13 Breathe Songs That Leave You Totally Breathless | Playlist 🎧

1. H.E.R., “I Can’t Breathe”

🎵 “I Can’t Breathe” • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2020

“I can’t breathe / You’re taking my life from me / I can’t breathe / Will anyone fight for me?” Multi-Grammy award winning R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 H.E.R. earned one of the biggest awards at the 🏆 63^rd Annual Grammys winning Song of the Year for 🎵 “I Can’t Breathe.” Written alongside 🎼✍ Dernst “Dmile” Emile II (who also produces) and 🎼✍ Tiara Thomas, “I Can’t Breathe” tackles a history of racist injustice in America, specifically reignited by the murder of George Floyd.

As the chorus lyrics suggest, “I Can’t Breathe” is a heavy record.  Set in a minor key, expectedly, H.E.R. desires for this record to be more reflective, somber, and thought provoking.  This isn’t a song you should listen to and not take something away from it. Always a great songwriter, this record is by far her most timely, given the troubling situations inspiring it. It’s truly special and deserving of recognition.

Also appears on 🔽:
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🔗 🎧 Breathe: 5ive Songs No. 37 (2021)
🔗 🎧 H.E.R. | 4GEMZ 💎

2. Jacques Strange, “Breathe”

🎵 “Breathe” • 🏷 Jack Strange • 📅 2021

Welsh pop musician 🎙 Jacques Strange comes bearing the gift of the bop – a surefire, must-hear pop record! Adding to the ever-expanding LGBTQ+ community 🏳️‍🌈 of musicians that are ‘doing the damn thing,’ Strange unleashes 🎵 “Breathe” in all its glory.  Safe to say, Jacques has ‘leveled up’ our listening rotation.  Furthermore, check out that cover art – the man is killing it!

The moment the music starts, the body begins moving – pick your choice of head, feet, or full-on dancing! The backdrop (produced by 🎛 Sevenths) is killer with picturesque synths and top-notch drum programming, particularly that synthetic snare. Beyond the instrumental, the star, Jacques, is giving certified excellence.  That excellence includes a cool, catchy, and infectious melody. He sings fantastically, delivering lower/mid-register vocals.  I heart falsetto, but honestly, it’s refreshing to hear some vocals with some ‘bass.’  Besides a fresh melody performed with fresh vocals, what about that personality Jacques serves up? It’s one thing to sing proficiently, but another to sell something with authenticity.  There’s nothing ‘strange’ about Strange – that boy can ‘sang’ and make us buy what he’s selling. “Breathe” is sure to leave you breathless!

3. Ariana Grande, “breathin”

💿 Sweetener • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2018

“Just keep breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’!” That’s right! The power of respiration! 💿 Sweetener marks one of 🏆 Grammy-winning pop superstar 🎙 Ariana Grande’s best albums (arguably second only to 💿 thank u, next). Interestingly, it was Sweetener that earned Grande her first Grammy win, while thank u, next infamously secured zero Grammys (thanks to 🎙 Billie Eilish, of course).  Among the songs gracing Sweetener is none other than single, 🎵 “Breathin.”  The record is produced by one of pop’s “it” producers, 🎛 Ilya, who produced one of the best songs on the album, 🎵 “God is a Woman”.

Like much of Sweetener, there’s lots to heart about “Breathin.”  It starts with the vocals – Ariana Grande is a ‘beast.’  The chorus, as to be expected, is the centerpiece, where Grande shows off her tremendous pipes the most.  Furthermore, Ilya crafts a smooth, groovy backdrop. “Breathin” ends up being pleasant, totally worthwhile pop music even if it doesn’t necessarily take top honors as the best of the best of Sweetener.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Breathe: 5ive Songs No. 37 (2021)

4. Maroon 5, “Harder to Breathe”

💿 Songs About Jane • 🏷 A&M / Octone • 📅 2002

“You want to stay but you know very well I want you gone / Not fit to fuckin’ tread the ground that I am walking on.” Ooh wee! Damn son! Could 🎙 Maroon 5 have delivered a better opening record on their 2002 debut album, 💿 Songs About Jane than 🎵 “Harder to Breathe”?

The answer to that question, my friends, is rhetorical. “Harder to Breathe” was a fantastic introduction to the future 🏆 Grammy-winning pop collective.  This brief cut rocks hard – well – in a most pop sensible sort of way. 🎙 Adam Levine at his best, long before being 💿 Overexposed or experiencing those 💿 Red Pill Blues, not to mention moving beyond the pop/rock sound that catapulted the band to success.  The chorus, of course, marks the best moment of the song, even if the f-bomb line also fulfills the ear.

“But when it gets cold outside, and you got nobody to love
You’ll understand what I mean when I say
‘There’s no way we’re gonna give up’ (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
And like a little girl cries in the face
Of a monster that lives in her dreams
Is there anyone out there?
‘Cause it’s getting harder and harder to breathe.”

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Breathe: 5ive Songs No. 37 (2021)

5. Playboi Carti, “Stop Breathing”

💿 Whole Lotta Red • 🏷 AWGE / Interscope • 📅 2020

In the gospel according to 🎙 Playboi Carti in the book of 💿 Whole Lotta Red: “I take my shirt off and all the hoes stop breathin’.” Phew, the rapper must be blessed with some sick pecs and washboard abs! I mean, if that’s what Carti is serving up, no wonder it’s a case of “Baby boy make me lose my breath”!

For as oddly as the Whole Lotta Red commences, listeners get a confident, enjoyable chorus out of the standout 🎵 “Stop Breathing.” Beyond the chorus, Carti is choked-full of energy on the verse – intense to the nth degree (“Ever since my brother died / I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout homicide/ … I got niggas in chain gang on my side”). Furthermore, we get banging production (🎛 F1thy, 🎛 Lukrative, and 🎛 ssort), with the hard-nosed beat leading the charge.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Breathe: 5ive Songs No. 37 (2021)

6. Tame Impala, “Breathe Deeper”

💿 The Slow Rush • 🏷 Island • 📅 2020

The groovy 🎵 “Breathe Deeper” marks another cut on 💿 The Slow Rush that extends beyond six minutes in duration.  Whoa Nelly – hold TF up! Backtracking a bit, and providing some context, The Slow Rush marked the first new 🎙 Tame Impala album in nearly five years (💿 Currents, 2015). The record may run long, but it’s quite a glorious listen. It can’t be overstated how great Tame Impala is with neo-psychedelia – it’s 🎙 Kevin Parker’s ‘thang.’

Yes, neo-psych is easily perceptible, but “Breathe Deeper” also manages to be quite soulful, with the ostinato keyboard passages and synths hearkening back to 70s funk, soul, and disco. Furthermore, it’s poppy too! The lyrics are simple, but potent, yielding a top-notch chorus, not to mention catchy verses too (“If you think I couldn’t hold my own, believe me, I can”).

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 13 Deep Songs Where the Depth is Real
🔗 🎧 Breathe: 5ive Songs No. 37 (2021)

7. Destiny’s Child, “Lose My Breath”

💿 Destiny Fulfilled • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2004

“Can you keep up? / Baby boy, make me lose my breath!” Yes, back in 2004, 🎙 Destiny’s Child were totally ‘breathless’ on 🎵 “Lose My Breath.” “Lose My Breath” marked a highlight from 💿 Destiny Fulfilled, the final studio album by the successful girl group.  On this opening bop, 🎙 Beyoncé, 🎙 Kelly Rowland, and 🎙 Michelle Williams give us ample energy.  It’s sexy without being overtly sexual, something that many acts of the past were able to pull off exceptionally.

Besides being sexy (“Grabbed you, grind you, liked you, tried you”), maybe the biggest takeaway is the fact the girls assert these men can’t handle them.  For example, on the second verse, Kelly sings, “You’re movin’ so slow like you just don’t have a clue / Didn’t mama teach you to give affection.” As for Michelle, she serves up some sweet innuendo on the bridge, which effectively suggests if he can’t provide ample pleasure, he’s not worth it. Ooh wee! Stitching up this aughts bop is 🎛 Rodney Jerkins.  Kudos!

8. Action Bronson, “Let Me Breathe”

💿 Blue Chips 7000 • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2017

“Just let me breathe for a minute / White Range Rover, blowin’ trees all in it.” So, if I read into the lyrics correctly, 🎙 Action Bronson has a kick ass ride and he’s smoking weed all over it? ‘You do you boo,’ as the saying goes! Anyways, the rapper keeps things brief on 🎵 “Let Me Breathe”,  the promo single from his 2017 album, 💿 Blue Chips 7000.

“I got two shows, I’m about to pitch another
Throwing alley oops to my brothers (Curry!)”

Action Bronson continues to show off his big personality and a savvy flow. There is little to no substance (“You got a fat ass, baby, shake that shit” or, later “Honey bouncin’ up and down / She nearly broke my dick”), but the flex-fest is undeniable. Lyrically and thematically it’s more cliché than groundbreaking.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 12 Let Me (or Don’t Let Me) Songs

9. Anna Nalick, “Breathe (2 AM)”

💿 Wreck of the Day • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2005

Back in the day, meaning, my collegiate days, 🎙 Anna Nalick had her moment.  That moment came on her 2005 album, 💿 Wreck of the Day. That’s where she scored a moderately successful hit with 🎵 “Breathe (2 AM).” “Breath (2 AM)” was found success thanks to being a thoughtful, well-crafted, pop/rock song.  Back in 2005, there was still a market for this type of record and Nalick saw “Breathe (2 AM)” peak at no. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.  As for Wreck of the Day, it launched at no. 20 on the Billboard 200.

Sadly, Nalick would become one of those ‘one hit wonders’ but hey, at least “Breathe” is compelling to the nth degree.  Nalick sings well and expressively, with the best attribute being the story told lyrically.  “2 AM and she calls me ‘cause I’m still awake / ‘Can you help me unravel my latest mistake? / I don’t love him, Winter just wasn’t my season’,” Anna sings on the first verse, commencing the record with some punch.  Besides the superb, expressive narrative that’s consistent throughout, the chorus is a major selling point:

“‘Cause you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable
And life’s like an hourglass glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl
So, cradle your head in your hands
And breathe, just breathe
Oh, breathe, just breathe.”

10. Backstreet Boys, “Breathe”

💿 DNA • 🏷 K-Bahn / RCA• 📅 2019

🎵 “Breathe” arrives as the third track on 💿 DNA, the eighth studio album by 🎙 Backstreet Boys (🎙 Brian Littrell, 🎙 Nick Carter, 🎙 Kevin Richardson, 🎙 Howie Dorough and 🎙 AJ McLean). A soulful intro sets the tone for “Breathe,” with doo-wop-styled vocals: “Ooh / Do-do-do-do-do.” The intro later reappears as the post- chorus, which is a very nice, sensible touch.  Notably, “Breathe” is a cappella, and the overall sounds is lush to the nth degree.  The richness is awe-inspiring, fueled by incredibly warm and refined vocals. Also, worth noting, is the compelling falsetto that appears throughout.

Backstreet Boys wisely lean on the past – an old-school, R&B backdrop – to fuel their fire.  Ultimately, the backdrop yields fitting results for the veterans.  Adding to the greatness is a straightforward form, comprised of verse, pre-chorus, chorus, and post-chorus (reprise of the initial intro). The songwriting focuses on the familiar – love, heartbreak, and lost time, all things BSB have excelled at on previous records.

11. Leona Lewis, “I Can’t Breathe”

💿 Echo • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2009

🎙 Leona Lewis was one of the most promising pop artists back in the aughts.  The 🏆 Grammy-nominated artist truly possesses a world-class voice – magnificent! Of course, like so many artists, the limelight only shines so bright for so long.  Stateside, Lewis’ sophomore album, 💿 Echo, settled for a no. 13 bow, down from the no. 1 bow that greeted 💿 Spirit, propelled by no. 1 hit, 🎵 “Bleeding Love”.  Even though Echo didn’t perform well, it still had some fine songs including 🎵 “Can’t Breathe.”  

“Can’t Breathe” plays to Lewis’ strengths, period.  A ballad, she’s able to showcase the sheer brilliance of her God-given instrument.  Featuring production by Lewis, 🎛 Uriel Kadouch, 🎛 Vein, and 🎛 Harvey Mason, Jr., “Can’t Breathe” sounds slick even more than a decade after its arrival.  A non-single, this is one of those tremendous album tracks that you ask yourself, why is it underrated? That answer to that question involving “Can’t Breathe” specifically is, I don’t know nor get it! This song has EVERYTHING – it checks off boxes.  The biggest box, of course, is sickening vocals.  That upper register – that falsetto! I get breathless every time I hear Leona sing this under appreciated masterpiece.

12. Berlin, “Take My Breath Away”

💿 Count Three & Pray • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 📅 1986

“Watching every motion in my foolish lover’s game / On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame…” American new wave collective 🎙 Berlin are most renowned for one song: 🎵 “Take My Breath Away.”  “Take My Breath Away” is the quintessential 80s record, and I dare you argue against that!  Recognizable from the opening tip thanks to those warm, colorful synths, Berlin never needed to record another song. Of course, they had other hits, but the former no. 1 hit is their most beloved, most requested song.

“Take My Breath Away” famously appears on the 💿 Top Gun soundtrack.  Notably, the song 🏆 won an Oscar, rightfully so.  In addition to being the signature song from Top Gun, it also appears on the band’s 1986 album, 💿 Count Three & Pray.  The theme is an always relatable one: LOVE.  “Take my breath away / My love, take my breath away,” 🎙 Terri Nunn sings elegantly on the simple yet unforgettable chorus.  “Take My Breath Away” was famously produced by 🎛 Giorgio Moroder.  Worth noting, 🎙 Jessica Simpson covers “Take My Breath Away” on her 2003 album, 💿 In This Skin.

13. The Police, “Every Breath You Take”

💿 Synchronicity • 🏷 A&M • 📅 1983

“Every breath you take / And every move you make / Every bond you break / Every step you take / I’ll be watching you.” No ‘breathe’ list is complete without 🎙 The Police classic, 🎵 “Every Breath You Take.” 🎙 Sting and company are utterly beloved for this 1983 juggernaut from 💿 Synchronicity.  It was a no. 1 hit and won 🏆 two Grammys (Sting sits at 17 total). Much like 🎵 “Take My Breath Away” by 🎙 Berlin, “Every Breath You Take” marks a quintessential 80s record.  Furthermore, it’s one of the most easily recognizable songs of all time.  There’s certainly a reason 🎙 Puff Daddy (Diddy) jacked it for his own no. 1 hit, 🎵 “I’ll Be Missing You” (featuring 🎙 Faith Evans and 🎙 112).  Analyzing “I’ll Be Missing You,” of course, wouldn’t be proper here – this is all about The Police.

“Every Breath You Take” is a prime example of a song that keeps things simple and thrives off it.  The lyrics aren’t complicated yet incredibly potent:

“Every move you make
And every bow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I’ll be watching you.”

While “Every Breath You Take” is perceived to be happy, it’s not, at least when you dig into the backstory. What’s amazing is, listen to it or read the lyrics, and you can see both perspectives – anger and happiness.  Also, worth noting, the music is minimal, yet it feels ‘just right’ and easily gets stuck in the head.  Sting and company, well, they constructed one of the few, perfect songs, considered among the greatest of all time.