Sheryl Crow once sang, “The first cut is the deepest,” and TBH, she had it right. Your first serious romance can be immensely impactful, not only on your overall outlook on love, but also how you approach future relationships. That means that ending it with your first love can have an equally powerful effect. You may be left feeling wounded, grateful, regretful, and everything in between. And while there are a number of different strategies you can adopt to manage this emotional rollercoaster, these songs to listen after your first relationship ends demonstrate that music can be one of the most healing.
Crafting the perfect post-breakup playlist can take some careful consideration. After all, depending on the nature of your split and your current emotional state, you may be more inclined to wallow in your sadness, or to seek out some uplifting tunes that lend some much-needed hope. If, for example, you’re still aching for your ex, you may benefit from a song that validates those feelings. Or, if you’re finally accepting the fact that perhaps you and your previous bae simply weren’t meant to be, a song that revolves around closure and appreciation might resonate with you more.
Luckily, there’s a song for every single phase of your feels. Whether you’re struggling to move on from your first flame or gradually finding peace in closing that chapter, listening to these tunes may prove to be just what you need.
"Death By A Thousand Cuts" — Taylor Swift
Key lyrics:
You said it was a great love / One for the ages / But if the story's over, why am I still writing pages? / 'Cause saying goodbye is death by a thousand cuts / Flashbacks waking me up / I get drunk, but it's not enough / 'Cause the morning comes and you're not my baby.
"Ex" — James TW
Key lyrics:
If I dance with somebody / I might want somebody else / And if I want somebody / I might fall in love and forget what it was to be / Wrapped in your arms so tightly / So tonight I'll be dancin' alone / 'Cause I'm afraid if I forget, then you'll just become an ex.
“My Tears Dry On Their Own" — Amy Winehouse
Key lyrics:
I wish I could sing no regrets / And no emotional debt / 'Cause as we kissed goodbye, the sun sets / So we are history / Your shadow covers me.
"Slide Away" — Miley Cyrus
Key lyrics:
Move on, we're not 17 / I'm not who I used to be / You say that everything changed / You're right, we're grown now.
“What About Us" — P!nk
Key lyrics:
What about all the broken happy ever afters? What about all the plans that ended in disaster?
"When The Party's Over" — Billie Eilish
Key lyrics:
Quiet when I'm coming home and I'm on my own / And I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that / But nothing is better sometimes / Once we've both said our goodbyes / Let's just let it go / Let me let you go.
"Shake It Out" — Florence + The Machine
Key lyrics:
Our love is pastured such a mournful sound / Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground / 'Cause I am done with my graceless heart / So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart.
"It Ain't Me" — Kygo, Selena Gomez
Key lyrics:
I'll take with me / The Polaroids and the memories / But you know I'm gonna leave behind the worst of us / Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the morning? / Who's gonna rock you when the sun won't let you sleep?
"Never Forget You" — Zara Larsson, MNEK
Key lyrics:
And I will never want much more / And in my heart I will always be sure / I will never forget you / And you'll always be by my side 'til the day I die.
"What If I Never Get Over You" — Lady Antebellum
Key lyrics:
What if I'm tryin', but then I close my eyes / And then I'm right back, lost in that last goodbye? / And what if time doesn't do what it's supposed to do? / What if I never get over you?
"Light On" — Maggie Rogers
Key lyrics:
And do you believe me now / That I always had the best intentions, babe? / Always wanted to stay / Can you feel me now / That I'm vulnerable in oh-so many ways?
"Samson" — Regina Spektor
You are my sweetest downfall / I loved you first, I loved you first / Beneath the sheets of paper lies my truth / I have to go, I have to go.
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