Songs About Best Friends: Melodies, Memories, and Mild Regret
Let’s get one thing straight: without songs about best friends, every karaoke night would devolve into a sea of power ballads about heartbreak, a dangerously high ratio of sad dancing, and someone crying over a lost childhood hamster. Thankfully, musicians across genres have come to our rescue, crafting anthems that remind us both of how exhilarating and downright ridiculous friendship can be. If you need proof, just look at recent classics, quirky new hits, and the occasional tear-jerker. Let’s dive into the world of best friend songs, armed with a smile (and a box of tissues, just in case).
Taylor Swift: The Queen of Best-Friend Bops and Heartfelt Honesty
What would a discussion about friendship songs be without Taylor Swift? This is a woman who built her empire on emotional storytelling, fearlessly chronicling everything from bad breakups to high school shenanigans. Recently, Swift’s “Ruin the Friendship” from her chart-topping album “The Life of a Showgirl” sent her fanbase into a frenzy of speculation. According to Tennessee mother Susan Lang, the song is about none other than her late son Jeffrey Lang, Swift’s high school confidant. The lyrics, wreathed with nostalgic regret—”Should’ve kissed you anyway” and “Goodbye, and we’ll never know why”—suggest not just a missed romantic opportunity but the kind of intimate friendship that’s hard to find these days.
Swift’s relationship with Jeffrey is the stuff of teenage legend. Hanging out, jokes flying, impromptu concerts—the pure blueprint of best-friend greatness. When tragedy struck and Jeffrey passed away unexpectedly, Swift didn’t just mourn quietly; she sang at his funeral and publicly acknowledged his inspiration for her music. In “Ruin the Friendship,” and allegedly in tracks like “Forever Winter” and “Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” Swift explores how hesitation, anxiety, and grief can complicate true friendship. The real punchline? Sometimes we’re too scared to act on our feelings because we don’t want to jeopardize that precious connection. If that isn’t the soundtrack to high school—and frankly, adult friendship—I don’t know what is.
But Taylor isn’t just pulling heartstrings; she’s giving us a call to action. Swift told Amazon Music that the song is about “moments you were too scared or anxious to do something … you might ruin the friendship.” If you ever end up serenading your bestie at 2am, blame Taylor. She made us do it.
Matchbox Twenty: Friends, Marathons, and Pizza (Not Always in That Order)
If Taylor Swift represents the teary-eyed side of friendship, Matchbox Twenty’s “Friends” is the anthem for those who want to dance—well, at least run a marathon—alongside their crew. Taken from their rambunctious comeback album “Where the Light Goes,” “Friends” is pure joy distilled into a punchy, melodic rock romp. The song’s repeated refrain—”All my friends are here”—serves as the runner’s mantra, transforming the grueling slog of 26.2 miles into a celebration of camaraderie. It’s not just about finishing a race; it’s about feeling the support of your buddies, whether they’re handing out water, sending encouraging texts, or waiting at the finish line with the enthusiasm of caffeinated cheerleaders.
The writer behind “My Life in 35 Songs” credits “Friends” with powering through their best marathon ever. That finish line wasn’t just a physical threshold; it was a symbol of a lifetime’s worth of friendship—old pals, new ones, and maybe even those yet to be met. “When I look back over my life, the times that I was the happiest were the ones where I felt like I had a really strong, tight-knit friend group around me,” the author confides. If you’re wondering whether friendship can literally make you faster, the answer is apparently yes—especially with the right soundtrack. And what happens after the race? Bonfires, entire pizzas consumed without guilt, and the kind of belly laughs that echo long after the music stops.
Sombr: From Tour Life to Friendship, With a Piano Solo in the Middle
Not to be outdone by giants like Swift and Matchbox Twenty, rising star Sombr recently showed the world that friendship can also fuel fresh hits. The Grammy-nominated New York City songwriter made a splash on Saturday Night Live with “Back to Friends,” a track praised by Rolling Stone for capturing “the melodrama of teenage love” and that special moment when you realize you’ve outgrown drama and actually just want your old pals back. Performing with unmistakable charm, Sombr managed to win over not only the audience but seemingly every music critic with a pulse and a keyboard.
Sombr summed it up best when he told MTV, “Being able to meet all these people, go to all these countries, and see all these new faces and beautiful people who connect with my music—it’s all I ever wanted to do in my life, so it’s the best thing ever.” It sounds like the only thing better than performing to sold-out venues is having lifelong friends every step of the way—and maybe, writing a hit song about them while you’re at it.
The Universal Language: Why Friendship Songs Matter (and Why We Keep Playing Them)
Best friend songs aren’t just catchy—they’re crucial. They remind us that connection is both beautiful and precarious, that we should risk singing out loud even if we can’t carry a tune, and that sometimes, we need permission to be ridiculous. Each new entry changes the game a little. Taylor Swift gives us permission to regret what never was, signaling that lost opportunities can become immortal in art. Matchbox Twenty reminds us that friendship makes endurance just a little sweeter—and pizza endlessly justified. Sombr keeps it real, telling us that growing up doesn’t mean growing apart.
So, next time “Friends” comes on during your playlist, don’t just hit skip. Take a moment to text your bestie, even if it’s just a meme or an out-of-context quote from your favorite sitcom. And if Taylor Swift’s lyrics echo a missed kiss or a lost moment, remember: you’re not alone, and every friendship—whether ruined, rekindled, or simply rocked out to—is worth a song.
If these songs teach us anything, it’s that friendship is fleeting, frazzled, and at times hilariously tragic. But it’s also worth celebrating—in marathon finish lines, at SNL tapings, and every awkward high school moment in between. In other words: ruin the friendship, write about it, sing it, run with it, and never stop playing the hits.
