The Most Beautiful Sad Love Song

What is it about sad love songs that can be so satisfying, especially when your heart has just been broken? How come these songs have an uncanny ability to sometimes make you feel better when you resonate with the sad story being told in the lyrics? It’s an interesting phenomenon and luckily we have access to decades and decades of good music to help get through challenging and painful times.

In this article I’m going to share some of the best sad love songs from recent years, but also from the past. These songs will range over a broad spectrum of genres, because I know each person is unique and so is their taste in music. So whether you’re a fan of classic rock or contemporary R&B, hip hop or soul, you’ll find something that fits your tastes in this article.

Why do sad love songs feel so good?

I know that you’re reading this article right now because you’d like to find some good sad songs and it’s highly likely that you’re experiencing a hard time right now. Though you know that the songs in this article are going to be wistful, you are still seeking them out. When we are sad or melancholy, why do we look for music or movies that we know are full of heartache and regret?

No, you’re not a masochist, and sad love songs can actually help you to feel better! I know it’s counterintuitive, but scientific research has been conducted to further explore and prove this theory.

Now I know, I know, you’re not looking for and in depth scientific analysis of what is happening in your brain right now; you just want to listen to some lyrics that you can relate to. But it’s just so interesting that I can’t resist sharing a little bit with you before we jump into the nitty gritty and I give you all kinds of music to listen to!

Truth be told, any song, and even the saddest songs can lead to the release of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that is associated with drugs, sex, and well, food. Basically it makes you feel great.

This can account for the part of the reason behind why a sad song can make you feel better after having listened to it, but there’s more. Another theory is that we use music to relativize our own situations. For example, if you hear a person singing about what happened to them, you subconsciously feel better because you’re not in their shoes. “I feel terrible today, but Adele is having a worse day so it’s all good.”

In my opinion, the simplest explanation is that sad break up songs remind you that you’re not alone, and that other people have been in this situation before as well.

Studies have been conducted that show that heartbreak songs create a positive response because they are perceived as a thing of beauty; much like artwork. Other studies show that the positive feelings stem from the pleasant memories that are sparked while a person listens to certain music.

I should mention though that once again, the fact that each person is unique means that some people have a very negative reaction to sad love songs, mainly because of the memories that they can conjure up.

So if you’re looking for sad love songs to finally make those pesky tears come out, to find inspiration in lyrics, or just to enjoy some melancholic melodies, keep reading!

Breakup songs that help put your feelings into words

I’ve decided to start with some older classics that have such poignant lyrics, and as a Frenchman I of course have to throw in some songs in French as well 😉

I couldn’t write this article without incorporating some of the great classics like Otis Redding’s “These arms of mine,” or Al Green’s, “How do you mend a broken heart.” And though she is not French, Nina Simone sings “Ne me Quitte Pas” (Don’t Leave Me) with such emotion that even the song’s original writer, Jacques Brel is given a run for his money!

Nina Simone’s “Lilac Wine,” covered by Jeff Buckley can also pull on your heartstrings.

Finding music that inspires you can truly help you when you’re trying to overcome heartache. One of the tools I often recommend to my coachees is to write your feelings down on a sheet of paper, or even in a letter that you don’t give to your ex. Writing is an amazing tool for getting feelings out of your system and down on paper, and the lyrics you hear in these songs can give you a jump start.

It has been said that the feeling of sadness gives rise to creativity and inspiration, and some studies have even shown that works created from a place of sadness are aesthetically more pleasing (though this is hard to judge).

No list of sad songs about love would be complete without some of Adele’s songs. It seems that almost all of her songs are about the feelings associated with heartbreak whether it’s sadness, anger, or regret. One of her most famous sad love songs is “Someone Like You.” As the title suggests, she sings about missing her ex lover but hoping that she’ll find someone just like him.

Finding a song that expresses your feelings is a great tool for helping you to move forward, so let’s keep exploring!

Break up songs: When you’re feeling angry

One of the most common feelings following a breakup is anger. You’re furious that after everything you tried and gave, it all fell apart anyway. You’re furious that your partner didn’t try as hard as you did and that they just gave up.

Beyoncé is known for her ability to inject her songs with deep emotion, and her new album Lemonade contains quite a few angry songs about a partner’s infidelity. One of her slightly older songs that illustrates the feeling of frustration about a partner’s behavior is “I care,” in which she sings about how awful it feels to be the only one putting in any effort.

Here are a few more songs for anyone feeling frustrated and angry about their current situation in love.

10/ AronChupa – I’m an Albatraoz

9/ Formidable – Stromae (he’s singing about how a relationship falls apart)

8/ It Ain’t Me – Selena Gomez

7/ Cosmic Love – Florence + The Machine

6/ Madness – Muse

5 Don’t Wanna Fight – Alabama Shakes

4/ Shut Up and Let me Go – The Ting Tings

3/ Q.U.E.E.N – Janelle Monáe ft Erykah Badu

2/ I Hate Everything About You – Three Days Grace

1/ Another great one by Beyoncé is “Ring the Alarm.”

When you’re feeling upset about the things that are going on in your relationship or in your life, I encourage you to go out for a good run or to hit the gym. Sometimes we need to find a release and exercise can be the perfect tool, especially because your body will release endorphins!

You can check out some of the breakup song playlists in Spotify, throw on some headphones and get your blood flowing!

Sad music: Songs about unrequited love

When your heart is hurting because you love someone that doesn’t feel the same way about you, you can seek solace in music and in knowing that other people have been in this situation before as well.

There are in fact lots of things that you can do if you want to attract someone, and I have written numerous articles on the subject. To give you an idea of what the key to success is in terms of seducing someone, I want you to know that it all depends on your self confidence and the life you have built for yourself.

There are of course many other elements like flirtation, how you dress, how you interact with your “target,” but if you are self-assured and happy in your life, your chances of success will multiply tenfold!

If you’re looking to seduce someone and you’ve got the blues because it’s not going as smoothly as you would like, I encourage you to reach out to me directly here so that we can design a personalized plan of action. Each situation and each person is entirely unique, so in order to help you in the best way possible, I would need to ask you some specific questions to get a proper understanding of what would be the best plan of action for you!

Remember, I am here to help you every step of the way if you need me!

Here are a few songs about unrequited love and heartache:

3/ I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bonnie Rait

2/ I Gave You All – Mumford & Sons

1/ Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinaed O’Connor

The best sad songs of today

I think it’s safe to say that more than half of the songs we hear are about heartache, so if you’re looking for something sad that expresses the pain you’re feeling right now, sometimes all you have to do is turn on the radio.

I know we all have different preferences, but here are some sad songs that are circulating right now that can give you all the feels.

1/ Frustrated – R.LUM.R

2/ Easily – Bruno Major

3/ Let it Go – James Bay

4/ Skin – Ran’n’Bone Man

5/ Let Her Go – Passenger

6/ Jealous – Labrith

7/ Elastic Heart – Sia

It’s so strange how sometimes a particular song can immediately take you back in time to a specific memory, or a specific feeling. I know I definitely have some meaningful songs with sad lyrics that strike a chord with me right away, and I can find myself feeling nostalgic or even blue!

What are some of the songs that give you a surge of emotions, and what are the stories tied to them? Go ahead and share in the comments section so that we can make this list of sad love songs even bigger!

And you know, they don’t always have to be romantic. Broken heart songs can be about loss or about missing family members or dear friends. Here are some sad love songs about loss and grieving.

1/ Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton

2/ Only One – Kanye West

3/ Windows – Angel Olsen

4/ Let It Be – The Beatles

5/ I’ll Be Missing You – P Diddy, Faith Evans & 112

6/ Airplanes – Local Natives

7/ King’s Crossing – Elliott Smith

8/ The Trapeze Swinger – Iron&Wine

Sad songs: Using it to your advantage

In the beginning of this article I spoke about how sad songs actually have the power to make us feel better, so I’m curious to know what you think about it. Do you feel that sad love songs are also depressing? Or are they more nostalgic and portray positive, affectionate memories?

And what about if the music doesn’t have lyrics? Some of the saddest music is classical music, simply because the strings and piano can conjure up such sweeping emotions.

Here are a few of my picks for the saddest classical songs :

1/ Sono Andati? – Giacomo Puccini from La Boheme,, in which Mimi is singing about her own, imminent death…

2/ , Adagio in G minor – Tomaso Albinoni,

3/ , Symphony No. 6, 4th Movement, which was dedicated to his secret lover.

Finding the right sad love songs for you or even writing down text, poetry, or even music expressing your current emotions is one of the best tools for bouncing back from a breakup. Because we are often most creative when we are experiencing intense emotions, why not use this to your advantage?

Try using music as an outlet, or turn to another art form such as writing, painting, or even ceramics. Now is the perfect time to try something new or pick up an old hobby. Creating something will help to get your mind off of the pain that you’re feeling now, and if you still want to listen to some sad tunes while you’re working on your new projects, here are a few more:

1/ The Burden – Weeping Willows

2/ Slow it Down – The Lumineers, which are a little more country…

3/ You’re So Vain – Carly Simon

4/ Tears Dry On Their Own – Amy Winehouse

5/ Ridin’ Solo – Jason Derulo

6/ Good Life – OneRepublic

Finding outlets for your tears is one of the best things you can do right now, but I do want to mention that it is equally important that you don’t allow yourself to wallow in sadness. Feeling and accepting your emotions is a crucial step, but it is also up to you to decide whether or not you’re going to take matters back into your own hands and start rebuilding your life and making it the way you want it to be.

You’re in control of your future and if you decide to move forward, you’ll be unstoppable.

So try new things, meet new people, and fill up your schedule with fun and exciting activities with the people that make you happy. Avoid staying locked up at home alone, even though I know sometimes that’s all you want to do.

Push yourself a bit right now and you’ll be happy that you did!

I truly wish you all the best for things to come.

Sincerely,

Your coach for finding sad love songs

Alex Cormont