The 40 Best Lana Del Rey Songs to Cry Your Eyes Out To

Mother… I’m brooding again.

Lana Del Rey has an infectious voice that hits the gays right where it hunties. Her sad, saccharine music is dripping with so much melodrama that if you have to ask if it’s serious or camp, the answer is simply, “Yes.”

It’s safe to say she has secured icon status. But even though Lana’s pouty Americana vibes can’t and shan’t be matched by any of the imitators, we can and shall compare her to her biggest competition: herself!

The 40 best Lana Del Rey songs!

Here are the best Lana Del Rey Songs ranked to make you want to bawl your little, twinky eyes out:

40. “White Mustang”

“White Mustang” plods along at a syrupy pace, which is often when our girl is at her best. It’s not necessarily groundbreaking work, but certainly one worthy of the list.

39. “Cinnamon Girl”

We’ve all thought about what we would say to a guy if things were different, and Lana delivers the outline. “Cinnamon Girl” is a beautiful “what if” that, while clearly expressing her personal feelings, feels oh-so-relatable.

38. “Let Me Love You Like A Woman”

“Let me love you like a woman / Let me hold you like a baby.” This is a tender, poetic side of Lana where she practically begs her lover to let her show her nurturing side.

37. “Hope Is A Dangerous Thing For A Woman Like Me To Have — But I Have It”

Another paired-down track from Del Rey, this is basically a full-on lament surrounding her depression and frustration with being a celebrity and a woman. It’s intense but still has a throughline of hope.

36. “Paris, Texas”

This beauty off Ocean Blvd has a much more despondent tone, focusing on moving forward, even if it’s hard.

35. “Happiness Is A Butterfly”

In “Happiness Is A Butterfly,” we hear Lana getting philosophical. She references an old quote: "Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you." Despite this hopeful message, the song feels like she’s still searching. Maybe waiting would be more accurate.

34. “Art Deco”

This song highlights how nightlife and clubbing can be a safe haven — a unique topic for Lana to tackle, but one she does with the beauty and grace you'd expect from a queen.

33. “Love Song”

A love song in the truest sense; it’s not just all chocolates and roses. Instead, it’s messy, heartbreaking, and somehow still desirable.

32. “Chemtrails Over The Country Club”

“Chemtrails” is a hypnotic nod to modern American life that still highlights her eccentricity amongst all the talk of normalcy. 

31. “13 Beaches”

Lana’s song about being followed by paparazzi has a much deeper meaning and spends most of its runtime on an introspective monologue about her inner peace.

30. “Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd”

More ballads featuring beautiful California imagery that work overtime as allegories for Lana’s personal life? Yes, please.

29. “Music To Watch Boys To”

How could it not be incredible with a title like this? Of course it is, but it’s also a reminder that as much as Lana can be formulaic, she channels some unique, hot-girl spookiness.

28. “High By The Beach”

“High By The Beach” is as much about getting stoned by the ocean as it is about letting go of the past — an elegant combination and a great way to kill an afternoon.

27. “Ride”

“Ride” is another impressive ballad where she harnesses raw emotion. Instead of hiding it behind flowery lines, she just comes right out and says it.

26. “Cola”

“My pussy tastes like Pepsi-Cola.” Truly iconic. Lyrics like this make Lana untouchable in our eyes.

25. “Salvatore”

We needed a song about falling in love with your ice cream man in a different land. Thanks, bestie.

24. “Cherry”

“Cherry” is a masterclass in Lana’s trademark moodiness. It’s a highlight of Lust for Life and one of her most enrapturing works, period.

23. “Honeymoon”

“Honeymoon” sees Del Rey expressing her somber siren side like an eerie, foggy, swamp chanteuse. The result is something exceptional that’s easily among Lana Del Rey’s most popular songs.

22. “Heroin”

Lana flat-out said this track is her favorite on Lust for Life. And we can see why; it’s one of the most heart-wrenching songs she’s ever written.

21. “Grandfather Please Stand On The Shoulders Of My Father While He’s Deep-Sea Fishing”

Yet another mouthful of a name. This one has a soulful, almost fairy-like vibe, featuring more of our girl pouring her heart out as we lap it all up.

20. “National Anthem”

“National Anthem” is about being in and dominating a love triangle. And to the victor go the spoils.

19. “Kintsugi”

Beautiful traditional melodies and her iconic vocal delivery at its finest — both shine through in this gem from Ocean Blvd.

18. “A&W”

Yet another in her soda-themed anthology, this seven-minute behemoth takes every listener on a psychedelic-folk journey. It’s Lana at her most unhinged. And frankly, these big swings pay off in dividends.

17. “Shades Of Cool”

“Shades Of Cool” almost feels like something you’d play during the rapture; it’s a serious thing of beauty that feels like a religious experience.

16. “Venice Bitch”

“Venice Bitch” is Del Rey coloring with absolutely every crayon she can get her hands on. It’s 10 minutes of curious but exciting musical choices that are easy to get into and impossible not to celebrate.

15. “Brooklyn Baby”

Another hit off the taste-making album Ultraviolence, this track is, by and large, a satirical take on hipster culture. “Brooklyn Baby” has a tongue-in-cheek energy that sets it apart from her other work.

14. “This Is What Makes Us Girls”

Although this track is known as one of her catchier singles, it also contains some of her best storytelling, instantly making it one of Lana Del Rey’s best songs.

13. “Fucked My Way Up To The Top”

A song from her discography that gets right to the point, this sarcastic quip off Ultraviolence is a musical side-eye to those who think she couldn’t succeed on her own.

12. “Pretty When You Cry”

Another Ultraviolence instant classic, but not many know that this Lana song is completely improvised. Its rawness isn’t just part of its charm — it’s the primary reason the song is so damn captivating.

11. “Young And Beautiful”

This one always makes us think of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Gatsby in a well-tailored suit. The mental image is nice, but the song’s ebb and flow from pretty to sad keeps us coming back for more.

10. “Ultraviolence”

Insanely sad, powerful, and raw, “Ultraviolence” doesn’t just get a spot on this list because it’s a stunning track; it also reveals Lana’s mystifying vulnerability in a gut-wrenchingly clear way.

9. “Fuck It I Love You”

This is easily one of the best tracks off Norman Fucking Rockwell! and one of Lana Del Rey's top songs. It’s an incredible example of how cathartic it is to use music to get something off your chest.

8. “Born To Die”

The title track from her second album and, consequently, the beginning of her ascension from queen to goddess. “Born To Die” is the perfect summation of her body of work and still represents her flawlessly.

7. “West Coast”

“West Coast” is yet another unconventional psychedelic bop. She plays a lot with structure here, creating an unsettling but fascinating sonic experience.

6. “The Greatest”

“The Greatest” might not be number one on this list, but it deserves its spot among the greatest. It’s pop culture popcorn for the eardrums, complete with — as always — breathtaking melodies and vocals.

5. “Summertime Sadness”

Who else could make sadness feel sexy, ethereal, engaging, and almost desirable? This hit is for all of the gays who want to feel their ennui to the fullest, even when the palms are swaying and the weather’s balmy.

4. “Blue Jeans”

Like a well-loved pair of Dungarees, “Blue Jeans” is vintage and timeless. It’s the ideal jam for expressing the beautiful agony of loving someone: sweet, desperate, and — of course — sexy.

3. “Video Games”

“Video Games” had to rank high on the best Lana Del Rey songs list because it remains one of the most effective at getting her point across. Like many other artists, Del Rey pairs everything down to get you to really listen to her. And it works.

2. “Mariners Apartment Complex”

Of all the songs on this list, this might be the most revealing of Lana’s truth. No feelings are safe when you listen to this gem, and it’s that uncomfortable vulnerability that makes Lana so intoxicating.

1. “Norman Fucking Rockwell”

Not her calling someone a man-child within the first few syllables. Is there anything more Mother? The entire song is iconic from start to finish and certainly deserves its place as the best of the best Lana Del Rey songs.

Long may she Lana Del reign

With such an impressive discography and no sign of slowing down, you better believe there’s a swathe of sultry, sensual lyrics that Mother will continue baby-birding into our gay maws for years to come. But in the meantime, you just can’t beat these 40 classics.

Well, maybe someone can: Lana herself. Go ahead, girl, give us everything.

Wanna find someone to make out with in a meadow while you listen to classic Lana tracks? You’ll probably find more than a few options on the Grindr! (No specific way to filter for dom top Lana stans, but you’ll find them.)

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