Emotional Western Music Special | Handpicked from All Generations

ImaginationShawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes – Imagination (Official Audio)

Shawn Mendes, the Canadian singer-songwriter who’s won popularity with his sweet looks and catchy musical style.

This is a hidden gem included on the deluxe edition of his debut album, Handwritten, which drew attention when he was 16.

The song revolves around an achingly sad unrequited love: being unable to confess your feelings to the person you like and becoming their lover only in your imagination.

His crystalline vocals and the gentle tones of the acoustic guitar portray the protagonist’s pure, single-minded feelings, tightening your chest.

Released in April 2015, this emotional track is one you’ll want to hear if you’re holding onto a love you know will never come true.

Fast CarTracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car (Official Music Video)

The acoustic guitar arpeggios, blending into the wistful air of dusk, are striking.

This is a gem of a ballad by singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, who has continued to sing powerful messages rooted in folk and blues.

The song portrays the story of a protagonist who pins their hopes on a fast car in an effort to escape a stifling reality.

Even as they dream that they “might be someone,” the aching emotions of confronting an unyielding reality are deeply moving.

Released in April 1988, the track appears on the classic album “Tracy Chapman” and reached No.

6 on the U.S.

charts.

Its melancholy melody, which somehow overlaps with scenes of a fading summer, is perfect for moments of solitary reflection.

GreyWhy Don’t We

Why Don’t We – Grey [Official Live Music Video]

The vivid summer scenery suddenly fades, turning monochrome.

It’s a song by the pop group Why Don’t We that gently stays close to that wistful feeling at summer’s end.

The message—that even when the world looks gray with sadness, only a loved one can bring back color—quietly resonates.

The track is included on their album “The Good Times and the Bad Ones,” released in January 2021, which peaked at No.

3 on the U.S.

charts.

Its gentle harmonies layered over a soft piano sound feel like listening to ripples on the shore at dusk.

It’s a beautiful ballad, perfect for a sentimental night spent cherishing the season that has passed.

Take ControlTasha Mac

Tasha Mac – Take Control (Official Music Video)

Many listeners are surely captivated by its sexy, sensual sound and vocals that balance strength with vulnerability.

This track is by Tasha Mack, a singer from Canada based in Los Angeles.

It seems to portray a powerful resolve to take the lead in love and in life.

It will make anyone who listens feel, “I want to carve out my future with my own hands.” Released in March 2022, the song fuses the soul of classic R&B with a modern sheen, giving you the courage to take a step forward on your own.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to quietly on nights when you long to change your circumstances.

SorryTyler Royale

Sorry

This is a song by Tyler Royale, a singer-songwriter from Atlanta who has been immersed in music since the age of nine.

Released in June 2020, the track is an R&B number that expresses apology and regret toward a former lover.

Even while knowing she can no longer convey her feelings, the painful emotions she still holds for that person are rendered through her deep, soulful vocals, tightening the listener’s chest.

As you listen to the wistful melody, you can almost see the protagonist regretting her mistakes.

Hearing this poignant track might inspire you to be honest with your feelings and express them to someone you cherish, so you won’t have any regrets again.

Lover, You Should’ve Come OverJeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley – Lover, You Should’ve Come Over (Official Video)

This is an achingly beautiful soul ballad left behind by the legendary American singer Jeff Buckley, who died far too young at 30.

It sings of the helpless regret and burning longing after a breakup.

If you’ve ever let go of someone precious because of youthful mistakes, you’ll likely find this song deeply relatable.

Wishing “I wanted you to come see me,” only to realize it’s too late—those feelings with nowhere to go are truly painful.

The track appears on the classic album Grace and was also featured in the drama FlashForward.

Even decades after its August 1994 release, it continues to move hearts.

On a quiet night when you want to be alone with your thoughts, you might let yourself sink into this heavenly voice.

Chasing CarsSnow Patrol

Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars (Official Video)

This is an exquisitely pure love song by Snow Patrol, a rock band from Scotland.

It expresses a heartfelt wish to simply lie side by side with the one you love and forget the clamor of the world.

The deep affection—so profound it’s hard to put into words—rises alongside the sweeping melody and truly hits you in the chest.

Included on the 2006 masterpiece Eyes Open, the song gained worldwide popularity thanks to the hit drama Grey’s Anatomy.

The fact that it remained on the UK charts for an astounding 111 weeks speaks to how deeply it resonated with so many people.

It’s the kind of song that gently stays with you on a late-summer evening, when the fading light makes you a touch sentimental.