I Can’t Make You Love Me isn’t Bonnie Raitt’s biggest hit, it doesn’t live at the tip-top of award-winning singles that climbed the charts – but 30 years after its release, it’ll still break your damn heart.

Like many in my generation, the Luck of the Draw album was my introduction to Raitt. And she nailed it. And all these years later, podcasts (60 Songs that Explain the 90s), writers (us and others) and artists (listed below & more) are still all-in on Bonnie Raitt, all-in on I Can’t Make You Love Me, and the life she brought to the song then, and the way it makes us all feel even now.

If how much other artists love a song and want to sing their version and share it with their audience and the world is any indication of the power and importance of that song, we’ve got an important one here. And there’s no argument to be had.

Before he sang his cover of I Can’t Make You Love Me on Stern, Charlie Puth talked about the song, including a bit where he said, “You don’t know what you want your heart to feel when you hear this because it’s so beautiful musically but it’s such a painful message to hear that you can’t make somebody love you. And I just don’t know if there will ever be another song that’s written like this. I think this song took the slot.” And he’s right.

Now, check out as many versions of I Can’t Make You Love Me as your heart can stand, and leave a comment telling us which you loved most.

15 Versions of Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t Make You Love Me

Bonnie Raitt

Adele

Bon Iver

Boyz II Men

Brett Eldredge

Charlie Puth

George Michael

Iam Tongi

Josh Groban

Katy Perry & Kacey Musgraves

Kelly Clarkson

Prince

Ruben Studdard

Tank

Teddy Swims

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Joshua Murray

creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.