If you have always liked songs about pictures and want to find new ones to add to your playlist, read this article. I have compiled a list of 15 trendy and legendary songs about pictures, photographers, and the power of a camera to capture important moments of a person’s life.
In case you are looking for a list of the songs, it’s a perfect place to start. I have briefly reviewed the 15 top songs about photos that will appeal to anyone interested in photography. You can also find these and other songs on Spotify playlists.
Number of views on YouTube: 4.5 million
By creating “Photograph,” Jaden managed to capture the hearts of his audience. It became an integral part of his 17-track album that brought him international acclaim. The song is based on real-life events that happened to the singer when he was 17 years old. Now, he considers what he had gone through as an “emotional nightmare” even though his memories are rather bitter-sweet.
The singer produced a song that accurately describes the feelings that he experienced in the Bahamas. While he considers this beautiful place to be paradise on earth, he is far from being relaxed and at peace as he is alone and can’t live through these moments with the person he still loves. He feels as if he woke up in paradise and saw that nobody was around.
Number of views on YouTube: 1 million
“Polaroid” is a nostalgic song written by a country music performer from Australia Keith Urban as well as busbee, and Greg Wells. The narrator remembers fondly the fleeting moments and first encounters between strangers during a party that grow into something deeper and more meaningful. The song was presented on February 24, 2017. It became a part of the 9th studio album “Ripcord” released by the singer. When listening to this mid-tempo track, listeners find themselves thinking about past moments that were captured in old photos and since then lost their colors and became bleak.
“Polaroid” is a mid-tempo song about photos. The narrator is looking at an old photograph of himself and his former lover. He remembers their happy memories together and how they have since faded away. The song took the fourth position on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and reached the 42nd position on the Hot 100 chart. It was also popular in Canada where it reached the 8th position on the country chart and became 67th on the Hot 100 chart.
Number of views on YouTube: 177 thousand
When writing this song, Paisley criticized the idea that we should document our life, including the moments we should be ashamed of. He mused about the strangeness of taking selfies and warned those who think that they will be able to hide anything from other Internet users.
Since Parsley doesn’t preach and avoids moralizing, the song has a humorous feel. However, one can’t shake the feeling that it sounds like a serious warning not to post too many pictures online as they will stay there forever.
Number of views on YouTube: 604 million
“Selfie” is a hugely popular song released by The Chainsmokers on January 28, 2014. Being one of the most famous songs about photography, it has an electronic sound that became a signature style of this American group. The song is dedicated to the strangeness of the idea of taking selfies all the time. It’s concerned with the way a selfie culture transforms the world we live in and our communication with other people. The song is about a woman who takes selfies all the time and gradually starts feeling that her life is not real.
While the song has rather basic lyrics and a simple idea, it got many views due to its catchy melody and a unique way of criticizing the obsession with selfies. Some critics were not impressed with the song, but it took the 16th position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and twice became platinum in the U.S.
Number of views on YouTube: 1.2 billion
This beautiful ballad was released in 2014 and quickly won the hearts of millions of listeners all across the globe. Ed Sheeran admitted that it was written after his relationship with Nina Nesbitt. While their long-distance relationship lasted only one year, he still has fond memories of it.
Ed Sheeran muses about the difficulties of maintaining relationships when people are separated by a long distance. He believes that photos could make the separation bearable as they remind us about our loved ones. People use photos for emotional support and see them as a promise of a future reunion even if they know that they will never meet a person in a photo in this life. It’s one of the best songs about pictures and memories on this list.
Number of views on YouTube: 4.9 million
Grouplove is a U.S.-based rock band that was created in 2009. Their first album was presented to the public 2 years later. It was called Never Trust a Happy Song and its tracks fully confirmed the title. The group created songs in the alternative rock genre. “Itchin’ on a Photograph” was the 3rd single of the album. It became 43nd on Triple J’s Hottest 100. In addition, it got into the top 10 Billboard’s Alternative Songs and in top-30 on Hot Rock Songs.
The song is full of reminiscence about the past. The narrator is looking into the emotional state of a person that remembers the moments long gone. The story is centered around the theme of memories and what they hold. Photos might cause sadness and melancholia as well as become an inspiration and make us feel less alone.
Number of views on YouTube: 296 million
Many stars have difficult relationships with the paparazzi and try to avoid them at all costs. However, there are plenty of famous photographers who take funny and embarrassing pictures for tabloids and online platforms. In some cases, their services are quite welcomed, though. They often get hired by well-established agencies that provide them with tips on how to find celebrities.
This song was released in 2009. It perfectly captures the spirit of an ambiguous relationship between stars and paparazzi. The story is dedicated to the obsession of a photographer with the star and describes how he traces her steps wherever she goes.
Number of views on YouTube: 113 million
“Picture to Burn” is a world-known song performed by Taylor Swift that was written by Swift and Liz Rose. Its producer was Nathan Chapman. This hit was presented to the public on May 15, 2008. It was released under the Big Machine Records label and became a part of the album named Taylor Swift.
The song was based on a love story. Swift wrote about her feelings and tried to describe her regrets. While the song is mostly written in the country-rock style, it has some elements of arena rock. The narrator tells that she is burning photos of a person she loved.
Number of views on YouTube: 65 million
While Nickelback was heavily criticized for its approach to rock music, I still find this song highly likable. It was presented on August 8, 2005, and became the first single of the album “All the Right Reasons.” The song was in the Top-10 in some European countries, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S.
What makes it similar to other songs about photos, is that it is based on real-life events. As Chad Kroeger commented on it, when creating it, he tried to recreate the sense of nostalgia he experiences every time he thinks about his childhood in a small town. He remembers his childhood friends he no longer talks to and the places where he used to spend his free time. Every person has such cherished memories, which makes this song so relatable.
Number of views on YouTube: 81 million
"Pictures of You" was aired on 19 March 1990. This song was performed by a U.K.-based band the Cure and got released on 19 March 1990. It became a logical conclusion of the 8th studio album of the band called Disintegration. The song also has a shorter version.
Robert Smith told journalists that it was based on real-life events. After a huge fire at his house, he was looking through the things that survived and found a wallet with photos of his beloved wife Marie. One of them became the cover of this song called "Charlotte Sometimes."
Number of views on YouTube: 50 million
“Heaven” is a slow and emotional ballad that was aired in 1990 and quickly became quite successful all across the globe. It took the second position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The narrator can’t take his eyes from the photo of his lover. He fondly ruminates about the moments of pure bliss between them.
The song will appeal to those who don’t know how to keep living without their beloved ones. The narrator wants to meet his lover in the other world again. While the topic is quite sad, the song gives hope to those who can’t cope with the loss of their soulmates. The popularity of this song made the group famous. Thanks to it, Warrant became one of the most popular bands at the beginning of the 1990s.
Number of views on YouTube: 3.9 million
This track was created by Van Halen and Michael McDonald, the singer for Doobie Brothers. The latter was invited to help by Templeman when David Lee Roth faced some difficulties when trying to find the right tune and lyrics.
The song was a reaction to a popular printed ad where a female model was seen wearing men’s Calvin Klein underwear. Roth decided to write a song for a model. The single has an unusual cover. A band decided to pose in the same location where a photo for the “Hot for Teacher” song was taken.
Number of views on YouTube: 12 million
This song was released in 1982. In it, Mike Score remembers the date he had with one female fan during the band’s tour across the U.S. He wanted to snap a photo of her, but she refused to give her permission as she was afraid that he would still forget her. They weren’t destined to meet again, but the singer has written a song about their encounter.
What makes it different from songs about taking pictures is that it is all about eternal longing. The narrator wishes he had a photo of the woman he loves and knows that he will never meet her again. In case you want to record your own song about photos, I advise you to use a dedicated lyrics video maker app that will help you record a clip and engage your audience on social networks.
Number of views on YouTube: 280 thousand
"Turning Japanese" is the most popular song of the band Vapors based in the U.K. It was a part of the “New Clear Days” album released in 1980. What makes it stand out among other songs about pictures is that it contains an Oriental riff performed on guitar. David Fenton who created the song told journalists that he wanted to turn cliches into something different.
While the musicians expected that this song would become widely popular, however, it was popular mostly among their dedicated fans. In Australia, it took the first position on the charts in June 1980. Besides, it enjoyed some popularity in Japan.
Number of views on YouTube: 4.2 million
“Kodachrome” is a beautiful song from the There Goes Rhymin’ Simon album. It refers to the 35mm film format that was popular among photographers in the thirties. Paul Simon sings about the unique properties of this film created by Eastman Kodak and emphasized that it was created to capture the beauty of the world around us.
Initially, the song had a line that stated that everything becomes worse in black in white. However, later on, the singer changed the lyrics and started singing that “Everything looks better in black and white.” When commenting on this in 1997, he told that he wasn’t sure why he had written the original line, but he decided to change it because he felt like this.
