Faint light, phone switched off, a book in hand, and a playlist of the most famous ballads on your iPod. That’s my idea of a perfect evening. Is yours the same? Update your playlist as I mention here almost all the famous ballad songs…
I know not under what circumstances they were composed. I know not who the artists’ muses were when they made such music. All I know is that nothing is as beautiful as a well-written ballad. The most famous ballad poems turned out to be the biggest chartbusters of their respective decades, only because of their lyrical quality and musical substance. Here’s to the success they witnessed, and the hearts they melted.
The ’80s
Def Leppard are insurmountable. There isn’t a day when I don’t listen to their songs. Isn’t it amazing how we all become followers of the same creed, despite belonging to different ones? That’s what the ‘power’ of music is. This decade was embellished by artists like Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, etc.
Title | Artist |
Hysteria | Def Leppard |
Winds of Change | Scorpions |
I Want To Know What Love Is | Foreigner |
Fly To The Angels | Slaughter |
Wanted Dead or Alive | Bon Jovi |
Who Wants to Live Forever | Queen |
Patience | Guns n’ Roses |
Hello | Lionel Richie |
Never Gonna Give You Up | Barry White |
Broken Wings | Mr. Mister |
Something To Believe In | Poison |
Miles Away | Winger |
The Search is Over | Survivor |
When I Look Into Your Eyes | Firehouse |
Why Can’t This Be Love? | Van Halen |
18 and Life | Skid Row |
When The Children Cry | White Lion |
The Price | Twisted Sister |
Careless Whisper | George Michael |
Power Of Love | Frankie Goes to Hollywood |
The 90s
The 90s saw an unbelievable rise in the popularity of ballads, and artists like Eagles, Bob Dylan, Celine Dion, even though equally successful before, came into the limelight in an entirely different manner. Slow, sad, but effective―That’s what the ballads of the ’90s were.
Title | Artist |
My Heart Will Go On | Celine Dion |
I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing | Aerosmith |
I Just Called To Say I Love You | Stevie Wonder |
Nothing Else Matters | Metallica |
Heaven | Bryan Adams |
Have I Told You Lately | Van Morrison |
Bringin’ on the Heartbreak | Def Leppard |
Hotel California | Eagles |
They Don’t Know | Jon B. |
Endless Love | Mariah Carey |
I Can’t Sleep Baby | R. Kelly |
When Will I See You Smile Again | Bell Biv Devoe |
Cupid | 112 |
Blind Faith | Warrant |
All I Wanna Do Is Make Love | Heart |
Unforgiven | Metallica |
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You | Led Zeppelin |
Every Rose Has Its Thorn | Poison |
Hollow | Pantera |
Silent Lucidity | Queensryche |
Surviving The Test of TIme
The list is endless, because the magic was endless. Words still roll shivers down the spine. Music still sets the mood.
Title | Artist |
Stairway to Heaven | Led Zeppelin |
Wish You Were Here | Pink Floyd |
Imagine | John Lennon |
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door | Guns n’ Roses |
Hey Jude | The Beatles |
Can’t Help Falling in Love | Elvis Presley |
Crazy Little Thing Called Love | Queen |
Behind Blue Eyes | The Who |
Black | Pearl Jam |
Love Bites | Def Leppard |
Ruby Tuesday | Rolling Stones |
Right Here Waiting for You | Richard Marx |
I Can’t Tell You Why | Eagles |
November Rain | Guns n’ Roses |
Every Time You Go Away | Paul Young |
Unchained Melody | Righteous Brothers |
She | Elvis Costello |
Here Without You | 3 Doors Down |
Lady in Red | Chris de Burgh |
We’ve Got Tonight | Bob Seger |
… and the list goes on and on! There are so many of them, including which would do nothing but overflow the lists. The above songs are randomly placed, and have nothing to do with the ranking. They are just the kind of music that sets up the mood, and pumps me up when memories surface.