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3 Albums to Listen to If You Got Your Heart Broken this Summer

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Queen's U chapter.

Happy September everyone! It’s a new semester and there are many new opportunities waiting just around the corner. Hopefully Summer 2020 was good to you despite the global pandemic that took over our lives. As summer is the time, if you’re a hopeless romantic like me, to have the ultimate love story like Ronnie and Will from The Last Song. To have that all consuming love that makes you think you’ll never get your heart broken. In reality though, summer flings rarely last and can be the most heart wrenching breakups experienced. Thus, the worst case scenario happens and just like that, your summer lovin’ reaches its end. If this applies to you, just remember that you’re worthy and deserving of love! Remember, self-love is the most important love!

Breakups are never easy and the self-care remedy that ALWAYS helps me during those tough times is music.  Music is a great therapeutic relief when you’re going through difficult moments in life. I personally analyze lyrics that relate to the way I’m feeling and in turn helps to sort through my emotions.  Sometimes the saddest songs can help me with the grief, and at other times the happier songs about a breakup can help me forget why I’m even sad in the first place. 

If you recently just got your heart broken, I have three perfect albums for you to add to your music library. Listen and see how they will help you, grieve, cry, smile, dance, or remind yourself of your worth. 

This Summer EP – Alessia Cara

Best Lyrics:

“I wanna climb into your mind and turn on all the lights // Read all your secrets, see if you wonder about mine” (Ready – Alessia Cara).

“Almost forgot that you should count your lucky stars // That you ever even had me for a minute” (Like You – Alessia Cara).

*Basically every single lyric on the EP*

Songs to Look Out For:

ALL OF THEM!

This Summer is the quintessential post summer break up album.  Alessia Cara dropped this EP in September 2019.  The album follows Alessia Cara’s journey through a summer fling that ended in a break up.  Basically, the songs describe how the boy that Cara was seeing during the summer wasn’t ready for how great of a girlfriend she is. 

There are only six songs on this EP, and each one perfectly shares a timeline of a summer fling from beginning to end.  This EP is emotional, however not in a way that will make you feel sad. More so, it’s empowering and will make you realize your worth.  Alessia 100% killed what it really means to have a summer fling end.

folklore – Taylor Swift

Best Lyrics:

“We were something, don’t you think so? / Rosé flowing with your chosen family / And it would’ve been sweet / If it could’ve been me” (the 1 – Taylor Swift). 

“You’re not my homeland anymore / So what am I defending now? / You were my town, now I’m in exile, seein’ you out” (exile – Taylor Swift feat. Bon Iver).

“All these people think love’s for show / But I would die for you in secret / The devil’s in the details, but you got a friend in me / Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?” (peace – Taylor Swift). 

Songs to Look Out For:

the 1

cardigan

exile

mirrorball

august

illicit affairs

betty

peace

The Swiftie’s (Taylor Swift’s fanbase name) all over social media said that folklore is what saved 2020; and in all honesty, I agree.  Taylor Swift released her eighth studio album, folklore, in July 2020.  I have been a fan of Taylor’s since her first album was released back in 2006.  I’ve mostly been a fan of her lyrics and how relatable they are. folklore is no different; the lyrics are phenomenal and some of Taylor’s best work. 

This album is a collection of stories that don’t necessarily reflect Taylor’s personal life, but there’s one story in particular that caught fan’s eyes.  In Taylor’s Instagram post that promoted the album, Taylor hints at a love triangle hidden in the album.  After listening to the full album, it was clear that three songs stood out: cardigan, august, and betty.

The songs tell the story of a love triangle of high school students, Betty, James, and Inez.  Swiftie’s quickly found the hidden message that James cheated on Betty with Inez in the summer.  Taylor’s lyrics directly tell the story from all three perspectives.  Betty’s perspective – cardigan, James’s perspective – betty, and Inez’s perspective – august.  Each song has powerful lyrics about the pain and loss felt when you get cheated on. 

A lot of listeners related to lyrics in august and cardigan because both songs describe falling in love, however also the way you can quickly fall out of love. I could go on for hours about Taylor’s Easter eggs and analyzing every single lyric, but I recommend this album if you’re in need of a cry and some deep lyrics to listen to. 

It’s Not That Deep EP – Olivia O’Brien

Best Lyrics:

 “I wanna waste your time / Like you wasted mine” (Tequilawine – Olivia O’Brien).

 “No matter what we do, I know we won’t last /  I hate this but I gotta cut you out fast” (F*uck Feelings – Olivia O’Brien). 

“Think you traded up, but in the end you lost” (No Love – Olivia O’Brien).  

Songs to Look Out For:

Tequilawine

No Love

RIP

Olivia O’Brien is known for her pop songs with relatable lyrics.  In 2017, O’Brien released her EP, It’s Not That Deep, and ever since, I’ve been jamming to Tequilawine and RIP.  This EP is full of powerful lyrics that share what it’s like to be out of a relationship with someone who didn’t appreciate you and recognize your worth. 

This EP will help you get up and dance and make you feel sorry that the person who broke your heart doesn’t have you anymore. 

In the famous words of Taylor Swift, “People haven’t always been there for me, but music has”.  So forget about the one who didn’t want to love you in all the seasons, and jam out to some incredible lyrics from some incredible female artists.

Kirsten Howard

Queen's U '21

Kirsten Howard is a third year Gender Studies student at Queen's University.
HC Queen's U contributor