Falling in love with one of your friends is such a universal experience that so many songs have been written about this very situation. The emotions that come with potentially unrequited love towards a friend — longing, heartbreak, and more — can lead many to music to better understand their feelings.
That’s where this list of 20 songs comes in handy. Each song here somehow is about falling in love with a friend, or wanting to be more than friends!
1. “Just Friends” by Jonas Brothers
“Just Friends” by Jonas Brothers opens with the lyrics, “There she goes again / The girl I’m in love with / It’s cool, we’re just friends.”
As the song progresses, we learn the singer is in love with their friends, who he goes to school with. However, he won’t tell her how he feels and will keep it a secret, as he doesn’t want to ruin anything. Instead, he’ll just live in his dreams.
By the end of the song, he finally tells her how he feels — and they get together!
2. “More Than Just Friends” by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey’s 2009 song “More Than Just Friends”, which appears on her album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, is about just being friends but wanting more. Carey sings to her friend, who she has fallen in love with. She wants to be more than just friends with him, but it’s clear she hasn’t made a move on him yet.
She sings that she wonders who will make the first move, saying, “Never wanted somethin’ so much / Friendship just ain’t enough / Boy, I wanna be with you until the end.”
3. “Just Friends” by Vanessa Williams
“Just Friends” by Vanessa Williams follows the singer as she explains her difficult relationship with a friend. She details how she’s always “Just Friends” with this person… even though they fall in love with each other, break things off, become friends again, and then fall in love again.
She sings, “We fall out of love and back in love again / We’ll go round and round and still say we’re just friends.”
4. “Heartbreak Girl” by 5 Seconds of Summer
“Heartbreak Girl” by 5 Seconds of Summer is about being friend-zoned. The group sings about a girl who has another relationship, yet her boyfriend always treats her poorly and she seems to always be crying over him. The singer then explains that he loves the girl… though she always friend-zones him!
The group sings, “And when the phone call finally ends / You say, ‘I’ll call you tomorrow at 10’ / And I’m stuck in the friend zone again and again.”
5. “Just Friends” by Sarah Vaughan
1955’s “Just Friends” by Sarah Vaughan, a song that many artists have covered over the years, explores the end of a romantic relationship. Now, the two are just friends. Vaughan sings how impossible it seems, as she can’t imagine just being friends with this person. Instead, she wants to be more than friends and return to their romance — though this likely won’t happen.
6. “The Hills” by The Weeknd
“The Hills” by The Weeknd details the singer’s romantic relationship, both the positives and the negatives. The singer isn’t in a monogamous relationship with this person, and the girl in his life may even still be with her boyfriend. But The Weeknd wants to exit the friend zone he’s in with this girl, regardless.
He sings, “I’m just tryna get you out the friend zone / ‘Cause you look even better than the photos.”
7. “New Light” by John Mayer
John Mayer’s song “New Light” opens with the lyrics, “I’m the boy in your other phone / Lighting up inside your drawer at home, all alone / Pushing 40 in the friend zone.”
As the song goes on, Mayer sings that he wishes this girl would see him in a “New Light”. He doesn’t want to continue living in the friend zone. Instead, he wants to be with this woman — even though she has her own reservations about this!
8. “Heart Out” by The 1975
In “Heart Out”, The 1975 sings about a friendship that could become something more. The lead singer explains his interest in a girl who lives in his town. They become friends — and he begins to think that they could be in a relationship. However, this girl has her fair share of problems, and the song ends before any relationship is made.
9. “Don’t Let Go (Love)” by En Vogue
1996’s “Don’t Let Go (Love)” by En Vogue also explores an interesting friendly-romantic dynamic between people. At the beginning of the song, the girl group sings, “What’s it gonna be ’cause I can’t pretend? / Don’t you wanna be more than friends?”
The group goes on to sing about how they love their friend. They want to be with them. However, it seems as if they can’t quite convince their friend of this desire, at least not at first!
10. “More Than This” by One Direction
In “More Than This”, One Direction sings about falling in love with a friend who already has a boyfriend. The boy band feels heartbroken about this and wishes that this girl broke up with her boyfriend — and fell in love with them instead!
They sing the lyrics, “When he opens his arms and holds you close tonight / It just won’t feel right / ‘Cause I can love you more than this.”
11. “2Shy” by Shura
“2Shy” by Shura follows the singer as she struggles with her timidity in a friendship. She’s fallen in love with one of her friends. However, she’s too shy to admit this to the other person. As a result, she worries that she’ll never have a relationship with this person.
She sings, “We could be more than friends / But maybe I’m just too shy.”
12. “The Closer I Get to You” by Luther Vandross & Beyoncé
Luther Vandross and Beyoncé’s duet “The Closer I Get to You”, released in 2003, explores the beginning of a romantic relationship. The two were friends before, but now their relationship has turned into something more.
They sing, “Over and over again / I tried to tell myself that we / Could never be more than friends / But all the while, inside, I knew it was real.”
13. “Dear Diary” by Britney Spears
In 2000’s “Dear Diary”, Britney Spears sings about a boy she sees to who she immediately feels drawn. She confesses her feelings for him by writing in her diary, as she says her diary is the only person she trusts.
Toward the end of the song, she sings, “Diary, do you think that we’ll be more than friends? / I’ve got a feeling we’ll be so much more than friends.”
14. “Animal” by Neon Trees
The hit song “Animal” by Neon Trees opens with the lyrics, “Here we go again / I kinda wanna be more than friends / So take it easy on me / I’m afraid you’re never satisfied.”
Throughout the song, the singer explains that he likes his friend and wants to fall in love. However, he also sings about how this relationship might not be the greatest of ideas.
15. “Something More Beautiful” by P.Y.T.
P.Y.T. released their song “Something More Beautiful” on their 1999 album of the same name. The group explains that they want to be more than friends with someone. However, this friend doesn’t seem to think that this is a good idea.
Therefore, the group sings, “You want us to be friends, I’ll be losing again / Don’t you know what I want from you, baby? / Something more beautiful.”
16. “Strings” by Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes’ “Strings”, which appears on his album Handwritten, follows the singer as he discusses his lifelong friendship with a girl. He explains that he’s known this girl since they were three years old. Even then, he was in love with her.
Now that they’re older, he wants to be in a relationship with her — with all of the strings attached. He sings, “Cause I knew back then we were more than friends / Two-sides of the story, it all depends / And I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again / It’ll only end up hurting me.”
17. “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon
The classic rock song “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon, first released in 1984, begins with the lyrics, “Oh, I can’t fight this feeling any longer / And yet, I’m still afraid to let it flow / What started out as friendship, has grown stronger / I only wish I had the strength to let it show.”
The singer explains that he’s fully fallen in love with one of his friends. This one person is the only person who seems to help him when he struggles. As a result, he feels this is the one person for him!
18. “Teardrops On My Guitar” by Taylor Swift
“Teardrops On My Guitar” by Taylor Swift is about secretly loving a friend. Swift sings about a boy she goes to school with and how much she’s in love with her friend. However, he is with another — and doesn’t see her in this light at all.
19. “Everywhere I Go” by Jennifer Love Hewitt
“Everywhere I Go” by Jennifer Love Hewitt explores the feelings that arise when you feel that you’re falling for one of your friends. The singer explains that she only ever thinks about this man — and wants to be with him!
She sings, “And do you know / When I’m alone / I always pretend / That we are more than friends.”
20. “Breathless” by Corinne Bailey Rae
Now, let’s discuss the last song on our list! “Breathless” by Corinne Bailey Rae follows the singer as she wants to take her friendship with someone to the next level. However, this person doesn’t want to cross the line with her, as they’re worried it will ruin their friendship!
Regardless, she sings, “Seems like everyone else has a love just for them / I don’t mind; we have such a good time, my best friend / But sometimes, well I wish we could be more than friends.”