The 10 Best John Legend Songs of All-Time
John Legend is a Grammy Award-winning American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, philanthropist, author, and activist. He was born on December 28, 1978, in Atlanta, Georgia, to a talented musical family. Both John’s parents are musicians, with his father being an American jazz pianist named Curtis Jackson. On the other hand, his mother was a singer-songwriter in a popular group known as “The Chi-Lites.” John Legend began his musical career at the age of 18 in 1996 when he started playing the piano and singing professionally. However, it wasn’t until 2002, when he got signed by LaFace Records where he would release his debut album titled Get Lifted in 2005. Amazingly, the album went platinum within just three weeks of its release. Since then, he has become one of the most successful artists, with over 30 million records sold worldwide so far. His second studio album became one of the most successful R&B albums ever, with sales exceeding 3 million copies. It won him three Grammys, one being Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “All Of Me.” In 2008 he collaborated with Wendy of the red velvet on the soundtrack to Dreamgirls, which earned him another Grammy nomination. Just like his name, John is a legendary figure who’s always been there for others. Here are 10 of the best John Legend Songs of All Time:
10. You & I (Nobody in the World)
This song was released as the lead single from John’s third studio album, “Love in the Future.” This song features vocals by Alicia Keys, and its lyrics talk about how they can be together forever even though their love may not seem perfect at times. Released in 2004, “You & I” saw John Legend’s music career take off into high gear.
9. Used to Love U
“Used to Love U John Legend’s fourth studio album, “Once Again,” talks about how much he misses someone he used to care about but now doesn’t anymore. Released in 2007, the song peaked at position 2 on Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Used to Love U” lyrics are a mixture of pain and longing. The chorus is fantastic and makes you want to sing along to its catchy melody.
8. Stereo
Released in 2007, this song is contained in the second album, “Once Again,” and tells us how we should never give up on our dreams because nothing worth having comes easy. In addition, the song narrates about the family of John Legend and how they spent the whole day together while listening to some good old tunes.
7. Tonight (Best You’ve Ever Had)
One of the tracks included in the album titled “Back To Black” is about how no matter what happens between the character couple, they will still have each other tonight. The song also contains a sample of Nina Simone singing her classic hit “Feeling Good.” John got the inspiration to write the song from the 2012 movie “Think Like a Man.”
6. Everybody Knows
“Everybody knows” is a song that John Legend collaborated with rapper Common and is featured in the 2006 film “Dream Girls.” The song talks about how everybody knows your secrets, and nobody cares if you’re happy or sad. The song is contained in his album “Evolver” and reached number 1 on Billboard 200 charts.
5. All of Me
Our number five song by John Legend brings us to one of his greatest hits, “All of Me.” John had his wife in mind when writing this song since she helped inspire many of his works. The song is about how he wants to show everyone just how special she is. Fans highly praised the song, and it peaked number 3 on the US Billboard Adult R&B Songs Chart. It has become one of the most popular romantic ballads ever written. “All of Me” is contained in his fourth album, “Love in the Future.”
4. Glory
Our next song is “Glory,” featuring Kelly Clarkson. The song is taken from the singer’s fifth studio album, “Darkness And Light,” released in 2016. The song is a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr ., who preached against violence throughout his life. He wanted people to see things differently so that there would be peace for all races. The song earned awards in the Grammy Awards 2017, including Best Pop Vocal male Performance.
3. Green Light
This song is the first single off of John Legend’s album “Evolver. This song is about being true to yourself even though others may not understand you. The song “Green Light” featured Outkast Andre and was certified Platinum by the RIA of America in 2010. The song has sold over two million copies since its release.
2. So High
“So High” is the second track from John Legend’s third studio album, “Get Lifted.” The song talks about the beauty of love and the fact that sometimes you need someone else to help you realize it. John Legend got the inspiration to write the song after meeting his girlfriend at the age of 19. They were both high school students back then but now are married.
1. Ordinary People
Finally, we come to our top pick! Our favorite song by John Legend is “Ordinarily People.” The song is about how every day should be well utilized because any day can be extraordinary. The single is contained in his album “Get Lifted,” which was released in 2008. This song was a tremendous game-changer in the career of John Legend. In 2009, the song won him a Grammy Award for the Best Recorded Song of the year.