“I think love and anger and pain are energies that move worlds. They open things up, they start the currents moving again if something’s stuck”, Alanis Morissette said in a Rolling Stone article.
This year in music, songs about heartbreak took center stage and ascended to the top in Billboard’s The Hot 100. Breakup songs do extremely well on the charts because of how moving and relatable heartache can be. Lost love and broken hearts are some of the most human emotions that we experience.
Love can shapeshift and bleed into other emotions like rage, passion, happiness, obsession or loss. Breakup songs describe the phenomenon of mourning someone who is still alive. Although these albums draw inspiration from heartache; they’re really love letters to the ones they lost. It’s utterly and inexplicably beautiful how a broken heart can create sublime lyrics that touch the hearts of listeners around the world.
A prime example of spinning heartbreak into platinum records is singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album “Sour”. The album rocked the music industry and took the world by storm. “Sour” documents the trials and tribulations of a devastating breakup and details her journey of mending her broken heart. It was a huge commercial success and brought the angsty teen spirit out of all of us.
Tis the Season of Heartbreak
Following the release of Sour, Kacey Musgraves came out with her fifth studio album “Star-Crossed”. The album tells the story of Musgrave’s recent divorce from her ex-husband Ruston Kelly. Her songs reflect her state of mind before and after their split. Drawing inspiration from her divorce, the overall message of the album is that even though relationships end, the grief we feel after is really the love we feel for that person. Breakups and divorces don’t erase the love we felt, they only amplify it.
Hello Adele
The queen of fall is back and better than ever: Adele. After five years, Adele makes her return to the public eye and she certainly did not come back empty-handed! On November 19, Adele is scheduled to release her long-awaited fourth studio album “30”. The album is inspired by her separation from her ex-husband Simon Konecki.
Her once-in-a-lifetime voice and talent for writing about falling in and out of love will undoubtedly serve in her new album. The importance of this album does not only document her feelings about her divorce but also as a love letter to her son. “I just felt like I wanted to explain to him, through this record, when he’s in his twenties or thirties, who I am and why I voluntarily chose to dismantle his entire life in the pursuit of my own happiness.”, Adele said in a British Vogue interview.
Listening to songs about heartbreak is a cathartic experience. After going through a tough breakup or divorce, it’s natural to seek out songs that express your own thoughts and feelings. It’s validating and helps you heal from your loss. Rather than shying away from the pain, breakup songs encourage listeners to feel that sadness to release it and mend their broken hearts.
Check out this playlist and let us know what’s on your heartbreak playlist by tagging us @HerCampusSJSU: