31 Best Love Songs From The 2000s

From Maroon 5 to Beyonce to Taylor Swift, some of our most popular artists' best songs were about love and its wonderful and terrible effects.

Whether you're looking to spice up your current love song playlist, we've compiled some of the best love songs from the 2000s for your pleasure.

1. Love Story by Taylor Swift

Song Year: 2008

While this song does not accurately portray the Romeo and Juliet story, it does evoke some classically romantic imagery, like sneaking out to a garden or eloping with your secret lover.

The song received mixed reviews upon its release but has since become one of Taylor Swift's most critically famous singles.

2. I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

Song Year: 2008

This song quickly became one of the best love songs from the 2000s and captured a sweet scenario of love: where someone is eager to learn more about the other person, and they cannot wait for what happens next.

“I'm Yours” was Mraz's first top-10 single in the US and charted for 73 weeks in total.

3. You're Beautiful by James Blunt

Song Year: 2005

The lyrics of “You're Beautiful” describe a tragic and beautiful moment between two people who ride a subway together, reportedly a man who sees his ex-girlfriend with another man and realizes they will never be together again.

Although hauntingly beautiful and sad to sing, the song is James Blunt's most famous song to date, reaching number one in over ten countries.

4. Fallin' For You by Colbie Caillat

Song Year: 2009

We have all been there before: falling for somebody, afraid to tell them, but desperately wishing we could tell them.

“Fallin For You” debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent 14 weeks at number 2 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks list before it became the number one song in early 2010.

5. Crazy in Love by Beyonce

Song Year: 2003

“Crazy in Love” combines pop, funk, R&B, soul, and hip-hop to tell a familiar story: someone falls in love, and the following emotional roller makes them act a little out of character.

The song quickly reached number one in the US and the UK. Many music critics say it's one of the best songs of all time, the best song of the 21st century so far, and certainly one of the best love songs from the 2000s.

6. A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton

Song Year: 2002

At some point or other, we've spent time apart from our spouse or partner, missing them so much that we could walk to them if we had to. Or maybe we imagine doing anything for someone we love, even walking a thousand miles just to see someone.

The song peaked on the Billboard Top 100 at number 5, staying on the chart for 41 weeks.

7. You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift

Song Year: 2008

While full of high school stereotypes, such as the shy nerd and the fashionista cheerleader, it's familiar and nostalgic to many people's high school experiences.

Like most of Taylor Swift's best love songs from the 2000s, this song won several accolades, including becoming the first country song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100's all-genre Radio Songs list.

8. Drops of Jupiter by Train

Song Year: 2001

The story goes that Train's lead singer Pat Monahan wrote the song after his late mother died from cancer, and the lyrics came to him in a dream. While it's a great song to help you remember a loved one, it is sung with such passion that it could easily be a love song.

Thanks to its passionate lyrics and incredible musical arrangement, the song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 list in 2001 and spent 54 weeks in the top 10 of the Adult Contemporary chart.

9. Hey There Delilah by Plain White T's

Song Year: 2006

Aside from the insanely memorable chorus, there's a lot to love about this 2000s staple. The song depicts the innocent story of someone promising their loved one a wonderful life after finally getting together again.

VH1 ranked it number 78 on their list of the best 2000s songs, and it was a double Grammy Award nominee for Best Pop Performance by a Dup or Group with Vocal and Song of the Year.

10. A Moment Like This by Kelly Clarkson

Song Year: 2002

Although “A Moment Like This” doesn't say anything particularly insightful about love, it's still sweet to listen to and makes you appreciate the sweetness and joy of finding true love, especially if you had to wait a long time to find something so special.

“A Moment Like This” was part of Kelly Clarkson's coronation album after she won the first season of American Idol, debuting at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2002, reaching number one during its third week on the chart.

11. Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

Song Year: 2006

The story goes that if you watched the second-season finale of Grey's Anatomy, you bawled your eyes out to this song. The song depicts someone asking someone they love to lie somewhere quiet with them, where maybe they'll find another way to say they love them.

The song gained immediate popularity in the US in 2006, becoming the most downloaded song of the year on the US iTunes store and one of the best love songs from the 2000s. It also peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 list at number 5, becoming Snow Patrol's first Top 10 hit in the US.

12. She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5

Song Year: 2004

As “She Will Be Loved” so sweetly puts it, you should always let your partner know they are worthy of love and tell them they can come anytime they need you.

“She Will Be Loved” eventually got the number 5 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 after entering at number 50. It was certified four-times platinum in 2018 and has reached the number-one place in several countries.

13. These Words by Natasha Bedingfield

Song Year: 2004

The song may detail Bedingfield's troubles in producing a hit song, but one could also say it talks about trying to write a great piece about love. In the end, directly telling someone you love them is the best thing you can say without needing to go overboard with flowery language.

“These Words” topped the charts in Ireland and the UK, reached the top forty worldwide, and was certified platinum in the US and Australia.

14. Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat

Song Year: 2009

This song's evocative lyrics about sailing to an island and putting a flower in your love's hair, among other beautiful images, are irresistible. Of course, the simple idea of being in love with your best friend, and knowing they'll always be there to help make life easier, is sweet as well.

“Lucky” has relatable and sweet themes, which catapulted it to the number 48 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and another of the best love songs from the 2000s.

15. Our Song by Taylor Swift

Song Year: 2007

The best love songs from the 2000s evoke the simplest things about love, like driving in the car together, saying goodbye on the front porch, and leaving roses by the door. Add a little teenage rebellion with talking quietly on the phone and sneaking out, and you've got a sweet, nostalgic number that makes you want to pick up the phone to call your love.

An early hit from Taylor Swift, it made Rolling Stone's 2019 list of the best female artist country songs since 2000, making Swift the youngest person at seventeen years old to write and sing a number-one Hot Country Songs song.

16. Collide by Howie Day

Song Year: 2004

One of the most tender love songs of the 2000s, “Collide” begins with the sweet image of waking up on a beautiful morning next to the one you love. The lyrics evoke the small adversities that a couple might face but with the assurance that they'll always come back to each other no matter what.

“Collide” was slow to climb the charts, but it peaked in high places on several lists, including number 20 on the Billboard Top 100 and number 14 on the US Mainstream Top 40.

17. This I Promise You by NSYNC

Song Year: 2000

You probably did not expect a boy band to sing one of the most stirring and emotional love songs from 2000. Each member brings their best to this song, singing heartfelt lyrics about promising to be your love's hope and strength through thick and thin.

This song was the fifth NSYNC score to make the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and spent 13 weeks as the number-one song on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

18. Make You Feel My Love by Adele

Song Year: 2008

Adele is not the first artist to cover this classic love song, but she knocks it out of the park. Her hushed vocal performance lets the profound lyrics about giving love to those who need it, no matter the sacrifice, shine bright.

The song peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number 4 after several television performances, making it the 48th biggest-selling song in 2010.

19. We Belong Together by Mariah Carey

Song Year: 2005

Mariah Carey's entry on this list talks about the common scenario of regretting saying goodbye after a breakup. You know the breakup was a mistake, so you remember why you were good with that person, and you try to convince the other person why you should try the relationship again.

“We Belong Together” became Carey's sixteenth number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100, the third longest-running number-one song ever on the US charts at 14 weeks, and another of the best love songs from the 2000s.

20. There You'll Be by Faith Hill

Song Year: 2001

Written for the Pearl Harbor soundtrack, this song speaks more about keeping someone's memory close, but it's just as beautiful as songs celebrating new love. Whether or not you've lost a loved one, listen to this song with a box of tissues nearby.

“There You'll Be” reached number 3 in the UK and number 4 in Ireland and became a top-10 hit in the US. It also received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and topped the charts in Canada, Sweden, and Portugal.

21. Come Away With Me by Norah Jones

Song Year: 2002

“Come Away With Me” is a jazz song perfect for a first dance or to chill out on a rainy day. The softly sung, almost whispered lyrics talk about places where two lovers can simply enjoy some quiet time and togetherness.

Critics and audiences immensely enjoyed this song on its release since it reached number 21 on the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart. 

22. Hero by Enrique Iglesias

Song Year: 2001

Thanks to this song's lyrics about heroes sacrificing for their loved ones, it became an unofficial anthem after 9/11. If you don't see it as a song about remembering heroes, it can also be a song about being there for someone, kissing away their pain, and holding them close when they need it.

Such cultural resonance helped the song perform well, topping the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for 15 weeks and reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

23. Love at First Sight by Kylie Minogue

Song Year: 2002

Many people consider this a nostalgic time marker of the early 2000s, not just for the artist but because of the highly-digitized music video that accompanied it.

The song peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and then certified Silver. In Australia, however, it peaked at number 3 and stayed on the ARIA Charts for eight weeks, soon receiving a platinum certification. It peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Top 100.

24. Yellow by Coldplay

Song Year: 2000

Leave it to Coldplay to write one of the best love songs from 2000. People often compare the one they love to starlight, but this song turns that around so the stars shine for them.

“Yellow” was the first American hit for Coldplay, charting on eight Billboard singles charts and helping the album it appeared on, Parachutes, to be certified gold in America.

25. Everything by Michael Buble

Song Year: 2007

Written for Buble's then-girlfriend Emily Blunt, the lyrics describe how a particular person's love can help make life a little more worthwhile, especially during tough times.

The endearing lyrics and simple musical composition helped make this song a hit, certified platinum in the US and UK and gold in Italy and Denmark. It also made the top 50 in several US Billboard charts, peaking at 46 in the Billboard Hot 100.

26. Nobody Wants to Be Lonely by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera

Song Year: 2000

You probably won't find a cheesier love song from 2000 than this, but it's still heartfelt and sweet. Sometimes, you want nothing more than to hold the one you love, and Martin and Aguilera's voices come together to express that simple wish to love someone special.

The song was a hit worldwide, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and ranked in the top 3 on several other Billboard charts, like the Adult Contemporary, Mainstream Top 40, and Top 40.

27. The Luckiest by Ben Folds

Song Year: 2001

Keep the tissues on hand for this one since it talks about the crazy but magical ways people are brought together in life and the times we might have passed our loved ones before we ever met them.

While not a staple among the best love songs from the 2000s, it still ranked in the top 100 Billboard Hot Chart upon its release.

28. Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis

Song Year: 2007

With an almost ear-bleeding chorus, this song sticks in many people's heads as a 2000s pop staple. The song's story is simple: the world tries to keep two people from being together, but their relationship is so sweet and strong that they cannot help their attraction.

In the US, it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 85 but soon rose to number one, spending 52 weeks on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks list.

29. You've Got the Love by Florence + The Machine

Song Year: 2009

There are times when the love of one person is the only thing getting us through the day. “You've Got the Love” reminds us that while life is tough, having someone we can love and depend on and who loves us in return can be a great help.

The song peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart, entering and reentering the chart a few times throughout 2009.

30. Maps by Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs

Song Year: 2003

While the true story behind this song is not the sweetest, and the lyrics are not the most swoon-worthy, indie rock and alternative music fans can find a lot to enjoy in this short, easy-to-memorize number.

It did not get too high on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 87, but it did reach the number 8 spot on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

31. You and Me by Lifehouse

Song Year: 2004

When you're in love, the only person who matters is the object of your affection. However, being in love means you might trip on the words when you tell them how special they are to you.

“You and Me” peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 but peaked at number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart, staying there for 34 weeks. The song became the number one song on Billboard's Top 40 Adult Pop Songs from 1996 to 2011.

Love Songs From The 2000s, Final Thoughts

The best love songs from the 2000s number in the hundreds, but the ones listed above have touched millions of hearts with their stories of heartbreak, nostalgia, and tenderness. Whether you're using these songs to dance at a wedding or listen to them at home, they will warm your heart or perhaps make you reach for the tissues.