If we’ve learnt anything from the beloved sitcom of the same name, it’s that friends can come in many different forms but – at their finest – they can occupy the absolute best spaces in our lives. From the pals that feel more like siblings to the ones that pull you up from the quagmire and force you out for a dance; the ones that give you some much-needed tough love to the ones where romance is bubbling just under the surface, there’s a thousand ways that a friendship can manifest and just as many songs out there to document each of them.
So raise a toast to your bezzies, the people that prop you up like no-one else can, and dig into our rundown of the 45 best songs about that most special of relationships. Because sometimes, the greatest loves of our lives can just be our mates.
LCD Soundsystem – ‘All My Friends’
A euphoric anthem for anyone who’s ever found themselves in the middle of a festival field/ club/ kitchen disco, with your arms around your besties, knowing that life actually doesn’t get any better than this.
Most friendly lyric: “I wouldn’t trade one stupid decision / For another five years of life”
Wolf Alice – ‘Bros’
The sound of youth itself, this gem from the Wolfies’ first album encapsulates that period of life when your friends are your world, before partners, babies and taxes stake their claim.
Most friendly lyric: “Remember when we cut our hair? / We both looked like boys, but we didn’t care / Stick it out together, like we always do”
The White Stripes – ‘We’re Going To be Friends’
Evoking the naive innocence of childhood, Jack and Meg’s paean to a simpler period of “numbers, letters, learn to spell” was like the sweetest timewarp you could imagine, where friendships are formed that could last forever.
Most friendly lyric: “We sit side by side in every class / Teacher thinks that I sound funny / But she likes the way you sing”
Boygenius – ‘True Blue’
There’s no gang in modern music that we’d want to be part of as much as boygenius, and the Lucy Dacus-helmed ‘True Blue’ stands as paean to the synergy behind one of the most heartwarming three-way friendships out there.
Most friendly lyric: “And it feels good to be known so well / I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself”
Spice Girls – ‘Wannabe’
The OG millennial friendship anthem, it was Sporty, Scary. Baby, Ginger and Posh that taught a generation of young women the ‘sisters before misters’ code. A quarter of a century on, it remains the perfect, joyful introduction to their Girl Power manifesto.
Most friendly lyric: “If you wanna be my lover / You gotta get with my friends”
Rihanna – ‘Umbrella’
Up there with offering your last Rolo, Riri’s rain-shielding hit might be more of a metaphor than an actual offer of outdoor coverage, but tbh we’ll take either in a storm.
Most friendly lyric: “When the sun shine, we shine together / Told you I’ll be here forever”
The Big Moon – ‘Formidable’
If you’re gonna have someone on your side, let them be formidable – a promise that Jules Jackson and her gang made in this rousing, heartfelt debut album offering.
Most friendly lyric: “I’m on your side / I’ll be formidable”
Conan Gray – ‘Best Friend’
The fact that Conan’s real life BFF is Olivia Rodrigo only makes up one part of why this fiercely loyal ode hits the sweet spot so well. Cute but absolutely ride-or-die, get yourself a pal that can do both.
Most friendly lyric: “That’s my fuckin’ best friend / That’s my fuckin’ right hand / That’s my fuckin’ throw-up-in-the-bathroom-but-still-love-them”
Lady Gaga & Florence Welch – ‘Hey Girl’
There are few more powerful female collaborations that we can think of than this team up between Lady Gaga and Florence Welch for the former’s ‘Joanne’ LP. A song about solidarity, support, and ignoring petty rivalries, it’s a lesson to live by.
Most friendly lyric: “Help me hold my hair back / Walk me home ’cause I can’t find a cab”
The Velvet Underground – ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’
When times are tough and your confidence is low, a true mate sees what you often can’t. ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’ was a dreamy reflection of this sentiment, and one of Lou Reed and co’s warmest offerings.
Most friendly lyric: “Please put down your hands / ‘Cause I see you”
Saweetie ft Doja Cat – ‘Best Friend’
For when you want to shout out your bestie and their true badass self, this 2021 banger is a pure ‘women celebrating women’ anthem (that also happens to be a Grade A bop on its own merit).
Most friendly lyric: “That’s my best friend, she a real bad bitch”
Taylor Swift – ’22’
TayTay is hardly lacking in coming of age, sepia-tinged nostalgia, but this ‘Red’ cut perfectly encapsulates the special feeling of finding your partner in crime and the safety net that comes alongside it.
Most friendly lyric: “Yeah, we’re happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time / It’s miserable and magical”
Arlo Parks – ‘Hope’
One of this decade’s most poignant poets, ‘Hope’ tells the story of a struggling friend, and the comfort that can come from a few choice words, deployed by someone you trust.
Most friendly lyric: “You’re not alone like you think you are / We all have scars, I know it’s hard”
Carole King – ‘You’ve Got A Friend’
A timeless ode to friendship that’s sat at the top of the pile for 50 years and counting, Carole King expresses the safety net that a loving pal can provide in perfect, weepy form.
Most friendly lyric: “Winter, spring, summer or fall / All you have to do is call / And I’ll be there”
Destiny’s Child – ‘Girl’
Let’s be honest, we’ve all fantasised about being Beyonce’s mate at some point. Cast yourself in that leading role on this empathetic Destiny’s Child cut: the absolute GOAT of female friendship groups.
Most friendly lyric: “I’m your girl, you’re my girl, we your girls / Don’t you know that we love you”
Rina Sawayama – ‘Chosen Family’
So good that Elton John himself teamed up with Rina Sawayama for an alternate version of the track, this debut album highlight celebrates the importance of the ones who we choose to surround ourselves with, who accept us no matter what.
Most friendly lyric: “We don’t need to be related to relate / We don’t need to share genes or a surname”
The Beach Boys – ‘God Only Knows’
Arguably one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful songs of all time, there’s no track that emblemises the deep and profound impact our most meaningful relationships make on our lives like this Brian Wilson weeper.
Most friendly lyric: “You never need to doubt it / I’ll make you so sure about it / God only knows what I’d be without you.”
The Libertines – ‘What Became of the Likely Lads’
Pete Doherty and Carl Barat might have had a famously tempestuous relationship, but on this classic single they romanticise their story with the twinkle-eyed sense of a pair who know they’re two halves of the same coin.
Most friendly lyric: “’Cos blood runs thicker, oh / We’re as thick as thieves, you know”
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘hope ur ok’
Looking back on old friends from the LGBTQ+ community who had to fight to be themselves, Olivia Rodrigo uses this sweet ‘SOUR’ track to express her pride at their resilience and strength.
Most friendly lyric: “Well, I hope you know how proud I am you were created / With the courage to unlearn all of their hatred”
The Pretenders – ‘I’ll Stand By You’
It was a toss up between this Pretenders classic or Little Mix’s rousing cover, but we’ve gone OG purely because Chrissie Hynde’s voice puts the simplicity of the sentiment front and centre.
Most friendly lyric: “When the night falls on you, baby / You’re feeling all alone / You won’t be on your own”
Oasis – ‘Live Forever’
A song that perfectly evokes the world-is-your-oyster spirit of being young and looking out at life with your mates, there’s a reason that ‘Live Forever’ remains one of the most beloved songs of the ‘90s to this day.
Most friendly lyric: “Maybe you’re the same as me / We see things they’ll never see / You and I are gonna live forever”
Lizzo – ‘Grrls’
A succinct, sassy ode to your best girl gang, ‘Grrls’ had as much feisty spirit as its title spelling suggested and put its message front and centre: mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.
Most friendly lyric: “That’s my girl, we codependent / If she with it, then I’m with it”
Queen – ‘You’re My Best Friend’
Sometimes you don’t need fancy analogies, you just need to tell your nearest and dearest straight up that you love them. And who better to deliver the message than one of the greatest frontmen of all time?
Most friendly lyric: “I want you to know that my feelings are true / I really love you / Oh, you’re my best friend”
The Maccabees – ‘Grew Up At Midnight’
This album closer from the sadly-departed Maccs third album is a wide-eyed paean to childhood friendship (or perhaps, blossoming romance), remembered from the rearview mirror.
Most friendly lyric: “We grew up at midnight / We were only kids then”
Dream Wife – ‘Kids’
Though the trio are perhaps best known for their visceral punk kiss-offs, there’s always been a softer side to Dream Wife too, as evidenced by this debut album track, which details the sort of forever friendship that might come in and out, but will always be there.
Most friendly lyric: “I welcomed you into my arms / And you welcomed me into your heart”
The Beatles – ‘In My Life’
OK yes, ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ might have been the obvious choice here, but the true tearjerker is this sepia-tinged offering that looks back at a life and those that have meant the most throughout it.
Most friendly lyric: “All these places had their moments / With lovers and friends, I still can recall / Some are dead and some are living / In my life, I’ve loved them all”
Sister Sledge – ‘We Are Family’
Literally everyone in the world knows this one; like a U2 album pre-programmed onto an iPod, we basically come out of the womb knowing ‘We Are Family’. Why? Because its sentiment of treating your nearest and dearest like blood bonds is one to live by.
Most friendly lyric: “All of the people around us, they say / Can they be that close?”
Carly Rae Jepsen – ‘Making the Most of the Night’
Just putting it out there: if we’re feeling down we’d be extremely happy for Carly to come and “hijack” us for a spirit-raising boogie. Quelle surprise that pop’s sparkliest ray of sunshine has a song aiming to beam those good vibes on her bezzies.
Most friendly lyric: “I’ll run to your side when your heart is bleeding / I’m coming to getcha”
The Streets – ‘Dry Your Eyes’
Mike Skinner’s most sentimental moment, the chorus of ‘Dry Your Eyes’ is sung from the perspective of the shoulder he’s reached out to cry on, becoming an integral addition to any reassuring mixtape subtitled ‘You’re gonna be OK, we promise’.
Most friendly lyric: “Dry your eyes, mate / I know it’s hard to take, but her mind has been made up / There’s plenty more fish in the sea”
Phoebe Bridgers – ‘Graceland Too’
A boygenius song by any other name, this ‘Punisher’ cut finds Phoebe bringing in her sonic sisters for a song about trust and compassion. Fitting for a trio that exemplifies exactly that.
Most friendly lyric: “I will do anything, I will do anything / Whatever you want me to do, I will do”
Lana Del Rey – ‘The Greatest’
A highlight of ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell!’, this paean to nostalgia looks at the world around it and finds itself dreaming of life’s better times, looking at your friends and your city through sepia-tinged spectacles.
Most friendly lyric: “Those nights were on fire / We couldn’t get higher / We didn’t know that we had it all”
Weezer – ‘My Best Friend’
Rivers Cuomo and co may have made their name through a slightly tongue-in-cheek brand of alt-rock, but ‘My Best Friend’ is uncomplicated and sincere. Just like the finest friendships.
Most friendly lyric: “You are such a blessing / And I won’t be messing / With the one thing that brings light to all of my darkness”
The Moldy Peaches – ‘Anyone Else But You’
There’s an unmistakable case of the romantic feels to this track that found fame via the Juno soundtrack, but at its heart ‘Anyone Else But You’ is an ode to finding the weirdo yin to your weirdo yan; someone who just gets you.
Most friendly lyric: “Squinched up your face and did a dance / You shook a little turd out of the bottom of your pants / I don’t see what anyone can see, in anyone else but you”
Brandy – ‘Best Friend’
‘90s kids will be hoping she’s talking about Monica but, either way, this R&B throwback still sounds as slick as it did three decades back; a song made for strutting arm in arm.
Most friendly lyric: “Friends may come, and friends may go / But you should know that / That I’ve got your back, it’s automatic”
Bill Withers – ‘Lean On Me’
A classic from the canon of all-time greats, the combination of Bill’s crackled croon and the timeless sentiment it holds within mean this 1972 hit will easily be knocking around the airwaves for another 52 years more.
Most friendly lyric: “Lean on me / When you’re not strong / And I’ll be your friend / I’ll help you carry on…”
Drake – ‘Started From The Bottom’
For those moments when you look around at the mates you’ve known forever – maybe you’re all crushing it, maybe you’ve just met up for an annual Christmas Eve pint. Still, Drake knows how it feels.
Most friendly lyric: “Started from the bottom know the whole crew’s fucking here.”
Blur – ‘Sweet Song’
The relationship between Blur’s central duo, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon, has been one that’s been tested over the years and often found its way into song. ‘Sweet Song’ looks at a friendship falling apart, and wishes it back together.
Most friendly lyric: “And now it seems that we’re falling apart / But I hope I see the good in you, come back again”
Little Mix – ‘Always Be Together’
OK sure, so Little Mix did actually lose a member and then take a (we hope temporary) break, but we still believe the ethos of their 2012 unity anthem felt true at the time.
Most friendly lyric: “We’ll always be together, don’t you worry / I’ll always be by your side, don’t you worry”
BTS – ‘Friends’
Sung between members V and Jimin, this rousing K-pop hit has surely found its fair share of weeping fans having a ‘hug your bestie’ moment in the crowd – and with good reason.
Most friendly lyric: “Hello, my alien / We are each other’s mystery”
MGMT – ‘Time To Pretend’
Distilling the hedonism of youth into three minutes of pure giddy possibility, MGMT soundtracked a generation of millennials moving to the big city, going out, falling in love and meeting new and exciting people.
Most friendly lyric: “This is our decision to live fast and die young / We’ve got the vision, now let’s have some fun”
Miley Cyrus – ‘We Can’t Stop’
Miley’s has many incarnations over the years, but her one throughline has been a commitment to living life at its fullest. ‘We Can’t Stop’ is the ultimate getting-ready anthem, sung preferably into a hairbrush microphone with your gal pals.
Most friendly lyric: “Can’t you see it’s we who own the night? / Can’t you see it we who ’bout that life?”
Wet Leg – ‘Supermarket’
Whether aimed at a friend or a lover, this idiosyncratic gem from Wet Leg’s all-conquering debut celebrates running around the titular shop, getting high and acting silly. A rite of passage song for any giddy pals.
Most friendly lyric: “I want to take you to the supermarket / I wanna shop it ’til I’m weak at the knees”
The xx – ‘Our Song’
The xx’s Romy and Oliver grew up together from childhood, making ‘Our Song’ all the more meaningful. Supposedly nodding to Oliver’s struggles with alcoholism, the message is that his friends aren’t going anywhere.
Most friendly lyric: “You know I know your heart / I want to mend your heart”
Kanye West – ‘Real Friends’
A slightly convoluted one here (but then what would you expect from Kayne?), ‘Real Friends’ actually holds a mirror up to the people who’d struggle to gain that title. Lesson here: do the opposite.
Most friendly lyric: “Lookin’ for real friends (real friends) / How many of us? How many of us are real friends?”
Cults – ‘Always Forever’
Maybe Pandora is to blame but not enough people wear lockets these days. The fact that, well, cult duo Cults want to keep their closest literally in their jewellery heart, then, is a spirit we can get behind.
Most friendly lyric: “You and me always forever / Say you’ll stay never be separate”
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