"The Night We Met" by Lord Huron
Ever looked back on a previous relationship and wished you could do it differently? Somehow, Lord Huron manages to portray that feeling perfectly in this melancholic tune with lyrics like "Oh, take me back to the night we met."
2"Romantic Homicide" by d4vd
You may have heard this heartbreaking song on TikTok, where the artist first debuted a snippet. If not, let me introduce you. Just consider this a heads-up that it may bring tears to your eyes (which I guess is what you're here for). The somber track is about going through a heartbreak—something I'm sure we could all relate to.
3"Penthouse" by Kelsea Ballerini
Although she's currently living her best life with Outer Banks star Chase Stokes by her side, Kelsea Ballerini went through a difficult and, unfortunately, v public divorce from her ex-husband. On her album Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, she chronicles the ups and downs of that marriage. On this track in particular, she sings about expecting the perfect life with her then-husband just to realize that things are bound to fall apart.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4"It's Called: Freefall" by Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Originally released in 2018, this track from the band's 2018 album may not necessarily sound like your typical melancholic tune, but the lyrics and meaning are powerful. The song is about someone who wants so badly to be a good friend to others, but ultimately is always left lonely which makes them turn to the devil for companionship.
5"Tired" by Beabadoobee
I've never related so much to a song title in my life. A song all about feeling stressed, tired, and just downright exhausted? Um, yes, please. After all, life can get tiring sometimes.
6"BLEED" by The Kid Laroi
The Kid LAROI trades the upbeat vibe of "Stay" featuring Justin Bieber with a much more heartfelt tune from his 2023 album. With lyrics like, "How did your heart mend so easy?/Mine still bleeds," despite the song being about heartbreak, the artist himself admitted that it may be his favorite song that he's written.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7"Funeral" by Phoebe Bridgers
From her debut album, "Funeral" was written in honor of Phoebe's close friends who overdosed on heroin. While death is a common theme on her first album, this one especially hits home.
8"I Remember Everything" by Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves
When Zach and Kacey recorded this song, do you think they knew it would immediately make it on my "Sad Girl Starter Pack" playlist?
9"fall in love with you." by Montell Fish
The way I could replay this soothing track over and over again should really be studied. Although it's about heartache, Montell Fish's voice sounds like a literal angel.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10"Space Song" by Beach House
It's official—this song will never (and I mean n-e-v-e-r) get old. I don't care if it's about a sad subject. It scratches a part of my brain that's so satisfactory every time I press play.
11"Never Felt So Alone" by Labrinth (with Billie Eilish)
There's a good chance that you first heard this tune on Euphoria, and trust, it was putting us in our angsty feels. But then he added Billie to the track, so it's a pretty obvi choice for your sad vibes playlist.
12"Strange" by Celeste
Celeste makes singing about loss so hauntingly beautiful in this 2019 track. If the lyrics "From strangers to friends/ Friends into lovers/ And strangers again" don't evoke some kind of emotion in you, maybe (just maybe) it's time to get your pulse checked.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" by Boyz II Men
G.C. Cameron may have created this song, but when Boyz II Men debuted this cover, they truly made it theirs. It's pretty easy to say that this tune has been on our sad playlists ever since we heard it on repeat from the backseat of our parents' car.
14"because i liked a boy" by Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina stans know this song is about the harsh rumors she faced after fans made her the villain in a love triangle between Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett. But it's also relatable to any girl who's experienced shaming for simply liking a boy.
15"Call Your Mom" by Noah Khan, Lizzy McAlpine
When Noah and Lizzy joined forces on this track, we didn't stand a chance. The heartfelt ballad recalls life's darkest moments and support for those living with mental health issues. Heck, even Noah himself struggled to perform it live.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
16"Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell
Nobody is doing it for girls who need to cry like Joni. She taught Emma Thompson in Love Actually how to feel. She did that!
17"ceilings" by Lizzy McAlpine
Lizzy McAlpine has been dominating the sad-girl music scene for a while now. And while this song has become sort of joyful thanks to TikTok, it's still really friggin' sad. It's still about a relationship that's over and imagining something that is no longer real in the present
18"In The Kitchen" by Renee Rapp
This song has a good dose of sad sad: "So I'll dance with your ghost in the living room/And I'll play the piano alone/But I'm too scared to delete all our videos/'Cause it's real once everyone knows" and angry sad: "Ain't it funny how time shows you, you know nothing/'Cause I used to love you, but now you're dead to me/Strangers to lovers to enemies." That makes it kind of the perfect breakup song.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19"Liability" by Lorde
BRB, blasting the living sh*t out of this (and demolishing the nearest box of tissues, of course) until I can see Lorde on tour IRL.
20"Matilda" by Harry Styles
It's a sad song that tells a sad story—not about romantic heartbreak, but about the heartbreak one might feel from family and childhood trauma. Does it make it a little less sad to think about how it may be inspired by the Roald Dahl book? Not really! That girl had a sad life! Everybody say, "Thank you, Harry."
Watch Next
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLvSpqapp5yewaK6jZympmeVo8GmvtOaoKellaPBcLnUrKCcZ5dogHF9lXJrbmejlrFuv86nnqxloKGuurjIrKto