[2026] Recommended for junior high schoolers! A roundup of tearjerker Western songs

Good Luck, Babe!Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe! (Official Lyric Video)

In recent years, singer-songwriter Chappell Roan has been gaining international attention.

She’s won popularity for her expressive artistry rooted in queer culture and a sound reminiscent of 1980s synth-pop.

Released in 2024, this work portrays a relationship with someone who can’t accept their true feelings.

It carries a poignant message to a lover who keeps running from the truth out of fear of society’s gaze: one day, you’ll regret it.

Singing about the struggles of love and the pain of hiding your true self, the song reminds us of the importance of being who we are.

It’s a track I especially hope middle schoolers wrestling with friendship or romance will listen to.

Next SummerDamiano David

Damiano David – Next Summer (Official Video)

Damiano David, the frontman of the Italian rock band Måneskin, enjoys worldwide popularity.

Since 2024 he has been ramping up his solo career, and this track—featured on his album “Funny Little Fears,” released in February 2025—is a pop ballad with a soothing acoustic feel.

On the surface, it sounds like a lament over a summer romance, but it actually carries a deeper message about one’s own fears and anxieties, and the mind’s captivity that keeps us from changing.

The music video, filmed in an Italian prison, visually expresses this theme of an “inner prison,” reinforcing the song’s world and impact.

It’s a song that gently stays by your side when you’re carrying worries you can’t tell anyone about.

Wish You The BestLewis Capaldi

Lewis Capaldi – Wish You The Best (Official Video)

Lewis Capaldi, known for his chest-tightening piano ballads.

Released in April 2023 as the third single from his album “Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent,” this track is a tearjerker that portrays twisted feelings for an ex.

The protagonist admits that saying they wanted to stay friends was a lie—a confession that will resonate deeply with middle schoolers who’ve experienced heartbreak.

Debuting at No.

1 on the UK charts, the song captivates with an explosive outpouring of emotions that were left unsaid.

If you’re wrestling with complicated feelings of love, be sure to give it a listen.

ceilingsLizzy McAlpine

Lizzy McAlpine – ceilings (official video)

Singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine from Philadelphia has been gaining attention for her delicate sound that blends folk and indie pop.

This track from her album “Five Seconds Flat,” released in April 2022, tells a poignant story in which a blissful night spent with a lover turns out to have been only a dream.

The late reveal—“it wasn’t real”—captures the pain of heartbreak with striking realism and is sure to bring tears to your eyes.

The song went viral on TikTok and peaked at No.

54 on the Billboard Hot 100.

If you’re a middle schooler who can’t forget an ex, be sure to give it a listen.

would’ve been yousombr

sombr – would’ve been you (official visualizer)

Somber is a singer-songwriter from New York who achieved global breakthrough on TikTok.

The track he released in 2023 is a heartbreak song that mournfully explores the “what ifs”—if only that person had been there, maybe I could have been saved.

Its dreamy guitar tones and delicately layered sounds seep into your heart.

The song has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify, capturing the hearts of many listeners.

It’s a piece that gently stays beside those who carry unspoken loneliness and regrets for a past that can’t be reclaimed.