Songs That Make You Cry: Heart-Wrenching Western Music—from Timeless Classics to the Newest Hits
There are times when, instead of listening to music to get pumped up or fired up, you deliberately want to listen to poignant or slightly sad songs and have a good cry alone, right?
Upbeat tracks that give you a push are great, but in this article we’ve researched and selected timeless, heart-wrenching English-language songs that empathize with listeners’ feelings, both old and new.
From classic standards to recent hits and the latest buzzworthy tracks, we’re bringing you a genre-crossing selection.
Try listening in whatever setting makes you feel most at ease—whether that’s in your bedroom or on a drive!
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Tearjerkers! Heartbreaking Western Songs — From Timeless Classics to the Latest Hits — (61–70)
We Are the WorldUSA For Africa
Rather than a tearjerker, it’s a song that genuinely moves you.
It’s the globally renowned classic born in 1985 from “USA for Africa,” a project proposed by Harry Belafonte inspired by the UK’s Band Aid to relieve famine in Africa.
As a charity single created to help alleviate the worsening famine in Africa, it brought together 45 of the era’s top American superstars, leaving its mark on history as a landmark undertaking.
There’s no need to rehash the significance or brilliance of the song itself, but collaborations of this caliber among such extraordinary vocalists are exceedingly rare, and as a music fan, the mere fact that this track came to be is deeply moving.
Be sure to check out the documentary footage of the recording sessions as well!
Through the RainMariah Carey
It’s a song by a diva known for singing many ballads.
Her voice is husky yet somehow clear and soaring, making it a truly pleasant listen.
If you focus on the lyrics, which are steeped entirely in a ballad mood, the song becomes even more heartrending.
Eyes ClosedEd Sheeran
The lead single from Ed Sheeran’s 2023 album “-” is “Eyes Closed,” which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.
The song is dedicated to DJ Jamal Edwards, a close friend of Ed’s who passed away in 2022.
Its lyrics about “losing someone close to you” really hit home.
The blue monster that appears in the music video is said to symbolize Ed’s grief.
MapsMaroon 5
The music video for this song is quite provocative.
In it, a girl who witnesses her boyfriend cheating ends up dying in an accident, making for a very bitter aftertaste.
The song itself was written by the composers behind Payphone and Moves Like Jagger, so it’s very up-tempo.
When She Loved MeSarah McLachlan
A song used in a flashback sequence that explains Sarah McLachlan’s history.
It was written by Randy Newman, featured in the film Toy Story 2, and was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2000 Academy Awards.
It was covered by Michael Crawford on his 2012 album Light Up the World.