For heartbreaks and breakdowns, here are a compiled list of songs guaranteed to make you cry.

Nick’s picks:

1. Odie Leigh – “Double Shift”
2. Big Thief – “Vampire Empire”
3. Fiona Apple – “I Know”

Starting with a warm fuzzy buzz, Odie Leigh’s “Double Shift” sounds like a self-made recording on a cassette you found at an old record store that they gave you for free because no one knew what it was. In a way, that’s the perfect sound for the song. Leigh’s conversational tone and frank writing feel like something not of this time. Reminiscent of Connie Converse, Leigh’s blunt nature hits to your core. The chorus features the thrice repeated line “Maybe you’ve changed / Maybe you’ve changed / Maybe you’ve changed.” When Leigh sings it, the line is full of hope. The repetition lifts the spirits of the listener, bringing us closer to hope, to some form of happiness. When she finally reveals “you never change,” your heart drops. The simple guitar playing and her voice create this epic of heartbreak and loss, a worrying ode to bad decisions in your 20s. 

If you want a truly deep experience with your music, Big Thief is always the right choice. Led by frontwoman Adrianne Lenker, the band is well-versed in traveling across the musical spectrum, and it does so again on “Vampire Empire.” The booming snare and muffled guitar highlight Lenker’s vocal prowess. Seemingly simple at first, when the chorus kicks in Lenker’s vocal lines get intricate, flipping up and down throughout her extensive range. Lenker’s poetic lines tell the tale of a lover who cannot seem to do anything right. “You turn me inside out and then you want the outside in / You spin me all around and then you ask me not to spin,” Lenker sings. This back and forth game ends on the chorus, where Lenker opens up revealing “I am empty ‘til she fills / Alive until she kills.” While not anything terribly inventive musically, Big Thief’s “Vampire Empire” masters the art of the sad rock chart.

Okay, I know putting a Fiona Apple piano ballad on the list of sad songs is kind of obvious, but it’s obvious for a reason. The simple piano loop emphasizes Apple’s voice and her lyrics. When she sings “And I will pretend / That I don’t know of your sins,” it’s so simple and content, that it’s hard to find the pain in the lines. The contentedness makes the chorus even more emotionally destructive. As Apple flits out “And you can use my skin / To bury secrets in,” her voice flips around, showcasing her emotions. The song hits its highpoint about two minutes in, when the strings pick up their speed, and Apple starting hitting the keys of the piano with some real force. As she gets her anger out, she sings “I can’t help you out, while she is still around.” This idea of two-timing and cheating is strong throughout the song, and Apple is able to let out her true feelings on the bridge. Anywhere else, she has to be content with knowing. 

Tamya’s picks:

1. SZA – “Special”
2. Frank Ocean – “Seigfreid”
3. Montell Fish – “Fallin Out of Love With You”

“Special” is a soft ballad that starts playing over a simple guitar melody carried throughout the song. SZA starts the song singing of the insecurities she faces after leaving a relationship and feeling jealous that her partner has moved on. She compares her physical features that she is least proud of and begins associating her worth with her ex lover. The singer calls back to her song “Ordinary Girl” where she shares a similar sentiment of feeling worthless in comparison to other girls, “I don’t want to see you, why’d you have to treat me like I was an ordinary girl?” She follows with, “I gave all my special away to a loser / Now I’m just a loser.” SZA’s soft trills resonate throughout the verses. The singer allows the familiar feeling of losing yourself in a relationship to overflow the song. This song brings tears to my eyes with every listen. The raw vulnerability of a shared experience many women have is expressed perfectly by SZA in this song. 

“Seigfried” is a classic Frank Ocean ballad with the use of a soulful electric guitar to set the song’s tone. While the song is not about heartbreak, the song is for sure heartbreaking. “Siegfried” is about Frank Ocean’s desire to be free of his own life, as he expresses with the lyrics “This is not my life.” The use of no chorus and singular punch lines allows the song to take on a life of its own, allowing each line to breathe and fully digest. Ocean uses the song to say goodbye to himself and his freedoms – “It’s just a fond farewell to a friend.” Frank even breaks down into a manic trance multiple times throughout the song to almost convince himself to give his life up. Ocean’s “Seigfried” is like watching the mental breakdown of an artist in song form. The run-on sentences and the frantic tone allows you to see inside his mind at the time. 

“Fallin Out of Love With You” is a recall to Montell Fish’s “Fallin in Love With You” which is featured on the same EP. The EP follows the beginning to end of a relationship between Montell and Jamie, with “Fallin Out of Love With You” being the time post Jamie breakup. The song is just about two minutes of Montell’s soft angelic whispers over the track repeating “Fallin out of love with you, ooh-ooh.” The song captures the feeling of being stuck in the relationship aftermath. This period of time where nothing feels real but the world continues to move all around you. This simple yet poetic song is one of the most heartbreaking tracks I have listened to. 

Jonathan’s picks:

1. “The Winner Takes It All” – ABBA
2. “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” – Jeff Buckley
3. “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

“The Winner Takes It All” by ABBA, is a song about how the lead singer, Agnetha Fältskog meets her previous lover again after a painful breakup. She expresses how hurt she feels and wants to keep the relationship alive. The singer also makes a reference to the fact that their ex might have a new special someone which only makes it sadder when, later in the song, she suggests not talking with each other in order to spare each other the feeling of pain and remorse. The song uses a good combination of the keyboard with the drums and the use of the guitar and bass every once in a while to emphasize and enhance the song’s melancholy vibe. It cleverly utilizes the keyboard and drums in conjunction with the lyrics to create more of a somber tone. To top it off, the lead singer sings in a way that could make anyone who has gotten out of a heartbreaking relationship shed a tear. 

“Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” by Jeff Buckley tells the story of how he is thinking over which mistakes he made and what he could have done differently to have kept the relationship alive. The saddest part of the song is when the narrator says their relationship is still salvageable; but in reality, he is in denial about how bad it really is. Toward the end of the song, Buckley sings, “Burning is the corner is the only one who dreams/ He had you with him.” This line is a sign that the narrator’s ex may have found someone new which is a depressing thing to witness. The slow tempo of the song, guitar and lyrics quickly set the somber tone of the song early on and make for an overly saddening listen. 

“Rolling In the Deep” by Adele is a fairly well-known song because of its catchy tune rather than the message of the song. Adele sings about how her relationship with her ex could have been something special, and she intends to use what happened to better herself.

 Combining the steady beat with Adele’s vocals, they make the song a good one to vibe to even without comprehending the lyrics, but the message of the song is still vital to understand nonetheless. 

Ibrahim’s picks:

1. Burna Boy – “Last Last’’
2. Mayorkun – “Certified Loner No Competition”
3. Simi – ‘’Duduke”

“Last Last” by Burna Boy is a heartbreak song that talks about the pain and disappointment that comes with a failed relationship. The song’s lyrics are relatable to anyone who has gone through a breakup and experienced the emotions that come with it. In the song, Burna Boy sings about trying to make a relationship work, only to realize that it was not meant to be. He talks about the feelings of betrayal and hurt that come with the breakup and how he has no desire to be with his ex-lover anymore. The song suggests that, although lovers can face numerous challenges, including infidelity, mistrust and lack of communication, genuine love always wins in the end. The song is a message of perseverance through hardships and the power of love, and it highlights that, no matter what challenges come our way, we need to remain committed to our relationships and rise above the obstacles.

“Certified Loner No Competition” is a song about the heartbreak of a lost love and the struggle to move on. Mayorkun describes the pain of betrayal. The song is a slow-paced tune that is anchored by a strumming guitar sound. The song is a reflection of Mayorkun’s experiences after the breakup as a loner and challenges he faced in his life. The chorus of the song is particularly emotive with Mayorkun’s vocals expressing the longing and sadness of heartbreak. The lyrics describe Mayorkun’s life as a young person who often felt lonely and isolated. He shares his experiences growing up and describes how his loneliness pushed him to become a better person so a breakup can’t hold me back. The song also touches on themes of perseverance and self-determination. “Certified Loner” pulls on the heartstrings of listeners, showcasing Mayorkun’s ability to not just create dancefloor-friendly tunes but to also tap into relatable social issues. The song’s theme of perseverance and self-determination makes it a relatable and inspirational tune for anyone who may feel like an outsider or is going through a difficult time.

“Duduke” is a beautiful song that explores the feeling of love and longing in the context of a failed relationship. The song was released in 2020, and it quickly became a fan favorite, gathering millions of views on streaming platforms. The lyrics express the emotions that come with the ending of a relationship, the memories that linger even after the person has left, and the struggle to move on. The melody of the song is soothing, with a gentle beat that complements Simi’s vocals. The use of a simple percussion rhythm and subtle instrumentation makes the song a perfect fit for a soulful, romantic mood. The music video for “Duduke” features Simi, who is heavily pregnant with her child, and the video captures the joy and anticipation of motherhood. The video also visually represents the song’s message, emphasizing the idea that love can come from many places and that the joy and hope it brings can overcome heartbreak and loss.  

Sarah’s picks:

1. Taylor Swift – “exile” (feat. Bon Iver)
2. Billie Eilish – “watch”
3. Lord Huron – “The Night We Met”

Taylor Swift and Bon Iver harmonize in “exile,” a track off of Swift’s “folklore” album. The two artists play two people in a relationship who start to realize that their miscommunication and loss of trust for each other has broken the relationship they had. The bridge of the song is what hurts the most, as both Justin Vernon and Swift vocalize their reasons as to why the love failed. The lyrics “You didn’t even hear me out (You didn’t even hear me out) / You never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs),” express how each partner miscommunicated. Anyone who has ever experienced a failed relationship with a significant other will find realness in “exile.”

Billie Eilish’s song “watch” is my favorite song of her discography, but the story she sings about is gut wrenching. A one sided love and unreturned passion drives Eilish to sing from a place of confusion and hurt. The song feels like you were watching someone’s heart slowly burn and then die, especially when the lyrics “Go ahead and watch my heart burn / With the fire that you started in me / But you never came back to ask it out” are sadly sung. 

Most people know “The Night We Met” from the series “13 Reasons Why,” but others may simply know it from it being one of the most sorrowful songs to ever exist. Huron mourns a past lover, and desperately wants them back and the happy memories they made together. The song can be interpreted as his lover has died, or his lover left him. The chorus “I had all and then most of you / Some and now none of you / Take me back to the night we met” has to be listened to at full volume in a car at nighttime. The songwriting is depressing, but Huron’s vocals perfectly convey the longing and despair he put in his song lyrics. 

Angelina’s picks: 

1. Citizen Soldier – “Would Anyone Care”  
2. Freya Ridings – “Lost Without You”    
3. Five Finger Death Punch – “Far From Home” 

“Would Anyone Care” by Citizen Soldier captures the sense of wondering what it would be like if you didn’t exist anymore, if you disappeared, died. Would anyone notice? Would anyone care? The lyrics describe the singer feeling stuck in a depressive state and desperately needing some to stand up and say the words he needs to hear. The singer is lost with no goal or sense of purpose, if one person would simply speak words of encouragement to him, it just might save his life. The bridge of the song is the singer expressing the exact words he needs to hear – “If you’re dying inside / sick of being alive / let me in / let me share in your pain.” 

British singer-songwriter Freya Ridings released her heart-wrenching ballad “Lost without you,” in 2017. The song is about the pain of realizing you love someone while also separating from them. The first verse illustrates the singer standing on a platform watching the one she loves leave, and the pain she feels is like nothing she’s ever felt. When you love someone so much, you have no control over it, and she feels lost without them, crushed. She’s been strong for a long time, and never thought she would need them so much.No one knows the pain she is experiencing, she can’t breathe and no one notices. It’s as if the world is crumbling around her. Ridings’ angelic voice accompanied by the piano makes the listener feel her hurt as she cries out in anguish. 

“Far From Home” by Five Finger Death Punch reflects the challenges of being away from home. The song illustrates the difficulty someone might experience when they are away from their loved ones and family. The singer has felt this feeling for a long time and can’t see an end to it. The singer is surrounded by people with little to no perception of time. He is lost and can’t seem to find the way home, if there is one. He’s seen things that would diminish any hope he has of ever finding where he belongs. The chorus screams: “And it’s almost like / your heaven’s trying everything to keep me out,” illustrating the fact that he will never feel good enough, he will never be good enough.  

Emily’s picks:

1. Chord Overstreet – “Hold On”
2. Adele – “Love In The Dark”
3. Hozier – “Cherry Wine” 

“Hold On” by Chord Overstreet is a song about losing the person you love. The song illustrates that the person that Overstreet loves died by suicide. The lyrics “You locked yourself in the bathroom / Lying on the floor when I break through” express that by the time Overstreet gets to his lover, it’s too late. This song can also be interpreted as the end of a relationship, but Overstreet wants the person he loves back. The chorus emphasizes this perfectly. The lyrics “Hold on, I still want you / Come back, I still need you,” illustrate that all Overstreet wants is for the person he loves to come back.

Moving from an acoustic song to a ballad, “Love In The Dark” by Adele explores the challenges of ending a relationship, especially when the feelings of love are lost. The song starts off with a soft piano and picks up with a full orchestra later in the song. Throughout the song, Adele sings about how she is ending the relationship, even though part of her wants to stay. The lyrics “I can’t face your breaking heart / I’m trying to be brave / Stop asking me to stay,” perfectly capture the challenges of ending a relationship. The song illustrates that Adele is adamant about ending the relationship, even though it may be difficult.

“Cherry Wine” by Hozier paints a vivid picture of domestic abuse. The song portrays the unfortunate reality that most people face when in an abusive relationship. The chorus of the song is the epitome of domestic violence. The lyrics “The way she tells me I’m hers and she is mine / Open hand or closed fist would be fine / The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine,” illustrates the terrifying struggle of remaining in an abusive relationship. The use of the acoustic guitar in the song adds to the melancholy feeling of the song. Domestic violence is not talked about nearly enough, but Hozier sings about it in the most heartbreaking way.

Eli’s picks:

1. Magnolia Electric Co. – “Whip-poor-will”
2. Ryan Adams – “Haunted House”
3. From First To Last – “Note to Self”

Jason Molina sings with such an earnest presence of pain and sorrow in his voice, it’s hard not to consider every song he ever sang to be a heartbreak song. However, “Whip-poor-will” is one of his most unexpectedly devastating. Simply arranged with just acoustic guitars and a twangy, weeping slide guitar, the song expresses desperation and disappointment with the point the narrator has reached in his life, expressing feelings of isolation and loneliness in such a beautifully simplistic way, it’s hard to relate to it. 

Following a painful and highly publicized divorce from Mandy Moore, Ryan Adams returned to the studio in 2017 to make what can only be described as the quintessential Ryan Adams album. The track “Haunted House” explores the loneliness and isolation that follow breakups, utilizing a haunted house as a metaphor to describe the way the memory of his ex still looms large over his life as though she were a ghost. 

For the times when a lethargic singer-songwriter ballad just isn’t enough to ease your heartbreak, regress back to the MySpace era and embrace your inner scene kid with “Note to Self” by From First to Last. An aggressive post-hardcore classic, the song explores the pain and sorrow of a breakup in a wonderfully melodramatic way that’s typical of music from this era and genre. The track also exemplifies the screeching vocal talents of singer Sonny Moore, who would later go on to adopt the name Skrillex and revolutionize an entirely different genre.