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 Newest Hits — (71–80)
Just Want You to KnowBackstreet Boys
This song by the American group Backstreet Boys pours unspoken feelings for a former lover into a powerful sound.
Released in July 2005, it’s included on the acclaimed album “Never Gone” and reached the top 10 on the charts in the UK and Spain.
Stepping beyond their traditional pop image, the track shifts to a rock-tinged sound marked by memorable guitar riffs, revealing a new side of the group.
It portrays a bittersweet yet straightforward male perspective, wishing to tell someone they’ll never meet again, “There’s just this one thing I want you to know.” If you have lingering feelings about a past relationship, listening to this song might help you face your emotions.
Missing YouBackstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are a U.S.-born vocal group that dominated the music scene in the ’90s, and they’re also known for their 1999 album Millennium, which sold over 24 million copies worldwide.
This song is a hidden gem of a ballad quietly included on their classic 1997 release Backstreet’s Back, during the height of their fame.
The earnest longing to see a cherished person who has gone away is sung straight from the heart over a wistful melody.
The structure, with members taking turns as lead vocalists, and the beautiful harmonies woven by all five members are truly moving—simply mesmerizing.
It’s the kind of song that will gently comfort your heart when you want to bask in a bit of sentimentality at night or when an old love suddenly comes to mind.
I’m YoursJason Mraz
It sounds like a bright and upbeat melody.
With its brisk tempo, it feels like a song that could lift your spirits.
The relatively high male vocals match beautifully with the clean guitar melody.
It’s a song I’d love people who are feeling down to listen to.
Bleeding LoveLeona Lewis
It’s a song that really brings out Leona Lewis’s sexy, powerful vocals.
The melody has a somewhat rhythmic, pop-like structure, and it’s a bittersweet track that sings about the joy that comes from falling in love.
Forget MeLewis Capaldi
Lewis Capaldi’s songs, which give voice to aching emotions, resonate with those carrying the pain of heartbreak.
Hailing from Scotland, he has continued to captivate listeners worldwide since his 2017 debut.
Released in September 2022, this work is a song born from personal experience.
Capaldi conveys the struggle between an unforgettable past and an uncertain future with his signature rich baritone voice.
Certified 2× Platinum in the UK, this track is perfect for quiet moments alone—whether in your bedroom or on a drive.