15 Powerful Songs About Breakup

Dealing with breakups can be easier when you have just the right people to talk to and the right songs in your catalog. Explore emotionally-charged breakup songs that capture the pain, heartache, and strength of moving on. From Sam Smith to Olivia Rodrigo, here are some 15 of the most powerful break ups songs out there. We are recommending them based on lyrical content and musicality. 

1. Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith

Too Good at Goodbyes makes it to the top of our list because it is both a musical and lyrical masterpiece. It is the perfect song to listen to if you have been played or cheated on by an ex. 

Its opening line: “You must think that I am stupid.” is going to give you enough motivation to let go. You really shouldn’t be with anyone who thinks you are stupid. 

2. Broken Clocks by SZA

SZA is one of those artists that sing you into your senses. If you have ever thought about going back to your ex, then hop on SZA’s broken clocks. 

I am especially drawn to the line: “Why do you still talk about me like we are together?”

Broken Clocks appears on her album, Ctrl, alongside other songs that definitely help you move on. 

Read: 10 Inspirational Movies To Watch When You Need Motivation

3. ABCDEFU by Gayle

ABCDEFU is one song that mirrors almost everyone’s emotions after they have broken up, especially if they were lied to or cheated on. 

I like to consider it a griever’s rage. 

“Fuck you, and your mom, and your sister, and your job.” It is just what we all want to say after a breakup, isn’t it?

The song will definitely give you just enough rage to move on fast. And trust me; you need some rage when trying to move on. 

4. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is one of the most famous music stars of our generation, and her song, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” is something of a classic. 

Anyone who is dealing with a breakup has to hop on this track. 

It provides you with the needed motivation to let go completely. There’s really no need to go back to the ex who put you down so much that you, at some point, began to question your own sanity. 

5. Arcade by Duncan Laurence

A slow song with such amazing vocals and instrumentals is surely going to make this list, especially if it is lyrically strong. 

Duncan’s song can be considered his way of truly letting go. 

“Loving you is a losing game.”—Strikes hard. During breakups, it is important to know when to give up. To quit trying. In those moments, you fall back to the reality that loving them is, really, a losing game. {Read: 15 Signs Your Ex Hasn’t Moved On}

6. Someone Like You by Adele

Adele’s Someone Like You is one of the healthiest songs about breaking up. It doesn’t have you hating your ex. It just helps you let go completely, offering hope that although your love affair did not turn out right, you will find something better. 

“Never mind, I’ll find someone like you.” is one of my favorite lines. 

I also have a special like for: “I wish nothing but the best for you.”

Sometimes, leaving relationships is best done this way. 

7. Elastic Heart by Sia

Powerful vocal range. Power instrumentation. Just as powerful lyrics. Elastic heart is the perfect song to show you just how strong you are. 

A breakup can sometimes be terrific. You may doubt your own strength every now and then. But Sia comes to the rescue with these lines:

“I’ve got thick skin and an elastic heart

But your blade, it might be too sharp

I’m like a rubber band, until you pull too hard

I may snap, and I move fast

But you won’t see me fall apart.”

Read: How to Get Over a Breakup Fast

8. Je te pardonne by Maître Gims (feat. Sia)

Sia makes it to the list again with her powerful song, “Je te pardonne, meaning I Forgive You,” but this time, she is being featured by Maître Gims.

Though sung in french language, it’s the perfect song to listen to when you are finally done with them and ready to move on. 

In the song, the singer seeks forgiveness from their former lover and acknowledges that they tried to hold onto their anger but were unable to. They express that despite the hurt caused by their former lover, they understand and forgive them.

One of the final and most important stages of dealing with a breakup is forgiving. Forgiving makes you stronger. It also gives you room to explore the many other things outside a relationship that life has to offer you. 

Plug Maître Gims in, and listen. 

9. Jealous by Labyrinth

So far, this is one of the saddest songs on this list. I will recommend it to guys, especially. I assume you know about the stages of grief. When dealing with a breakup, one often oscillates between denial and acceptance. Succor only comes after acceptance. 

Jealous by Labyrinth is going to make your acceptance phase a lot easier. 

No, you wouldn’t be cussing your lover out as you did with ABCDEFU. That song was to help you during denial. This is to help you accept all your feelings. 

“I am jealous of the way you are happy without me.” This is a classic line I would not forget in a hurry. {Read: 15 Signs Your Ex Has Moved On and What to Do}

10. Entertainer by Zayn Malik

I love the power of Zayn Malik’s voice. Maybe even more than I love the instrumentation of his songs. 

Entertainer by Zayn Malik appears on this list for people whose ex-lovers had tried to make a fool out of them. 

Let’s imagine that you knew they had been cheating on or lying to you but just couldn’t confront them. Then, boom, you run into undeniable proof. 

Listen to this song just before confronting them. 

“You thought you had me, didn’t you? When you lied to my face, I could see the truth.” 

You will then be able to leave them, feeling so good that you have ratted a cheater out. 

11. Take a Bow by Rihanna

I would have considered it a crime myself if this song didn’t appear on this list. 

Rihanna is a don at the game of music. She knows just what to say and how to deliver it straight to the heart. 

Take a Bow is a song to listen to if you have an ex that keeps coming back with an apology for the same offense. 

“Don’t tell me you are sorry cos you’re not. Baby, when I know you’re only sorry you got caught.” It is my favorite line in the song. 

Find motivation in that line. Decide that you will no longer be listening to them or the lies they tell. 

Read: How to Breakup with Someone Politely

12. Damages by Tems

If you haven’t heard about Tems, she is an afrobeat singer who recently won a Grammy award. Her songs are poised and poignant, and I will gladly recommend anything she sings. 

Damages by Tems is the perfect song for a breakup. 

It is the song to listen to if you are tired of all the damage your ex has caused you. 

I consider the line: “Don’t call my phone; you’re not a mad man.” both a comic relief and a source of great motivation. 

You’ll only see how much comic relief it is if you are conversant with Nigerian social media slang and bants. 

13. Happiest Year by Jaymes Young

This is another song you definitely should listen to if you are going through the acceptance phase of your grief. 

It is one of the healthiest songs about breakups out there. 

This song brings you into the mental space where you no longer blame or lambast your ex-lover for how things went. It helps you appreciate those little moments you both had shared, seeing your failed relationship for just what it was: a failed relationship. 

You should listen to “Happiest Year” if you intend to be friends with your ex still. 

14. Happier by Bastille and Marshmello

This is yet another healthy song about breaking up. It is a song to listen to when you are nearing the point where you no longer feel so much hurt, that point where you have completely moved on. 

The lyrics go, “Lately, I have been thinking; I want you to be happier.”

What I love the most about this song is the blend between the instrumentals and the vocals. Marshmello is such a powerful singer; there couldn’t have possibly been a better duel than Bastille and Marshmello. 

15. Happier by Olivia Rodrigo

Happier by Olivia is similar to happier by Bastille in lyrical form. 

It’s also a song that helps you let you. So far, I have tried to include healthy songs about breakups because I believe breaking up should be a healthy process rather than a means to create enemies. 

Happier helps you get over your lover in a healthy way—it barely paints them to be evil villains, but instead, it wishes them the best. 

Of course, there is a bit of selfishness, as Rodrigo asks that the ex should not be as happy with their new lover as he was happy with her. We are all selfish, though, aren’t we?

Read: 15 Best Love and Romance Blogs to Follow

Bottom Line

You need someone to talk to when dealing with a breakup. In addition, you need some songs to help bear the weight of your grief. Breakup songs have the power to help us navigate through painful and complicated emotions.

Whether you’re looking for comfort or a reminder of your strength, these songs offer a range of emotions that can resonate with anyone going through a breakup. They also remind us that there is always hope for moving on and finding happiness again.