Music
10 break-up songs to help you heal a broken heart
From TLC, to Beyoncé and Ariana Grande – here are the anthems to get you back on track.
Going through a break-up can be an especially sad and lonely experience. But don’t worry – these tracks have got your back. Whether you want to wallow in self pity, tell your ex they can #GTFO or hit the club with your ride-or-dies, this track list will get you through the long days. See you on the other side.
1. Method Man – Break Ups 2 Make Ups ft. D’Angelo (1998)
This track from Method Man featuring ‘90s RnB king D’Angelo has added depth – sampling Marvin Gaye's Soon I'll Be Loving You Again – and shows that even Wu-Tang members are vulnerable: “Got tired of the games, the lies, the feeble alibis,” he spits.
2. TLC – No Scrubs (1999)
Long before there were millennial f**k boys there were scrubs: selfish, wannabe players who don’t deserve the love of a good woman… or even their phone number. This TLC classic is both the ultimate ex take-down and the ultimate ‘I’m-already-over-it’ dance floor tune, as Left Eye (RIP), T-Boz and Chilli serve up a powerful message of female empowerment alongside infectious ‘90s RnB production. It’s impossible not to feel a million dollars singing along with your besties, “’Cause I'm looking like class and he’s looking like trash / Can't get wit’ a deadbeat ass".
3. Destiny’s Child – Survivor ft. Da Brat (2001)
The ultimate reminder that a break up can’t break you. Your ex thought you’d be sad without them? Broke? Weak? Well you’ve got news for them: It’s all “Much success, no stress, and lots of happiness”. This is the one to tell you that no matter what, you’ll go on fighting.
4. Justin Timberlake – Cry Me a River (2002)
Famously written by JT in just two hours (possibly about his famous ex, Britney), this is one you can lose yourself to: angry and sad in equal measure, exactly how you might feel right now.
5. OutKast – Roses (2003)
This track is for those who don’t want the highroad – you just want to call out your ex on all their BS and get back to feeling good about you. The anthemic funk of this classic will help with that.
6. Eamon – F**k It (I Don't Want You Back) / Frankee – FU Right Back (2004)
Truly a heartbreak tale for our times (or at least the early 2000s), this very special back-and-forth pair of singles is essential for the break-up blues. Eamon’s spiteful original track reflects that feeling when you’re finally feeling at peace with a split – “F**k all those kisses, they didn't mean jack / F**k you, you hoe, I don't want you back” while Frankee’s ingenious comeback is for when you’re ready to throw some shade at your ex, while cackling over their lame love letters with your mates (or old WhatsApp messages): “Well guess what Joe, your sex was whack.”
7. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (2012)
Whatever you think about Tay Tay, it’s hard to deny the raw honesty and positive vibes of this empowering track. We all know how it feels to make up your mind that the end really is the end in a relationship: and this should help you stick to your guns.
8. Frank Ocean – Thinkin Bout You (2012)
No one does modern heartbreak better than Frank Ocean. The raw vulnerability of this minimalist ballad will help you tap into those emotions – with lines like "My eyes don't shed tears, but boy they pour when I'm thinkin' 'bout you" – and knowing that it’s not just you that feels heartbroken and hopeless can be a lifesaver. Frank gets it.
9. Beyoncé – Sorry (2016)
This track from seminal album Lemonade is perfect for cleansing you of any guilt that might be lingering in the aftermath of a toxic relationship. Powerful, angry refrains like "Middle fingers up, put them hands high / Wave it in his face, tell him 'boy, bye'" show you that no one can break you, not even Becky With The Good Hair.
10. Ariana Grande – Thank U, Next (2018)
Showing us how to take the high road as smoothly as her pristine signature ponytail, this frank and forward track from pop royalty Ariana is for those who want to do heartbreak the healthy way. With lines like “One taught me love / One taught me patience / And one taught me pain / Now, I’m so amazing”, she helps us see the silver lining in all relationships, broken or not, and graciously thanks each one of her exes for making her… Well, her.
