Music is an effective way to unwind your mind, whether you wish to rest after a long day at work or overcome feelings of anxiety and sadness. Relaxing music calms the mind and soothes your soul. A slow tempo, minimal lyrics, and light melody are the signature identity of a relaxing song.
Wondering what are the most relaxing songs of all time? We got you! In this article, we enlist the most relaxing songs worldwide and beyond! From popular to underrated, classical to soft pop, and critically acclaimed to commercial blockbusters, this article covers the best and most relaxing songs in the world to date.
Read on to find the perfect addition to your relaxing musical playlist!
1. Weightless by Marconi Union
Often referred to as the most relaxing song in the world according to science, Weightless goes by the name! It is a sweet saga of instrumental music bejeweled with ultimate relaxing instruments like piano and acoustic guitar. The slow-sustaining rhythm aligns with the listener’s heartbeat, leaving a lasting impact on your mind. That’s right! Neuroscientists approve this song to reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. Loosen up because it’s time to bring calmness with the most relaxing song in the world, quite literally.
We would recommend listening to this song anytime unless, of course, you’re driving! The blend of soft instrumental music is all set to bless your ears. Are you ready for it?
Music Genre: Ambient
Why listen to this song? The natural soundscape of this musical score is a sure shot to give instant relief to your Throat Chakra. Neuroscientists approve this song as the most relaxing song in the world, and it is also used to calm patients before surgery.
2. Moonlight Sonata (First Movement) by Beethoven
A thing of beauty is a joy forever. For the loveliness of Moonlight Sonata never increases and will never pass into nothingness. Ludwig Van Beethoven’s most popular musical masterwork is also known for its exceptional emotional range. The first movement has a Triplet pattern with mellow tones of sleep music. It’s almost as if this musical masterpiece casts a spell on you! The slow, enchanting melody is a pure work of art.
The unfathomable degree of relaxation this piece promises delightfully to all piano lovers and beyond. So what are you waiting for? Manifest deep relaxation with one of the most relaxing songs in the world, an artwork of Beethoven!
Music Genre: Western Classical Music
Why listen to this song? Studies have shown that Moonlight Sonata is one of the most relaxing songs in the world to fall asleep to. As a result, this one-in-a-million masterpiece is effective in boosting your mental health and well-being.
3. Imagine by John Lennon
One of the most popular solo works of John Lennon – Imagine, is far from a fetish fever dream of a perfect world. Instead, it is an honest endeavor that strives for progressive change. Progress is always greater than perfection. Imagine visualizing the same by looking beyond borders, religion, and materialism.
The soft background score is intertwined with the lovely lyrics that feel like a hug. A lullaby giving birth to a revolution. It’s a slow and subtle musical that’s so powerful that it plants a seed in your soul to drive change for the better.
Genre: Soft rock
Why listen to this song? Imagine is both ambitious and soothing to the heart, making it an ideal choice for the most relaxing song in the world. The soothing vocals and piano music combine to create a mesmerizing experience in the listener’s mind.
4. My Heart Will Go On By Celine Dion
Imagine a music so powerful that it echoes the emotion of an entire generation. Because our hearts will certainly go on and on for this one love song, and why not?
The marriage of powerful vocals and light music could never be this ethereal. After all, it’s not so easy for a song to find both critical acclaim and commercial praise worldwide. In this career-defining musical masterpiece, Celine Dion has captured the nostalgia in the most gentle way possible. The rarest quality of this song is that it relaxes and rejuvenates the listener simultaneously.
Since Titanic, it’s been a favorite relaxing cum romantic song for both audiences and critics alike, and decades. For so many of us, My Heart Will Go On still stands tall as one of the most relaxing songs in the world that was ever.
Music Genre: Pop rock
Why listen to this song? The soothing music relaxes you while the singer’s angelic voice energizes your heart with limitless potential.
5. Pavane for Dead Princess by Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel is a French composer who is well known for portraying a sense of delicacy in his music. Pavane for Dead Princess is a musical artwork that relishes all five senses to the listener. Teleport yourself to a forest with rich flora and fauna, and elevate your frequency with the heart-touching instrumental music of Maurice Ravel. The opening tempo at 80 bmp is a quiet and slow introduction to this relaxing piece of classical music. Moreover, the musical analysis of Pavane for a Dead Princess extensively reveals the charm and grace of this subtle rendition.
Music Genre: Classical Music
Why listen to this song: Pavane for a Dead Princess is considered to be one of the most relaxing songs in the world to induce Baby’s sleep. That’s right! The soft soundscape is an easy way to drift off to sleep or enter an alpha state of mind for meditation.
6. Perfect by Ed Sheeran
Oh, come on! Don’t pretend like you haven’t heard and loved this song already. After all, who isn’t a fan of one of the most relaxing songs in the world that it is? As they say, all kinds of Love songs will come and go. But Perfect might remain the most loved wedding song of all time.
Perfect is quite literally a perfect and ethereal pop music. With its sweet lyrics that give you butterflies and a melody that makes you go dancing, this is a dream romantic song for your wedding. Too much for now? Ed Sheeran’s work of art is also there to lift your mood. Why? Because life is too short to be too practical. Just listen to Perfect by Ed Sheeran and move on!
Genre: Folk Pop
Why listen to this song? To all the hopeless romantic people out there, no matter how many times you listen to this bundle of happiness on repeat. It just won’t be enough! Even after your wildest dreams come true, you won’t resist. So play!
7. Memories by Maroon 5
Western music is so much beyond funk music and punk-pop. In this regard, Memories are the icebreaker to the rendezvous of rock and calm! Listening to Memories feels like meeting high-school friends after a long time and reliving the dearly cherished moments of your life.
The Happy chords of the memories instantly work like magic on your melancholic mood. The song offers no fake promises of a brighter future. Instead, it encourages accepting the present with joy and being grateful for the abundance we’ve received in our lives. The soft and chirpy vocals of Adam Levine add a pop of punk to the ocean of ultimate relaxation.
Genre: Pop Soul
Why should I listen to it? This song spills some of the hardest lessons of life, all while boosting your happy hormones at the same time. What’s more? The Oh-so-relatable lyrics with upbeat music make it a wholesome treat to your ears.
8. Someone Like You by Adele
Drum rolls, please! The queen has arrived with her unconventional take on music to give you a surreal out-of-body experience. If there is an artist who can make breakup songs sound relaxing, that’s MOTHER Adele for you!
The emotional and harmonious music of SomeonLikeke You is found to calm the nerves of people who fear flying. The Homophonic music of Someone Like You delivers a clean vibrational echo that leaves a calming effect on the listener.
Music Genre: Ballad/ Adult Contemporary
Why listen to this song? Want to talk about your ex without increasing your blood pressure? Someone like you is the way to go! This God-level masterpiece is a labor of love rather than heartbreak. Moreover, heart-hitting tracks like Easy on Me and Hello by Adele are also quite helpful in turning your bad breakup into a fading memory of your heart.
9. A Thousand Years by Christina Perri
Slow music is potent with an energy of calm. And when the queen of subtle music is here to serve your sleepless nights, what is there to worry about?
A Thousand Years is the favorite track of the Twilight film series. This background film score is one of the most loved wedding songs that tells a quiet depiction of eternal love. The song has garnered plaudits for being a relaxing classical that renders the energy of deep rejuvenation with calm.
Music Genre: Baroque Pop, Ballad
Why Listen to this Song? The most promising twilight track is also a great choice to work, study, or chill out in your pastime. This is a one-song-fit situation when you can play this music anywhere, quite literally. Don’t believe me? Try it!
10. What Was I Made for By Billie Eilish
This newly born pop masterwork is a rendition of the larger-than-life cinema. That’s right! Barbie, the film has released music from multiple artists in which What Was I Made For surely stood out!
Her debut album, “When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?” might be an anti-ASMR pop fandom, but this Barbie classic is sheer poetry for people seeking relaxation. The lyrics offer solace and relief from the fast-paced life, whereas Billie’s vocals feel like a kiss on the forehead. Sometimes, we all need to ask the most basic questions honestly.
Music Genre: Alternative/Indie
Why to listen to this song? Are you tired of your screen time and searching for a dopamine detox? Then look no further. This track will help you introspect within and instill a healthy dose of self-love on the way.
11. Willow by Taylor Swift
The sister album of record-smashing Folklore, Evermore, is like a forever autumn dream. The beautiful guitar opening builds the foundation for one of the most relaxing songs in the world by Taylor Swift. The Global pop superstar is already known for her genre-spanning artistry in an impressive musical career.
The vocals in Willow captivate the essence of a mellow mood. From drums to clarinet to trombone and live strings, the instruments used serve as a subtle transition to ultimate calmness.
Music Genre: Chamber Folk
Why listen to this song? Willow encapsulates the feeling of intrigue and complexity of falling in love. To all those who are looking for relaxing music beyond pop, here’s your jam!
12. Just Like That by Bonnie Raitt
The winner of the Song of the Year award at the 2023 Grammys, Just Like That by Bonnie Raitt is a criminally underrated single that’s also incredibly soothing to hear.
Compassion is the most relaxing thought for music. Bonnie says, “I write the track on piano with eyes closed and candles lit in a dark room. A ballad like that is a meditation.” A song about love and loss, Just like that, carries the depth of the story of organ donation with calm and wonder.
Music Genre: Folk rock/blues
Why listen to this song? The track Just Like That tells a tale of selflessness and unconditional love. So, if you’re into meditative music with a particular taste, go for it!
13. Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez
Lockdown has been a blessing to all the Independent artists out there, with Instagram reels promoting their music in the public eye, Until I Found You has become a household name as a swoony love song.
The debut track by Stephen Sanchez is like a breath of fresh air from the musical era of the 50s. An extraordinary mix of different instruments in this beautiful musical piece serves as a unique pitch to the audience. The vocals hook the listeners to the ever-flowing melody and dreamy lyrics that give wings to your dreams while relaxing you to the core.
Music Genre: Pop rock, Reggae
Why listen to this song? If I said, “I would never fall in love again until I found her,” would you wonder? The song restores your faith in the soulmate kinda of love that’s hard to find if only in our minds.
14. Place in Your Heart by Lucy O’Connell
Christmas spirit, anyone? This beautiful song is from a Netflix Original titled Angela’s Christmas Wish. A sequel to the former short film Angela’s Christmas, Place in Your Heart perfectly tells the tale of a little girl longing for her soldier father on the day of Christmas. The emotional depth of a child is masterfully captured in the musical piece that radiates calm and relaxation to the listener. The conflict of duty and family is shown with heartfelt lyrics.
One of the most relaxing songs in the world, this underrated musical piece conveys selfless service and peace.
Music Genre: Pop Soul
Why listen to this song: A sweet melancholy of longing and an everlasting hope; place in your heart is one and half minutes of pure joy!
15. Comethru by Jeremy Zucker
Another pop ambition of an independent artist is the nostalgic song Come Thru. The globe-trotting popularity of this song is already established via countless social media short videos. The relatable lyrics sung with little use of instruments give it a homely fragrance and a treat to the ears. The vocals are enchanting with a simple melody. The core concept of the song is to establish a connection within the self-isolated bubbles of humankind.
Music Genre: Neo-soul, Pop soul
Why to listen to this song? If you’re addicted to your social media and wondering what would make you feel a little less lonely, this might be the most relaxing song in the world for you!
The Final Word
Peaceful songs are a way to vent out your unstable emotions. When nothing goes right with the mind, listening to your forever favorite and most relaxing songs in the world might be the best idea.
It is also scientifically proven that regularly listening to relaxing, slow, and subtle musical genres reduces anxiety. In an era where everyone is addicted to something, let’s try to break our age-old connections with stress, trauma, and childhood mental wounds just by switching to more mindful content. After all, attention with intention decides your destiny.
So when life gives you lemons, listen to a sweet, soulful song. The contentment and joy it leaves in your skin will respite you to the core of your heart.
Then why wait? Find your headphones and tune in to these soothing songs right now!