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! Heart-wrenching Western songs—from timeless classics to the latest hits—(21–30)
HurtChristina Aguilera
This song makes you realize that it’s not easy to get back what you’ve lost.
What really mattered, what truly made you happy.
It conveys that unbearable, irreparable feeling of having hurt someone, and Christina’s powerful vocals resonate deep in your chest.
Consequences (Orchestra)Camila Cabello
We no longer need to introduce her as a member of Fifth Harmony—Camila Cabello has firmly established herself as a solo artist.
While many may associate her with a passionate sound rooted in her Cuban, Latin heritage, the song we’re featuring today, “Consequences,” is a beautiful ballad imbued with a melancholic atmosphere.
It not only reveals a different side of her but also showcases her outstanding vocal ability, and it’s said to be a song that holds special meaning for Camila herself.
As she tenderly sings about reminiscing on the wonderful days of being in love—along with what was lost, the wounds left behind, and the price paid—her voice is achingly sorrowful.
Anyone who has had a similar experience may find themselves moved to tears.
Big girls don’t cryFergie
This is a solo song by Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas.
It might be her first breakup song since she started her solo career.
Fergie herself aims to be a strong woman and is quite disciplined, so I feel this song reflects the strength of not crying even after a heartbreak.
drivers licenseOlivia Rodrigo
This poignant love song by American artist Olivia Rodrigo uses getting a driver’s license for the first time as its theme to depict the pain of heartbreak.
Released in January 2021, her debut single captivated many listeners with its piano-centered, beautiful melody and relatable lyrics.
Evoking the feeling of lonely nighttime drives after a breakup, this track is especially recommended for young people experiencing the end of a relationship and personal growth.
It spent eight consecutive weeks at No.
1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy, making it one of her signature works—be sure to give it a listen.
Wrong DirectionHailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld, who shot to fame as a prodigy child actress after winning numerous awards for her role as the young girl in the 2010 film True Grit, directed by the Coen Brothers with Steven Spielberg as executive producer, is rapidly gaining popularity in Japan as a rising young actress—and she also has a career as a singer.
Her song Wrong Direction was released in January 2020, and Hailee herself is credited as one of the songwriters.
With lyrics that lay bare piercing emotions, a melody that swells from a whispering intro into something deeply emotional, and an arrangement that seems to echo those feelings, it’s a beautifully melancholic ballad that clearly showcases her skills as a singer-songwriter.
It’s said to be about her breakup with Niall Horan, and if that’s the case, the word “Direction” in the title feels particularly loaded with meaning.