Few things are as painful as the breakdown of a relationship, and it is made considerably worse when we come to miss our ex. It’s typical to take comfort in a song’s lyrics that express the sense of missing someone who used to be a significant part of our lives. For some people, listening to music is a means of processing emotions and dealing with sadness, especially songs about missing your ex.
Songs about missing an ex can express a variety of feelings and take on a variety of shapes. Some people may be depressed and introspective, reflecting on the causes of the relationship’s breakup and the agony of being alone. Others might be more optimistic, concentrating on the desire to go on and discover new love or the possibility of a reconciliation. In any case, listening to these songs might help you deal with the breakup of a relationship and achieve closure.
The idea of yearning for someone who is no longer present is arguably one of the most prevalent motifs in songs about missing an ex. From the straightforward wish to see the person once more to the more complicated emotions of regret, nostalgia, and the agony of losing out on what might have been, this can take many various shapes. While some songs may tackle the more general themes of loss and grief, some songs may concentrate on particular memories or times spent with the ex.
Of course, missing an ex is a very personal experience, and different songs will have different meanings for different listeners depending on their unique situations and feelings. Some people could find solace in a song that accurately captures their current emotions, while others might favour music that encourages them to let go and achieve closure.
Whatever the reason, songs about missing an ex-partner have a special ability to help us process our feelings and make sense of the complicated emotions that come with a breakup.
22 Best Songs About Missing Your Ex – Here are our recommendations!
22: Against All Odds – Mariah Carey
Even if it’s a long shot, the Phil Collins original “Against All Odds” is a passionate plea for an ex-couple to reconcile. As is customary in songs about missing your ex, we hear the normal flavour of regret and despondency. Another aspect is the want to express more, yet the words for some reason went unsaid. This adds to the agony of feeling powerless in the face of the circumstances.
21: The One That Got Away – Katy Perry
Let’s start with something that was recently published (well, maybe not recently, but it’s still not as old as some entries). In Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream narrative, “The One That Got Away” serves as chapter six. According to the chapter, sometimes promises made to someone to last forever fall through. The song’s protagonist is a girl who is so much in love with a male that she is certain he is the right one for her. She never truly expressed her affection for him for whatever reason. Because he wasn’t sure she loved him as much as she claimed to, he moved on.
20: Separate Lives – Phil Collins
Can you still be friends with your ex? The answer might change, but it’s obvious that the guy in this song isn’t pals with his ex. He still loves her, but he can’t give her what she’s asking for. He needs her gone from his life, even though it hurts, so he can go on. This depressing song starts the debate over whether or not ex-partners may remain friends. What do you think about it?
19: Can We Still Be Friends – Mandy Moore
And so the list goes on. Mandy Moore, originally by Todd Rundgren, considers the prospect of keeping in touch with an ex-girlfriend. Although breaking up is “a strange, sad affair,” as the song puts it, there are times when it is the only sane course of action.
You may think you are a good match at times, just to find out you are not. Nothing is as it seems. You break up with each other and attempt to resume your previous friendship. The original vocalist claims that it is the “best possible way to end a relationship”.
18: Take A Bow – Madonna
In this ethereal R&B song, Madonna sings about the agony brought on by betrayal. She was remembering the times when she was so much in love that she was oblivious to his psychopathic inclinations when she sang this song. There is no other way to phrase it; admittedly, it was a bit forceful.
He was a Romeo when other people were there, but what happens when the lights go out? He changes (“There’s no one here; say your lines, but do you feel them? Do you mean what you say when there’s no one around?”) and appears as someone else. She still has feelings for the man, and it’s obvious that they still do feel for each other, but she can’t stay with someone who exhibits the Jekyll and Hyde phenomenon. Not always missing an ex translates to wanting them back.
17: Un-break My Heart – Toni Braxton
Another R&B song that will make you sob is this one.“Don’t leave me in all this pain, don’t leave me out in the rain; come back and bring back my smile, come and take these tears away”. This one truly has a sense of sadness. Toni Braxton’s moving performance captured the agonising pain of missing someone. Her high notes allow the misery to escape, but her low, ruminative notes properly convey the intense anguish.
16: Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinead O’Connor
There were many different ways to interpret this song. While many claim that this is about Sinead O’Connor’s experience following the death of her mother, others assert that this is about giving up smoking. Indeed you heard that right, as in quitting smoking. How did this song end up on this list of songs about missing your ex if that were the case? Give me some artistic licence.
This power ballad was originally written and recorded by Prince in 1985, but it wasn’t released. It’s simple to read this as an ode to saying goodbye to someone, even if it is about cigarettes, whether the author intended it to be that way or not. After all, the phrase “it’s been so lonely without you here”, captures exactly how badly we miss our loved ones.
15: We Belong Together – Mariah Carey
“We Belong Together” focuses on the common issue of always thinking about the person you broke up with, just like many songs about missing your ex. Then there is this period when you beg the person to return because things are not the same (“When you left I lost a part of me, it’s still so hard to believe; Come back, baby, please ’cause we belong together”).
Fun fact: Mariah’s wedding gown from Vera Wang for this song video was actually her own! In 1993, she wore it to get married to Tommy Mottola. And she nearly set this garment on fire! “When I did ‘We Belong Together,’ I was going to burn the wedding dress then, and that was my original wedding dress…”, Carey revealed of her performance of “We Belong Together”. She took the music video director’s advice not to do it to heart.
14: Have You Ever – S Club 7
Remorse, remorse, remorse. Similar to how salt is present in almost all recipes, this element is seen in many songs about missing your ex. From beginning to end, “Have You Ever” reeks with this sensation. In the majority of breakup stories, it is an irrefutable fact that you question whether there was anything extra you could have said or done. The relationship might have been saved by something, but it’s too late now, we will never know.
Due to its regret-filled lyrics and dreary instrumentation, this song was the definitive breakup song of 2001. Fun fact: the setting for this music video was the stunning, Mayan-inspired Ennis House. It gave the video an antique air that complemented the mood of the song.
13: It Must Have Been Love – Roxette
It is purported that this song was originally intended to be a Christmas song and was originally titled “It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)”. It ended up being one of those classic breakup songs, though. It has a melancholy yet calming vibe.
The song “It Must Have Been Love” by Roxette explores how much a person may be missed and thought of even after they have split up. Songs about missing your ex are particularly sympathetic because of this particular aspect. The majority of you are undoubtedly already aware that this was used in the Pretty Woman soundtrack, which starred Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
12: I Was A Fool – Tegan And Sara
“But stand still is all we did; love like ours is never fixed”. The Quin twins were renowned for their deeply felt songs, and “I Was a Fool” is among their finest creations. The pain of persevering through a particularly challenging relationship just to lose everything is the main theme of this pop song.
The nostalgic qualities of this song are heightened by its melancholy melody with a dash of 80s R&B/ballad thrown in. And, of course, Sarah’s backup vocals.
11: Back To December – Taylor Swift
According to rumours, Taylor Swift wrote this song as an “apology song” for Taylor Lautner. Swift and Lautner allegedly grew good friends in the summer of 2009. By December of the same year, after several months of dating, their relationship came to an end. Taylor Swift acknowledged that she was to blame for the relationship’s decline because of her flaws. She regrets that “you gave me all of your love, and all I gave you was goodbye”.
Like most of the songs on this list, it is about regretting a choice that is too late to change. Then there’s the nagging doubt that you won’t ever be back together.
10: When You’re Gone – Bryan Adams And Mel C
How many songs that don’t sound sappy are there about missing your ex? We have only listed one as of yet. Let’s have one more positive entry to help this list along. This song by Bryan Adams and Mel C, formerly Sporty Spice of The Spice Girls, is about longing for the other person and the relationship that existed before it ended. The lyrics of the song reflect the challenges one faces when their significant other unexpectedly leaves them.
9: November Rain – Guns N’ Roses
When you both know you love each other but have to end the relationship because you aren’t the right fit for each other, it can be difficult to say goodbye. To consider how something that feels so right might possibly be wrong is tremendously frustrating. You are aware that you have come to a dead end. The sad truth that nothing lasts forever is what “November Rain” is about.
So what does this song about missing your ex have to do with the list? The famous adage “losing what you have to realise the value of what you lost” is touched on in this masterpiece by Guns N’ Roses. Because when you look back, you often think of how good the way things were in the past. Of course, we also have to include Slash’s captivating guitar solo.
8: I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
Even without Whitney Houston’s distinctively soaring voice, this is undoubtedly one of the most well-known songs about missing your ex. However, let’s not downplay the song’s extraordinary message, which emphasises unconditional love and best wishes for the person in question.
A Dolly Parton original, “I Will Always Love You” tells the story of two lovers who are unable to be together because of a certain incident that causes a rift between them. It might have been true love, but the power separating them is too strong, and trying to overcome it could be harmful to both of them. In the end, they are forced to sacrifice their love because it is obvious that they are not compatible.
7: Where Do Broken Hearts Go – Whitney Houston
Although it may not be as well-known as the preceding Whitney Houston song, this one undoubtedly delivers a punch in this regard. The forlorn damsel in this song investigates the locations of broken hearts caused by a love that appears to need space more than anything else.
Do those who experience heartbreak return home “to the open arms of a love that’s waiting there?”. It’s difficult to say, but it’s a comforting concept nonetheless. She attempts to persuade her ex to reconcile with her since she is both eager and hopeful for this to happen.
6: Half Crazy – Johnny Gill
It’s common to hear that when people fall in love, they go insane, and because it’s so bizarre, we couldn’t even determine for sure if it’s being used metaphorically or literally! When their hypothalamus is steady and not stimulating their dopamine level, people behave in ways they don’t ordinarily. But after it’s over, what happens?
This song claims that you get partially insane. You sob all night long, wondering what went wrong and feeling guilty and alone. Do they already have another love interest? is another annoying, persistent question. I’m not sure about you, but to me, all of these look completely absurd. The same thing happens when you’re in love, but it’s just on the other extreme.
5: Broken Vow – Lara Fabian
This moving song portrays the profound sadness of having to let go of a love that no longer holds your heart. Acceptance is frequently uncomfortable, but it is an essential first step. In the end, it’s not what’s left over from your past love that’s keeping you back. There is only you.
This ballad is a classic because of Lara Fabian’s passionate voice, sombre lyrics, and orchestral coordination. This song has been covered by a number of musicians, including Josh Groban, Jackie Evancho, and Petra Berger, crossover classical vocalists.
4: Who’s Holding Donna Now – DeBarge
This song, which David Foster co-wrote, was unquestionably “the one that got away” tune, in the 1980s. It describes a guy who is longing for a past love after being dumped by another. You can hear his desperation in this tune as he ponders “who’s holding Donna now” and “who’s heart she’s knocking around.”
The song “Who’s Holding Donna Now” is a fantastic example of the normal post-breakup behaviour that many people exhibit. Because, let’s be honest, who hasn’t wondered at some time who the ex is currently dating? It’s ok if you’ve been there. That is typical.
3: Heart Of Mine – Boz Scaggs
Here is another song about missing your ex that perfectly captures the sorrow of seeing your old flame with someone else, as if the last song wasn’t painful enough. Then you start to wonder if your ex still has feelings for you or if they occasionally miss you and think of you. Or have they already forgotten about you?
In the song, healing is wistfully hoped for in the form of a new man. However, until that time, the heart must continue to beat despite being torn almost to the brink of death. Only time will tell if it will be healed or not.
2: Remember The Time – Michael Jackson
Who says songs about missing your ex only contain emptiness, grief, and other negative emotions? The King of Pop exemplifies what life ought to be like: joyful, upbeat, and devoid of regrets. In “Remember the Time”, there is no place for regret; instead, one should look back on the past with joy.
When you stop to think about it, there is no reason to be unhappy about a chapter that is over. One of Dr. Seuss’s well-known sayings comes to mind in light of this: “Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.”
1: Someone Like You – Adele
Every list of songs about missing your ex should include Adele’s “Someone Like You” (especially if your ex is currently in a fulfilling relationship). The song embodies all the characteristics of a heartbroken individual who is still inconsolable about their situation: remorse, wishful thinking, letting go, yet still managing to hold on.
“I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited; but I couldn’t stay away, I couldn’t fight it; I had hoped you’d see my face and that you’d be reminded that for me, it isn’t over…”. The gloomy melody and depressing words depict that in-between-staying-and-moving-on stage, where you occasionally attempt to persuade yourself that you are still the one. Then, as reality hit you hard, you understood there was only one thing left to do: move forward.
22 Best Songs For About Missing Your Ex – Closing remarks and thoughts
In conclusion, songs about missing an ex are a potent means of communicating the nuanced feelings that come with a breakup. There is music out there that can capture our feelings and aid in the processing of our emotions, whether we are experiencing nostalgia, regret, or simply longing for someone who is no longer in our lives.
Even while the experience of missing an ex is very unique and subjective, there are some themes and feelings that are shared by all people. Songs about missing an ex can enable us to examine these feelings and figure out how to go on, whether it’s the loneliness that comes with it, the hope of a reconciliation, or the desire to move on and find new love.
Of course, it’s crucial to keep in mind that music is only one strategy for dealing with a breakup. It is vital to take care of ourselves and get support from friends, family, or a therapist if we are coping with the agony of a breakup. Songs about missing an ex can be a powerful way to express our emotions.
Closing Remarks:
The songs that speak to us personally and capture the distinct experiences and emotions associated with the termination of a relationship are ultimately the best songs about missing an ex. The ability of music to promote healing and onward motion should never be undervalued, regardless of whether we are listening to a happy pop tune or a depressing ballad.
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A music enthusiast who has taken his passion for music to the next level by starting his own blog. He spends most of his free time listening to new albums, attending concerts, and researching emerging artists.
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As a blogger, John has found a way to share his love of music with others while also providing valuable insights into the industry.