what songs did neil sedaka sing

June 28, 2026

Neil Sedaka sang (and often wrote) dozens of pop hits from the late 1950s onward, including classics like “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Calendar Girl,” “Oh! Carol,” “Laughter in the Rain,” and “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen.” Below is a quick, reader‑friendly guide you can use for your post.

What Songs Did Neil Sedaka Sing?

Quick Scoop

Neil Sedaka is one of the great Brill Building pop craftsmen, with hundreds of songs to his name and a run of big hits stretching from teen‑idol days to 70s adult pop. His best‑known songs mix catchy melodies, teen‑romance lyrics, and piano‑driven hooks that still show up on oldies radio and playlists today.

His Most Famous Songs

These are the titles most people mean when they ask “what songs did Neil Sedaka sing?”

“Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” – His signature song, a 1962 upbeat hit later re‑recorded as a slower ballad in the 70s.

“Calendar Girl” – A bouncy 1961 hit that name‑checks the months of the year and teenage crushes.

“Oh! Carol” – Early pop classic from 1959, inspired by songwriter Carole King.

“Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen” – A teen‑idol anthem from 1962 that became one of his staple songs.

“Laughter in the Rain” – Smooth, mellow 1974/75 comeback hit that topped charts in the 70s era.

“Next Door to an Angel” – A top‑ten 1962 single built on catchy doo‑wop‑style hooks.

“Bad Blood” – A 1975 hit recorded with Elton John on backing vocals, one of his biggest 70s singles.

“Love Will Keep Us Together” – Written by Sedaka and popularized by Captain & Tennille, but also recorded by Sedaka himself.

“You Mean Everything to Me” – Early 60s ballad that shows his softer, romantic side.

“King of Clowns” – 1962 single with his characteristic dramatic teen‑pop feel.

Mini‑List: Essential Playlist

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (both original and slow 70s version)

Calendar Girl

Oh! Carol

Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen

Laughter in the Rain

Bad Blood

Love Will Keep Us Together

Next Door to an Angel

More Notable Songs He Sang

Sedaka’s catalog is huge (well over 500 songs written or co‑written), but these titles come up often in fan and music‑history discussions.

“The Diary” – One of his earliest charting singles (1959).

“Little Devil” – Early 60s upbeat pop single.

“Stairway to Heaven” – 1960 Sedaka song (not the Led Zeppelin track!).

“Run Samson Run” – 1960 single with a biblical story twist.

“Sweet Little You” – 1961 single in the same teen‑pop vein.

“Lonely Night (Angel Face)” – Mid‑70s pop hit that continued his comeback.

“Love in the Shadows” – 70s single with a more contemporary adult‑pop sound.

“Solitaire” – Featured on his early‑70s work and later widely covered.

“Standing on the Inside” – Included on his 70s greatest‑hits collections.

“The Immigrant” – A reflective 70s song often mentioned in discussions of his later career.

“That’s When the Music Takes Me” – A fan favorite from his 70s period.

Quick HTML Table of Key Songs

Here’s an HTML‑ready table you can drop into your post, listing some of Neil Sedaka’s best‑known songs and basic context.

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Song Title</th>
      <th>Era</th>
      <th>Notes</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Breaking Up Is Hard to Do</td>
      <td>1962 / 1975</td>
      <td>Signature hit; released as an upbeat early-60s single and later as a slower 70s version.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Calendar Girl</td>
      <td>1961</td>
      <td>Teen-pop classic using each month of the year to tell a crush story.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Oh! Carol</td>
      <td>1959</td>
      <td>Early breakthrough single, famously inspired by Carole King.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen</td>
      <td>1962</td>
      <td>Teen-idol favorite celebrating a girl turning sixteen.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Laughter in the Rain</td>
      <td>1974–75</td>
      <td>Soft, romantic comeback hit that topped the charts in the 70s.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Bad Blood</td>
      <td>1975</td>
      <td>Big 70s hit featuring Elton John on backing vocals.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Love Will Keep Us Together</td>
      <td>Mid-1970s</td>
      <td>Written by Sedaka; his own version is beloved, and it became a No. 1 hit for Captain &amp; Tennille.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>You Mean Everything to Me</td>
      <td>1960</td>
      <td>Romantic ballad showcasing Sedaka’s smoother vocal style.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Next Door to an Angel</td>
      <td>1962</td>
      <td>Clever, hooky pop song from his early-60s hit run.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>The Diary</td>
      <td>1959</td>
      <td>One of his first charting singles, centered on teen heartbreak.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Little Devil</td>
      <td>1961</td>
      <td>Upbeat early-60s single capturing his classic teen-pop sound.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Stairway to Heaven</td>
      <td>1960</td>
      <td>Sedaka’s own pop song, unrelated to the later rock track of the same name.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Lonely Night (Angel Face)</td>
      <td>1975</td>
      <td>Mid-70s single tied to his adult-contemporary phase.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Solitaire</td>
      <td>Early 1970s</td>
      <td>Dramatic ballad that later became a standard covered by many artists.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>That’s When the Music Takes Me</td>
      <td>1970s</td>
      <td>Fan-favorite celebrating the joy of music and performing.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Forum / “Trending Topic” Angle

In recent discussions, people often talk about Sedaka as one of the under‑appreciated architects of classic pop, pointing out how many hits he wrote that others later covered or re‑popularized. Fans also like to debate which era they prefer: the early teen‑idol years of “Oh! Carol” and “Calendar Girl,” or the 70s revival with “Laughter in the Rain,” “Bad Blood,” and “Solitaire.”

“You think you don’t know Neil Sedaka, and then you realize you’ve been hearing his songs your whole life.” – a common type of sentiment in online music forums.

Because some of his compositions became bigger hits for other artists (like “Love Will Keep Us Together”), new listeners still discover him today when they dig back to the original versions.

SEO Bits for Your Post

Focus phrase: what songs did neil sedaka sing – use this in your title, intro, and one subheading.
Sprinkle related phrases like “Neil Sedaka hit songs,” “classic pop songwriter,” and “70s comeback” in short paragraphs and bullet lists.

Aim for readable, short paragraphs and clear lists of song titles so searchers quickly spot the hits they recognize.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.