23 Best Songs About Destiny

The best songs about destiny urge the listener to take hold of the future in their own hands and seize all the opportunities that come their way.

It’s a topic as timeless as music itself and has been covered in everything from classic folk songs from Joni Mitchell to chart-topping hits by Taylor Swift.

Read on, and we’ll break down all the details of these destiny songs you need to know from their featured albums to the movies that inspired them.

The 23 Best Songs About Destiny

The best songs about destiny explore the topic from many unique angles, with some covering the concept from a romantic perspective and others taking on its deepest meanings.

We’ve put together an eclectic selection of destiny songs, so there’s music here that caters to all music genres and style preferences.

Let’s get started and dive into this playlist of the 23 best songs about destiny:

23. “Instant Destiny” – Tame Impala

Tame Impala brings their unique blend of psychedelic rock and lush synthesizers to the table for their song “Instant Destiny.”

Here, the lyrics explore the future life of the narrator with his wife, singing, “No destiny is too far … we’ll be lovers ’til the end of time”.

“Instant Destiny” was released on the 2020 Tame Impala album Slow Rush, cementing the Australian band’s reputation as one of the country’s leading musical innovators.

22. “When Am I Gonna Lose You” – Local Natives

From psychedelic pop to indie rock with “When Am I Gonna Lose You” by Local Natives, released in 2019.

This great song about destiny is also a love story, with fatalistic undercurrents running through the touching lyrics.

Featured on the album Violet Street, “When Am I Gonna Lose You” is one of the more touching destiny songs you can listen to.

21. “Can’t Put It In The Hands of Fate” – Stevie Wonder Ft. Rapsody & Cordae & Chika & Busta Rhymes

Stevie Wonder joined forces with Rapsody & Cordae & Chika & Busta Rhymes to deliver the destiny song “Can’t Put It In The Hands of Fate.”

It’s a typically funky song from Wonder, with hints of Latin and African influences thanks to his talented collaborators.

It’s also a powerful socio-political anthem that asks the next generation to stand up for their rights in the face of injustice.

20. “Karma Police” – Radiohead

Radiohead needs little introduction, having written and performed some of the best songs of all time and redefined alternative rock music.

“Karma Police” is among their best songs and was released alongside an innovative official lyric video in 1997.

The song was featured on their revolutionary album OK Computer, which transformed the British indie music scene in the late 1990s.

19. “See The Sky About To Rain” – Neil Young

Songs about destiny often explore the concept from a fatalistic perspective, which is the approach taken by Neil Young.

“See the Sky About to Rain” is among his more philosophical works, diving into the destinies of various people living around the world.

Young wrote another great water-themed song about the sea, “Captain Kennedy,” which was released in 1980.

18. “There But For Fortune” – Joan Baez

Singer-songwriter Joan Baez occupied a similar place in the music landscape as Neil Young and tackled destiny in her song “There But For Fortune.”

It’s a song that fuses the concept of destiny with free will, delivering a powerful all for compassion and unity.

With its widely-identifiable lyrics and catchy melody, “There But For Fortune” became a popular protest song during the 1960s.

17. “Almost Maybes” – Jordan Davis

Jordan Davis has written many songs that seek to define destiny, such as “Detours,” but our pick for this playlist is “Almost Maybes.”

It’s a country-pop classic that serves as a commentary on crazy relationships and how heartbreak can lead a person to meet their soul mate.

Jordan Davis released “Almost Maybes” in 2020 on the album Soft Country, a compilation of the leading country music of that year.

16. “The Dance” – Garth Brooks

For Garth Brooks, destiny is something he’d prefer not to have known, something which his song “The Dance” explores in depth.

“Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain,” Brooks sings, continuing, “But I’d have had to miss the dance.”

A prolific country singer-songwriter, Garth Brooks has won two Grammy Awards in addition to fourteen nominations.

15. “Twist Of Fate” – Olivia Newton-John

Fate and destiny intertwine in “Twist of Fate” by Olivia Newton-John, released with the 1980s movie Two of a Kind.

The theme song from the movie, it’s about a couple who become reunited after the titular “twist of fate” brings them back together.

The song was also featured on the hit Netflix science fiction television series Stranger Things, bringing it to a new audience.

14. “Butterflyz” – Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys brought her trademark fusion of pop and soul music together for the song “Butterflyz,” which was released in 2001.

This is another love song in which the song’s lyrics discuss the narrator falling in and out of love over the course of time.

Her song “Girl on Fire” is one of the best songs about fire recorded and solidified her reputation as a singer with impressive vocal range.

13. “Falls To Climb” – R.E.M.

Like Radiohead, R.E.M. reached the peak of their fame and success during the 1990s, with “Fals to Climb” among their best work.

As with many songs by this American band, it explores deeper philosophical ideas, tackling destiny in all its complexity.

“Falls to Climb” by R.E.M. was based on a horror short story by Shirley Jackson, The Lottery, first published in the New Yorker in 1948.

12. “My Destiny” – Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie wrote and performed the song “My Destiny” during his solo career after a long-running stint with The Commodores.

In it, Richie sings about his life, reflecting on the good and bad choices he’s made and understanding how everything happens for good reason.

Lionel Richie released “My Destiny” in 1992 as part of his album Back to Front and co-wrote the piece with Cliff Goldmacher.

11. “Unwritten” – Natasha Bedingfield

Natasha Bedingfield cuts to the core of the concept of destiny with “Unwritten,” one of her most cheerful pop songs.

It features lyrics that encourage the listener to embrace the full potential of the future and take the time to love life to the fullest.

Natasha Bedingfield released this beautiful song on the album of the same name in 2004 to critical and commercial acclaim.

10. “Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha Ft. Florida Georgia Line

Released in 2017 on Bebe Rexha’s third studio album All Your Fault Part 2, “Meant to Be” is a great pop ballad with wonderful piano arrangements.

As the song’s title implies, this is a song that views destiny as something unavoidable, urging listeners to accept the direction their own life takes.

It’s a radio-friendly song with an easygoing vibe that performed well in the charts and reached the number two spot in the US charts.

9. “The Circle Game” – Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell has enjoyed a prolific career covering everything from songs about flowers to this impressive song about destiny.

“The Circle Game” is a coming-of-age song as much as it is a song about destiny featuring imagery of fireflies and thunderstorms for good measure.

Joni Mitchell wrote “The Circle Game” in response to “Sugar Mountain” by Neil Young, another great tune about lost innocence.

8. “Rewrite The Stars” – Zac Efron

Zac Efron collaborated with Zendaya on the song “Rewrite the Stars,” which was released in 2017 as part of the soundtrack to the movie The Greatest Showman.

It’s a beautiful duet in which two lovers from completely different backgrounds spar vocally and discuss their hopes and ambitions.

No stranger to singing characters in movies, Efron worked on the hit animated movie The Lorax as well as the High School Musical series from Disney.

7. “End Up With You” – Carrie Underwood

One of the best songs about destiny from the country music genre is “End Up With You” by Carrie Underwood.

This romantic song is all about Underwood’s relationship with her hockey player husband, Mike Fisher, and her desire to be with him forever.

Featured on her album Cry Petty, “End Up With You” is quintessential about the journey all couples experience together.

6. “Invisible String” – Taylor Swift

While many artists use the concept of destiny to explore ideas such as true love and fulfilling your potential, Taylor Swift opted to dive into ancient Chinese myths.

“Invisible String” is one of the more unique destiny songs, referring to the invisible string that ties two people together throughout their lives.

In contrast, Taylor Swift also wrote the song about cheating, “Should’ve Said No,” exploring what happens when this invisible thread is broken.

5. “Found You” – Kane Brown

Kane Brown drew on inspiration from his fiancée for the song “Found You,” which was released in 2017.

In this great song, Brown sings about trying his luck with a girl at a party and then realizing she’s the love of his life.

The official audio for “Found You” was released on the Kane Brown album Deluxe Edition and remains one of the great destiny songs you can listen to.

4. “Simple Twist Of Fate” – Bob Dylan

Folk music singer-songwriters have long been preoccupied with the idea of destiny, as is the case with the Bob Dylan song “Simple Twist of Fate.”

While Bob Dylan has denied the fact this song is autobiographical, he has occasionally stated that this song is about his parents talking to one another.

A prolific artist, Dylan has released dozens of singles and albums, including four top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts over the years.

3. “Hand Of Fate” – The Rolling Stones

From a “Simple Twist of Fate” to the “Hand of Fate,” the Rolling Stones upped the tempo for this excellent rock and roll classic.

“Hand of Fate” is among the darkest songs about destiny you can listen to, covering themes of murder and the sinister aspects of human nature.

It’s a great addition to the discography of the Stones that includes one of the best karaoke songs of all time, “Sympathy For The Devil.”

2. “Destiny” – Zero 7 ft. Sia And Sophie Barker

The late 1990s and early 2000s saw an influx of downtempo bands that fuses elements of electronic music with traditional instrumentation.

“Destiny” by Zero 7, featuring Sia and Sophie Barker on vocals, was perhaps the most successful of all these downtempo releases and a huge hit at the time of its release.

Featured on the debut album from Zero 7, Simple Things, “Destiny” is a truly beautiful song that remains among the best destiny songs of all time.

1. “The Wheel” – Jerry Garcia

We’re wrapping up this complete playlist of the best songs about destiny with “The Wheel” by Jerry Garcia, a song that was recorded by chance during a jam session.

In this song, Garcia sings about the inevitability of fate through the imagery of storms and lightning and was a response to a medical scare he’d previously experienced.

Warner Bros. released “The Wheel” as a single in 1972, and it continues to be among Jerry Garcia’s most memorable and catchy songs of his career.

Summary

That’s a wrap on this article breaking down the greatest songs about destiny you can add to your playlist, covering everything from country and folk to the latest pop chart hits.

Contemplating fate and destiny is a running theme throughout the history of songwriting, whether viewing the topic through the lens of love or tackling larger philosophical themes.

It’s a subject that will continue to dominate music for years to come, and we can no doubt expect more great songs about destiny worth adding to this playlist.

What’s the best song about destiny, in your opinion? Leave a comment below.