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 Songs in Western Music — From Timeless Classics to the Newest Hits — (31–40)
Say SomethingA Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera
It’s a song featured in the film “If I Stay.” It’s unbearably heart-wrenching, and just listening to it makes me feel like I’m about to burst into tears.
A Great Big World came to Japan in 2015, and at that time they collaborated with May J.
on this song.
Because of youKelly Clarkson
A song Kelly Clarkson wrote about her parents’ divorce, which she experienced when she was six years old.
It depicts her resolve not to repeat her parents’ mistakes and her anxiety about falling in love for fear of experiencing the same pain they did.
She had written the song even before she won American Idol.
Angels CryMariah Carey
A gem-like R&B ballad imbued with a heartfelt desire to mend a relationship on the brink of breaking.
Featured on the 2009 album “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel,” a duet version with singer-songwriter Ne-Yo was released in January 2010.
Riding on luminous strings and resonant piano, Mariah Carey’s vocals are showcased to the fullest.
The longing to restore a bond with a loved one is woven through delicate harmonies, evoking a beauty like an angel shedding tears.
It’s a song to listen to when you feel uncertain about your relationship, or when you want to reflect on the bond you share with someone you love.
In Your FeelingsMariah Carey
Featured on the album “Here for It All,” released in September 2025, this track is an R&B number that delicately weaves shifting emotions.
Co-produced with Anderson .Paak, it achieves a soundscape where the warmth of the drums melds with the luster of the strings.
It sings of an inner journey—from moments of heart-flutter and loss to gradually reclaiming confidence in oneself.
Mariah’s signature delicate melisma and richly resonant lower register lend profound conviction to every word.
It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone feeling swept away by their emotions.
Without YouMariah Carey
This work is a masterful rendition of a classic 1970s rock ballad, delivered on a grand scale by Mariah Carey.
Released as a single from her third album, Music Box, in January 1994, it spent four consecutive weeks at No.
1 in the UK and also topped the charts across Europe, including Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
The lyrics portray deep grief and a heartfelt longing for a loved one, powerfully conveyed through her phenomenal vocal range and expressive delivery.
The surging emotion leading into the chorus, together with the dramatic soundscape woven by orchestra and piano, leaves a profound impact on listeners.
It’s a song I recommend when you want to reaffirm your feelings for someone important or when you’re in the mood for a moving, soul-stirring ballad.