31 Songs About Missing Someone Who Died

22. “Wish U Were Here” by Jamie Foxx

Song Year: 2005

Fathers can be powerful parts of our lives, so it’s no surprise that the exact number of songs about losing them to death is hard to pin down.

Jamie Foxx is a movie star, but he also recorded Unpredictable in 2005 to show the world that he’s quite a singer, too. He applies his acting ability to his performances on the album, and “Wish U Were Here” benefits from it as he mourns and misses his father.

23. “Miss U” by The Notorious B.I.G.

Song Year: 1997

For all his outsized influence on the world of hip-hop, The Notorious B.I.G. only released two albums before his untimely death.

The song, from his last work, features a laid-back beat as Biggie raps about so many people who die young— people caught up in dangerous lifestyles. The overarching theme isn’t one of castigation but resignation. Some people born to hood life have no choice, making it even sadder when we lose them.

24. “Black Gives Way to Blue” by Alice In Chains

Song Year: 2009

In a hugely personal move, Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell wrote “Black Gives Way to Blue” as a tribute to Layne Staley, Alice’s lead singer until his 2002 death.

The song is reminiscent of much of the music from Jar of Flies, but it’s still an unusual track. Elton John plays piano on it, and he and Cantrell provide lyrics to a song about bearing up under the pain until the blackness of grief lightens at least a little.

25. “One More Day” by Diamond Rio

Song Year: 2000

When people get granted wishes in stories, they ask for fame, love, money, and the like. In the dream that the narrator of “One More Day” has, he’s granted one wish and asks only for some additional time with his beloved.

While there’s no overt reference to the death of the narrator’s partner, the longing for more time implies that she has died. After all, even in the face of the bitterest split, there’s still a possibility for people to reunite. Not so with the death of a loved one.

26. “Together Again” by Janet Jackson

Song Year: 1997

Janet Jackson lost a friend to death and wanted to write a tribute that wasn’t a maudlin wallowing in grief. The result, “Together Again,” celebrates those who lose and tries to focus on the good memories instead of the pain of loss.

The lyrics make reference to that phenomenon we often experience where everything reminds us of our lost loved one, but instead of dwelling on the sadness, Jackson’s lyrics discuss embracing those moments.

27. “Missing You” by Diana Ross

Song Year: 1984

Much of “Missing You” feels like a song about missing a partner who has walked away from the relationship. The pain of loss rhymes— losing someone to a breakup isn’t the same as losing them to death, but it’s close— so it’s sometimes unclear why Ross is missing someone.

However, a reference to a flower being plucked indicates that death has ended the relationship.

28. “Really Gonna Miss You” by Smokey Robinson

Song Year: 2005

While things will be irreparably different in the wake of the narrator’s friend, the lyrics of Smokey Robinson’s “Really Gonna Miss You” take comfort in the hope that the deceased is in a better place.

Meanwhile, the narrator remains behind to mourn.

29. “These Three Words” by Stevie Wonder

Song Year: 1991

“These Three Words” is more of a preventative song. It asks people to make sure they tell their loved ones what they mean to them. Stevie Wonder doesn’t mourn a specific person, but he sings about the possibility we face of sudden loss.

The song encourages people to tell each other how they feel in an effort to cut down on the regret that might follow the death of a loved one.

30. “One Sweet Day” by Marah Carey and Boyz II Men

Song Year: 1995

Many people deal with loss by looking forward to “One Sweet Day,” when they’ll be reunited in the afterlife with the one they’ve lost. That’s the idea behind this smash-hit collaboration between two of the biggest acts of the 1990s.

Carey and the gentlemen from Boyz II Men make a convincing case for holding on to this idea during the pain of grief.

31. “My Old Man” by Zac Brown Band

Song Year: 2017

Zac Brown’s narrator misses his father, who passed away some time ago. He recalls the good and bad times (and recognizes the lessons from those bad times). He also holds a picture of his dad in his head, complete with dirty overalls.

Now a father himself, the narrator sees that his son will eventually suffer the same loss. It sounds sappy on paper, but the song is actually quite lovely and touching.

Top Songs About Missing Someone Who Died, Final Thoughts

Music can be a powerful tool to help us process emotions, and the big ones associated with the death of a loved one need a lot of processing. Musicians have been eulogizing lost loved ones for millennia, and these songs about missing someone who died run the gamut of ways to deal with the pain of loss.