February 14th has come and gone. The chocolates and stuffed bears are on clearance, the Instagram stories of loved ones have expired, and everything has returned to normalcy. But in the midst of the holiday, it's easy to be caught up on past relationships or reexamine the ones that you've been apart of. If you're feeling any of these confusing emotions, grab a pint of ice cream from your local convenience store, get under the covers, plug in your headphones and get ready to cry.
In My Veins by Andrew Belle
"Oh, you run away
Cause I am not what you found
Oh, you're in my veins
And I cannot get you out"
Feeling like you can't move on from someone? Andrew Belle's got you covered. The song is an observance of human nature in regards to heartbreak, noting that nothing stays the same, but it still doesn't make it hurt any less. There's even a sense of hope for the future-- but in the moment, it's easy to be consumed by this person.
What If by Rhys Lewis
"So what if, what if we'd held on for longer?
Or what if, what if breaking made us stronger?
Either way, I'm contemplating if there's a way to get you back
'Cause every day I'm tired of thinking what if, what if, what if, what if"
It's completely normal to rethink the relationship once you've left it. It often becomes romanticized in our heads, and we think of all that we could've done differently to make it work. Although most of the time, relationships end for a reason, this song is good for those moments of doubt.
Falling by Harry Styles
"What if I'm down? What if I'm out?
What if I'm someone you won't talk about?
I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm fallin'"
There are a handful of great songs from Harry Styles's new sophomore album, Fine Line, about a break-up, but this one just hits the hardest. Styles, in the agonized ballad, reflects on himself in terms of the relationship, wondering who he is without the person and who the person is without him. Every lyric hits home, and you are almost guaranteed to cry.
Sense by Tom Odell
"Hard to know, maybe if I skim the stoneWalk a different way back home, it would all make sense
Oh, shut my eyes, lose myself in teenage lies
If I fell in love a thousand times, would it all make sense?"
This song particularly hits hard because the raw emotions in Odell's voice and the honest lyrics are particularly touching. The song explores the lack of understanding that sometimes comes with a break-up. He doesn't understand why things ended, and why the good things in his life always go wrong.
Time Will Be The Healer by Glen Hansard
"One day when you're long past this you'll laugh about it
Sometimes you gotta be a river to go around it
Just put a little distance between your world and his
Time will be your best friend when it comes to this"
I couldn't talk about raw emotions without bringing up the king of it all. Glen Hansard's Time Will Be The Healer shows a more hopeful side to a heartbreak, acting as advice given to someone who is heartbroken. The song assures the listener that, over time, the hurt will heal-- which is something that a lot of us, in this kind of emotional state, need to hear.
Liability by Lorde
"They say, 'You're a little much for me, you're a liabilityYou're a little much for me'
So they pull back, make other plans
I understand, I'm a liability"
Lorde is arguably one of the best songwriters of our generation, and this song just exemplifies it. It is utterly heartbreaking, as she reflects on how every relationship she's in tends to fall apart and how she finds herself to blame in all of that. We always tend to think that a relationship ending has something to do with us, and Lorde perfectly captures that sentiment.
July by Noah Cyrus
"So tell me to leave,
I'll pack my bags, get on the road
Find someone that loves you
Better than I do, darling, I know
'Cause you remind me every day
I'm not enough, but I still stay"
You could not possibly have a heartbreak playlist without including this song. In this hit single, Cyrus sings about finally leaving a toxic relationship and the heartbreak that comes with it, even though she knows it wasn't good for her. It's extremely honest about the nature of toxic relationships, and how so often, you can get caught up in thinking that you deserve what's being given to you or that you're never going to find something better. The reality of this pain makes it hard to listen to this song without feeling something.
Belong by Cary Brothers
"Wake up lonely with you by my side
One more night it doesn't feel
There are movies playing in your eyes
You dream of our fortunes
But you're wrong
I don't belong to you"
This song takes on the unique perspective of still being in the relationship but knowing that it's wrong. Brothers justifies his staying in the relationship with how he used to be in love with her, even though he knows that he's tried everything to make it work. It's a sad image that he presents, where, after admitting his lack of feelings for the woman in his bed, he gets into bed next to her anyway.
It's always good to acknowledge your emotions and let yourself feel through the sadness, but it's also good to remember that the ending of relationships is part of life! If a relationship ended, it was most likely for a good reason and will open you to so many new opportunities.
