By Mia Zarrella, Entertainment Contributor
You could cry in front of your bathroom mirror until your face swells. You could eat away your sorrows, searching for love in the bottom of a Ben & Jerry’s carton. You could watch Nicholas Sparks films and not shower for days. Or, you could sing and dance your heart out to these feel-better, breakup songs:
You guessed it. The first songs on your playlist are by the Queen of Breakup Songs. Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” is perfect for the person tired of repeatedly breaking up with their partner, and then getting back together, and then breaking up again… This song will build confidence in a destroyed spirit. Then again, any of the following T-Swift songs are good uplifting breakup songs: “Bad Blood,” “Picture to Burn,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “You’re Not Sorry,” ”Blank Space,” and “Shake it Off.”
The angry, bitter, but better-off soul should listen to “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette. She supposedly wrote the song about Full House actor Dave Coulier, yet he denies such a rumor. Warning: Do not listen to this song in public. The urge to yell and aggressively point at the air will be impossible to resist.
The options for uplifting break-up songs are endless in the hip hop genre. After selecting the best from Jay-Z, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, and Big Sean, be sure to add to your playlist Action Bronson’s “Baby Blue” featuring Chance the Rapper. Action and Chance are lyrical geniuses. Oh, and don’t forget to include Outkast’s song, “Roses.”
“Leave (Get Out).” 2004 pop/R&B artist JoJo sings for the heartbroken and enraged, the ones who were cheated on, lied to, and betrayed. Besides, who doesn’t love a good throwback tune?
Speaking of throwback, “You’re So Vain” is a great hairbrush-singing song. Carly Simon calls out all the egotistical and shallow boyfriends and girlfriends we’ve all once dated.
And since we are unearthing the oldies but goodies, here are some more: Britney Spears’ “Stronger,” TLC’s “No Scrubs,” NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl,” and finally, Fleetwood Mac’s “You Can Go Your Own Way” and “The Chain.”
These songs have the power to uplift spirits and release the negative energy that has been bottled up for so long.