Love Stinks! Our Favorite Breakup/Kiss-Off Songs

Last year, we asked our staff to tell us their favorite love songs. This year, we decided to flip that, and asked for their favorite breakup/kiss-off songs. Turns out with the right song, breaking up isn’t hard to do! As you’ll see, there were some “enthusiastic” answers to this one:

Kristen Berardi

On My Way, by Mayyadda. Intelligent lyrics, very empowering with a very chill vibe to it. It's about recognizing and leaving a bad situation that only brought her pain, finding her voice and inner strength, remembering who she was before this whole mess, and moving on with her badass self with sophistication and grace.

Rick Cundiff

The Last Word, by Mary Chapin Carpenter. She’s had enough, and isn’t going to take it any more. “You can have it/I don't want it/and when you've got it, I'll be gone/It won't matter what you're saying/when the damage has all been done.” And in a sublime touch of subtlety, the title is nowhere in the lyrics.

For a snarkier take on things, I’ll go with The Salt in My Tears by Martin Briley. 
“I broke the spell that you kept me under/I had enough of the rain and thunder/I lost track of the time and I wonder why/But I won't cry for the wasted years/Cause you ain't worth the salt in my tears.”

Shannon Moore

Music is a super important thing to me where I use it to help me navigate my emotions when I'm super deep in the feels. 

I think the more recent songs that I've played when I'm in the "forget you” mood bounce between rock and something with a more fun mood to knock out the gross feelings.  Fun songs include ones like 1980 by Rehab, Whatever by Kygo/Ava Max, Older by Steve Aoki/Jimmie Allen/Dixie D’Amelio.   In the middle for the feels:  Lifeline by Alicia Keys, Deep In Your Love by Alok/Bebe Rexha, Calm Down by Rema/Selena Gomez.  Some of the rock: Viva La Victoria by Eclipse,  TicToc by Self Deception,  Coming Undone by Korn. 

Shawna Solvik

Happier than Ever by Billie Eilish. It came out during a time where it was extremely relevant; so, in other words I was screaming the song (a/k/a passion singing) every time it came on.

Angel Dominguez

Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac

Would be my go-to song, if it was a thing I did.  I have always shut my ex completely out of my life.  At the moment of a breakup, I don’t even look for closure.  It didn’t work and that’s that.  I feel that a breakup song is like pulling duct tape as slow as possible thinking that it’ll hurt less.  It’s not that I'm heartless.  I just feel that life is too short to linger on what wasn’t meant to be.

Anthony Caruso

Crying, Roy Orbison; Without You, Harry Nilsson; Yesterday, The Beatles; She's Gone, Hall & Oates; Go Your Own Way, Fleetwood Mac;  Alone Again (Naturally), Gilbert O'Sullivan

The songs are great because of the artists who were so popular back in my childhood years, and they include emotions of all kinds, and affect parts of the brain and body in ways that the music was meant to.

Brendon Wade

The Old Apartment, Barenaked Ladies. I like this song because it chooses to talk about the damages of a break-up, And instead of being part of the spite you are part of the aftermath as a listener.

Before He Cheats, Carrie Underwood. This is an iconic "Payback is a B****" Song. It's lets you live in a power trip without having to worry about the legal fees of keying his car.

That Power, Childish Gambino. This song talks about more than just a breakup, but it’s a very well written song that has a second half describing the betrayal he felt at a young age and how that shapes him growing up.

Bills, Bills, Bills, Destiny's Child. I love songs that are set right after the partner has been caught and you get to be a part of the payback.

Feelings, Offspring. This is a cover of a song of the same name by Morris Albert but where Morris sang this in a way that felt like these feelings were heartbreak and deep sadness, the Offspring took the song and made it an INCREDIBLY angry song about their partner, with over the top additions to the lyrics to drive that point home.

The Rain, Oran "Juice" Jones. Once again, I love songs that are set right after the partner has been caught and you get to be a part of the payback.

Paper Wings, Rise Against. I am a sucker for Punk Rock songs about losing your loved one because it has a spiteful but sincere energy that is very relatable.

Since You've Been Gone, "Weird Al" Yankovic. Honestly, the humor in this song ramps up quickly and leaves you with the punchline about their partner that has some underlying spite that I like.

Editor’s Note: Brendon is a connoisseur of breakup songs. He provided us with eight more, which we’re listing below without further comment.

The Humour of the Situation, Barenaked Ladies

From the Gallows, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me, 

Slow Dancing in the Dark, Joji

Run, Joji

Ms. Jackson, Outkast

Somebody Told Me, The Killers

this is what heartbreak feels like, JVKE

Since U Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson (NOT the same as the Weird Al song above.)