Highlighting musical floral contributions from Miley Cyrus, The Foundations, and others.
Flowers
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If spring rains usher in floral blooms, then this is the ideal moment to revamp your playlists with a mix of songs celebrating nature’s most beautiful blossoms.
Fortunately, flowers have inspired a multitude of songs across the years. It’s easy to understand why; from luscious roses to cheery buttercups and daisies, each blossom is a stunning piece of artistry that often carries a delightful fragrance, their aesthetic charm transforming gently into musical lyricism when mentioned in songs. Particularly in love ballads, flowers make frequent appearances, as nothing encapsulates romance quite like a flower does.
Yet beyond their beauty and aroma, flowers carry profound symbolism. They generally signify life, love, fresh starts, rebirth, and sometimes even death. We present bouquets to applaud our friends’ achievements, offer them on Valentine’s Day and anniversaries to express love, and whether at celebrations or solemn gatherings, we surround ourselves with floral arrangements to honor both joyful and sorrowful occasions. Since ancient times, flowers have infused our lives with meaning, providing songwriters with endless opportunities for metaphor and creativity when weaving them into musical compositions.
To celebrate one of May’s finest aspects and spring in general, Billboard has compiled a list of the finest songs ever crafted about flowers, spanning contemporary pop hits to enduring classics and beyond. Let your music collection flourish by exploring our selections, presented in no specific order, below.
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Katy Perry, “Daisies”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Titled after Katy Perry’s daughter, Daisy, this Smile anthem has the pop star reclaiming her strength and vowing to remain true to herself until she’s “pushing up daisies.” “They tell me that I’m crazy, but I’ll never let ’em change me,” Perry declares, who five years later would carry an actual daisy on her all-female Blue Origin flight to outer space.
Listen above.
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Ariana Grande, “Dandelion”
A bonus track from the deluxe edition of her Eternal Sunshine album, “Dandelion” sees Grande inviting a partner to allow her to fulfill all their wishes, similar to the tradition of blowing away dandelion seeds. Yet she also cautions with this expression: “Boy, just don’t blow this.”
Listen here.
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Post Malone feat. Swae Lee, “Sunflower”
Post Malone and Swae Lee’s collaboration from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sounds as bright and cheerful as its title suggests, yet the love depicted in the lyrics is a tad darker and more intricate than its surface would imply. “Then you’re left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya,” they sing. “You’re the sunflower, I think your love would be too much.”
Listen here.
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Billie Eilish, “Wildflower”
Billie Eilish has mentioned that “Wildflower” stands out as one of her favorites on her third album Hit Me Hard and Soft (it’s also a favorite of Billboard), and there’s a valid reason. While she never explicitly states the song’s title in her lyrics, it’s clear what she means, as she describes her boyfriend’s ex as “happy and free” — reminiscent of wildflowers thriving untouched. (Interestingly, Devon Lee Carlson, who previously dated Eilish’s ex Jesse Rutherford from The Neighbourhood, manages a phone accessory brand called Wildflower Cases).
Listen here.
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Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Edelweiss”
Both haunting and tender, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved lullaby “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music honors one of Austria’s most recognizable emblems. Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow forever.
Listen here.
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Seal, “Kiss From a Rose”
Oh, to be likened to a kiss from a rose, a sentiment Seal expresses towards his love on this single from his self-titled second album. Dominating the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995, “Kiss From a Rose” continues to stand as the English artist’s most iconic song.
Listen here.
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Hayley Williams, “Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris”
“Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris” is one of the many tracks from the album Petals for Armor where Hayley Williams comes into her own. In this genre-blending anthem, the Paramore lead singer dismisses the comparison of herself to other women, highlighting that unique flowers, despite their differences, are equally beautiful.
Listen here.
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The Foundations, “Build Me Up Buttercup”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Just like the perennial buttercup flower, “Build Me Up Buttercup” is ageless — a timeless classic that continues to resonate as it ages. The Foundations recorded and published the song in 1969 for their album of the same name, flourishing at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the group’s highest achievement on the chart.
Listen above.
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The Lumineers, “Flowers in Your Hair”
In this introductory track from The Lumineers’ self-titled 2012 album, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites invoke the imagery of a girl adorned with flowers in her hair to signify the nostalgic echoes of childhood innocence.
Listen here.
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Harry Styles, “Sunflower, Vol. 6”
Sunflowers are some of the friendliest and most inviting flowers, yet they only thrive for a limited time. On his album Fine Line deep cut of the same name, Harry Styles appears to reminisce about a relationship that was equally brief yet sweet, crooning, “Sunflowers just died/ Keep it sweet in your memory.”
Listen here.
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Tom Petty, “Wildflowers”
Dedicated to a love that defies convention — or possibly to himself — Tom Petty urges the focus of this signature song to embrace freedom like the wildflowers that flourish in forests, meadows, and wetlands, unfettered by societal norms.
Listen here.
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The White Stripes, “Blue Orchid”
Both the lyrics and eerie music video of “Blue Orchid” invite various interpretations, featuring recurring themes of color and transformation. “You took a white orchid, turned it blue,” Jack White sings in a falsetto over Meg White’s thundering drums on this track, which peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 — one of the duo’s top three hits on the chart.
Listen here.
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The Grateful Dead, “Sugar Magnolia”
Head’s all empty, and I don’t mind! One of The Grateful Dead’s most famous songs, “Sugar Magnolia” transports listeners to a “sunshine daydream” filled with blooming flowers and roses, painting a whimsical landscape created by a charming love interest who leaves nothing but joy in her path.
Listen here.
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Outkast, “Roses”
The Caroline in this tune is anything but charming, as Outkast’s André 3000 and Big Boi remind a pretentious girl throughout this 2004 hit that, like everyone else, she isn’t exempt from reality (“I know you like to think your s–t don’t stank, but lean a little bit closer …”)
Listen here.
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Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Of course, you anticipated this song’s inclusion. Miley Cyrus’ Grammy-awarded anthem from her 2023 album Endless Summer Vacation held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks, becoming a popular anthem for those who have embraced the essence of self-love — such as treating oneself to flowers, as suggested in the song’s catchy refrain — after ending a relationship.
Listen above.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
