The 14 Songs That Broke My Heart And Put It Back Together Again During A Breakup  

I listened to this song for the first time on my walk to class and boy, was that a mistake. Songwriters will continually impress me with their ability to capture such universal experiences and make them feel so personal to every listener. Songs like this that I so deeply relate to are perfect for letting yourself not have to express everything, sometimes a song letting you know you aren’t alone is all you need.  

Fav lyric: “It hurts to be something/It’s worse to be nothing with you” 

This is the first song of many Taylor Swift songs on this list. I love this song. Songs of anger and sadness have their place, but a song of acceptance like this one brings much-needed grounding in a time of hurt. It can be hard going through your first breakup not knowing when or if you will fall in love again. This song is a great listen to remember that there is both happiness created by other people and by yourself, the latter being the most important.  

Fav lyric: “When did all our lessons start to look like weapons pointed at my deepest hurt?” 

This song hits so close to home if you are scared of growing up and moving on. The upbeat tune of the song to me sounds very vintage, which goes along with the theme of being left behind by the people around you. When going on an Autumn evening drive, I recommend blasting this song at full volume and screaming along.  

Fav lyric: “Did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen?/Time went on for everybody else, she won’t know it”

Fiona’s beautiful and soulful voice shows so much emotion in this song; she beautifully shows how it’s essential to prioritize your own well-being. Sometimes loving someone can blind you to the fact that you aren’t happy. I love this song and it’s also great for an autumn playlist. 

Fav Lyric: “Hunger hurts, but starving works/When it costs too much to love”

I’ve just recently gotten into Lizzy McAlpine, and this song off of her 2021 EP When The World Stopped Moving really resonated with me. There are about 100 Lizzy songs I could put on this list; she has a certain ability to write very raw and heartfelt songs.  This song specifically captures the feeling of insecurity after a breakup, which is something that has been hitting me hard recently. It’s important to process those bad feelings you have in order to heal. 

Fav lyric: “It seems fitting that things go to hell now that I’ve found it”

It might seem a bit weird that a love song made me feel better, but this one just makes me smile. It feels so genuine that it makes me look forward to playing this song at my wedding. The feeling of being so relieved by the sound of your love’s voice on the phone just brings me peace.  

Fav lyric: “It’s strange, the way you make me feel/With just a word or two/I’d like to do the same for you”

I’ve heard people say this is Taylor Swift’s saddest song and I think they might be right. Every single lyric in this song has such powerful meaning, paired with a very sad and slow tune; this breakup song breaks me. The bridge of this song deserves a separate section; it perfectly describes the sadness of not knowing the person you once loved.   

Fav lyric: “All that I know is I don’t know/How to be something you miss”

I remember watching this music video as a kid so vividly, if you haven’t seen it, go watch it now because it’s iconic. This 2000’s punk song is perfect for days when you are feeling snarky, petty, and mad.   

Fav lyric: “If you find a man that’s worth a damn and treats you well/Then he’s a fool, you’re just as well, hope it gives you hell”

This song is depressing. That’s it. Perfect for nights in bed, the conversational duet transports you into a troubling relationship. Both perspectives have meaningful lyrics that can be relatable to all sorts of people and relationships.  

Fav lyric: “I tell you my problems (have I become one of your problems?)”

A song all about getting over your ex, “Clean” shows how even the things you think you will be haunted with forever will eventually become history. In the wake of a breakup, it can feel like all your emotions are crashing into you. When you invest time into yourself and process your feelings, with time your wounds will heal.  

Fav lyric: “When I was drowning, that’s when I could finally breathe”

Out of all the songs on this list, this might be the one I relate to the most. Don’t let the upbeat tune fool you, this song is all about losing someone you loved very deeply. My favorite part of this song is how the catchy pop backing and sometimes silly lyrics disguise real, deep hurt. It all comes to a head at the end, the song slows down when she thinks the man she loves has come back to her. It shows how behind defense mechanisms people can still deeply long for people that they lost.  

Fav lyric: “I pictured you with other girls in love/Then threw up on the street”

I’ve been listening to this song for a while, and I love how it is all about putting your energy into yourself. Finding love in yourself is such an important thing to do when you don’t have someone else to do it for you. This song has feel-good vibes and will encourage your happiness.  

Fav lyric: “I know deep in me there’s everything/What if I trust myself endlessly?”

This is another song about longing and the desire to leave an impact on someone. One of the hardest parts of breakups can be not knowing if the other person is still thinking about you like you are thinking about them. It might sound selfish, but so many people (including myself) want our former flames to feel the same sadness we feel after a breakup. It hurts to see someone you love move on, so it is an understandable feeling to want someone to still love and remember you. It’s still important to respect the boundaries of your ex and to not try to control how they cope.  

Fav lyric: “To the first boy who lit me a flame/Does your heart still remember my name?”

The classic Disney Channel original movie, Lemonade Mouth, shook my young mind with this song. I have listened to this song for years and it still holds up. The movie has a dance sequence where everyone gets down and dirty to Naomi’s girl boss song about growing up, but even just listening to the song gives you all those bad b*tch vibes. I know every single lyric to this song and it’s perfect for not only breakups but for all sorts of transitions in life.  

Fav lyric: “You can look but you won’t see/The girl I used to be”