Recommended for 2026 weddings! A collection of classic songs by female Western artists

ShallowLady Gaga, Bradley Cooper

Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper – Shallow (from A Star Is Born) (Official Music Video)

A soul-stirring love duet woven from grand strings and acoustic guitar.

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper spin a gem-like ballad that portrays loneliness, anxiety, and the yearning for deep bonds in modern society.

Their powerful yet delicate vocals beautifully capture the subtleties of the two hearts.

Created as the theme song for the film A Star Is Born, released in September 2018, it won Best Original Song at the 91st Academy Awards.

It’s the perfect piece to celebrate a newlywed couple’s send-off, wrapped in warm love.

It will be etched forever in the hearts of the two taking their first step toward a happy future, and in those of the guests who watch over them.

I Will Always Love YouWhitney Houston

Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (Official 4K Video)

A gem-like love ballad that powerfully sings of eternal love.

It conveys the poignant sorrow of having to choose separation despite deep affection, along with a pure wish for the other person’s happiness, all carried by Whitney Houston’s crystal-clear voice that resonates in the heart.

Released in November 1992 as the theme song for the film The Bodyguard, this legendary masterpiece topped the U.S.

charts for 14 consecutive weeks.

It continues to move listeners with a timeless emotion that never fades.

Perfect for the wedding recessional, coloring the moment you take a step into a new life.

As a message song pledging eternal love to someone special, it will be etched in your heart.

You Raise Me UpCeltic Woman

Celtic Woman – You Raise Me Up (Live)

Many of you who listen to the song “You Raise Me Up” introduced here will probably recall it as the piece used in the exhibition program when Shizuka Arakawa won the gold medal in the women’s event at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.

The original was released in 2002 by Secret Garden, an Irish-Norwegian duo that was also very popular in Japan, and the version widely known thanks to Arakawa’s use is by the Irish female group Celtic Woman.

With its mystically beautiful choral work proclaiming “You raise me up,” this song is perfectly suited to celebrating the fresh start of two people who will be supporting each other and sharing their lives.

Try playing it when you want to create a solemn, majestic atmosphere.

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Always Be My BabyMariah Carey

Mariah Carey – Always Be My Baby (Official Music Video)

If you spent your youth in the 1990s, this massive hit will have you squinting with nostalgia! “Always Be My Baby,” released in 1996 by America’s world-renowned songstress Mariah Carey, topped the Billboard chart in the U.S.

for two consecutive weeks.

It’s a medium-tempo, pop-tinged R&B track that lets you fully savor Mariah’s extraordinary vocal power and expressive range.

As the title suggests, the lyrics convey the nuance of “you’ll always be my special someone,” making it a charming love song—but depending on how you interpret it, the protagonist’s position might feel a bit precarious.

We recommend using it as background music with a mindset of looking back on memories—“ah, remember those days?”

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If I Ain’t Got YouAlicia Keys

Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You (Official HD Video)

“If I Ain’t Got You” is an early career smash hit by the genius Alicia Keys—an artist who expressed R&B and soul through the sensibilities of the hip-hop generation and swiftly rose to top-star status with her overwhelming singer-songwriter talent.

Released in 2003 on her album “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” the song exudes the feel of beautifully smooth R&B woven over a gentle waltz rhythm.

Its lyrics—saying that nothing has meaning without you—are achingly poignant and deeply moving.

Of course, it can be appreciated as a timeless love song perfect for weddings, but it’s said that behind the song lie thoughts of the R&B singer Aaliyah, who tragically passed away in an accident in 2001, as well as the September 11 attacks that occurred in Alicia’s hometown of New York.

If you want to understand the feelings poured into the song more deeply, it’s worth knowing about those contexts too.

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Keep Holding OnAvril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne – Keep Holding On

Avril Lavigne, who made her debut at the young age of 17 and became a global hit, now holds a queen-like position in the pop-punk scene and remains hugely popular among the generation driving the pop-punk revival since the 2020s.

She is also a foreign artist with high name recognition in Japan.

Many people might say that the first Western music they loved was Avril’s.

Among her many famous songs, the one we’re highlighting today is Keep Holding On, released in 2006.

It’s a powerful power ballad in 3/4 time that creates a grand atmosphere, with Avril’s emotional vocals striking straight to the heart.

Some may remember it as the theme song for the film Eragon.

The song Keep Holding On conveys the unbreakable bond between two people who won’t be defeated by fate, telling you that you’re not alone and that together you can get through anything.

If you play it during the highlight of a wedding, it will undoubtedly move everyone in the venue and create an unforgettable moment.

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UnconditionallyKaty Perry

Katy Perry – Unconditionally (Official)

Katy Perry, who hails from California in the United States, is a singer of global renown who has held a queen-like position in the pop music scene since the 2010s.

She is also very popular in Japan, and her many hit songs seem like they would fit seamlessly even in settings like weddings.

Among them, the song highly recommended as wedding BGM is Unconditionally, released in 2013.

It’s an emotionally stirring power ballad showcasing Katy’s powerful vocals, and its music video, which creates a grand, cinematic image, is also memorable.

It conveys a moving message about the many forms of love and simply loving someone unconditionally.

I’d love to see this song used at the highlight—the pivotal moment—of a wedding!

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