There is something about hearing a singer wail at someone, soundtracked to the heaviest riff they can muster; that is the ultimate form of catharsis. What’s a proper purging of a breakup without a soundtrack?
Here are ten “angry breakup songs” sung by women scorned. Listen to these on full blast – and remove anything that can be easily damaged from your vicinity.
Get Gone, Fiona Apple, 1999
Get Gone is a slow burn: the beginning is tranquil, but the tension builds into a scathing read. She growls: “‘Cause I do know what’s good for me / And I’ve done what I could for you”. This is the perfect track to listen to when asking yourself, “What am I so upset over?” As Apple will tell you, “there’s nothing left to grieve”.
Shitlist, L7, 1992
The song’s title is self-explanatory: anyone who gets on these ladies’ bad side ends up on their Shitlist. Singer Donita Sparks’ wail grows with every guitar chord, and while the lyrics can apply to anyone, L7’s rage suggests that your ex should be at the top of the list.
Violet, Hole, 1994
Courtney Love once said of Violet: “This song is about a jerk. I hexed him. Now he’s losing his hair.” Hole’s abrasive, no-fucks-given attitude shines on this track as Love confronts being used and cast aside. She reclaims her power, and Violet becomes a vengeful fantasy to which we can all relate.
Call Me When You’re Sober, Evanescence, 2006
On this track, singer Amy Lee eviscerates her ex, and screaming along to lyrics like, “Must be exhausting to lose your own game”, is surprisingly satisfying. As you headbang along, you’ll forget what (or who) you were sad about in the first place.
Since You’re Gone, The Pretty Reckless, 2010
If you didn’t discover The Pretty Reckless at much too young on Tumblr, don’t worry – your time has come. Written by singer Taylor Momsen when she was 16, “Since You’re Gone” celebrates her life post-breakup, free of the lying, cheating and loneliness she endured. If you’re contemplating the dreaded “What if?”, this is the song to stomp along to.
Bruise Violet, Babes in Toyland, 1992
Led by Kat Bjelland, the Babes’ lyrics and sound are seething with rage. Bruise Violet is a middle finger against the one who has wronged Bjelland for the final time. If those opening four chords and drum beat don’t get you going, nothing will.
Special, Garbage, 1998
One of Garbage’s tamer songs, Shirley Manson’s lyrics have an edge suggesting that with one wrong move, you’ll piss her off for good. Special channels that feeling when there’s no fight left in you to keep a bad thing going. She’s “run out of patience”; she “couldn’t care less” – and neither should you!
Nothing Ever Changes, Stevie Nicks, 1983
If you’ve ever fantasised about placing a hex on your ex, listening to Stevie Nicks will fulfil that dream. Known for casting spells through her songs, Nothing Ever Changes is one of Nicks’ witchiest. Addressing the “little boy” she was once with, she scolds him for his stubborn ways, reminding him: “I am gone but I’m never gone from you”.
Spit, Kittie, 2000
You know the opening lines of Jennifer’s Body that say, “Hell is a teenage girl”? Kittie is that personified. They were teenagers when they wrote Spit, birthing an anthem that pulsates with rage 25 years later. What do you do with all the hatred you’ve festered after a breakup? Spit!
Rid of Me, PJ Harvey, 1993
While breakups mark the end, feelings may persist. PJ Harvey gets it, as Rid of Me grapples with missing her lover and wanting to make them suffer at their loss. The repetitive “Don’t you wish you never met her?” turns into a rallying cry as Harvey exorcises herself of the past – something we can all take notes from.