebrate friendships you hope will last forever—from timeless classics to recent hits.

Along with masterpieces that gently sing of the wonders of friendship, we’ll also bring you a refreshing lineup of encouraging songs you’ll want a struggling friend to hear, plus a few tracks with a slightly different flavor, offering plenty of variety.

Since the lyrics are key, be sure to listen while checking the Japanese translations.

Tear-jerking friendship songs in Western music: Recommended classics and popular tracks (21–30)

Stand By MeOasis

Oasis – Stand By Me (Official Video)
Stand By MeOasis

A moving friendship song by Oasis that builds a solid foundation through a style combining pop-acoustic sounds with rock elements.

It’s crafted as a work that can be embraced by a wide range of generations, resulting in a deeply touching finish.

Everybody HurtsR.E.M.

R.E.M. – Everybody Hurts (Official HD Music Video)
Everybody HurtsR.E.M.

“Everyone gets hurt, and at times is tormented by loneliness.” This is a gem of a ballad by the American rock band R.E.M.

that gently stays close to such universal suffering.

Its solemn tone, infused with gospel and soul influences, and the all-embracing vocals softly loosen the knots in the listener’s heart.

When life feels on the brink of despair, its message—that you are not alone—sounds exactly like the words you would offer a friend who’s feeling down, evoking a profound form of friendship.

Featured on the 1992 masterpiece Automatic for the People and released as a single in April 1993, the song’s powerful message even led to its adoption in a campaign by a UK suicide prevention organization.

It’s a track that shares tears with you on nights of unbearable loneliness and gives you the strength to step into tomorrow when a friend is hurting.

My FriendsRed Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends [Official Music Video]
My FriendsRed Hot Chili Peppers

A tear-jerking friendship song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who have cemented their position as a legendary rock band and promise lyrics that resonate convincingly with many.

It features a world steeped in pathos that draws out tears, with pent-up emotion welling up from within its high-energy sound.

FriendsElton John

Elton John – Friends (1971) With Lyrics!
FriendsElton John

This is a moving friendship song by Elton John, who has produced many classic hits and possesses an exceptional sense of artistry, with the contrast to his tough persona adding to his appeal.

Its lyrical lines, which make you reflect on what true friendship really is, strike right at the heart, creating a mood that’s easy to embrace and enjoy.

I’ve Got A FriendMaggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers – I’ve Got A Friend (Official Visualizer)
I’ve Got A FriendMaggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers is a powerhouse singer-songwriter who blends folk and electronic sounds, and has even been nominated for a Grammy.

She has a moving song that she wrote as a “love song for a friend,” a heartfelt ode to friendship.

In it, she expresses straightforward, profound gratitude to a best friend who stood by her during the hardest time in her life.

The unadorned lyrics and her raw, emotionally charged vocals are deeply affecting.

The track appears on her second album, Surrender, released in July 2022.

It’s lovely to hear the warm atmosphere created by the participation of her real-life friends in the recording.

Why not give it a listen when you want to be reminded of how precious your close friends are?