The best tissues needed after a breakup or a sad life experience are not actual tissues. Instead, the cure to get back on your two feet are sad songs. Nothing helps you more than sad songs: they’re here to remind you that you are not alone. Feeling down is a shared human experience, and love songs exist to give you the strength and courage to move along. We know; it sucks! But, no matter how you’re feeling, the right sad song will come out of nowhere and will perfectly capture the raw emotions you feel after a breakup. There is nothing better than an artist expressing the right words, with the right phrasing, with right instruments playing the background, that sums up how our lives go in that period where we feel down. Sad songs are the remedy to our sad days.
How We Reviewed
Sad songs can be broken down in two broad categories: the “I miss you and can’t live without you” song, and the “I don’t care because I’m over you anyways” song. These two types of sad songs can pretty much be found across all time periods and genres. And usually, the arrangement of the sad songs and the lyric will compliment each other perfectly if done correctly.
Below you will find some of the most popular sad songs currently on or that have been on the top 40 charts and popular Spotify playlist. Our intentions are to provide you the history of each song, provide you with our interpreted meaning of each song, and to lift up your spirits by linking you to the Youtube video of each song.
The Top Ten Sad Songs To Listen To
What We Reviewed
- Best Thing I Never Had
- Getaway Car
- Love Yourself
- Somebody That I Used To Know
- Say Something
- Skinny Love
- For The First Time
- Need You Now
- Let Her Go
- Since U Been Gone
Best Thing I Never Had
Artist and Release Date
This song was written and recorded by Beyonce and her team of songwriters and producers. It was released on June 1, 2011, under the music labels Columbia Records and Parkwood Entertainment. It is the fourth track on her album “4”.
Meaning
This song goes out to those who’ve had another person play with their hearts. The song reveals itself through a protagonist’s view on a broken relationship, where her significant other showed his true colors by not seeing the potential in their relationship. It’s the anthem song for someone who is just getting out of a relationship with their nose up. The accompanying gospel sound leaves nothing to be desired. This is a sad song that will lift your spirits up.
Lyrics to Remember
- So sad you’re hurt, Boo hoo, oh, did you expect me to care?
- ‘Cause honestly, you turned out to be the Best thing I never had
- What goes around comes back around
Getaway Car
Artist and Release Date
This catchy tune can be found on Taylor Swift’s sixth studio album, Reputation. It was released on September 6th, 2018.
Meaning
This sad song, which was co-written and co-produced by Swift, combines an upbeat pop song feel with lyrics that feels honest and reminiscent. It conjures up imagery of a person looking back on a fiery relationship that wasn’t meant to be in the first place. In the pre-chorus, the singer makes it clear that she wasn’t thinking clearly in the relationship by the words “he poisoned the well”, and she acknowledges that she was lying to herself that the relationship would work. Yet, it appears from the lyric in the chorus that the singer saw the signs of a relationship that wouldn’t have a long-lasting foundation, and she had to be the first to leave. Sad songs like this are for those of you who are getting over a romantic, but short, relationship.
Lyrics to Remember
- The ties were black, the lies were white
- He poisoned the well, I was lyin’ to myself
- There were sirens in the beat of your heart
- We never had a shotgun shot in the dark
Love Yourself
Artist and Release Date
This song was released by none other than Canadian pop star Justin Bieber. It was released on November 8th, 2015 as the third single from his fourth studio album “Purpose”.
Meaning
This song features a raw, stripped-down version that features Bieber’s voice, a guitar, and a trumpet near the end of the song. With the aid of Ed Sheeran’s songwriting abilities, Bieber conveys to his listeners a dismissive attitude towards a narcissistic ex-girlfriend. It is easily relatable for anyone who has been with another person who loves to play games in a relationship. Even if this isn’t relatable, the catchiness of the song carries over the lyrics into the listener’s mind and offers vivid imagery.
Lyrics to Remember
- And I didn’t wanna write a song ’cause I didn’t want anyone thinking I still care
- My mama don’t like you and she likes everyone
- For all the times you made me feel small
Somebody That I Used To Know
Artist and Release Date
This sad song was written by Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter Gotye and is famously accompanied by Australian singer-songwriter Kimbra. This is the second single from Gotye’s third studio album, and it was released on July 5th, 2011.
Meaning
Gotye reflects on a relationship that ended some time ago. He knows that the relationship meant nothing to his ex-lover, and he is hurt by that mentality. He then progresses through the story and admits his anger in the subsequent verse. Essentially, Gotye takes his listeners through the stages of grief that he went through after the breakup. This is the reason why it received critical acclaim: it admits real feelings and expresses every feeling imaginable, in an upbeat pop ballad.
Lyrics to Remember
- But you didn’t have to cut me off
- But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
- Now you’re just somebody that I used to know
Say Something
Artist and Release Date
This song was written and released by a duo band called A Great Big World. It was critically acclaimed after Christina Aguilera added her vocals on the track. It was released on September 3rd, 2013 on the album “Is There Anybody Out There?”.
Meaning
This song perfectly combines emotions- mainly regret, humility, sadness, and grief- that implore the singer’s lover to say something that could convince the singer not to break off the relationship. This is a song that resonates in which both lovers are heartbroken over a failed relationship.
Lyrics to Remember
- Say something, I’m giving up on you
- Anywhere, I would’ve followed you
- And I will swallow my pride
- And I’m saying goodbye
Skinny Love
Artist and Release Date
This song was written by Justin Vernon and released by his band Bon Iver on April 28th, 2008 on their debut album “For Emma, Forever Ago”. It was also famously covered by a singer named Birdy in 2011. Both versions claimed international attention.
Meaning
To paraphrase Justin Vernon, it was written about a time in his relationship when he believed he was in it for the wrong reason: “you’re in a relationship because you need help, but that’s not necessarily why you should be in a relationship.” To him, this is skinny love. It’s a sad song that illustrates a feeling that some of us may have experienced, and this feeling may have been a catalyst to a breakup.
Lyrics to Remember
- Come on skinny love what happened here
- My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
- I told you to be patient
For The First Time
Artist and Release Date
This song was released on August 20th, 2010 by the band The Script as part of their second studio album “Science and Faith”.
Meaning
Sad songs like this one written by The Script reflects the sadness felt in life during the early 2000s. The lyrics are written in a conspicuous way, almost like a country song. The premise of the song comes from the band’s real-life experience of coming back to their lives after being on tour and seeing the hardship of everyone experiencing the recession. The song was written to provide a reminder to people what is important and to provide hope to people struggling in their lives. This song may trump the other sad songs that were written as message songs.
Lyrics to Remember
- Drinking old cheap bottles of wine
- We’re smiling but we’re close to tears
- Oh, these times are hard
Need You Now
Artist and Release Date
This song was co-written by Lady Antebellum and Josh Kear. It was released as an official song of Lady Antebellum’s on August 11, 2009. It won four Grammy awards in 2011 including “Record of the Year” and “Song of the Year”.
Meaning
The song was written to give life to the lonely-in-the-middle-of-the-night feeling. Each one of the members of the band commented on having that feeling of loneliness accompanied by the longing for companionship. It is definitely a song that many people can relate to either shortly after breaking up with someone else or after being single for a long time.
Lyrics to Remember
- And I wonder if I ever cross your mind
- It’s a quarter after one, I’m all alone and I need you now
- Said I wouldn’t call, but I lost all control and I need you now
Let Her Go
Artist and Release Date
This song was written from the pen of Mike Rosenberg, also known by his stage name, Passenger. It was released on July 24, 2012, as the second single on his fourth album.
Meaning
This song pulls you in from the very first line. It expresses the regret that the protagonist feels after he breakups with his lover. The content of the lyric shines through in the numerous contrasts it makes. This is one of those sad songs that you can flip on whenever you immediately start regretting a breakup.
Lyrics to Remember
- Well you only need the light when it’s burning low
- Only know you love her when you let her go
- Same old empty feeling in your heart
Since U Been Gone
Artist and Release Date
This song is American Idol’s first season champion, Kelly Clarkson’s, most famous song. It was released on November 16, 2004, from her second studio album, Breakaway.
Meaning
Clarkson writes the song from a retrospective lens. The singer has obviously moved on by the looks of the chorus. She expresses her feelings that her ex-lover didn’t match her commitment in the relationship, and that she is fine with moving on. This offers the same sentiment as “Best Thing I Never Had” by Beyonce, and these two songs can be paired together if you are going through the experience the songs express.
Lyrics to Remember
- Since you been gone
- I can breathe for the first time
- How can I put it? You put me on
The Verdict
Our verdict is that “Somebody I Used To Know” is the winner of these ten sad songs. It doesn’t get better (and sadder) than going through the stages of grief, and it is highly relatable across the emotional spectrum. However, it doesn’t matter which song we pick; each one of these sad songs is here for you to lift you, guide you, and return the strength you once owned and then some. And, if you like these songs, then it might be worth your time to explore more sad songs beyond this article.