![[2026] Recommended for junior high schoolers! A roundup of tearjerker Western songs](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/W5PRdmYsCIs/maxresdefault.webp)
[2026] Recommended for junior high schoolers! A roundup of tearjerker Western songs
Now that music subscriptions let you access songs from all over the world, many middle school students are probably listening to Western and Japanese music without any boundaries.
In the world of Western music, there are countless masterpieces that stir the deepest emotions in your heart and can even move you to tears.
Breakups, friendship, feelings for family, and that unspoken loneliness—tear-jerking Western songs that stand by these many emotions might become a source of support for your heart.
In this article, we’ll introduce Western tracks—focused on the latest releases—that will resonate with middle school students.
We hope you find a new favorite song!
[2026] Recommended for Junior High School Students! A Compilation of Tearjerker Western Songs (1–10)
A COLD PLAYThe Kid LAROI
This track by Australian rapper The Kid Laroi, released in September 2025, is only about two minutes long yet packed with raw feelings of sadness and regret.
Over a cold, minimal beat, he lays bare the reality that you can’t change someone, while conveying the lingering emotions he can’t let go of—a direct transmission of the pain right after a breakup.
Since it came out shortly after his split with ex-girlfriend Tate McRae, it can be seen as a work that strongly reflects his true feelings.
Recommended for middle schoolers who are struggling because they can’t forget someone.
We Hug NowSydney Rose
Singer-songwriter Sydney Rose, originally from Georgia and now based in Nashville, is an artist known for her whispery vocals and delicate piano and guitar tones.
Released in February 2025, this work portrays not the end of a romance but the breakdown of a friendship.
It quietly narrates the pain of two people who once held each other close but have now become strangers merely passing by.
Vivid scenes linger, like mistaking city lights for stars while remembering the other person, and dreaming of still being seventeen—moving back and forth between past and present.
If you’re a middle schooler struggling with a friendship, be sure to give it a listen.
SKINNYBillie Eilish
This song, which opens the album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT released in May 2024, portrays the protagonist’s complex feelings about being told they “look happy” after losing weight.
It poignantly captures the frustration of being judged based on appearance and the inner conflict of knowing that, despite the outward change, they themselves have not changed.
Billie Eilish’s whisper-like vocals and the beautiful orchestral textures underscore the melancholy of these emotions.
The tension between how society judges people by their looks and one’s true self is a theme that many sensitive middle school students may find relatable.
Wrapped in the dreamy sounds of dream pop, it’s a delicate track that might just bring tears to your eyes.
How Do I Say GoodbyeDean Lewis
Dean Lewis is a singer-songwriter from Australia who has earned international acclaim for his emotionally rich lyrics and deeply resonant melodies.
This track, released in September 2022, was created based on his experience when his father was diagnosed with a serious illness.
The lyrics, which express the fear and love surrounding the inevitability of having to say goodbye to someone precious, offer a deeply relatable reflection on family.
The structure is also superb, unfolding from a quiet piano- and strings-led intro into a gradually intensifying climax.
Check it out when you want to reflect on your relationships with family or revisit your feelings for someone important to you.
Sailor SongGigi Perez
Released in July 2024, this work by Gigi Perez rose from a viral TikTok hit to worldwide success.
It’s an indie-folk ballad that portrays passionate feelings for a lover who resembles actress Anne Hathaway.
The lyrics tenderly capture the yearning for a fierce, sailor-like love and the poignant wish to meet in dreams.
Celebrated for its frank depiction of a romance between two women, the song topped the charts in the UK and Ireland.
It’s a track I recommend to middle schoolers who can relate to the deep feelings of loving someone and the pain of being apart.