So you just found out about your boyfriend’s secret Discord kitten and you know you have to text him and break up with him. Well, now you are just so sad because you were really in love with him, and you need a playlist to cope with your feelings.

Maybe that’s a little too specific. But you may have just gone through a tragic breakup that left you heartbroken, and you may need a little bit of music to scream in your car, room, shower, or wherever. 

If you don’t know where to begin, this article will give you some ideas for a head start on your playlist.

The first five songs are from the queen of modern-day breakups, Olivia Rodrigo. Rodrigo has many great breakup songs, despite her minimally released albums. All of these are recommended by Staff Writer, Holly Hill (aka me).

From her first Album “Sour,” I have two songs I recommend:

• “traitor”
• “good 4 u”

Both these songs talk about her dislike for her ex-boyfriend and how he hurt her both during and after the relationship. “Traitor” is on the sadder side while “Good 4 U” is on the angrier side. 

The next song is a classic from her time on the Disney Channel:

• “All I Want”

This song, instead of focusing on the pain of the breakup, reflects on the joy of the relationship, showing the moving on. This song can add some variety to your playlist. 

Then from her newest album “Guts”:

• “making the bed”
• “vampire”

Both of these songs show maturity in Rodrigo’s music since they highlight heavier themes of toxic relationships, such as relationship imbalances and feeling like you’re not enough

Now for the next two songs, we’re highlighting another lyrical genius, Lana Del Rey. These are recommended by the newspaper’s Assistant Editor, Gitashri Gopalakrishnan:

• “The Other Woman”
• “Sad Girl”

GG likes these songs because whenever someone breaks up with her, there’s always another woman, and it makes her a sad girl.

Following up on these song recommendations are some songs from a variety of artists that we recommend:

• “I miss you, I’m sorry” by Gracie Abrams 

This song is recommended by me (Holly) once again. This song is about getting back together with an ex even when you know you shouldn’t.

• “Rumor Has It” by Adele
• “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood

These two songs are very different, but they highlight the same themes. If you’re partner cheated on you, (first off I’m sorry) these songs are perfect for you. 

• “Skinny Love” by Bon Iver

This song is not necessarily about a breakup but rather the relationship right before breaking up. It’s about the love he once had and how it’s slowly withering away.

Now from both our Senior Editor, Ethan Leehan and Staff Writer, Tegan Singleton’s favorite artist, Conan Gray:

• “Memories”
• “Winner”
• “Footnote”

Ethan highly recommends “Footnote” because he likes the clever lyrics, and Tegan recommends “Winner” because she likes the lyrics “La-la-la-la-la”. 

Memories, on the other hand, are about your ex trying to come back into your life and how it’s hard to push them away, even after remembering how much they hurt you. 

The last six songs are going to be from the real queen of breakup songs. You guessed it; Taylor Swift. Love her or not, you have to admit she writes a killer breakup song, and her songs apply to so many different heartbreak situations. I personally love Taylor Swift, so I (Holly) highly recommend all of these:

• “Dear John”
• “Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve”

Both of these songs were written about the same man, (John Mayer), and it’s very evident in these songs that he was a really bad boyfriend. These songs are both very different, but they are both about dating someone older than you and being emotionally manipulated by them.

• “Better than revenge”

Now, this song in my opinion is Taylor Swift’s best breakup song. If you got your man snatched, this song is for you. If you just give it one listen, you will understand why. 

• “All Too Tell (Taylor’s Version) (10 Minute Version)”

I know what you are thinking; 10 minutes is a long time for one song, but trust me it is worth the listen. This song (since it is so long) covers the entire relationship duration: from them being happy and in love, to her realizing some red flags, to him breaking up with her, to the depression after the relationship. It does all of this while also reflecting on the bad parts of the relationship, helping the healing process.

• “Betty”
• “Cardigan”

These last two songs are from a love triangle Taylor Swift created in her album “Folklore”. “Betty” is from the guy’s (James) POV. It talks about why their relationship ended (because he cheated on her), and him trying to justify it while also trying to get back together with her. Cardigan is told from Betty’s point of view, and it explores more of why she won’t get back together with him and how he isn’t a good person. Since these songs are told from a story point of view, it makes them all the more relatable to real-life breakups. 

As a girl who has only ever been in one relationship (and it was in the 8th grade) I truly think I know what’s best for your breakup playlist…

On a real note, a lot of our newspaper staff have had our hearts broken, and we love music. We hope this article helped anyone going through a breakup to get a start on the best playlist ever.

We hope you feel better soon – remember – you broke up for a reason!

Also if you have been broken up with recently and are considering getting back together with your ex… go check out GG’s article “To Ex, or Not to Ex”