the many break up songs

When you break up with a significant other, all you want to do is stay in bed, curl up with some tissue, and listen to a good, sad song while crying your eyes out. Maybe you want a loud, angry song too, or a triumphant “I’m-glad-it’s-over” song you can bop to. However you feel, you need a song. Here are 10 of the best, anthemic breakup songs of all times (in no particular order).


1. "I Will Survive" (Gloria Gaynor)
I will survive
as long as I know how to love
I know I’ll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
I've got all my love to give
and I'll survive
I will survive

It’s the breakup song even your mom knows the lyrics to. It’s a classic, and great for singing karaoke to with your girlfriends. The upbeat tempo and campy appeal make this a great choice when breaking up means breaking free.


2. "Kwarto" (Sugarfree)

Mga liham ng nilihim kong pag-ibig
At litrato ng kahapong maligalig
Dahan-dahan kong inipon
Ngunit ngayo’y kailangan nang itapon

A beautiful, melancholy song for when a relationship has ended and all you are left with is a lonely room and a box full of memories.

3. "Without You" (Mariah Carey)

No I can't forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
When I had you there
But then I let you go
And now it's only fair
That I should let you know
What you should know

This song captures exactly how you feel when you break up with someone and realize what a mistake you’ve made.

4. All Out of Love (Air Supply)

I'm lying alone with my head on the phone
Thinking of you till it hurts
I know you hurt too but what else can we do
Tormented and torn apart

It seems that Air Supply has got breakup songs down to an art. They did the original "Without You," and have done other breakup songs such as "Goodbye." But this has got to be their best. It’s got a memorable melody and a chorus you can belt out to.

5. "Survivor" (Destiny’s Child)

Now that you are out of my life, I'm so much better,
You thought that I'd be weak without ya-But I'm stronger
You thought that I'd be broke without ya-But I'm richer
You thought that I'd be sad without ya-I laugh harder

So what if you’ve broken up? It’s not the end of the world. In fact, it’s the beginning of a new chapter in your life. This is a song for all you strong, independent women out there who don’t want to waste another minute moping about your ex.

6. "How Do I Live Without You" (Trisha Yearwood)

Oh I need you in my arms, need you to hold
You’re my world, my heart, my soul
If you ever leave
Baby you'd take away everything good in my life


This song captures quite well the feelings of helplessness and loss you feel after a breakup.

7. "You Oughta Know" (Alanis Morissette)

'cause the joke that you laid on the bed that was me
And I'm not gonna fade
As soon as you close your eyes and you know it
And every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back
I hope you feel it...well can you feel it

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, as the old saying goes. What better song to help release your anger? It’s got smart and biting lyrics. This song rocks, and so do you. Let him know that in no uncertain terms.

8. "Someday We’ll Know" (New Radicals)

Ninety miles outside Chicago
Can’t stop driving, I don’t know why
So many questions, I need an answer
Two years later you're still on my mind


When it’s been ages since your breakup but you just can’t get over him, this song hits you straight in the gut with its bittersweet and heartfelt lyrics.

9. "Before I Let You Go" (Freestyle)

I wish that it could be just like before
I know I could've given you so much more
Even though you know I'd given you all my love
I miss your smile, I miss your kiss
Each and every day I reminisce
'Coz baby it's you that I'm always dreaming of

A huge hit in the late ‘90s with easy to remember lyrics for when you don’t want a breakup to happen, but have accepted the fact that it will.

10. "One Last Cry" (Brian McKnight)

My shattered dreams and broken heart
Are mending on the shelf
I saw you holding hands, standing close to someone else
Now I sit all alone wishing all my feeling was gone
I gave my best to you, nothing for me to do
But have one last cry

This song is melodramatic, but in a good, soulful way. Its infectious R&B rhythm and lines people can relate to make it one of the best breakup songs of the last few decades.