The best anniversary songs are about staying, not falling. Below are the songs couples come back to year after year: the classics about love that lasts, the country and R&B songs people actually play at anniversary dinners, and a few newer ones. At the end is what our own anniversary orders show.
Classics about love that lasts
Most love songs are about the beginning. These are about the part after, which is what an anniversary is for.
- When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge (1966). The plainest devotion song in soul music. Still works for year forty.
- Let's Stay Together by Al Green (1971). The title says it. An easy pick for any anniversary dinner.
- You're Still the One by Shania Twain (1997). Written about proving the doubters wrong. Couples with a long road love it.
- Grow Old with You by Adam Sandler (1998). Short, sweet and a little funny. Good for couples who do not take themselves too seriously.
- Through the Years by Kenny Rogers (1981). A look back over a whole marriage. A favorite for silver and golden anniversaries.
- Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (1981). The big duet. Best for couples who married in the eighties.
- Still the One by Orleans (1976). Upbeat and happy. Good for the party, not just the slow dance.
- Longer by Dan Fogelberg (1979). A gentle acoustic promise. Quiet enough for a dinner at home.
Country anniversary songs
Country is the second most-chosen genre for the anniversary songs we write, and these are the ones couples ask for by name.
- Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy Travis (1987). A promise to love someone even when they are old and gray. The country anniversary song.
- I Cross My Heart by George Strait (1992). A vow set to a slow two-step. Many couples danced to it at the wedding too.
- Then by Brad Paisley (2009). About loving someone more each year than the year before. Built for anniversaries.
- Remember When by Alan Jackson (2003). Walks through a whole marriage, the hard years included. Expect tears.
- Me and You by Kenny Chesney (1996). A simple love song with no drama. Easy to play at a small dinner.
- It's Your Love by Tim McGraw feat. Faith Hill (1997). Sung by a real married couple, which is half the appeal.
R&B and soul anniversary songs
R&B is the most-chosen genre for the anniversary songs we write. These are the ones that fill the room.
- Spend My Life with You by Eric Benét feat. Tamia (1999). A duet that asks the big question again. Good for vow renewals.
- Anniversary by Tony! Toni! Toné! (1993). The R&B song actually named for the day. A slow jam classic.
- Ribbon in the Sky by Stevie Wonder (1982). Stevie at his most tender. Plays well at any age.
- There Goes My Baby by Charlie Wilson (2009). Grown and smooth. Popular with couples married twenty years or more.
- Adorn by Miguel (2012). Modern R&B about wanting to make someone happy. For younger couples.
Modern anniversary songs
Newer songs for couples whose first dance was after 2005.
- Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat (2008). Two friends who became more. A sweet, light duet.
- I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz (2012). For couples who came through a hard year still together.
- Everything by Michael Bublé (2007). Happy and bright. A good song for the photo slideshow.
- Cover Me Up by Jason Isbell (2013). Written for his wife about being saved by her. Honest and heavy.
- Die with a Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars (2024). The newest song on the list. About choosing each other to the end.
What 500,000 custom songs tell us about anniversary songs
Anniversaries are one of the biggest reasons people come to us. Here is what our anniversary orders show, anonymized and rounded.
| Measure | What the orders show |
|---|---|
| How common | About one in every eight songs we write is for an anniversary |
| Who the song is for | Husband 54%, wife 33%, boyfriend 5%, girlfriend 3% |
| Most-chosen genre | R&B (40%), then country (35%), then acoustic and rock (5% each) |
| Voice | 48% choose a female voice, 34% male, 17% leave it to us |
| How often it gets played | Median of 12 plays per song after delivery, one more than the site-wide median of 11 |
The pattern is clear: more than half of anniversary songs are written by a wife for her husband. The songs that land best name the small things only the two of you know, like where you had your first date or the joke that never gets old.
None of these quite say it?
Have one writtenRelated reading
- How a custom anniversary song works
- 21 Anniversary Songs for Your Husband: Country, R&B and Classics
- 23 Anniversary Songs for Your Wife: Classic, Country and R&B
- Best Anniversary Gift for Your Wife That Will Actually Make Her Cry
Questions people ask
What is a good song for an anniversary?
A good anniversary song is about staying together, not just falling in love. Classics like Forever and Ever, Amen or Let's Stay Together work for almost any couple. If you want a song about your own story, ForeverSongs® writes one from your answers.
What song should we play at our 25th or 50th anniversary?
For big milestones, pick a song that looks back over the years, like Through the Years by Kenny Rogers or Remember When by Alan Jackson. Many couples also play the song from their first dance.
Can I get a song written about our marriage?
Yes. Tell us how you met, the hard years and the good ones, and ForeverSongs® writes and produces the song in under 24 hours.