Top 10 Best Nightwish Songs

This is not only my favorite Nightwish song, but my favorite song from any band. It's an absolute masterpiece of music. It encompasses so many moods during its hefty running time, through its changes of pace, and inclusion of diverse instruments. I feel this song is almost too beautiful, that sometimes it makes me sad to think that one day when life vanishes from this planet, there will be no one left to enjoy this auditory perfection... And it deserves to exist forever. To me, it doesn't even feel like something that was written by mankind. It feels like it was a gift from another world, and it takes me there every time I hear it.

In my opinion this is Nightwish's best masterpiece (because let's face it, all of their songs are masterpieces in one way or another). It's so hard to describe how hauntingly beautiful this song is. The orchestral solo in the middle was genius; the subtle insertion of the choir almost sounds like a ghost or an angel. And then, of course there's the epic crescendo. It's amazing how they went from major key to minor key, from again major key to minor key. The tone of the song goes from slow, mournful, and haunting, to exciting and bombastic yet still beautiful. Tarja's vocals are to die for - it sounds so powerful, angelic, and other-worldly. The ending is very dramatic; it feels like being in an opera house. The entire song makes you imagine two dark, star-crossed lovers in a make-believe world. Definitely the most beautiful song Nightwish has ever composed. No wonder so many people mistake them for a "gothic" band.

If I would start to list all the reasons why this song reaches my top 1 from ALL the bands and songs I've listened to, I wouldn't be finished until Rocky XII comes out to cinemas. This is a true masterpiece, a triumph to Nightwish; every single one of them. It praises Tuomas' masterful songwriting, his keyboard, Tarja's magical voice (which I'll always follow when I Walk Alone), and all the instruments, added with symphony from the background..
I can't really praise this song enough. Every time when I listen to it (And I've done so for few thousand times, trust me), I fall into a dream where everything is possible. Ten minutes of pure magic.

This song takes you to another world, a realm of dreams and wonders. The album version is already a masterpiece. But without trying to launch another singer discussion here, in my opinion, the interpretation from Floor Jansen (especially live in Buenos Aires - see official Nightwish channel on YouTube) raised this song to even higher levels.

It leaves me shivering and with wet eyes almost every time I hear it. A song that raises such deep emotions even after listening to it for more than a hundred times is a rare piece of music and art that I have never witnessed before.

Possibly one of the Best and most distinguished Metal songs ears have ever witnessed, this song brought Symphonic Music and Pump-Up Metal to their very limits.

The Song kicks off as a perfect Symphonic Metal song with perfect music, vocals and a perfect lyrics, then it slows down to a very sad and heart touching Musical, then the tempo rises until we encounter 2 minuets of Extreme Metal Impact and one of the best riffs of all time, finally the songs end with a relaxing Symphony with some magical singing from Anette.

This song is unbelievable, incomparable and unstoppable, and one of the best Songs the world has ever known!

Although this may sound both extreme and ridiculous, I would definitely place The Poet and the Pendulum above any other music piece through history.

Without any exaggeration, I've listened to this song at LEAST once a day for the past 4 years, at times up to 10 or 15 times, probably more. This song encompasses all of the mighty, theatrical extravagance of any big time movie soundtrack or orchestra of yesterday, as well as the intense force of any metal track that I've ever heard.

As DJZeezo's comment states,
"This song is unbelievable, incomparable and unstoppable, and one of the best Songs the world has ever known! "
Honestly, I think this is all that needs to be said.

I love the intermittent shifts between each section of the song, especially Marco's extreme section of screaming. In one instance, your pulse is racing because of the hard-hitting instrumentals- the next, you realize you are drooling over Annette's mystically beautiful vocals. Never has music had such a profound effect on me. 'The Poet and the Pendulum' deserves the top spot not only in the 'Best Nightwish Songs List', but also in the 'Best Symphonic Metal Masterpieces'.

Although Ghost Love Score is my favorite song of all, I think The Poet and The Pendulum is the best song Nightwish has ever done. It's a 14 min. Song, but it feels like it takes only 5 mins. The symphony is heavy at times and soft at times. But the orchestra is amazing. The lyrics are the most meaningful lyrics Tuomas has ever written, in my opinion. It's highly distinguished. Using the kid-tenor in the high parts was a clever idea.It's like a play, a movie, and album all by itself, and it's a fantastic intro to an album.I know long songs are not meant for everyone, but if you remain patient and listen to it all, you'll see why we're all bragging about it.

This song reminds me so much of my songs. I didn't discover my true name, Milo (mee-lo) until a few days ago and I was so happy when I did.

This is one of the few songs that I just cannot skip if it pops up on my pandora or anywhere else. As soon as I hear those first notes on the piano, I'm hooked, and the powerful music and beautiful vocals keep me interested through the whole song. It is a truly wonderful piece of music.

Nemo encompasses all the different aspects that Nightwish does so well. It brings together heavy metal and melodic vocals and a beautiful background symphony to create a scene and presence not heard by any of their other songs. My favorite song by them by far!

When your brain decides if you like a song or not, various feelings and emotions are filtering, at the moment that you hear this song... Those emotions can be erased by the factors of the music and lyrics/meaning, in which Nemo excels in every way!

What I love about this song is the misheard lyrics.

"Carrots that wander, never fade in rain and you're hard, and Jesus bought my sorrow

Carrots that wander hiding M&Ms in a lamb" and I couldn't understand the next part.

This is like a gift from God. Anette's voice is angelic. Better than Ghost love score. The melody is catchy and the song is both beautiful and catchy. Also the video is work of art.

The melody will get stuck in your head for a long time. The lyrics and the video are so beautiful. A true masterpiece of music.

Amazing - I did not appreciate fully it the first time I heard it - a big mistake...
I heard it again a few days later... And realized it is the BEST song ever!

Are you kidding me? You people really want to put the best gothic metal song on 12? Wishmaster is their best song amazing job from the female singer

Must me higher than this. Everything's just so good. One of the best songs from Nightwish. I love this song so much

This has to be one of the best metal songs ever written. It is unbelievably amazing and should be #1

Just listen the first 10 seconds and figure out why it is in TheTopTens!

There's something wonderful about story time. It perfectly captures the feeling of being a kindergartner - no worries, no self-consciousness, just out to see how much fun you can have - and yet, it's got a mysterious mystical theme. As if, for a second, magic is real.
The lyric "a soaring kite against the blue blue sky" really catches me every time. The repetition of the word blue combined with the pitch just feels so wonderfully... childish? And then it captures you again with those mystical, meaningless words of the next line: "Every chimney every moonlight sight".

This song is truly legendary

How is this not #1? I agree with almost all of these comments. When the song first starts out, it's just like "oooh catchy", and when the lyrics start it's like "this doesn't really make sense but I like it" and by the chorus it's just "okay it mentions fairy tales and things like that, that's really cool" and the ending would be great except it exists. I never wanted this song to end, ever. Why couldn't this be another one of their 13-minute songs? P.S. this was my first Nightwish song! And I love what it does before the ending chorus!

This was the first Nightwish song I had ever heard. I was 6 years old and have been hooked on Nightwish ever since. I love this song and I love how it sounded when Nightwish altered it to fit in Imaginaerum the movie. (Also, I'm a huge fan of the movie Imaginaerum! Probably because it was created by Nightwish. Nothing Nightwish creates is even remotely bad.)

Storytime is quintessential Nightwish. It's definitely the catchiest song on Imaginaerum and is without a doubt the best Nightwish single in YEARS. It is just as grandiose and uplifting as "Dark Chest of Wonders" was.

This song is such a masterpiece! I was taken with it from the moment I first heard it years ago. It's a shame really, that it had to be featured in Alone in the Dark, such a let down of a movie. This song stands on its own quite well, and is my personal favorite of Nightwish's pieces.

There is nothing better than turn the volume up and listen to 'Wish I had an angel'. I love the chorus, Marco's voice is amazing! This one makes me scream and jump and sing along :D Masterpiece, indeed.

It's sad the movie it's featured in sucks. Awesome song can't lift the standard of a crappy game-turn-movie from Uwe Boll no matter what.

Try not head banging to this. Just try.

Different, heavy, and majestic. It's sad that not even one song made it to the top ten from the stunning album Oceanborn because it was pure gold and a symbol of Nightwish's musical style. This includes Stargazers, Sleeping Sun, or Passion and the Opera. Come on, at least one song from Nightwish's best album must make it to the top ten! (by the way, I am kind of annoyed that eight of the songs in the top ten are from Once or DPP. I mean, seriously, Nightwish has six more albums and many, many more top ten songs. So, recognize them too, people.)

One of the best composition Tuomas ever wrote. Sadly, it's low on the list because few people here appreciate old NW. Not that newer songs aren't great, but many fans seem to have forgotten the old epic songs, so I decided to vote for this. It needs more love.

This is for me the best Nightwish song. One of their heaviest, with memorable keyboard sections, beautiful melodic chorus and overall very epic.

I feel Oceanborn in general doesn't get the recognition it really deserves. Either does this song, wich is by far one of their best. Energetic, melodic and epic; the very peak of the Nightwish symphonic power metal period.

This song is magical. A masterpiece. "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" is their best album to date as all the songs have a symphonic element. But the "Greatest Show On Earth" is something else, comprised of a full orchestra, a thing of beauty that causes the hairs on our skin to rise, and our hearts to beat in bliss. "The Greatest Show On Earth" is the best song ever, trumping music made by Beethoven and Mozart, to Frank Sinatra and Hank Williams, to the Beatles and Pink Floyd.

Leave your opinions about preferred singers aside, this is undeniably nightwish's most ambitious song to date. What to know what makes this song so superior? If you listen to the instrumental version, it can still stand as a fantastic instrumental, and yet the vocals add so much more. it is a quintessential classic.

You feel REALLY tired when you try to listen to it, I mean listen to it consciously (just to listen to it) bcs. come on, the thing is almost half an hour long, but when you just let your mind wander around the song a bit, it captures your mind and slaps you with majesty. especially the four point six part (odd choice I know) makes me feel inspired.

When I heard this song it was the first time I truly felt as a part of this world. It's all about what we are. When every single person would here this, mankind has reached its goal. Defenetly a Top 5 song together with Ghost Love Score.

Awesome song, this and Ghost Love Score are the songs that sum up Nightwish entirely. This for the general awesomeness of them as a modern rock band whilst Ghost Love Score represents their imagination, symphonic mastery and frankly their timelessness

Everything about this song is fantastic. From the dramatic choirs to Marco's powerful voice. Absolutely perfect.

Amazing song. RIP all those fallen warriors at the Falador Massacre of 2006!

Awesome song. Anyone who could really listen it would notice it.

Probably one of Nightwish's heaviest songs.

I actually started to cry when I first heard this song. It's absolutely the most beautiful piece of music I have ever heard. I love this song and I think Marcos voice is amazing. You can listen to this song hundred times and you still don't get fed up with it. I can't even describe how much this particular song means to me. It's sweet and touching and kind of sad. Beautiful. Masterpiece. I love this one. I really do.

This should have been on the top. Amazing lyrics, amazing music. It's on my list of favorite songs that I can listen to innumerable times.

No. 9? Well I don't think so. This is the best song, they ever came with! Good music and good vocals! Just perfect!

Dark hair for catching the wind
Not to veil the sight of a cold world

What could be more great? The violin, oh!

You people can keep your Wish I Had An Angels and your Ghost Love Scores to yourselves. This is the best Nightwish song. For one thing its an actual metal song with a real riff behind it. Not just symphonic bull with Emppu strumming (as opposed to riffing) mindlessly while waiting for a paycheck.

Quite possibly the greatest song ever written. Epic perfect guitar riffs and pitch perfect lyrics.

One of the best song I've ever heard, great riffs and Orchestral vocals.
This song should be on the top 5 for sure!

One of the best guitar masterpieces I've ever heard, this song takes a true Opera song and fuses it with a fabulous piece of guitar playing, even the drumming and the bass are awesome

One of the best Metal songs of the 90's, that if it isn't THE BEST!

Thank you nightwish for this masterpiece.

I am dying inside that this isn't even in the top ten. The lyrics are beautiful, Tarja is beautiful and the instrumental is amazing. The most amazing Nightwish song ever. In my opinion.

Even if beautiful and one of my favorites, it's clearly not the best of their songs, but I'll vote it anyway, it deserves a higher spot.

I just saw the name and started to cry. This is the song ever human should hear.
It is in human right to listen to the wonders of music. Tarja you are and angel!

Should be in the top 5 in my opinion, I'm sure the band members would agree as they always play it live...
All the other songs are amazing as well...

This was a really epic cover of the classic Phantom of the Opera theme. Like all of Nightwish's songs, it has a heavy feel to it but still has the beautiful opera/symphonic element to it. This song should be in the top 10 if you ask me.

Really? 17? Common! This may not be the best track but I strongly believe that this song should be in the top ten! By the way, I love all Nightwish's songs. I listen to them everyday...

Not sure why this is here. This list is Nightwish songs not covers, also you can hear her breathing throughout the entire thing which is pretty annoying.

This song gave me goosebumps. So strong yet emotional. One of the best songs performed by Nightwish. This song should be in top 10

Last Ride Of The Day has such a dark and gothic melody. The vocals are fabulous. Listening to the music, I feel giddy with all the eerie sensations. The metaphorical lyrics are really something. I could ponder their meaning for hours at a time! This song is an epic piece of music.

"It's hard to light a candle easy to curse the dark instead." My favorite lyrics.

This is the most amazing song from Nightwish!
Just, amazing lyrics and melody! Simply awesome!

I don't see the reason why its not in the top ten. this song simply lifts my spirit! Thank you Nightwish

Every time I hear this song, I promise myself it's going to be a good day. Even if it's not truly what I hoped for the future, but I need to hold on to what I know. This song gives me so much love and life, in fact, it is what rooted me to the ground, when my brother sexually abused me. I just wanted to die, but this song made me feel warm and golden. This song means life and death to me, I had been so upset over my brother, and I just wanted to die. This song is truly beautiful.

The much more grounded songwriting along with Marco's vocals make this a unique and special song in the band's vast discography, and it is undoubtedly my favorite.

So different and so amazing, is a beautiful song with a perfect story.

I Just connect with this song so hard, it's almost sad.

This song was originally done by Gary Moore. His version is OK, but Nightwish definitely does it better. The vocals are better and the instruments are better. Epic song!

Absolutely the greatest Nightwish song for all times. Sang with feeling, passion and power! Absolutely love it!

Best song of nightwish and in the whole world! That melody is the best I ever heart!

This song has everything: a key change! A guitar solo! An a Capella part! And enough of a folk-song vibe to really bring it all together

I am new to night wish and the genre but this song is brilliant it's the first song of there's I heard but it led me to greater wonders.I have always been a rock fan but this is something I've never heard awesome...

Awesome song by Nightwish..
Tarja's vocals is simply mesmerizing..
Elvish band they are..
Really a song recorded in Heaven...

How can it be that this song is at such a low position? I am gonna say just this: When I die I want to be burried with this song playing!

Makes you feel depressed, yet it's one of the best medicines for depression.

The first Nightwish song I ever heard, the one that got me into a band I would follow for 20 years. Fond memories.

Such a fast driving song, almost Iron Maiden sounding with the riff. Catchy, powerful, best Nightwish song.

This gets the adrenaline pumping, fast, powerful, perfect. Amazing drums and riffs. By far my favourite.

The guitar riffs in this song are insanely good.

This song is just too good for words. The heavy intro and powerful melody which leads into the outro at 76. Then a bunch of people telling their stories one by one. " Ever seen the lord smile? All the care for the world made beautiful a sad man? Why do we still carry a device of torture around our necks? Oh, how rotten your pre-apocalypse is All you bible-black fools living over nightmare ground. I see all those empty cradles and wonder If man will never change" that's just gold right there

Song of myself is one of the best ever, especially the 6 minute poem. Poet and the pendulum is still one of the best along with beauty of the beast and ghost love score but this one is a masterpiece.

Ok, there's no words to describe it. I'll only say this: the last line of this masterpiece, "And there forever remains that change from G to E minor.", is tattooed high up on my back.

There is something wrong with the screen on my computer, the resolution is out or something. Looks like it says number 34. As if, quite simply the work of genius. And the later version with floor on vocals is stunning, but enough from me got to get to pc world befor it closes

An absolute hurricane of a song, beautiful and electrifying, also one of their hardest to play and sing. An epitome of old Nightwish for me.

I am very offended to see that this, my favourite song from my favourite album by my favourite band, did not make it to the top ten.

I start to love nightwish when I hear this song. To me, this is the best nightwish's song beside Bye Bye Beautiful, Amaranth and Nemo. My friend also love Nightwish and make as her favorite band after hear this song

Poet and the pendulum and ghost love score are the two bets Nightwish songs but this has to be next, I cannot believe that Wish I had an Angel is higher than this.

I think this song is greatly underestimated. I used to sing it on the way to university for quite a while. Nemo was a lot on air, but this one is so much better.

This is another song I could never get bored with no matter how many times I hear it. And it makes me feel so alive! One of the best songs ever!