Undergoing heartbreak? Here are 5 albums to listen to and calm the storm

Breakups can leave your heart heavy and your mind spinning, but music has a powerful way of holding space for the emotions you can’t quite put into words.

Whether you’re angry, heartbroken, reflective, or ready to move on, the right album can feel like a friend walking beside you through the storm.

Also watch: Broken heart syndrome: A condition that could be life-threatening if not diagnosed early

In research by Charlotte Curran, who is a PhD researcher in applied ethics and moral philosophy at the University of Leeds, she details how music offers comfort, catharsis, and maybe even a little healing as you navigate the highs and lows of letting go.

Lily Allen Album

“Lily Allen’s bombshell new album, West End Girl, has caused a sensation for its depiction of a marriage torn apart. Though the singer has described it as a blend of fact and fiction, fans have taken it to be an account of her breakup with Stranger Things actor David Harbour,” Curran explains.

West-End Girl is a vulnerable account of divorce, with accusations of infidelity and betrayal. The album feels confessional, with lyrical details such as the retelling of personal phone calls and private messages. This is likely why it has received such admiration – it gives space for the listener to relate it to their own breakups.

Heartbreak has inspired countless artists to channel their emotions into their creative outlets. Here are six that stand out.

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (1977)

Rumours is perhaps the most famous breakup album, not least because the breakups were occurring within the band itself. She went on giving insights into how the song sheds light on divorce.

At the time of recording, drummer Mick Fleetwood had discovered his wife’s affair, and bass player John McVie and singer/keyboardist Christine McVie were going through a divorce after eight years of marriage.

Most notably, the songs Dreams, Go Your Own Way, and the B-side Silver Springs detail the relationship breakdown between frontwoman Stevie Nicks and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. All these personal tensions created one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Rumours is a great listen for anyone going through a breakup and wanting to feel hopeful for the future.

Best lyric (Dreams), But listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness; like a heartbeat, it drives you mad in the stillness of remembering what you had and what you lost.

21 by Adele (2011)

Adele’s second studio album, 21, is a heart-wrenching tale of a painful breakup. It so resonated with listeners that it became the longest-running number one album by a female solo artist in the US and UK charts.

The album explores the juxtaposed emotions of anger and sadness that come with the ending of a significant relationship, particularly a first love. It concludes with the cathartic ballad Someone Like You, which presents Adele coming to terms with her ex finding new love and having the optimism to move on too.

It’s the perfect breakup album for listeners who want to let their feelings out and bring all of their emotions to the surface.

Best lyric (Rolling in the Deep), The scars of your love remind me of us; they keep me thinking that we almost had it all.

Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye (1978)

Described by critics as an “ode to divorce”, Here, My Dear was created as part of Gaye’s alimony and child support negotiations during his divorce from his wife, Anna.

Gaye had intended for this album to be simple and quick, but it turned into his first double album once he had found passion in writing about his relationship and its end. Here, My Dear is painful and at times petty, dedicating the album to Anna in the first line of the title track and ending with the song Falling In Love Again to celebrate falling in love with someone new. The album is a great listen for those who are still trying to find closure.

Best lyric (When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You), Memories of the things we did – some we’re proud of, some we hid – so when two people have to part – sometimes it makes them stronger.

Back To Black by Amy Winehouse (2006)

The songs featured on Back to Black detail Winehouse’s tumultuous relationship with long-term partner Blake Fielder-Civil and explore themes of grief and forgiveness.

Back to Black is a complicated reflection on breakups. Its lyrics describe turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms and returning to old flames. The ballad Love is a Losing Game details the loneliness that comes from losing love, paired with the acceptance that a relationship is truly over.

This album gives a refreshingly human portrayal of breakups and has been praised as one of the most influential albums of the 21st century. Back to Black is a great choice for anyone not wanting to feel alone in their emotions after a breakup.

Best lyric (Wake Up Alone), He’s fierce in my dreams, seizes my guts, and floods me with dread. Soaked in soul / He swims in my eyes by the bed. I pour myself over him, the moon spilling in, and I wake up alone.

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