13 Songs That Embrace the Mantra, ‘No Place Like Home’ | Playlist 🎧

1. Gnash, “Nobody’s home”

We • :): / Atlantic • 2019 

Rising, twenty-something California alternative musician Gnash (Garret Nash), best known for his mega-hit “I hate u, I love u”, released a promising debut album entitled We in 2019.  Perhaps the song at hand, “Nobody’s Home” falls a bit on sappy, schmaltzy, and over-sentimental side. That said, the emotions that Gnash showcases on the breezy joint definitely speak to young, hopeless romantics everywhere.

The relationship has expired, and Gnash feels the aftershocks you might say:

“But when I sleep at night, I dream that ‘we’ is ‘you and I,’
And when I wake, I’m paralyzed, the bed is frozen on your side.”

2. Backstreet Boys, “No Place”

DNA • K-Bahn / RCA • 2019

“I’ve been to Paris, made my way down to Rome / Seen the sun setting on the beach in Mexico…” “No Place”, a highlight from Backstreet Boys’ eighth studio album, DNA, keeps things ‘short and sweet,’ clocking in at a tight three-minute duration.  ‘Home’ in this context isn’t focused on a physical house, but rather love ones – family.  In regard to sound, “No Place” features a stereotypical, contemporary pop sound, specifically, ubiquitous, sleek, rhythmic guitar.  Backstreet Boys deliver respectable vocals.  No, the ‘Boys’ aren’t quite as ‘boyish’ as the past, but sufficient.  Specifically, the second verse vocals are coarser (Richardson and McLean), and not quite as smooth as the first (Littrell, Dorough, and Carter).

Boding well in the collective’s favor is an authentic, catchy chorus.

“I’ve been all around the world, done all there is to do
But you’ll always be the home I wanna come home to
You’re a wild night with a hell of a view
There ain’t no place, ain’t no place like you
There ain’t no place, ain’t no place like you.”

3. Kane Brown, “Homesick”

Experiment • Sony Nashville • 2018

“Homesick” served as the third advance single from Experiment, the highly-anticipated sophomore album by Kane Brown.  The record continues the upward trajectory for Brown. The mellow record commences with a relatively chill instrumental start. The result is an excellent, suitable backdrop.  His vocal tone is absolutely lovely, sounding nuanced and well-rounded.

The chill vibes maintained on the thoughtful, sentimental chorus are ‘to die for.’

“I’m homesick
This feeling that I’m feeling
No, it don’t quit
It’s like half of me is missing
Heaven knows it that all I wanna do
Is be alone with your brown eyes all tangled up
Just holdin’ onto you tonight
Until the morning
Baby that’s the damn truth
If home is where the heart is
Then I’m homesick for you.”

“Homesick” is a perfect example of Brown showcasing tremendous artistic growth, developing more personality compared to some of the material gracing his self-titled debut.  Furthermore, this perfectly embraces the mantra, ‘no place like home.’

4. Liam Payne, “Home with You”

First Time (EP) • Capitol • 2018

“I wanna go home with you / Yeah, we can do whatever you want to do / Come on and set the mood…” One Direction standout Liam Payne dropped a respectable, if indistinct debut EP in 2018 with First Time. Literally, it wouldn’t be the first time that the member of a boy band struggled to find distinction as a solo artist.  That said, “Home with You” is the second track appearing on the EP, is none too shabby.  “Home with You” contrasts opener “First Time” with an urban-infused pop sound.

Payne literally embraces the mantra ‘no place like home’ – well – as long as her home is where they can get ‘busy.’

“I wanna go home with you
Yeah, we can go as slow as you want to
Or speed up into you, home with you.”

5. Father John Misty, “The Palace”

God’s Favorite Customer • Sub Pop • 2018

Father John Misty delivers a haunting, piano-driven ballad with “The Palace”. “The Palace” is yet another highlight from Tillman’s 2018 album, God’s Favorite Customer. The incredibly slow record, like the previous “Please Don’t Die”, explores Tillman’s mental health and marital issues. Whether “The Palace” where Tillman has made his home for a period of time is actually a truly glorious, luxurious hotel is beside the point.  Father John Misty paints it as his ‘safe place’ from the outside world, yet he remains dysfunctional and lost. At the end, he comes to the realization, “…I think I’m ready to come home / I’m in over my head.”  Obviously, home is not “The Palace,” but his actual home that he wandered away from for a while.  Now, he’s ready to return.

6. Vance Joy, “We’re Going Home”

Nation of Two • Atlantic • 2018

“I can’t see you / But I hear your call / Baby, hold on now.” Aussie singer-songwriter Vance Joy dropped the exuberant “We’re Going Home” in advance of his sophomore album, Nation of Two. “We’re Going Home” commences with lovely acoustic guitar accompaniment. Joy exhibits a beautiful, buttery smooth vocal tone. The chorus is incredibly robust; epic. It marks a stark contrast to the more thoughtful, reserved opening verse.

Ultimately, it’s catchy and well-sung. As corny as it may sound, it’s certainly a Joy to listen to.

“We're going home
If we make it or we don’t, we won’t be alone
When I see your light shine, I know I'm home
If you’re waiting all your life, you won’t ever go
When I see your light shine, I know I;’m home.”

The second verse is more fully developed than the first. This is a pristine example of great pacing. The bridge is both exuberant and powerful.  There is magnificent percussive intensity, thanks to the pummeling drums, which further amplifies the emotion of the record. So, ‘home’ doesn’t matter so much – it’s companionship on “We’re Going Home,” which is well-executed from start to finish.

7. Keith Urban, “Coming Home”

Ft. Julia Michaels

Graffiti U • Capitol • 2018

“There’s a place that I know where they all know me / I gotta get back now to the ones who love me / Wrap myself around you, never let you go / There’s nothin’ in the world that feels like / The place that I know where they all know me.” On “Coming Home”, a highlight from Graffiti U, Keith Urban taps singer/songwriter Julia Michaels for the assist. Further making the record interesting is producer J.R. Rotem, who is noted for his pop and urban productions.  Vocally, Urban retains his country sensibilities.  While the modern pop cues are served up in a heavy dosage throughout “Coming Home” (synths, 808s, and drum programming) a familiar sound, engrained in country music will ease the nerves of some skeptics – the guitar!  A catchy chorus (aforementioned) serves as a huge selling point.  Michaels, by the way, doesn’t appear until the bridge section, alongside Urban.

8. Ryan Adams, “Haunted House”

Prisoner • Blue Note • 2017

“I don’t want to live in this haunted house anymore.” Rock singer/songwriter Ryan Adams is chocked-full of sadness throughout the course of his painfully-underrated 2017 album, Prisoner. His loneliness comes to head on “Haunted House,” among the crème de la crème of the LP.  In tune with the prevalence of heartbreak that encompasses Prisoner, “Haunted House” expands the script slightly, extending his loneliness to dwindling friends.

On “Prisoner,” Adams still desires his ex (cough* Mandy Moore), but he’s less specific.  On the first verse, he states, “It’s the last house at the end of the block / My friends all disappear one by one.” On the second, he goes on to say, “Nobody stops to write, nobody calls / My friends all disappear / They all got lost.”  Basically, home doesn’t feel like home without her in his life.  Yeah, you could sort of say this one doesn’t quite fit this list, yet, in a way it does.

9. Dua Lipa, “Homesick”

Dua Lipa • Warner Bros. • 2017

“But I wish I was there with you / Oh, I wish I was there with you.” Sigh, sounds like homesickness to me and as we know, “there’s no place like home.” Actually, more like missing someone you love, but close enough, right? Right! English-Albanian pop star Dua Lipa seemed to come out of nowhere in 2017.  One hella infectious single, “New Rules” – among the best songs of 2017 – definitely brought more attention to her and her stellar, self-titled debut album. While “Homesick” (featuring Chris Martin) isn’t the first song that comes to mind when considering Dua Lipa, it’s another respectable, well-rounded record.  “Homesick” is a gentle, absolutely radiant ballad that concludes the standard edition of the album.

The premise? Long distance love, with the lover being likened to ‘home.’ Still kind of fits, right? Again, right!

“All my dreams have come true
Still, nothing means nothing
Without you, you.”

10. Niall Horan, “Paper Houses”

Flicker • Capitol • 2017

“In this house of broken hearts / We made our love out of stacks of cards / And yes, we tried to hold on tight / ‘Cause we knew our love was hard to find.” In 2017, Niall Horan released his highly-anticipated, debut solo album, Flicker. All in all, the Irish One Direction member delivers an enjoyable, pleasant LP.  The song at hand, “Paper Houses,” retains the old-school, classic-pop sensibilities of the album as a whole.  Horan continues to sing with the utmost maturity, a selling point by all means. Horan could stand to ‘let loose’ a bit more.

On this particular song, home isn’t permanent, as paper can easily be destroyed. Furthermore, home, rather the house, isn’t a physical place, but a metaphor for a doomed relationship.

“And our paper houses reach the stars
‘Til we break and scatter worlds apart
Yeah, I paid the price and own the scars
Why do we clime and fall so far?”

11. Leon Bridges, “Coming Home”

Coming Home • Columbia • 2015 

“Baby, baby, baby / I’m coming home / To your tender sweet loving / You’re my one and my only woman.” Leon Bridges proved on his 2015 debut album, Coming Home, that he’s a traditional, retro-soul singer through and through. That’s a part of the reason he’s such a special musician. Fittingly, Bridges has the perfect contribution that embraces the mantra, “there’s no place like home” – “Coming Home.”  “Coming Home” brilliantly commences Bridges’ debut album of the same title, embracing the classic soul sound.  There’s a simplicity about the record, harmonic progression included, but the results are sufficiently satisfying.

Basically, all Bridges has on his mind is being around his woman.

“Sugar
I need you baby
Girl I, I need your loving
Darling, wanna hold you close
Girl, girl.”

12. Twenty One Pilots, “Hometown”

Blurryface • Fueled by Ramen • 2015

“Where we’re from, there’s no sun / Our hometown’s in the dark / Where’ we’re from, we’re no one / Our hometown’s in the dark / Our hometown’s in the dark.” Blurryface marked Twenty One Pilots’ fourth studio album, but arguably, it was the album that put them on the map. There’s no shortage of gems, including the likes of “Stressed Out” and “Tear in My Heart.” That said, the song at hand is a bit ‘homier’ you might say.  “Hometown” is a record chocked-full of double meanings – at least ‘on paper.’  In its most literal sense, Tyler Joseph seems to reference the fact that his actual hometown is as confused psychologically and emotionally as he is.  Ultimately, he asserts everyone has a “dark” place or dark facets within themselves.  Still, there’s no place like home, right?

“My shadow tilts its head at me
Spirits in the dark are waiting
I will let the wind go quietly
I will let the wind go quietly.”

13. A Great Big World, “Already Home”

Is There Anybody Out There? • Epic • 2014

Talented power-pop, singer/songwriter duo A Great Big World (Chad King and Ian Axel) is best known for its Grammy-winning pop record “Say Something”, that is nothing short of beautiful. Also, on their 2014 LP, Is There Anybody Out There? is the record at hand, “Already Home.”  “Already Home” slackens the pace contextually, from the rollicking “Land of Opportunity,” opting for more mid-tempo fare.  Despite being slower, there’s still plenty of energy and excitement behind the vocals, particularly as “Already Home” intensifies. Vocal harmonies and soaring strings help to guide “Already Home” to its remarkable fever pitch, only to settle down as the cut closes.