10 Best Break Up Songs For Killing Your Blues

June 16th, 2008 | Break Up and Divorce · Music

As you might know, overcoming a break up involves a roller coaster ride of emotions. One minute you feel great, the next you are in deep depression. To escape these downtimes is often a big challenge.

While there are different techniques that can help you avoid these moments, a lot of break up victims listen to break up songs to ease their pain. And it works: certain break up songs can help you to get over those hard moments.

I would like to warn you against making a big mistake in this situation. There is one very important premise you need to remember when listening to these songs: they have to be empowering, inspirational and they have to pick you up again.

There is a temptation to listen to those “heart-killing” break up songs, (you know what I mean).

Don’t do it!

I made that terrible mistake back then. I listened to those special break up songs that reminded me of her over and over for weeks. It not only delayed my healing process, I fell into a deep depression and wallowed in my own misery.

Don’t make that same mistake.

These kinds of break up songs can help you to cry out accrued emotions, but this will only work at the very beginning - the 1st Phase. Later, they would likely throw you into the vicious cycle of your memories, from which it is very hard to escape. (Trust me - I know what I’m talking about).

The other kinds of break up songs that you have to avoid are “hate-your-ex-songs”.

The goal in the long run is to get rid of your anger towards your Ex, so listening to this kind of song will only give you false ease, which will hurt you in the long run.

Remember, don’t listen to heartbreak or hate songs - listen to EMPOWERING break up songs.

Listed below, I have collected for you the 10 best break up songs. I have not taken my personal musical taste into consideration here, (mine is really not mainstream), but rather focused on lyrics that will pick you up and pull you out of your depression.

Additionally, I looked for tunes which can convey these kinds of lyrics, (what’s the use of the great, uplifting lyrics if the song makes you fall asleep?).

So, pull out your iPod, check out the following empowering break up songs and create your playlist:

1. Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive

This is the mother of all uplifting break up songs. Strong beat, great lyrics:

“I used to cry,
Now I hold my head up high
and you see me,
somebody new.
I’m not that chained up little person
still in love with you.”

2. Cher - Strong Enough

Are you?

“‘Cos I’m strong enough
To live without you.
Strong enough and I quit crying,
Long enough now I’m strong enough,
To know you gotta go.”

3. Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now

A catchy tune and positive “feel-good” lyrics.

“Think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared.
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin’ for.
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.”

4. REO Speedwagon - Time For Me To Fly

A classic!

“It’s time for me to fly.
Oh, I’ve got to set myself free.
Time for me to fly,
And that’s just how it’s got to be.
I know it hurts to say goodbye,
But it’s time for me to fly.”

5. REM - Everybody Hurts

This is a GREAT song, one of my all-time favorites.

“When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,
When you’re sure you’ve had enough of this life, well hang on.
Don’t let yourself go, everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes.”

6. Bob Dylan - Most Of The Time

You don’t have to like Bob Dylan to like this song. Great lyrics.

“Stay right with it, when the road unwinds,
I can handle whatever I stumble upon,
I don’t even notice she’s gone,
Most of the time.”

7. Ace Of Base - Don’t Turn Around

“If you ever think about me,
Just know that I’ll be alright
I’m gonna be strong,
I’m gonna do fine,
Don’t worry about this heart of mine.
I know I’ll survive
Sure I’ll make it through.”

8. Carrie Underwood - Wasted

The proof that they really exist: positive country songs. A wonderful song!

“I don’t wanna’ spend my life jaded,
Waiting to wake up one day and find,
That I’ve let all these years go by,
Wasted.”

9. Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River

I listened to this one a lot. A great musical piece and it gets you into an empowering mood.

“You told me you loved me,
Why did you leave me, all alone?
Now you tell me you need me,
When you call me, on the phone.
Girl I refuse, you must have me confused,
With some other guy.
Your bridges were burned, and now it’s your turn,
To cry, cry me a river.”

10. Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World

This is simply a classic feel-good song. It always reminds me that there is a life out there beyond the problems that we might have, and that there is strength already within us.

Listen and dream.

“The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky,
Are also on the faces of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do.
They’re really saying I love you.”

There you have them, the best positive break up songs that I listened to back then. They have helped me to overcome my break up, and they can help you too.

Never forget - positivity is the key to success. Surround yourself with positivity, and your life will improve.

You will survive. I promise.

Your friend,

Eddie Corbano

Do you know some good break up songs? Please share them in the comment section below!

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31 responses so far ↓

  • 1 divya // Jun 17, 2008 at 4:53 am

    dey r helpful….good efforts

  • 2 vin // Jun 21, 2008 at 1:15 pm

    really really good. thank you!

  • 3 Shiv // Jun 29, 2008 at 2:02 pm

    I am single for the last 4 hours and this really helped many thanks.
    A song I would also suggest is Baz Luhrmanns ‘Everybodys Free (the Sunscreen song)’…. it puts things in perspective.

  • 4 almost better // Jul 3, 2008 at 3:19 am

    Tom Waits - Walk Away
    Blind Melon - Change
    Hurray For The Day - Open Fields
    ”hurray for the day when you realize just what you threw away…”

  • 5 barbara // Jul 20, 2008 at 5:36 am

    i have been single for 2 weeks now and one of the songs that has helped me a lot is ” tears dry on their own” by Amy winehouse.

  • 6 Mina // Jul 25, 2008 at 7:04 pm

    This is a good one too, I always listen to it in my car. I feel much better, and feel stronger.

    Christina Aguilera - Fighter

    ‘Cause it makes me that much stronger
    Makes me work a little bit harder
    Makes me that much wiser
    So thanks for making me a fighter
    Made me learn a little bit faster
    Made my skin a little bit thicker
    It makes me that much smarter
    So thanks for making me a fighter

  • 7 hana // Aug 7, 2008 at 12:51 am

    i just went through a really bad breakup 2 month ago. my ex bf dump me for another girl. o was devastated. but i listen to leona lewes - better in time everyday. it help a lot

  • 8 The Ultimate Break Up Survival Guide: 50+ Breakup Resources : Love Hacks // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    [...] 10 Best Break Up Songs For Killing Your Blues — 10 classic breakup songs, plus links to the Amazon downloads. [...]

  • 9 bethany // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:33 am

    Ben Folds 5 - Song For The Dumped
    Hard-fi - Better Do Better
    Taio Cruz - I Can Be
    Britney Spears - Toy Solider

    Look for all the ‘F** you songs’
    they help A LOT!

  • 10 Garrett // Sep 2, 2008 at 5:54 pm

    @almost better -

    Could you post a link or something to Hooray for the Day? I can’t find it anywhere in Google or Imeem.

    =]?

    Thank you so much.

  • 11 London // Sep 4, 2008 at 5:20 pm

    You Oughta Know-Alanis Morrissette
    We’re Not Gonna Take It-Twisted Sister
    Dizzy-Orgy
    Stronger-Britney Spears
    In Too Deep-Sum 41
    My Happy Ending-Avril Lavigne

  • 12 Moo // Sep 4, 2008 at 7:00 pm

    Since You’ve Been Gone ~ Kelly Clarkson

    Best break-up song ever.

  • 13 E // Sep 4, 2008 at 8:01 pm

    Porcelain and The Tramps- My Leftovers

  • 14 Cal // Sep 4, 2008 at 8:20 pm

    How about a more bile-filled Dylan song like “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright”

  • 15 McD // Sep 5, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    All these are horrible. What the hell are you guys thinking? It’s mostly soft juicy stuff that give the opposite effect to what you’re trying to achieve here.

    Put some guitars in the bundle!

    Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird
    Disturbed - Stricken

    Then if you WANT a softer song, try Orbital - Halycon & On & On (no vocals).

    For the happy-go-lucky song, try Kraak & Smaak - Squeeze Me. Yes, the lyrics may be a bit “wrong” but the tune is sweeeeet.

    And by then, if you’re still the sobbing sad panda, put on some random Aphex Twin song to confuse you to hell. It’ll help get rid of the thoughts of your passed relationship.

    Trust me, I know. I’ve been single for 8 days now after a 3-year relationship. Happy to help.

  • 16 geo // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:42 am

    Already Gone! the Eagles

  • 17 Will // Sep 7, 2008 at 11:47 pm

    Faith No More - Midlife Crisis

    You’re perfect, yes, it’s true
    But without me you’re only you
    Your menstruating heart
    It ain’t big enough for two

  • 18 1JadedHeart // Sep 13, 2008 at 3:00 am

    These are all excellent songs. Many of the author’s songs are already in my playlist. I love Johnny Nash’s “I can see clearly now.” There are great ideas listed in the responses. I’d like to add a few more:

    Pop/Rock:
    Celine Dion - Misled (One of my favs)
    Jann Arden - Where No One Knows Me
    Def Leppard - Gotta Let It Go
    Elton John - I’m Still Standing
    Daughtry - Over You
    Lifehouse - If This Is Goodbye
    Madonna - Power of Goodbye
    Tina Turner - When the Heartache is Over

    Country:
    Jo Dee Messina - My Give A Damn’s Busted
    Jo Dee Messina - Bye, Bye
    Gary Allan - I Don’t Look Back
    Rodney Atkins - If You’re Going Through Hell
    Mindy McCready - A Girl’s Gotta Do (What a Girl’s Gotta Do)
    Kathy Mattea - Walking Away A Winner
    Aaron Tippin - Kiss This
    Lorrie Morgan - I Didn’t Know My Own Strength

    These are just a few of the ones I use to heal. Not all country songs are about heartbroken people crying in their beers :)

  • 19 Denise // Sep 20, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    Good songs suggested so far.

    Part Of Me by Saint John and the Revelations always puts things into perspective for me.

  • 20 Daniel // Sep 23, 2008 at 11:33 pm

    Smile - Nat King Cole’s version

    That song makes you smile, no matter what….

  • 21 nic // Sep 24, 2008 at 12:57 am

    goodbye to you - patty smyth and scandal

    also good for a pick me up

  • 22 Clarissa // Sep 25, 2008 at 5:34 am

    You don’t seem like the R&B crowd but it’s such a great song when you want to feel like you’re going to be just fine…
    Destiny’s Child- So Good

  • 23 1JadedHeart // Sep 26, 2008 at 4:24 pm

    @Clarissa -

    Actually, I’d like to add Destiny’s Child’s song “Survivor” for a heartache recovery too.

  • 24 Lil'baby // Oct 1, 2008 at 9:38 am

    Ditto for Destiny’s Child “Survivor”, add Shakira “Don’t bother” and, if you are a woman and need to feel like you are “it” anything sexy by Sean Paul. Would like to add, if it’s a bitter break-up, any Linkin Park or “Thx 4 the mmrs” by Fallout Boy. Am going through a “mutual” breakup with a long-distance love and can’t stop bawling like a baby at the mo, but I know there’s life even after those!!! I just wish someone could give me a shortcut to the “over it” part right now…

  • 25 Eddie Corbano // Oct 4, 2008 at 3:34 pm

    Thank you all very much for contributing these great songs.

    I think that anyone who needs comfort and strength from a break up song will find the right one here.

    Thanks,
    Eddie

  • 26 Stephanie // Oct 10, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    Since my ex and I were so into music, almost every song reminded me of him. I made a cd of break up songs and wrote on it “OVER YOU”. A lot of these songs are on it. I get in my car and blast it. Sometimes I still cry, but sometimes I feel great strength.

    One of the songs that helps is “Over It” by Katharine McPhee.

  • 27 laura // Oct 15, 2008 at 3:05 am

    Morcheeba - “Let it go”

    Let it go before it kills you
    Let it fall and the fade away
    Let’s have fun and do what thrills you
    Please don’t waste another day

    Lighthouse Family - “Goodbye Heartbreak”

    You know that you’ll survive
    The day you realize
    You cant stop day from turning into night

    There are certainly more, but these two have such a specific and unique message. They were actually like a slap in the face when I listened to them for the first time.

  • 28 Eddie Corbano // Oct 22, 2008 at 11:10 am

    @laura

    Thank you Laura, two great songs!

    Eddie

  • 29 kees // Oct 24, 2008 at 11:43 am

    Anouk - If I go

    This song help me out ,in the last time of my divorce

  • 30 Michelle // Nov 1, 2008 at 9:26 am

    I found a great song is

    Ill be ok - by Mcfly.

    Not particularly about break up but it says…..

    When your down and lost,
    and you need a helping hand,
    when your down and lost along your way,
    just try a little harder,
    try your best to make it through the day,
    oh just tell yourself,
    Ill be ok.

  • 31 Allyson // Nov 10, 2008 at 6:02 pm

    Here’s some good songs…

    1- My Last Goodbye by Trading Yesterday
    2- Clear by Miley Cyrus
    3- Without You by Hinder
    4- Trash by Demi Lovato
    5- Picture to Burn by Taylor Swift

    These songs have been helping me a lot lately. Maybe they’ll help you guys too =]

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