Every so often, a decent love song is released into the airwaves, and all of sudden, someone has a song to have their first dance to at their wedding. Love can be a beautiful thing, but it is common for someone’s heart to break.
Some avoid them because they might make the loss worse (especially when Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching), but in some cases, a song about breaking up is just the remedy for a broken heart. A great thing about songs about heartbreak is the multimodality it takes on. It can be anywhere from being sad about losing someone great, spiteful because said person did something awful, or even happy because ending it was the right choice.
Here are some of my top choices to help the heart heal following a breakup.
1) “Over You” - Daughtry
This is one of those songs where it goes further than just heartbreak. “Over You” is about someone finally being able to move on from a previous relationship. It even goes on to reflect on the relationship in saying they “should’ve started running a long long time ago.” The speaker is happy to move on from this portion of their life.
The music drives the point of the song home. It is a genre that is getting lost in time with each passing day, but songs from that era of “dad rock” should not be completely ignored, especially ones as insightful as this.
2) “Wilt” - Whale Bones
While the last song was content with understanding their breakup, this song might be the opposite. This ballad is seemingly regretful of what happened to their past relationship.
“I played pretend to fit your world.” This lyric in particular is a pretty good example of the message, as it is saying the speaker changed who they are to fit their former partner’s fantasy. Unfortunately, this is a really common thing found in romantic relationships. Some people feel the need to change who they are in order to feel the love of another person, no matter how bad it is hurting them.
3) “Everybody but You” - State Champs feat. Ben Barlow
This pop-punk anthem is seemingly the opposite of the previous song. It may not be as lyrically complex, but it is certainly joyous in thinking about leaving their partner. While it does express regret, the regret was getting into the relationship in the first place. That is also a common theme when it comes to breakups.
What drives the point home in this song is the instrumental aspect. Since it is a pop-punk song, the guitar is the driving force in making this breakup song a happy occasion. The vocals are what make this song seem like an anthem, as the frontman does just yell the chorus. This song is best listened to in a car with the windows down, belting the lyrics.
Breakups can be extremely difficult whether they are romantic or not, and it often feels like the end of the world when they happen. While going through them, a support system is in order, and what is a better support system than music?
