If you’ve ever been moved by piano-driven rock with raw emotional depth, you already know why Keane holds a special place in music history. The British rock band — formed in Battle, East Sussex — has spent over two decades crafting songs that connect with listeners across generations. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or just discovering their music, this list of the 20 best Keane songs of all time is your ultimate guide to their greatest hits and hidden gems. We also cover some of their newer releases so you get the full picture of what makes this band enduringly brilliant. If you enjoy exploring great songs across all genres, this list is a great starting point.
Somewhere Only We Know
Released in 2004 from their debut album Hopes and Fears, “Somewhere Only We Know” remains one of the most recognized British rock songs of the 2000s. The song’s sweeping piano intro and Tom Chaplin’s soaring vocals create a sense of longing and nostalgia that feels timeless. It peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and has since been covered by numerous artists, cementing its place as a true classic.
Everybody’s Changing
Also from Hopes and Fears (2004), “Everybody’s Changing” was one of Keane’s earliest singles and helped launch the band into mainstream consciousness. The track’s introspective lyrics explore feelings of being left behind while the world moves on, a theme that resonates deeply with listeners going through transitions. With its mid-tempo groove and emotionally charged chorus, it became one of their most enduring fan favorites worldwide.
Bedshaped
“Bedshaped” is arguably the most musically complex and emotionally layered track on Hopes and Fears, building slowly into a breathtaking orchestral finale. The song blends Keane’s signature piano rock sound with strings and rich harmonies, making it stand out even among their strongest material. It was released as a single in 2004 and remains a concert staple that audiences consistently sing along to word for word.
This Is the Last Time
“This Is the Last Time” captures the painful cycle of a relationship that keeps breaking and reconciling, told through some of Tom Chaplin’s most vulnerable vocals. The Hopes and Fears track showcases the band’s ability to channel deep personal emotion into accessible rock music without losing authenticity. Its piano melody is instantly recognizable and the lyrical delivery makes it one of the most emotionally resonant songs in their entire discography.
Nothing in My Way
From their second studio album Under the Iron Sea (2006), “Nothing in My Way” marked a subtle but significant shift in Keane’s sound — darker, more atmospheric, and more musically adventurous. The song deals with themes of personal freedom and defiance, set against a backdrop of lush arrangements that feel both intimate and cinematic. It showed the world that Keane was not content to simply repeat their debut success and were pushing their artistry further.
A Bad Dream
“A Bad Dream” is one of the standout deep cuts on Under the Iron Sea, featuring some of the most vivid and unsettling imagery in Keane’s songwriting. Written from the perspective of someone haunted by the consequences of war and disconnection, it adds a political and social dimension rarely seen in the band’s earlier work. The track’s dramatic structure and emotional weight make it a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand the full depth of what Keane is capable of.
Crystal Ball
Also from Under the Iron Sea, “Crystal Ball” is a meditation on uncertainty and the desire to see into the future — a deeply human sentiment that the band expresses with characteristic grace. The song’s melody is deceptively simple, yet it builds into one of the most memorable choruses of Keane’s mid-career period. Its reflective tone and polished production make it a perfect example of the band at the peak of their songwriting confidence.
Is It Any Wonder?
“Is It Any Wonder?” from Under the Iron Sea represented a more guitar-driven direction for Keane, a departure that surprised fans and critics alike. The song has an urgency and energy that feels almost anthemic, touching on themes of modern disconnection and spiritual searching. It was released as the lead single from the album and reached the top of the UK Singles Chart, proving that Keane’s evolution was not only artistically valid but commercially compelling.
She Has No Time
“She Has No Time,” from the debut album Hopes and Fears, is a tender observation of someone whose life has become so consumed by obligations that joy and connection have slipped away. Tom Chaplin delivers the lyrics with a quiet ache that makes the song feel deeply personal, even to listeners who have never met the person it describes. It’s the kind of song that rewards repeated listens, revealing new emotional layers with each play.
Bend & Break
“Bend & Break” opens the Hopes and Fears album with an energy and tension that immediately signals Keane’s ambition as a band. The track explores the claustrophobia of staying in a place that no longer fits you, set against a driving piano rhythm and one of the album’s most forceful vocal performances. Its raw urgency has kept it a live favorite for years, and it remains one of the best opening tracks of any British rock album from that era.
We Might as Well Be Strangers
“We Might as Well Be Strangers” is a devastating breakup song that manages to be both heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. From Hopes and Fears, it uses minimalist piano and sparse arrangements to let Chaplin’s vocals carry the full emotional burden of the narrative. The song’s honesty about the slow erosion of intimacy in a relationship is handled with a maturity that makes it one of Keane’s most genuinely moving compositions.
Hamburg Song
“Hamburg Song,” taken from Under the Iron Sea, is perhaps the most stripped-back and personal track in Keane’s catalog, featuring just piano and vocals in its most intimate form. The song was inspired by Tom Chaplin’s time in Germany and reflects on distance, longing, and the feeling of being unmoored from everything familiar. Its emotional simplicity is its greatest strength, and it has become one of those rare songs that fans hold close as something almost private and sacred.
The Way I Feel
“The Way I Feel,” from the 2019 album Cause and Effect, marks a mature and reflective chapter in Keane’s story. The song has a confessional quality, addressing themes of emotional suppression and the difficulty of expressing vulnerability in adult relationships. It demonstrates that Keane’s songwriting has only deepened with time, and the production feels modern while still retaining the warmth and sincerity that has always defined their work.
The Lovers Are Losing
From the 2008 album Perfect Symmetry, “The Lovers Are Losing” blends Keane’s rock roots with a more synth-infused, new wave-influenced sound that reflected the band’s desire to experiment. The track is an upbeat but bittersweet commentary on the difficulty of sustaining love in an increasingly fragmented world. It stands out as one of the more ambitious and stylistically adventurous singles from this phase of the band’s career.
Sovereign Light Cafe
“Sovereign Light Cafe,” from the 2012 album Strangeland, is a fond and nostalgic tribute to the seaside town of Bexhill-on-Sea where the band members grew up. The song captures the bittersweetness of revisiting places connected to your youth, evoking memories of simpler times with vivid detail and warmth. It’s one of their most geographically specific songs and yet feels universal, touching on the shared human experience of longing for home.
Disconnected
“Disconnected” from Strangeland (2012) was released as a single and explores the emotional numbness and estrangement that can set in during low periods of life. The song has a quiet desperation underpinning its melodic surface, with Chaplin’s vocals conveying a kind of resigned sadness that feels entirely genuine. It’s a strong example of how Keane continued to mine emotional complexity even as their sound evolved across different albums.
You Are Young
Also from Strangeland, “You Are Young” is a rare moment of unguarded tenderness in Keane’s catalog, addressed to the next generation with a message of hope and encouragement. The song’s arrangement is lush and sweeping, and Chaplin’s delivery carries a warmth that feels almost parental in its sincerity. It’s the kind of song that hits differently depending on where you are in life, growing more meaningful with age.
Silenced by the Night
“Silenced by the Night,” originally from Strangeland (2012) and later remixed by Alesso, is one of Keane’s most propulsive and radio-ready tracks. The song has a stadium-sized energy that made it a natural crossover hit, bridging their rock fanbase and a broader pop audience. Its insistent rhythm and soaring chorus make it one of the most immediate and exciting entries in their discography, a song built for big crowds and big moments.
Snowed Under
“Snowed Under” from the debut album Hopes and Fears is a fan-favorite deep cut that showcases the band’s gift for slow-burning emotional intensity. The song uses the metaphor of being buried and immobilized to explore feelings of depression and helplessness with surprising tenderness and restraint. While it may not have charted as high as some of their singles, its emotional honesty has earned it a devoted following among listeners who connect with its raw vulnerability.
Stop for a Minute
“Stop for a Minute,” featuring K’NAAN from the 2010 EP Night Train, is one of Keane’s most unexpectedly joyful and collaborative tracks. The song pairs Chaplin’s melodic rock sensibility with K’NAAN’s rhythmic spoken-word delivery, creating a unique and infectious energy that feels genuinely celebratory. It stands as proof of Keane’s willingness to stretch beyond genre boundaries and collaborate in ways that bring out the best in everyone involved.
What Makes Keane’s Music Timeless?
Keane’s staying power in the music world comes down to a combination of factors that few bands manage to sustain over multiple decades. Their songwriting consistently prioritizes emotional authenticity over trend-chasing, which means that songs written in 2004 feel just as relevant today. Whether you’re listening through premium headphones at home or casual earbuds on the go, Keane’s music is engineered to move you — and it does, every single time. The band has also benefited from the remarkable growth of Tom Chaplin as a vocalist and lyricist, whose personal struggles with addiction and recovery have only deepened the emotional truth in his performances. Their legacy is one of consistent artistic integrity, and that is why this list of the best Keane songs continues to resonate with new listeners every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Keane’s most popular song of all time?
“Somewhere Only We Know” is widely considered Keane’s most popular song of all time. Released in 2004 as part of their debut album Hopes and Fears, the track reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and has since accumulated hundreds of millions of streams globally. Its emotional resonance and memorable melody have made it a staple of British rock radio for over two decades.
What album should I start with if I’m new to Keane?
If you’re new to Keane, their debut album Hopes and Fears (2004) is the ideal starting point. It contains many of their best-known songs including “Somewhere Only We Know,” “Everybody’s Changing,” and “Bedshaped,” and it showcases the band’s core sound — piano-driven, emotionally expressive rock — at its purest and most compelling. From there, Under the Iron Sea (2006) is the natural next step for listeners who want to explore deeper into their catalog.
Has Keane released any new music recently?
Keane released their fifth studio album Cause and Effect in 2019, which marked a significant return after a lengthy hiatus and is widely regarded as one of their most emotionally honest records. The album includes tracks like “The Way I Feel” and deals candidly with themes of relationship breakdown and personal struggle. The band has remained active in the years since with live performances and occasional new material, keeping their fanbase engaged and their legacy growing.
Are Keane still together as a band?
Yes, Keane are still together as a band. The core lineup of Tom Chaplin (vocals), Tim Rice-Oxley (piano/keyboards), and Richard Hughes (drums) has remained intact, with Jesse Quin continuing as a contributing member on bass. They reunited in 2019 with the release of Cause and Effect after a period where members pursued solo projects, and they continue to tour and perform their extensive catalog to audiences worldwide.
Why doesn’t Keane use a guitarist?
Keane deliberately built their sound around the piano rather than guitar, a choice that has defined their identity since the band’s formation in the late 1990s. Tim Rice-Oxley’s piano work serves both the melodic and rhythmic functions that a guitarist might typically fill, giving the band a distinctive, warm, and layered sonic signature. This unconventional instrumentation is one of the key reasons Keane stands out from their British rock contemporaries and has helped their music remain immediately recognizable across two decades.