Yes, I know. They say that anger is a terribly unhealthy emotion. Anger isn’t associated with classy ladies. Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Anger does more harm to you than the other person. I get it.
But when someone does you wrong, sometimes you just have to relish in it for a little while. I’ll save you the story about my most recent failed relationship and instead provide you with 5 of my favourite angry break-up songs:
5. Elastic Heart – Sia (Feat. The Weeknd & Diplo)
With lyrics like “you won’t see me fall apart” and “you did not break me” this song really hits the mark for the angry i’m-fine-without-you stage. Truth be told, it was written for the Hunger Games soundtrack, but sometimes you just can’t discriminate when it comes to a good song.
and i wanted it, i wanted it bad / but there were so many red flags
now another one bites the dust / yeah let’s be clear, i’ll trust no one
4. Picture to Burn -Taylor Swift
Taylor has a knack for translating all of her heartaches to music in an excruciatingly relatable way. In fact, almost anything she translates to music has quite the effect (anyone remember her SNL response to Kanye?). I’m going way back to her earlier days, when she penned “Should Have Said No” yelling at a boyfriend who cheated on her and “Cold As You” addressing the response from a boy post-breakup. My favourite that falls within the parameters of this post is “Picture to Burn”. I still find myself rolling down the windows of my car and belting out these lyrics when I’m pissed.
state the obvious, i didn’t get my perfect fantasy
i realize you love yourself more than you could ever love me
so go and tell your friends that I’m obsessive and crazy
that’s fine i’ll tell mine that you’re gay
Ok, I recognize that this is VERY high school. But you can’t deny we’ve all identified with the lyric “watch me strike a match on all my wasted time”. Sometimes I’m more upset about the time I wasted on a loser than anything else.
3. Hemorrhage – Fuel
This song was released in 2000 and Brett Scallions’ voice just gets me every time. It’s so gruff and full of pain. I actually thought they lyrics in this song was “go far away” when I first heard it, but I was proved wrong (and the actual lyrics are, of course, more fitting). Anger is often a cover for those other emotions that we don’t want to deal with – hurt, betrayal and abandonment, and for me the abandonment really hits home.
don’t you remember anything i said when i said
don’t fall away and leave me to myself
don’t fall away and leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands again
and leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands
love lies bleeding
2. Kerosene – Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert is quite possibly the queen of country music break-up songs. Before you start shouting Taylor Swift in protest, hear me out. Kerosene. Gunpowder and Lead. Baggage Claim (come and get your shit). White Liar. This sassy country singer knows how to sing about a break up! I particularly like the songs that reference shot-guns, because, well, let’s be honest. The thought is bound to cross you mind when you encounter a cheating bastard.
Anyway, this music video starts with Miranda exiting her man’s house, leaving a trail of kerosene. She’s angry, and she’s awesome.
now I don’t hate the one who left / you can’t hate someone who’s dead
he’s out there holding on to someone / i’m holding up my smoking gun
i’ll find somewhere to lay my blame the day she changes her last name
well I’m giving up on love cause love’s given up on me
1. You Oughta Know – Alanis Morissette
This song is hands down the epitome of an angry break up song. Guilt. Blame. Petty comments about the new girl. Reminders of how awesome you are in bed. Yes, this song is simply fantastic. Plus, it’s easy to bring down the house with this tune on karaoke night because, well, everyone dreams they are as upfront and bad ass as Alanis.
’cause the joke that you laid on the bed that was me
and I’m not gonna fade as soon as you close your eyes and you know it
and every time i scratch my nails down someone else’s back
i hope you feel it… well can you feel it
We’ve all been there. I’m thankful that these artists have put pen to paper and created music that can help us embrace our hostility to those heartbreakers.
Cup of Class 