Now that the dust has settled on Valentine’s Day, heartbreak songs are inevitable.
Every year, Valentine’s Day divides the general population into three different categories. For one of these groups, Valentine’s Day is full of sickeningly sweet romance: eye-gazing, heads on shoulders, handholding — all the usual cliches. For the second group, Feb. 14 is a meaningless day created to sell flowers and cards (and to remind slacking partners to cherish their better halves). But for the lonely third group, usually pining or recently having gone through a breakup, Valentine’s Day can be deeply depressing.
And it’s this third group that I think deserves the most help. So in that spirit, let’s look at five of my favourite sad love songs to add to your heartbreak playlist.
“Scott Street” – Phoebe Bridgers
From Phoebe Bridgers’ debut album Strangers in the Alps, “Scott Street” examines an awkward encounter between two former lovers who run into one another after time spent apart. The track’s instrumental backing is simple, producing an overwhelming feeling of melancholic nostalgia. While the ringing of a bicycle bell and the honking of a squeeze horn are warm reminders of childhood, they exist in a desolate landscape of loneliness, making the listener ache for something that has passed for good.
“Scott Street” understands the disconcerting feeling of missing something or someone that you know no longer exists yet still wishing desperately to return to that place, making it a perfect addition to this list.
“Debt” – Eliza McLamb
Between the plucking notes of an acoustic guitar, “Debt,” a single released by Eliza McLamb in 2020, paints the picture of a vacant individual’s ineffectual response to the end of their relationship. While they seem to be the ones who initiated the breakup, McLamb’s character doesn’t have the energy to fight their destructive thoughts, instead silently sinking beneath waves of despondency.
While “Debt” was released at the beginning of McLamb’s career, the track is woven together by the singer’s expert storytelling abilities, making its depressingly truthful nature perfect for your heartbreak playlist.
“I’d Have to Think About It” – Leith Ross
Leith Ross’ “I’d Have to Think About It” is a quiet and devastating admission of love for someone who will never feel the same way. The track, in all of its hushed tones and soft strumming, shows Ross’ deep understanding of the truly calamitous aftermath of so many profoundly emotional sapphic romances. Although some might view the song as simple, its reticent instrumental backing only serves to uplift the stunning beauty of Ross’ expert lyricism.
Even though “I’d Have to Think About It” exists in a very small subcategory of songs about queer heartbreak, its uncomplicated elegance and effortless interpretation of sapphic love have made it one of my favourites, earning it a place on this list.
“the 1” – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s “the 1” is a perfectly crafted example of the uniquely human experience of grief felt at the end of a relationship. The track exists in a liminal space between depression and acceptance, teetering between wondering what could have been and acknowledging that both parties involved in the love affair are better off apart.
If the track’s twinkling instrumental backdrop represents the feeling of nostalgically looking back, the repeating piano rhythm hidden underneath is the twinging ache that lingers in the back of your mind, reminding you of what you’ve lost. This multi-dimensional musicality of “the 1” is interwoven perfectly with the back and forth of Swift’s lyricism, making this track a perfect fit for a playlist about heartbreak.
“We Hug Now” – Sydney Rose
A brand-new single from American singer/songwriter Sydney Rose, “We Hug Now” is a soft yet devastating expression of the different ways the end of a relationship can impact those who were involved with it. Although Rose’s storytelling is beautiful throughout much of the track, the verse repeated at the end is so authentically human that it’s easily the best part of the song.
In the past few years, Rose has proved herself to be a definite standout amongst the up-and-coming musicians born from TikTok. The release of “We Hug Now” has not only proved this point but also provided another excellent addition to this list.
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Whether your Valentine’s Day was perfectly romantic or abjectly depressing, there is always going to be a time when heartbreaking love songs such as these are needed, allowing this list and all of its contents to remain evergreen.