Breakup songs could actually help you get through heartbreak

Breakup songs — we know them "All Too Well."

Songs about heartache like Carole King's "It's Too Late," Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and Whitney Houston's performance of "I Will Always Love You" have won the Grammy Awards for record of the year. 

2021 was the year of the breakup album, with Olivia Rodrigo's "Sour," Adele's "25" and Kacey Musgrave's "Star-Crossed." 

That same year, Taylor Swift — the pop star queen of breakup songs — released the 10-minute version of her re-recorded song "All Too Well," which quickly became the longest song ever to reach Billboard's No. 1 spot.

So, why do we love breakup songs so much?

One psychotherapist told Vice that the music lets people "experience our collective heartbreak… in a way that is safe, contained and shared."

There's catharsis in breakup songs, and clinical psychologists say they can release dopamine and oxytocin — literally helping listeners release stress and anxiety.

Even sadder, softer and slower breakup songs can be "emotionally engaging and soothing."

The most-streamed breakup song on Spotify is Lewis Capaldi's "Someone You Loved," garnering 2.6 billion streams since it came out in 2018. The track is also the fourth most streamed song on Spotify overall.

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