The Saddest Breakup Songs Of All Time

The Ronettes had it all wrong. The best part of breaking up is not the making up. That rarely happens, and when it does, it often leads to more breaking up. No. What you really need is a deliciously painful breakup anthem.

Generations of musicians have written songs to soundtrack this low moment in our lives that is almost as inevitable as death and taxes. Our parents had Elvis and Gordon Lightfoot. We've got Adele, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Sam Smith. What follows – in our humble, many times heartbroken opinion – are the finest, saddest breakup songs of all time. Play ‘em just loud enough to drown out the sobbing.