Radio 2's Most Played Love Songs - the Top 40

1. Robbie Williams - Angels

Frequently considered the song that rescued his solo career and made Robbie the household name artist he is today, Angels is a towering, incredible ballad. Written at a low point, the song was reportedly written in just 20 minutes with Robbie's longtime songwriting collaborator Guy Chambers. One of the most recognised (and sung) love songs in the world and Robbie's second entry in our top 40, it's no wonder this tops our Most Played Classic Love Songs of the 21st Century.

2. Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer

Aretha Franklin began her singing career in gospel, performing in her father's church. I Say A Little Prayer's romance is very much couched in faith, bringing gospel aesthetic and religious imagery to the love song to create this classic track.

3. Bill Withers - Lovely Day

One of the most wonderfully upbeat tracks in the world, Lovely Day is an enduring anthem to the best of life and love. Bill holds an amazing 18-second long note towards the end of the song - still the longest of any Official Charts top ten song!

4. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl

One of only two artists with more than one appearance in the countdown, Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl is a certified classic. However, like Al Green the man himself refused to think so for some time - he didn't use to play it live, saying he had '300 better songs.'

5. Al Green - Let's Stay Together

From 1971, this incredible classic was, unbelievably, something Al Green had to be convinced to release as a single. He wasn't confident in his own falsetto vocals and had to be persuaded by co-writer and producer Willie Marshall.

6. Eurythmics - There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)

Eurythmics first and only Official Charts number one, There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) is an incredible song in its own right. An interesting bit of musical trivia, though is that the harmonica solo is by none other than Stevie Wonder.

7. Spandau Ballet - True

A New Romantic classic, Spandau Ballet singer Gary Kemp was inspired to write True by unrequited love, taking swoony lyrical inspiration from 60s soul.

8. Oasis - Wonderwall

The anthemic Wonderwall was kept off the top spot by Robson and Jerome's I Believe in 1995 but has remained an enormous, lighters-in-the-air, singalong classic in every stadium, pub and car stereo for the last 22 years. Grab your parka and get air guitar-ing...

9. Joan Armatrading - Love & Affection

Joan's first charting single, Love & Affection became an instant classic. A ballad with some bite, it also features the vocals of Clarke Peters, who went on to play Lester Freamon in US TV series The Wire.

10. Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man

Turned down by Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield recorded this classic in 1968. Alesha Dixon says "Son Of A Preacher Man to me is just a classic record that is never going to grow old, that I can imagine my children and my children’s children appraising this song, it’s just genius."

11. Billy Joel - Uptown Girl

This classic tale of boy meets girl, boy realises potentially insurmountable societal class differences between himself and girl, uses dragonslaying and/or a jukebox to overcome this has been told and told again. Rarely as irresistibly, charmingly foot-tapping as Billy Joel's take, however.

12. Leann Rimes - Can't Fight The Moonlight

From wild-at-heart movie Coyote Ugly, Can't Fight The Moonlight was a rockier departure from Leann's early work. Una Healy, formerly of the Saturdays says "It’s a more edgy love song - at the time I was with a boyfriend that I really loved and I just remember that feeling"

13. Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Inspired by Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury claimed he wrote this song while having a bubble bath and then scribbled down the lyrics while still wearing a towel.

14. Roxy Music - Love Is The Drug

Heady, steamy and raw - Love Is The Drug was one of the most successful songs of the 70s and still sounds current. Intoxicating and co-dependent, it's less about romance and more about immediacy - reportedly, Bryan Ferry's vocal was recorded in just one, frantic take.

15. The Emotions - Best Of My Love

Written by Al McKay and Maurice White from Earth, Wind and Fire this is an instantly recognisable disco-soul classic that can't fail to fill a dancefloor. It spent five weeks at the top of the US charts in 1977 and is one of the band's biggest hits, sampled by Mariah Carey and Cheryl Lynn.

16. Bryan Adams - Run To You

Bryan Adams is truly no stranger to a love song - his massive hit Everything I Do (I Do It For You) is still the UK's longest-running official charts number one. It's this rockier track that makes our chart, though, roaring in with a passion.

17. Simply Red - Stars

Released in 1991, the band's management persuaded DJs to play this track by naming distant stars after them. In 2017, we're still happy to fall straight into this song's arms!

18. Roy Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman

It might be irrevocably associated with the Richard Gere and Julia Roberts film of the same name but when it was originally released (only two weeks after it was written!) this got to number one in a gigantic 22 countries simultaneous.

19. The Supremes - Baby Love

A Motown classic, Baby Love is an instantly-recognisable invocation of pure, unadulterated crush. The Supremes were the first girl group ever to reach the UK top spot and this remains one of their biggest hits.

20. Michael Buble - Haven't Met You Yet

The Canadian who brought crooning to the 21st Century wrote this deeply romantic track for his then-girlfriend; it must have worked, as she went on to become his wife!

21. The Real Thing - You To Me Are Everything

The Real Thing were the most successful black British group of the 70s - and the first Liverpudlian act to top the charts since the Beatles. Spice Girl Geri Horner says; "Everybody who remembers the 80s, had their moves and their braces, this was one of those love songs that you had your first kiss to."

22. Elton John - Your Song

Written by a then-17-year-old Bernie Taupin, Elton's long-term writing collaborator, Your Song is the perfect combination of evocative shyness and true, youthful love. We certainly don't mind if you want to sing it to us...

23. Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth

Written by the legendary Diane Warren, this was Belinda's breakout solo hit after success in The Go-Gos. A combination of classic, almost gothic, late 80s drama and Belinda's irresistable vocal this is beloved of karaoke fans, dancefloors and anyone with a hairbrush to hand.

24. The Shirelles - Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

Written by Gerry Goffin and the legendary Carole King, Will You Still Love Me was The Shirelles breakout hit after forming at school. The tenderness of the track, infused with a wise naiivete, has kept this track moving us for decades.

25. Climie Fisher - Love Changes (Everything)

The bands biggest UK hit, Love Changes (Everything) reached number 2 on the official chart and won an Ivor Novello for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. An electronic-infused power ballad, it embodies the romance of 80s pop.

26. Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares For Me

Recorded in 1958 for her debut album, Little Girl Blue, this song didn't hit the UK until 1987 when it was used in a perfume commercial and became one of Simone's biggest hits, peaking at 5 on the official chart.

27. Ben E King - Stand By Me

Estimated to be the sixth highest-earning song of all time, Ben E King's Stand By Me is an evergreen classic. Inspired by Sam Cooke's powerful gospel version, Ben E King says the song just flowed out of him.

28. James Blunt - You're Beautiful

Inspired by seeing a woman on the London Underground, You're Beautiful is a song as successful as it seems to be divisive. The haters don't bother James, though, whose album Back To Bedlam went on to sell 11 million copies from the song's success.

29. Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love?

Written and recorded for the movie Saturday Night Fever, How Deep Is Your Love was never meant to be a Bee Gees song. However, when Robert Stigman heard it he insisted that no one other than the brothers should record it and their iconic version was cut.

30. Take That - Back For Good

Whatever he said, whatever he did, he didn't mean it and we're very happy to have Take That Back For Good. Written by and with lead vocals from Gary Barlow, this is one of the band's biggest hits and was their 6th UK number one.

31. Love Affair - Everlasting Love

Unbelievably, singer Steve Ellis was just sixteen years old when he recorded this - a record with true romantic longevity.

32. Robbie Williams - She's The One

A rare Robbie hit that he didn't write himself - this was penned by Karl Wallinger for his own band, World Party. Robbie's version annoyed the original writer for a long time, as he apparently sings the words wrong but we think everything's right with this gorgeous ballad.

33. Enrique Iglesias - Hero

A truly romantic ballad, Hero has sold over 8 million copies since it was released in 2001. The emotional heart of the song has given it near universal appeal - even the normally-quiet drummer from McFly, Harry Judd, performed it on tour.

34. Jackie Wilson - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher

Inspiring Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley, Jackie Wilson was a soul legend whose incredible vocal for this Motown classic was recorded in just one take.

35. The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Originally recorded as an acoustic ballad years previously, this song's heart remains in the tenderness of its lyrics.

36. The Ramones - Baby, I Love You

A cover of the Ronettes, produced by Phil Spector this classic love song actually features only one member of the legendary punk quartet - Joey Ramone lends his distinctive vocal.

37. Van Morrison - Have I Told You Lately That I Love You

Originally written as a prayer, Have I Told You Lately is a wedding classic.

38. The Bellamy Brothers - Let Your Love Flow

Composed by Neil Diamond's roadie, this hit was made famous by the Bellamy Brothers' country styling.

39. Adele - Someone Like You

The first single to sell a million copies in the 2010s, Someone Like You is a towering ballad composed about Adele's relationship breaking down.

40. The Temptations - My Girl

The 1964 classic was written by Smokey Robinson for The Miracles but he gave it to The Temptations after realising it was perfect for lead singer David Rufflin's voice.

Radio 2 Love Songs: The Playlist