We’ve all experienced love loss and found ourselves making a playlist of the ultimate heartbreak songs to shed our tears in solitude. From the crooning voice of the world’s pop divas, to the gut-wrenching melodies of rock legends, the palette for musical condolence is extremely wide and there’s a track for every feeling. While some get dumped and suffer from cutting their emotional ties before they’re ready, others are betrayed and leave their partners in anger and frustration. Either way, the heartbreak is the same and although suffering is always terrible, the right music can make it almost bearable.
Most musicians will bear witness to the fact that the best songs ever created sprung from a place of strong emotions, and love is the strongest emotion of them all. As miraculous as it is to find love, heartbreak can make you feel like the world is about to end, but as anything is better with the right music, we created this list to help you cope through the pain. If you’re a music buff, also check out our article on the 7 artists that switched musical genres for a few surprises. But for now, let’s see which artists made it on our list of the ultimate heartbreak songs.
9. “You Oughta Know” – Alanis Morissette
Anger is the most common sensation we experience after breaking up and at some point or another we find ourselves wishing the worst upon our exes. Alanis did a marvellous job at pinpointing the white hot post-breakup rage in this record released in 1995. With its slow build-up, the song encapsulates the tension of an angry ex reliving the dissolved relationship and wondering what was not to like about it.
8. “Go Your Own Way” – Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac went through its own breakup trouble in 1976, when Lindsey Buckingham split with Stevie Nicks, but thanks to the built-up pain they created this powerful track. Reliving what went wrong in the broken relationship, this song is best heard at home alone, while belting the lyrics full-throttle into your hairbrush.
7. “The Scientist” – Coldplay
There’s no denying that Coldplay’s music repertoire is full of heart-wrenching ballads, but this tune captures that special vulnerability you feel in the exact moment of calling it quits: nostalgia. Chris Martin’s soft and high-ranged voice is perfect to tear you up and the poetic lyrics are extremely relatable.
6. “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye
Motown has the perfect song for every emotion and catching a cheater calls for some Marvin Gaye. This track hit the charts in 1968 and every person who was ever hurt by their partner’s sneaking around surely played this record while writing a hate-note.
5. “F*ck You” – Cee Lo Green
This one goes out to the men who spent months or years catering to a “gold digger”, who ultimately dumped them for a richer man. Cee Lo makes a wonderful point of flipping off that mean and superficial ex, but still wishing her the best because he’s simply over it.
4. “Ex-Factor” – Lauryn Hill
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill won several Grammy Awards back in 1998, but it also presented us with one of the most accurate break-up songs of all time. The appropriately named “Ex-Factor” captures that longing for the relationship to last, even though you know it won’t. Lauryn’s sincere declaration – “tell me who I have to be, to get some reciprocity” – hits the soul in all the right spots.
3. “Cry Me a River” – Julien London
We all have that one ex who treated us terribly, refused to take responsibility for it, and many months later reappears feeling sorry about everything and saying too little, too late. This is pretty much the core of Julie London’s signature song, released in 1953, which struck a nerve with countless fans suffering from heartbreak.
2. “Somebody That I Used to Know” – Gotye featuring Kimbra
Crowned the Record of the Year at the 2013 Grammy’s, this delicate break-up song pinpoints the anxiety of a separation, especially when it comes to moving out from your ex’s home. Gotye’s voice sounds almost on the verge of tears during the chorus and Kimbra’s powerful verse adds another dimension of suffering to the song. A wonderful portrayal of the fleeting nature of modern relationships.
1. “Nothing Compares 2 You” – Sinead O’Connor
In 1990, a doe-eyed, delicate, Irish singer-songwriter by the name of Sinead O’Connor took it upon herself to cover this song (originally composed by Prince) and thus released the ultimate heartbreak track. Sinead’s personal tone in the song, along with the violin arrangements and background choruses create such a real and profound sadness over losing your lover that you’ll be through your tissue box by the end of this 4-minute ballad.
