After writing about my top 10 love songs of all time, I felt the need to depress myself and write about my top 10 heartbreak songs. Again, I consulted many lists, articles, and Wikipedia pages to make sure this list could be as credible as possible even though I’ve never been in an official break-up myself.

In all seriousness, I put a lot of effort and consideration into creating this list. However, I must warn you that each and every song on this list was chosen because of how sad and heartbreaking they are, so be prepared to shed a few tears.

10. “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men
This was the first song I put down when thinking of heartbreak because no matter how many times I listen to it, I’m still affected by the emotional sound and lyrics.

9. “The Tracks Of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
The tune is a little upbeat for a heartbreak song, but the lyrics reveal a man’s desperate plea for his ex-lover to see through all his fake smiles and notice how helpless he is without her. The song is an overall classic that can’t go unmentioned.

8. “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” by Jeff Buckley
This song reads like a poem with lines that sing “She is the tear that hangs inside my soul forever,” and “Sometimes a man must awake to find that/Really he has no one.” Buckley’s voice scratches at your soul as you listen to him wallow in self-pity and longing for what could’ve been.

7. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” by The Righteous Brothers
This song was deemed the most played song of the 20th century in the United States with over 8 million broadcasts. Long story short, a lot of heartbroken people were in charge of the radio back then. But even without the awards and statistics, this song is still iconic and it was sung by an iconic duo that harmonizes perfectly. The bridge is my personal favorite part, but all around this song is sure to make you want to sing your broken heart out just like Tom Cruise.

6. “Always on My Mind” by Willie Nelson
This song is an apology that will touch your heart. Nelson’s voice is genuine and humble as he thinks about how he drove his lover away by reflecting on everything he might have done wrong, even though he always had her in mind. It’s a slow song, but it’s definitely not slow in delivering a heartbreaking masterpiece.

5. “Pain in My Heart” by Otis Redding
Otis Redding was a powerhouse of a vocalist and is known for his emotional delivery, hence him being crowned as one of the great voices of soul music. This song is no exception. When he shakes his head from side to side and wavers his voice from the pain in his heart, you can’t help but feel a little pain too.

4. “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt
This song is soft and slow, but Raitt uses her powerful voice to deliver a ballad that painstakingly speaks the brutal truth about being unloved. Because, let’s all face it, there will be a time in everyone’s lives where the person you so deeply love doesn’t love you back. So next time you’re going through that, you can play this song and at least be thankful you have something beautiful to cry yourself asleep to.

3. “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” by Al Green
From the string section to the backup singers to Al Green himself, this song embodies the sorrow of going through a break up. Green croons his way through this song and finds a way to let his voice embody all the pain he is feeling. Even with it being more than six minutes long, the song continuously builds and doesn’t waste a second. There’s not really much more I can say besides the fact that listening to this song automatically makes my heart hurt.

2. “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James
I’ll be the first to proudly say I love Etta James. She had a set of pipes made out of gold and in this song her voice drips with the misery and heartache she feels from seeing her man with another. In that moment when you find out the one you love hasn’t been loyal and is leaving you for someone else, you’d do anything to make it all go away. James lays her heart bare as she goes through this situation and sorrowfully sings how she would rather be blind than see the one she loves leave her.

1. “Without You” by Harry Nilsson
There are a lot of reasons why I chose this song as number one. The lyrics are simple and repetitive, but with Nilsson promising he can’t live without his love, it’s also the most dramatic song on this list. Nilsson himself sounds like an emotional hurricane that overpowers you until you can’t help but sing along with him. The instrumental arrangement complements the feeling of the song at every second and provides an extra level of melancholy. And, finally, I can never get enough of it. It has gotten to the point that I have to play back the song at least three times after hearing it which pretty much guarantees it a spot on my Spotify Wrapped.

In the end, we all deal with heartbreak in different ways just like how we all have different tastes in music. These songs come from a variety of genres, but all of them are great candidates for the next time you’re going through a breakup and need something to cry to. Or you can just listen to them on a regular day and be glad you’re not heartbroken like the majority of the world.