Saddest Western Songs Ranking [2026]

Viva La VidaColdplay8rank/position

Coldplay – Viva La Vida (Official Video)

Coldplay is an award-winning British rock band.

This song was released in 2008.

At the 51st Grammy Awards, it won in three categories.

Its Japanese title is “Utsukushiki Seimei” (“Beautiful Life”), but it sings of the sorrow of a king driven from his country.

when the party’s overBillie Eilish9rank/position

Billie Eilish – when the party’s over

As of 2020, Billie Eilish had become the most famous teenage female singer.

Her lyrics aren’t dreamy or adolescent in tone; instead, they’re introspective, often centering on loneliness and self-loathing, and at times convey feelings so real they’re chilling.

Billie softly sings lines of bravado to a crush who won’t pick up the phone, saying she likes “the silence when I walk home alone” and that she “can lie, too.” These delicate emotions—where sadness and anger intertwine—surely resonate not only with people her age, but with adults as well.

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Un-Break My HeartToni Braxton10rank/position

Toni Braxton – Un-Break My Heart (Official HD Video)

A song about the intense heartache left behind by a former lover.

It was written by Diane Warren, who has crafted many emotionally charged songs.

The track spent 11 weeks at No.

1 on the U.S.

charts and won the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Summertime SadnessLana Del Rey11rank/position

Lana Del Rey – Summertime Sadness (Official Music Video)

“Summertime Sadness,” a signature song by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey.

It’s an achingly beautiful track that sings of the radiant days of summer and the sense of loss brought on by a friend’s tragic end.

Lana Del Rey’s languid, dreamlike vocals match the song’s melancholic atmosphere perfectly.

The chorus, pleading “Kiss me hard before you go,” feels like the climax of a tragic film.

As you listen, happy memories resurface even as you’re confronted with the reality that there’s no going back—you may find yourself unable to hold back tears.

Fix YouColdplay12rank/position

Coldplay – Fix You (Official Video)

Whether or not you like the band Coldplay, if you can’t recognize how great this song is, you should probably stop listening to music.

They’re a serious band, so they may lack a sense of fun, but conversely, they became the number one band in the UK on the strength of their songs alone.

Sing For The MomentEminem13rank/position

Eminem – Sing For The Moment (Official Music Video)

Eminem, who performs the song, is ranked 83rd on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists.

The song was released in 2003.

His rap—filled with irony and sorrow, characteristic of someone from a white working-class background—strikes a chord.

Time After TimeCyndi Lauper14rank/position

Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time (Official HD Video)

Released in 1983 on Cyndi Lauper’s album She’s So Unusual, it was issued as a single the following year, in 1984.

It reached No.

1 in the U.S.

and has been covered by many famous artists, including Miles Davis.