1981 Lionel Richie and Diana Ross duet ‘Endless Love’ is the top love song of all time

The most enduring love song of all time was written by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross.

“Endless Love,” a 1981 ballad by the Motown icons, is ranked first on Billboard’s list of the Top 50 Hot 100 hits about love (or with it in its title).

Lionel Richie and Diana Ross team up to perform their hit "Endless Love" at a 1987 concert in Los Angeles.
Lionel Richie and Diana Ross team up to perform their hit “Endless Love” at a 1987 concert in Los Angeles. (George Rose/Getty Images)

The ranking was based on weeks at No. 1 and included songs from all eras of the chart’s history, with the oldest song being the Teddy Bears’ “To Know Him Is To Love Him” from 1958.

The most current song on the whole list is “Someone You Loved,” a 2019 success by Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi.

“Endless Love,” written by Richie, was used as the theme for Franco Zeffirelli’s 1981 romantic drama of the same name, starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt.

The song, which was released as a duet with Ross, lasted nine weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 list and received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for best original song.

It was Ross’ best-selling single of all time. The ballad was recorded solo by the Detroit-born diva and featured on her first RCA album, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.”

The following year, Richie recorded a solo version of the five-time Grammy Award-nominated song, which was eventually covered by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey, as well as country artist Kenny Rogers.

Richie recorded a country-styled rendition of the song with Shania Twain for his “Tuskegee” album in 2011.

Other notable entries include Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You” at No. 44, Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It” at No. 35, Beyoncé́ and Jay-Z’s “Crazy In Love” at No. 26, and Barbra Streisand’s “Woman in Love” at No. 15.

Billboard’s top 10 love songs of all time are below:

10. “Best of My Love” – The Emotions

9. “I Love Rock n’ Roll” – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

8. “Because I love You (The Postman Song)” – Stevie B.

7. “Let Me Love You” – Mario

6. “I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston

5. “Silly Love Songs” – Wings

4. “We Found Love” – Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris

3. “How Deep Is Your Love” – Bee Gees

2. “I’ll Make Love to You” – Boyz II Men

1. “Endless Love” – Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

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