Sometimes music and beautiful lyrics are the only things that truly capture what you feel inside. There’s something about listening to songs about love, loss, heartbreak, and unrequited love that tugs at your heart strings and brings out all of the emotions that make you feel human and alive despite the hurt and pain you’re experiencing.
Growing up as a young, closeted lesbian, I would curate endless playlists filled with sad, soul wrenching songs (the latter is actually the name of one of my playlists 😅) to play on repeat given the many unrequited loves I had. And after my failed relationships, I would put my "break up playlist" on repeat. Luckily, this period of my life didn’t last long and things got a lot better when I eventually found the love of my life.
But I still love finding and listening to new sad love songs from time to time so I’ve put together some of my favorites below. If you’ve ever experienced heartbreak and/or unrequited love, hopefully, you’ll be able to relate to these songs and lyrics. If you’re in the midst of grieving a break up or loss, just know that while it takes strength and time, eventually, this too shall pass and things will get better if you stay strong and hopeful.
You can play the full playlist here. For a playlist of happy and romantic lesbian love songs instead, check out our post here.
1. Heather - Conan Gray
Watching the person you like love someone else and not see you in the same way feels like a dagger through your heart. These lyrics are so relatable for every lesbian who’s every had unrequited love. I can’t tell you how many times I wished I were “Heather” in my life.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Why would you ever kiss me?
I'm not even half as pretty
You gave her your sweater, it's just polyester
But you like her better
Wish I were Heather
🎧 Listen to the song:
2. Dancing With Your Ghost - Sasha Sloan
If you’ve ever lost someone you love and find yourself doing things that remind you of them, you’ll be able to relate to this song. The lyrics are so visually poetic when you imagine yourself dancing with the ghost of someone you loved and lost.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
I stay up all night
Tell myself I'm alright
Baby, you're just harder to see than most
I put the record on
Wait 'til I hear our song
Every night I'm dancing with your ghost
🎧 Listen to the song:
3. Wish You Were Gay - Claud
This song captures all of my feelings about the ever so common experience for lesbians to fall in love with their straight girl friends. If I could’ve just played this song every time a straight girl I liked was wasting her time chasing stupid boys who weren’t good for them.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Hoping that I'm a better replacement
for the guys that you're always out chasing
or should I accept things I can't change
hate it that I wish you were
I wish you were gay
so you could just hold me
Call me your babe
instead of your homie
🎧 Listen to the song:
4. She - Dodie
When you secretly love a girl but would never tell her and know that she would never feel the same way. This was the story of my life back when I was young, closeted, and less confident. I can feel all of the pain and memories coming back to me whenever I listen to this song.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
And I'll be okay admiring from afar
'Cause even when she's next to me
We could not be more far apart
And she tastes like birthday cake and storytime and fall
But to her, I taste of nothing at all
🎧 Listen to the song:
5. I’ll Still Have Me - Cyn
Have you ever been in a one-sided relationship or situation where you’re willing to do anything for the other person but they don’t feel the same way? I think this is how many lesbians feel when they get really close to a girl they like and wishfully think that person has reciprocal feelings.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
I broke my back 'cause
I thought you would too
I'd run in circles
I thought you would too
🎧 Listen to the song:
6. Rewrite the Stars - Zac Efron and Zendaya
I love the duet nature of this song–of two people in love but who have different realities and expectations for the relationship. Especially for gay relationships, you often might have one person who’s more optimistic about coming out and living your life together feely and openly while the other person is more aware of the realities and a bit more pessimistic. It’s just always so heartbreaking when two people who are meant to be together can’t be together because of society and the circumstances around them.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
You think it's easy
You think I don't wanna run to you
But there are mountains
And there are doors that we can't walk through
I know you're wondering why because we're able to be
Just you and me within these walls
But when we go outside, you're gonna wake up and see
That it was hopeless after all
🎧 Listen to the song:
7. Maybe It Was Me - Sody
This would be the song that I would be playing on repeat if it had existed when I broke up with my first girlfriend back when we were both young, inexperienced, and in love. It was such a roller coaster relationship and at the time I was certainly thinking, “Maybe it was me or maybe it was us so helpless and young”.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
'Cause maybe it was me
I just couldn't see
But maybe it was me who fucked it up
Or maybe it was us
So helpless and young
🎧 Listen to the song:
8. If the World Was Ending - JP Saxe and Julia Michaels
This was such the perfect sad song to listen to during the pandemic. It so beautifully captures the heartbreak of two people who still clearly love each other but didn’t work out and the only hope they have and are clinging onto is being together again if the world was ending.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
If the world was ending
You'd come over, right?
The sky'd be falling and I'd hold you tight
And there wouldn't be a reason why
We would even have to say goodbye
🎧 Listen to the song:
9. The Feeling - Justin Bieber and Halsey
Have you ever lusted for someone so eagerly that you jumped straight into a romantic relationship with them only to start questioning whether you’re really into love with them or just in love with the feeling of lust. Welp, then this song is for you.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Am I in love with you?
Or am I in love with the feeling?
🎧 Listen to the song:
10. Lose You to Love Me - Selena Gomez
We all know the history between Selena and Justin and this song is no doubt about him. It’s also so relatable and heartbreaking in so many ways. If you’ve ever had an on again off again ex and after the nth time getting back together and breaking up, you just realize that they were toxic and not good for you. But you needed to go through this heartbreak to finally learn to love and put yourself first.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
I needed to lose you to find me
I needed to hate you to love me
🎧 Listen to the song:
11. Undrunk - Fletcher
This song is so relatable for any one who’s ever done dumb things that they regret after a hard break up. We grieve by turning to things like hooking up with random people, drinking, and partying just to get the person out of our minds, but the saddest part is that when the night is over, the only thing you can think about is missing them.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
So I squeeze out the lime on the ice of my drink
And the juice hits the cuts on my fingers
It still doesn't burn
As much as the thought of you
🎧 Listen to the song:
12. Dancing On My Own - Robyn
This song is for everyone who’s ever felt unrequited love and invisible to your crush. As a closeted lesbian back then, this was me with every straight girl crush I had. Whenever I listen to this song I still remember the pain and heartache of watching someone you like so much kiss someone else.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
I'm in the corner
Watching you kiss her
I'm right over here
Why can't you see me?
🎧 Listen to the song:
13. Invisible - Taylor Swift
Speaking of unrequited love and being invisible, one of my favorite old school Taylor Swift songs is “Invisible” It’s a lesser known song but totally hits home all of the feelings of longing for someone and knowing that you’ll be able to love them so much better but they like someone else instead.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
She's never gonna love you like I want to
And you just see right through me but if you only knew me
We could be a beautiful, miracle, unbelievable
Instead of just invisible
🎧 Listen to the song:
14. Gravity - Sara Bareilles
Whenever I listen to this song, my heart just sinks to my stomach. The entire ballad from the melody, heart wrenching lyrics, and soul that Sara Bareilles puts into singing it is beautiful from start to beginning. Each lyric in the song carries so much weight on its own. If you’re listening to this song, make sure you have some tissues next to you.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
You hold me without touch
You keep me without chains
🎧 Listen to the song:
15. Million Reasons - Lady Gaga
When you know someone is wrong for you but you’re hanging on to every hope and searching for that one reason it might work out. While you shouldn’t just ignore all the red flags and run back to a toxic relationship for one reason alone, many of us can still relate to the feeling of being tempted to do this.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But, baby, I just need one good one to stay
🎧 Listen to the song:
16. Let Her Go - Passenger
If you’ve ever let the one get away and didn’t appreciate them when you had them, then your heart will definitely ache when you listen to this song. I love how the lyrics juxtaposes the extreme emotions and actions one feels and takes in a relationship.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missing home
Only know you love her when you let her go
And you let her go
🎧 Listen to the song:
17. Try - Pink
I love Pink who is just an all-around badass lady. From her inspirational songs to her soul wrenching ballads, I love them all especially this song. It’s about how we often get deceived by our heart and fall in love with someone who just ends up breaking our hearts. But no matter what, you still have to get up and keep trying. I also love the music video for this song.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Why do we fall in love so easy
Even when it's not right?
🎧 Listen to the song:
18. Someone Like You - Adele
Perhaps Adele’s most famous song and my favorite, Someone Like You, is one of those classic sad love songs that you want to belt out to alone in your room and during karaoke. It’s so raw, emotional, and relatable. When you thought you found the perfect person but somehow things don’t work out and they’ve happily moved on without you, yet you haven’t. And you know you’ll never have them again so the second best option is to just find someone like them.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead
🎧 Listen to the song:
19. You Could Be Happy - Snow Patrol
It’s always painful to know that the person you love could be happier and freer without you. This song beautifully captures that feeling when the two of you are just on different paths in life and you don’t want to be the reason that’s holding the other person back from pursuing their dreams.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Do the things that you always wanted to
Without me there to hold you back; don't think, just do
More than anything I want to see you, girl
Take a glorious bite out of the whole world
🎧 Listen to the song:
20. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - John Mayer
When you’ve done everything you possibly can to save a relationship and it just is not working out and you know that it won’t get any better from here. The imagery of this song–two people slow dancing in a burning room–is so perfect for this sentiment.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
It's not a silly little moment
It's not the storm before the calm
This is the deep and dying breath of
This love that we've been working on
🎧 Listen to the song:
21. Breakeven - The Script
This song’s about how one person has moved on while the other is still barely hanging on. Every word of this song just makes your heart ache. While breakups are always hard, the heart doesn’t always break the same way for each one. One person might have been more invested in the relationship or still in love with the other person. At the end of the day, you just have to do your best to move on.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're OK?
🎧 Listen to the song:
22. Say Something - A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera
This song just makes you feel like you’re taking the final breath in a dying relationship and giving up on someone who you thought was the one. The lyrics and melody make it all the more heartbreaking.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Say something, I'm giving up on you
And I will swallow my pride
You're the one that I love
And I'm saying goodbye
🎧 Listen to the song:
23. The One That Got Away - Katy Perry
This is one of those sad songs that make you feel like the only hope you have of being with the person you love is literally in another lifetime. The beat is catchy but the lyrics will tug at your heart strings.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
In another life
I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were
The one that got away
🎧 Listen to the song:
24. I Can't Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt
This song was originally sang by Bonnie Raitt, but I love the many different modern renditions of it including the one by Kurt Hugo Schenider & Alex G. as well as the one by Bon Iver. This is just one of those songs you can listen to alone at night in the dark and feel every part of your heart ache for someone who just doesn't love you back.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Cause I can't make you love me if you don't
You can't make your heart feel something it won't
🎧 Listen to the song:
25. Driver's License - Olivia Rodrigo
If you've even been in a relationship that felt one-sided and ended before you wanted to or felt the pain and betrayal when that person moves on so quickly after making you believe that this would last forever, then you'll be able to relate to this song.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street
🎧 Listen to the song:
26. Remind Me to Forget - Kygo and Miguel
Who knew EDM songs could be so catchy and heart wrenching at the same time? I love the beat of this Kygo song that makes you want to dance and cry at the same time. It’s about when you loved someone so much and they broke your heart that you have to keep reminding yourself it’s better to forget about them.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
Hurt me to the core, still healing
And I know you're no good for me
So I try to forget the memories
'Cause baby, it hit so hard, I'm holding on to my chest
Baby, I got these scars, reminding me to forget
🎧 Listen to the song:
27. When You're Gone - Shawn Mendes
I don't what I love more about this song -- the catchy beat or the sad, but so relatable song lyrics about realizing you lost the only girl that ever mattered. This song just speaks to all the broken hearts out there who are just trying to hold on after a hard breakup.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
You never know how good you have it
Until you're staring at a picture of the only girl that matters
I didn't know that loving you was the happiest I've ever been
So I'm just tryna hold on
🎧 Listen to the song:
28. I'm Never Getting Over You - Gone West
Just the title of this song says it all. And when you listen to the lyrics, you can't help but feel the immense heartbreak that comes from ending a relationship where one party still loves the other and doesn't want to let go. Whether you've been that person or on the other side, you never quite forget the relationships you've had that ended this way.
🎵 Favorite Lyrics:
I can't stop you from leavin'And you can't stop me from lovin' youSo take a good look at the pain 'fore you walk away
Memorize all the hurt in my eyes, not what I say
I'm gonna give you what you wanted
Though my heart will never stop
🎧 Listen to the song:
Here's the full playlist for you to enjoy:
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