Not a member? Sign up now
April 23, 2012
20. Lily Allen, "Smile" (2006)
Finally, a breakup song that doesn't incite days of sobbing in the fetal position. There's no beating around the bush with this one: "When I see you cry, it makes me smile." "Smile" is about relishing your ex's sadness. Is it all right to enjoy a song that celebrates the misery of others? Fuck diplomacy, right? — J.G.
19. Ryan Adams, "Call Me On Your Way Back Home" (2000)
Not surprisingly, Ryan Adams' dusty masterpiece Heartbreaker is primarily concerned with heartbreak (and arguing about Morrissey songs). That "Call Me On Your Way Back Home" stands out in such a stacked deck is a triumph. The bluesy turns in Adams' vocal and his barely-there guitar work slowly build until the song's last line, "I just wanna die without you," which is almost too maudlin for Adams to sell. Almost. — A.H.
18. Kanye West, "Heartless" (2008)
Per the leader of the free world, Kanye is a jackass, but talented. Who better to write about lost love than a talented jackass? And who said an Autotuned ballad couldn't have heart? Autotune is actually a pretty clever way to capture the detachment and falseness one feels with heartbreak. Nice work, jackass! — Sean Morrow
17. Grizzly Bear, "Knife" (2006)
"Knife" sounds like pulling yourself out of a bad breakup feels. It's a murky, impenetrable haze of harmonies and accusatory lyrics, and it sounds like it's being broadcast from the bottom of a very dark cave. Even the weird jumble of sounds that serves as the song's outro mirrors the breakup experience — it's the sound of someone trying to pull their thoughts together before inexorably coming back to one motif: "You think it's all right?" — A.H.
16. Aaliyah, "Miss You" (2001)
Though it's taken on a far more poignant meaning in the wake of the singer's death, Aaliyah's "Miss You" is, at its heart, a breakup song. And a sweet, sincere one, at that. Aaliyah's singing voice always had a vaguely detached quality, and, when backed by Timbaland's Nine-Inch-Nails-by-way-of-the-hood beats, she could come off as remote or dispassionate. That's not the case here — this song is all heart, and all heartbreak. — XX
Tags
Breakups
Commentarium (55 Comments)
The first songs that came to mind for me were:
- Heartbeats by The Knife
- Little Motel by Modest Mouse
and, most of all:
- The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot by Brand New
Still don't disagree with this list, and it's a lot more difficult to write a list for the 00's due to the sheer variety of music available.
Yeah. It's interesting, though -- with the '00s, people are a lot nicer. There's less vitriol and more genuine interest in sharing songs: I've picked up some great reader recommendations from the later lists.
I might have done All I Want for LCD instead of someone great. But that's a mere matter of preference for one song (slightly) over the other. Good list though.
"sleep all summer" by national and st. vincent
Good list.
I know this is just me, since the whole rest of the world seems to love it, but I just find the cutesy non-rhyme in Mr Brightside (where he almost but then doesn't say "she's touching his dick") just too coy and twee. Ruins the whole song for me. I prefer Lily's potty mouth, I guess.
If this global industry were less US- and UK-centric, I'd have hoped to see Missy Higgins's 'Scar' here, such a great chronicle of growing wiser from bad, controlling relationships. Plus 'Wish You Well' by Bernard Fanning ("why'd you give up on me so soon?").
"Where I Stood" would have worked, too.
The Past Is A Grotesque Animal: Of Montreal. 12 Minutes of Pain.
I 2nd that nomination- such a throttling song.
Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy. So many Youtube covers.
I don't know why she isn't huge. Great voice and great songwriting.
She was incredible.
You literally took the words right out of my mouth! Such an amazingly beautiful song.
First song I thought of was Hopeless by the Wrens.
"Miss Me" totally crushes it, too.
"She Sends Kisses" is what I thought of.
Bob dylan- Standing in the doorway
Damien Rice- Rootless tree (fuck youuuuuu)
good woman- Cat Power
YES on Rootless Tree. That songs gives me chills.
"Let me out 'cause it's hell in your arms."
Yes. Damien should be in this list. Even his lovesongs feel like breakup songs!
Personally, I would have included Postal Service's Nothing Better, and Stars' Your Ex-Lover Is Dead both in the top 5
All of that time you thought I was sad, I was trying to remember your name.
I'm not sorry I met you
I'm not sorry it's over
I'm not sorry there's nothing to save
My personal fave: Goldfrapp's "Rocket". Strap that bastard down & light it up! Hilarious video.
Wow, I'm old or something. I could barely relate to this one.
Burn by usher didn't make it?! Dude! That song got so much airplay, and for the first 50 times it was still pretty sad
Amy Winehouse, "Tears Dry On Their Own" Should have been Number One!
AMEN
Elliot Smith's 'somebody that I used to know' off the Figure 8 album...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_FpORpi5l0
For Justin Timberlake, I really love "What goes around, come around", especially the live versions. Cry Me A River seems like kicking someone with a mental illness when she's down. Also, it's a little too deliberately ridicule for my taste. What Goes Around is angry and wallowing, just the way I like my breakup music.
Overall, a great list, and a great exercise in nostalgia reading through it. I probably would have included some combination of these songs, though:
Robyn / Be Mine
Bat for Lashes / Daniel
Bat for Lashes / Sad Eyes
Radiohead / There There
Ani Difranco / Soft Shoulder
Shellac's "Prayer to God" - now THAT'S catharsis. Maybe it doesn't count because it's post-breakup and best for when you see the ex with someone new?
word
WHERE THE HECK IS GOTYE'S SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW?!
I forget - which year in the 2000s was that released again?
Did everyone block "Beautiful" by James Blunt from their memories? Or is it not break up-y enough?
No, we blocked it from our memories.
I figured. I was in beauty school when it came out, we played it so many times it will never be forgotten :(
Beck's "Sea Change" is the most heartwrenching whole album about a break-up.
The list is generally OK but I really, really disagree with the inclusion of that Lady Gaga song. It's just awful.
So long as you do have a rilo kiley song, breakin' up would have been a great choice, too
I love this list- too old and unhip to recognize many of these (your 80s list was the soundtrack to my teenage heartbreak) but am totally enjoying listening to them for the first time. Hope I won't have to compile them for any future heartbreak! Enjoyed the writeups and commentary, too- thank you.
is this a sick joke??? where the hell is the all time break up girl power classic, Leave (Get Out) by teen senstation JoJo? Rectify this immediately!
haha! that just made my day.
the mountain goats? pretty much anything off of "get lonely" is perfect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bSdRizGYb0&ob=av3e
"the first time that i made coffee for just myself, i made too much of it/ but i drank it all, just because you hate it when i let things go to waste."
I'd prefer "Your Belgian Things," from We Shall All Be Healed. I am always crushed by "I wish you had a number where you are; it's hard with no one here to help me through it."
I don't think Someone Great is a breakup song, really; it always seemed to me like it was about death. I Can Change might have been a better choice (although even that is more like a "pre-breakup" song, anyway.)
john mayers "gravity" or "im gonna find another you"?
What about "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeah's with its wonderfully passive aggressive: "She won't love you like I loved you."
It's actually "They don't love you like I love you," and it's a plea from Karen O to her musician boyfriend to not go on tour. It's more of a love song than a breakup song. Which is why we put it on our Greatest Love Songs of the 2000s list.
mariah carey's "we belong together". pretty honest for a major pop song...
"i can't sleep at night when you are on my mind,
bobby womack's on the radio
saying to me "if you think you're lonely now"
wait a minute, this is too deep
so i turn the dial trying to catch a break
and then i hear Babyface,
I only think of you
and it's breaking my heart,
I try to hold it together,
but I'm falling apart"
We've all been there.
While these lists tend to stay clear from the harder music genres, I have to point out that the title track from Converge's Jane Doe (2001) is the most intense break-up song ever, capping off the most intense break-up record ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YR9Bspqbps
The Spill Canvas...take your pick of their catalog of emo angst, although All Hail the Heartbreaker is the breakup song I return to time and time again. Also Bound to Happen, Polygraph Right Now, and All Over You are great as well.
where's Frightened Rabbit? Especially Backwards Walk!
That whole album is brutal. I might prefer "Good Arms vs Bad Arms" or "Keep Yourself Warm," but yeah, they should be here.
I love that you turned this into a spotify playlist
For me Kelly Clarkson has the top she always has the best break up songs in the business, Behind these hazel eyes, because of you, already gone and STRONGER are incredible examples of it, this last song is a huge hit of 2012 and one of er best songs ever. Luv her.