30 Best Sad Love Songs to Put You In Your Feelings (2024)

Being in love can be euphoric. It’s a feeling that most spend their entire lifetimes on a quest to experience. Many succeed. But let’s face it — sometimes love doesn’t last. When Cupid’s arrow makes an unexpected detour, it can leave hearts broken and emotions smashed in its wake. Thankfully, there are countless songs to get the lovelorn through tough times.

Whether you want to wallow in self-pity after a breakup or blissfully reminisce on better days, there’s a sad love song to speak to your mood. From country to R&B, these mellow ditties are dedicated to the complexities of romantic relationships and their often-inevitable demise.

Grab your earbuds, tissues and get ready to tearfully sing your heart out.

Sinead O’Connor’s voice is raw and exquisitely unfiltered on this Prince-penned track. Pure angst and despair are felt with every poetic lyric sung as she admits that no matter how hard she tries to move on, nothing compares to the love that’s escaped her grasp.

Not every relationship can go the distance. Grammy award-winning quartet Boyz II Men sings of that unfortunate time when a couple must go their separate ways. Tough stuff, but often inevitable.

Who said crying was a sign of weakness? Definitely Not Roy Orbison. The late musician unapologetically sings of relentlessly weeping over an ex on this classic 1960s track.

Whitney Houston brings this classic Dolly Parton-written ballad to life with her flawless soprano and powerful delivery. When you can wish a former lover well and hope they have all they dream, you know that’s love.

The unofficial queen of sorrow-filled songs, Adele delivers another tear-jerker with this honest release. The London native sings of the relentless sting that comes with losing love’s battle.

A first kiss is unforgettable, but a last one can be just as memorable. Pop icon Taylor Swift sweetly expresses the sorrow following an unimaginable final smooch with your significant other.

Penned by legendary songwriter Diane Warren, Toni Braxton beautifully pleads with a lost love to undo the devastating damage he’s inflicted on her heart. The gut-wrenching line, “Say you love me again” says it all.

Forced affection never flourishes. Country icon Bonnie Raitt sings of an unreciprocated love that never takes flight on this sentimental track.

Simple reminders of a breakup can be painful, especially love songs. R&B singer Ne-Yo makes that melodically clear in this mid-tempo chart-topping single.

They say if you love something, set it free. On this 2018 release, singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves embraces the sun setting on a relationship that’s run its course.

That depressing period after a breakup can be unbearable. Canadian-born singer Tamia beautifully captures the feeling of longing for a former lover on this soulful, award-winning song.

When it’s over, it’s over. Michael Jackson sings of the sinking reality of accepting that your special someone is gone for good.

The theme of when lovers become strangers is at heart of this incredibly catchy and relatable hit. Over the chorus, Belgian-born Australian Gotye aggressively belts out his perspective after a bitter break up, while the second verse is reserved for a smooth rebuttal from a female’s viewpoint, performed by New Zealand singer Kimbra.

When the light of your life is gone, darkness can quickly take over. Legendary R&B singer Bill Withers sings of the dispiriting dimming that occurs after losing the one you love in this timeless record.

This classic ‘80s hit still goes hard. Performed by Swedish pop rock duo Roxette, it describes an unrelenting loneliness that showers over a newly single individual who fondly looks back on happier times.

Toni Braxton can’t catch a break from heartache as somber songs remind her of a love she once had on this sultry ‘90s track. While the inescapable sad tunes intensify her broken heart, it brilliantly creates another one to add to the list.

Lady Gaga gives a riveting vocal performance on this tenderhearted tune. Recorded for the A Star Is Bornsoundtrack, the song speaks of a loved one’s untimely departure and the unfillable void it leaves behind.

While some connections eventually come to an end, the memories can last forever. Sarah McLachlan somberly reminisces on a past bond in this early ‘90s release.

After nonstop bawling, sometimes there’s nothing left. Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam sing of that moment when the waterworks run dry revealing a liberating sense of peace and clarity.

Sometimes calling it quits can be one-sided in a relationship. Mariah Carey drives home this point as she convincingly pleads for a former lover to reconsider their couple status in this 2005 Grammy-winning hit.