What makes a song a “breakup song”? In honor of Valentine’s Day, The Ringer is digging deep into the genre with our ranking of the 50 greatest ones in music history and pieces exploring the current state of the heartache anthem. If you’re alone on this holiday, fire up our playlist and cry as you read along. And if you’re happily attached, just appreciate the songs—and your relationship. After all, you can’t fully appreciate a breakup song until you truly know what it’s like to lose in love.
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February 14, 2020
Our Tech-Addled, Modern World Changed Dating. It Also Changed the Breakup Song.
Dating apps and social media haven’t just altered how we interact—they’ve also changed our music
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February 14, 2020
Our Favorites That Were Left Off Our Breakup Song Ranking
No Brian McKnight? Did we pick the right Fleetwood Mac song? Where’s the emo? Let’s try to right these injustices.
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February 14, 2020
How Taylor Swift Became the Queen of the Breakup Song
The singer rode into our lives on the strength of heartbreak anthems. She’s much more famous now—as are her love interests—but she remains the queen of this genre.
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February 14, 2020
The 50 Greatest Breakup Songs of All Time
In honor of Valentine’s Day, The Ringer presents a list of the most iconic tearjerkers and empowerment anthems in music history