How can listening to songs about heartbreak help me cope after a breakup?

Listening to **songs about heartbreak** can be a therapeutic coping mechanism, providing comfort and making you feel less alone in your experience [1-3]. Music can mend broken hearts and help you express emotions like sadness, regret, pain, and frustration [3, 4].

What types of heartbreak songs are there, and what emotions do they address?

There are various types of **heartbreak songs** that cater to different moods and emotions. These include songs that evoke reminiscence [5, 6], indifference [7, 8], bitterness [8, 9], vengeance [10, 11], remorse [11, 12], and enlightenment [12, 13]. Each type helps you process specific feelings associated with the breakup.

Can listening to 'bitter' songs help me heal after a breakup, even if it sounds negative?

Yes, expressing bitterness through song can be a healthy coping mechanism for letting out unreleased frustration [8]. It's a way to express resentment without acting vengeful [8, 9], which can be a step toward finding peace and relieving yourself of those feelings [9].

How do I know if I'm making progress in moving on from a heartbreak, according to the types of songs I'm listening to?

If you find yourself drawn to 'enlightened' songs, it indicates you're overcoming feelings of loneliness and sadness [12, 13]. These songs convey clarity and a determination to move forward on your own terms, suggesting you're close to moving on [13].

Besides listening to music, what else can I do to heal from a heartbreak?

While the source focuses on music as a healing tool [3, 4], remember that expressing your emotions, whether through bitter songs or a good cry, is healthy [8, 12]. Additionally, consider exploring other coping mechanisms such as talking to friends, pursuing hobbies, or seeking professional help. (This information is not from the provided sources and should be independently verified.)

Songs About Heartbreak: An Unusual Healing Experience

A girl wearing headphones almost crying from listening to music

Listening to songs about heartbreak can be such a therapeutic experience to heal yourself from sadness.

Heartbreaks and breakups suck. That’s pretty much it. And the feeling is much worse especially if it’s someone you’ve loved and invested yourself in so much. As much as you don’t want to go through it, you can’t help but feel bad.

A breakup feels like going through the wringer. It’s as if you don’t know what to do, what to feel, or how to express your emotions—wondering how to cope with those feelings. The overwhelming feeling of sadness, regret, pain, and frustration clouds you and you just don’t know what to feel.

So what’s the best way to comfort yourself when you’re at your lowest? Music of course!

Different Heartbreak Songs for Different Moods

There are different types of songs about heartbreak. Some songs talk about being unable to move on, being stuck in nostalgia—or even missing the person. If you know where to look, you’ll even find songs that can get over a mutual breakup or make you feel like you’ve moved on already. That’s the power of music and the artists’ lyricisms.

Check out some of these suggested songs that would relate to what you’re currently feeling, and give them a listen. The following are heartbreak songs that are perfect for what you’re going through right now.

The Reminiscent

These are the types of songs that make you feel nostalgic for your ex and the life you had with them. It’s like a sad song when a girl leaves you and you’re all alone thinking back about what life was like with her, or a melancholic tune when a guy did all these things for you but suddenly left you behind, and you’re stuck reminiscing all the things he did to make you smile.

“ Here I am

Playin’ with those memories again

And just when I thought time had set me free

Those thoughts of you keep taunting me

Holding you

A feeling I never outgrew

Though each and every part of me has tried

Only you can fill that space inside“

– Here I Am by Air Supply

Do these lyrics tug at your heartstrings and make you put on your rose-tinted glasses? It’s as if the memories of your past lover were just like yesterday. Songs such as “I Quite Drinking” by Kelsea Ballerini and “Tongue Tied” by Faber Drive are some of the honorable mentions for when you’re feeling reminiscent.

The Indifferent

When someone’s already fallen out of love, it shows that they’ve slowly become indifferent towards the memories they have with their ex. These kinds of songs usually portray what the artists feel when they’ve realized how absurd or pointless it was being in their relationship.

“Now we’re lying about the nights

Hiding it all behind the smiles

Take a look at what you did

You probably thought that you’d break my heart

You probably thought you’d make me cry

But baby, it’s okay

I swear it’s all okay”

– The Knowing by The Weeknd

I bet these lyrics relate to your jaded feelings. And it’s okay. Falling out of love and becoming indifferent is a part of life; it’s like the saying “Once burned, twice shy.” You wouldn’t want to experience it again after all that.

The Bitter

This is the type of song people would love to sing their hearts out to. A lot of people would relate to how bitter they feel toward their exes. Funny enough, expressing bitterness is a healthy coping mechanism to let out unreleased frustration. However, being bitter is way different from being vengeful or angry. Being bitter is having resentment without any plan to execute revenge or ill wishes toward the person who wronged them.

“And I thought my heart was detached

From all the sunlight of our past

But she’s so sweet, she’s so pretty

Does she mean you forgot about me?

Oh, I hope you’re happy

But not like how you were with me

I’m selfish, I know, I can’t let you go

So find someone great, but don’t find no one better

I hope you’re happy, but don’t be happier”

– happier by Olivia Rodrigo

Sounds like these artists are still hurt right? Do you feel the same way too? Some day you’ll find peace and relieve yourself of any bitterness; don’t be ashamed to feel this way and express all your resentment.

The Vengeful

Being bitter is having resentment without any plan of action. However, being vengeful or angry means wishing something would happen to them. Their level of hurt or frustration is at its peak. And if you don’t know how to express them, you might as well relate yourself to these lyrics.

“And I know that you’ll never

Feel sorry for the way I hurt

You talked to her when we were together

Loved you at your worst, but that didn’t matter

It took you two weeks to go off and date her

Guess you didn’t cheat, but you’re still a traitor”

– Traitor by Olivia Rodrigo

Better to sing out your anger than make a revenge plot right? And if you ever do have some anger left in you, express it but don’t act upon it.

The Remorseful

Being remorseful is a sign that you are healthy. This genre or type usually expresses how remorseful they are of what they’ve done and wish something good would happen instead. It’s the pain that drives them to make them sing their hearts out; crying out their sadness.

“And I pray that you forgive me,

And know that every man ain’t me

Back then I had this feeling

Was just too blind to see

Knew I was bound to love you

The right way at the wrong time…”

– Wrong Time by Clay Newton

Whenever you feel like expressing your sadness, but you don’t know how, try listening to these kinds of songs. A good cry afterward is always healthy. It helps you relieve yourself from all the pain you’ve felt.

The Enlightened

These songs are mostly sung whenever you feel like you’re able to overcome your feelings of loneliness and sadness from your previous relationship. They convey messages of clarity about what’s happened in their relationship and decide to do things on their own terms.

“As soon as my heart stops breaking

Anticipating

As soon as Forever is through

I’ll be over you”

– I’ll Be Over You by Toto

You’re probably close to moving on; you just needed that little extra oomph to give you that determination to be free from your heartache. Hang in there, and keep giving yourself the motivation.

Heartbreak Songs Heal the Soul

There’s something comforting about listening to songs about heartbreak, wouldn’t you agree? Listening to a nice breakup song after a breakup or a heartbreak makes you feel seen; it allows an open space to make you feel like you’re not alone in what you’re going through.

Music brings people together, mends broken hearts, comforts those who are hurt, and inspires people. Sad songs may sound negative and have a negative outlook, but these are real experiences; people nowadays look for something to relate to, especially the pain in their hearts after a breakup.