When relationships fall apart, it’s easy to feel caught up in all the many conflicting emotions that arise. Luckily, we have music to help us get through these heartbreaking times a little bit easier.
In this article, you’ll find 20 songs about relationships falling apart. From sad ballads to powerfully angry anthems, you’ll be able to find at least one song here to really fit your mood, your situation, and your own personal heartbreak!
1. “Almost Is Never Enough” by Ariana Grande & Nathan Sykes
Ariana Grande and Nathan Sykes’ duet “Almost Is Never Enough” explores two points of view during the end of a relationship. The two sing about how this relationship wasn’t great. Even though they both truly cared for each other, things just couldn’t continue to work out.
They also admit that they didn’t give their all in the relationship, which is likely why it didn’t work out. Now, there are hints that they both miss each other, though there’s no telling if the two will ever reunite.
2. “Distance” by Christina Perri & Jason Mraz
“Distance” by Christina Perri and Jason Mraz details feeling distant from your boyfriend or girlfriend. However, it also explores how some people distance themselves while in a romantic relationship, as they’re scared of being hurt!
In the chorus, the duo sings the lyrics, “And I will make sure to keep my distance / Say ‘I love you’ when you’re not listening.”
3. “Does She Know” by Trey Songz
“Does She Know” by Trey Songz could be seen as a romantic song or as a breakup song. Regardless, Trey Songz sings about his distant lover and wonders if she knows how much he loves her — and how much he’s obsessed with her.
This song could be seen as a breakup song for many reasons. However, the main reason appears towards the end of the song, as Songz sings about how he still wishes she were with him. This hints that they never truly reunite!
4. “Am I Losing You” by The Manhattans
The Manhattans’ 1978 song “Am I Losing You” opens with the lyrics, “Your arms don’t go around me when I reach out for you / And your eyes don’t hold the fire, that they once used to do / Little signs of distance.”
As the song progresses, we learn even more from the singers about their relationship which is falling apart. The singer explains that this distance between him and the one he loves only seems to grow. As a result, he realizes that he’s going to lose her!
5. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
1983’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler is a classic love song about a romantic relationship that falls apart. While much of this song follows Tyler as she sings about loving someone forever, the song later pivots to talk about how she feels that she’s falling apart.
She sings, “Once upon a time I was falling in love / Now I’m only falling apart / There’s nothing I can do / A total eclipse of the heart.”
6. “Distant Lovers” by William Fitzsimmons
“Distant Lovers” by William Fitzsimmons details relationship problems that end in a separation. Fitzsimmons sings about getting a divorce and all the complicated feelings that arise from these heartbreaking circumstances.
However, he also sings that they’re likely better off separated than together. He sings, “Better off as friends / Than distant lovers.”
7. “A Change of Heart” by The 1975
“A Change of Heart” by The 1975 follows the band as they discuss the end of a relationship as it slowly falls apart. The singer explains that he used to really like his girlfriend. However, various situations led them to fall apart — and now, he realizes he doesn’t like her at all. He’s just had a “change of heart.”
This song is also about deserving better in a relationship. The singer, slowly falling out of love, realizes the woman he’s with isn’t perfect as he thought. He deserves better.
This is seen in the lyrics, “You used to have a face straight out of a magazine / Now you just look like anyone / I just had a change of heart.”
8. “Falling Apart” by Matt Nathanson
In “Falling Apart”, Matt Nathanson sings about realizing that his relationship is falling apart. Various circumstances likely led to this heartbreak. He begins to think that his partner feels that he’s not good enough for her — and this eventually leads him to realize that they’re completely falling apart!
9. “Come Undone” by Duran Duran
“Come Undone” by Duran Duran, which appears on the band’s 1993 album The Wedding Album, explores what it feels like to fall apart while in a romantic relationship. The band explains that this relationship may not be great, even though they truly love this person.
After all, they do sing the lyrics, “Can not forgive from falling apart at the seams / Can not believe you’re taking my heart to pieces.”
10. “China” by Tori Amos
Tori Amos’ 1992 song “China” explores a failing relationship by comparing it to the country China, as well as China dinnerware. Therefore, Amos explains that her partner is so far away from her. He’s distant, and she might be, too.
Plus, their relationship is cracked, just as China dinnerware may be. Amos doesn’t quite know what to do about this relationship or how to work things out. Her partner is distant from her, and this may never change. As a result, the relationship is slowly coming to an end.
11. “Tell Me a Lie” by One Direction
“Tell Me a Lie” by One Direction follows the boy band as they are broken up with by their girlfriend. They express their heartbreak, yet also don’t want to hear the truth. Instead, they ask their girlfriend to tell them a lie to soften the blow about why she’s breaking up with them.
We can see that there were issues in the relationship before. The group sings, “Tell me you don’t want my kiss / That you need your distance, distance / Tell me anything, but don’t you say / He’s what you’re missing, baby.”
12. “I Fall Apart” by Post Malone
In “I Fall Apart”, Post Malone sings about the heartbreak he experienced back when he was in high school as his relationship fell apart. Post Malone explains that he never saw the relationship’s end coming until all of a sudden, his relationship was fully falling apart.
As a result, he began to fall apart — which he repeats throughout the song once she leaves him.
13. “I Don’t Love You” by My Chemical Romance
“I Don’t Love You” by My Chemical Romance, which appears on the band’s 2006 album The Black Parade, details the end of a relationship as it falls apart. The singer expresses his anger, heartbreak, and remorse over the end of this romance.
In the chorus, he sings the lyrics, “When you go, and would you even turn to say / I don’t love you like I did yesterday.”
14. “Under Attack” by ABBA
ABBA’s 1982 song “Under Attack” can be interpreted in many different ways. For the sake of this list, “Under Attack” could tell the story of someone who is trying to deal with a relationship that is falling apart. It’s clear to the singer that there’s no hope for her romance. However, her partner thinks differently — and still wants to be with her, even though she doesn’t want this!
She sings about falling apart in this situation, singing, “Won’t somebody please have a heart / Come and rescue me now ’cause I’m falling apart.”
15. “Distant Lover” by Marvin Gaye
1973’s “Distant Lover” by Marvin Gaye follows the singer as he expresses his love for his romantic partner. Even though she’s distant from him, he still longs for her. As the song progresses, however, we learn that the relationship is falling apart. Eventually, the two are broken up!
Gaye doesn’t take this well, as he sings that he’s miserable without his “Distant Lover”. However, it’s clear that this woman could no longer be with him. She was putting distance between them. While he knows this, this doesn’t make him not continue to want her. He just ends up wanting to be with her again!
16. “I Will Remember You” by Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan’s hit song “I Will Remember You”, first released in 1995, explores a relationship that falls apart and ends. However, McLachlan refuses to think poorly of this relationship, even though it has come to an end. Instead, she thinks back fondly on the past and on the love she once shared with her ex.
McLachlan does admit that, when they first broke up, she didn’t think fondly about her ex. She only remembered the bad times. But now that she’s had even more space, she wants to remember her ex fondly and kindly.
17. “Break My Heart” by Hilary Duff
“Break My Heart” by Hilary Duff details a romance that falls apart, even though Duff still loves the person she’s with. She doesn’t want her relationship to end. She never truly thought this would happen, as she saw everyone around her breaking up but never thought she too would have her heart broken by the one she loves!
In the chorus, she sings the lyrics, “Why don’t you break my heart? / Watch me fall apart.”
18. “Let It Go” by James Bay
“Let It Go” by James Bay follows a relationship that started off strong. However, eventually, Bay realizes that this relationship is no longer good. As a result, he recommends that they break things off.
He explains this as he sings, “So, come on, let it go, just let it be / Why don’t you be you, and I’ll be me?”
19. “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye featuring Kimbra
In “Somebody That I Used to Know”, Gotye and Kimbra sing about a relationship that fell apart. While the relationship was good in the beginning, the singer admits that they ended up falling apart. They no longer wanted to be with each other.
So, they talked things out and realized that they should just remain friends. Gotye sings, “So when we found that we could not make sense / Well, you said that we would still be friends / But I’ll admit that I was glad it was over.”
However, once they broke up, Gotye claims that his ex cut him off and acted as if they didn’t know him at all. He doesn’t like that he’s being treated like a stranger by her!
20. “Dance, Dance” by Fall Out Boy
At last, we’ve come upon our last song on this list: “Dance, Dance” by Fall Out Boy! Appearing on the band’s 2005 album From Under the Cork Tree, this song follows a teenager who is obsessed with a girl and ends up dancing with her at a school event.
However, listeners have also listened to this song when dealing with a breakup, as it can also accurately describe the emotions that come with a relationship that falls apart. In the chorus, the band sings, “Dance, dance, we’re falling apart to half-time / Dance, dance, and these are the lives you love to lead / Dance, this is the way they’d love / If they knew how misery loved me.”