Best ’90s Breakup Songs, According to 90s on 9
Hopefully these songs can help un-break your heart, because everybody hurts sometimes.
Listeners of SiriusXM’s 90s on 9 channel weighed in on the ultimate breakup anthems of the decade, highlighting the songs from artists like Boyz II Men, Alanis Morissette, Aerosmith, Jewel, and more that best captured heartbreak, longing, and moving on.
Here are the 28 songs that got the most votes:
’90s Breakup Songs
28. Chris Isaak — “Wicked Game”
Chris Isaak’s haunting ballad captures the dangerous pull of a love that never quite works out.
27. Ace of Base — “Don’t Turn Around”
Ace of Base delivers a bittersweet plea for dignity in the face of a breakup.
26. Counting Crows — “A Long December”
Counting Crows reflect on loss and hope for something better after a difficult year.
25. Britney Spears — “From the Bottom of My Broken Heart”
Britney Spears leans into vulnerability with this early-career breakup ballad.
24. Billy Ray Cyrus — “Achy Breaky Heart”
Billy Ray Cyrus turns heartbreak into a catchy, danceable country-pop anthem.
23. The Tony Rich Project — “Nobody Knows”
The Tony Rich Project explores the quiet pain of a breakup hidden from the outside world.
22. Sophie B. Hawkins — “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover”
Sophie B. Hawkins blends longing and desire in this emotionally charged hit.
21. Pearl Jam — “Black”
Pearl Jam delivers a raw and powerful portrayal of love lost and lingering pain.
20. Natalie Imbruglia — “Torn”
Natalie Imbruglia’s breakout hit captures confusion and emotional fallout after a breakup.
19. U2 — “One”
U2 offers a complex and enduring meditation on relationships coming apart.
18. The Cranberries — “Linger”
The Cranberries capture the ache of holding on to feelings that aren’t returned.
17. Mariah Carey — “Always Be My Baby”
Mariah Carey reframes a breakup with confidence that love will never fully fade.
16. Jewel — “Foolish Games”
Jewel delivers a delicate, emotional look at miscommunication and heartbreak.
15. Bon Jovi — “Always”
Bon Jovi leans into sweeping emotion with this dramatic declaration of lost love.
14. Aerosmith — “Cryin’”
Aerosmith pairs bluesy grit with a story of heartbreak and resilience.
13. Lisa Loeb — “Stay (I Missed You)”
Lisa Loeb captures uncertainty and regret in one of the decade’s most intimate hits.
12. Whitney Houston — “I Will Always Love You”
Whitney Houston transforms farewell into an unforgettable, powerhouse vocal moment.
11. R.E.M. — “Everybody Hurts”
R.E.M. offers comfort and solidarity for anyone going through emotional pain.
10. LeAnn Rimes — “How Do I Live”
LeAnn Rimes delivers a soaring ballad about the struggle to imagine life after love.
9. Bonnie Raitt — “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
Bonnie Raitt’s understated performance makes this one of the most devastating breakup songs ever recorded.
8. Roxette — “It Must Have Been Love”
Roxette blends melancholy and melody in a song about love that’s already gone.
7. Alanis Morissette — “You Oughta Know”
Alanis Morissette channels anger and betrayal into a defining alt-rock breakup anthem.
6. No Doubt — “Don’t Speak”
No Doubt captures the painful silence that comes when a relationship falls apart.
5. Sinéad O’Connor — “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Sinéad O’Connor delivers a stark, emotional performance about irreplaceable love.
4. Toni Braxton — “Un-Break My Heart”
Toni Braxton’s signature hit is a dramatic plea to undo heartbreak.
3. Boyz II Men — “End of the Road”
Boyz II Men define the sound of 90s heartbreak with this enduring R&B ballad.
2. All Saints — “Never Ever”
All Saints mix attitude and vulnerability in a modern breakup classic.
1. Lauryn Hill — “Ex-Factor”
Lauryn Hill takes the top spot with a deeply personal and emotionally raw reflection on love and loss.
