Nothing really mends a broken heart better than music therapy. Growing up is basically trying to survive the ups and down that life is inevitably composed of, and it’s led to my being able to experience all kinds of music in the search for comfort. Personally, I’ve had a lot of musical preferences & phases but admittedly a huge part of my life was spent listening to a lot of what is known to people nowadays as “emo”. No shame there — I won’t lie about my roots, because listening to these “emotive” tunes was meant to be dramatic and poetic. It also served a double purpose as catharsis. In case you’re in denial about your emokid roots, and to serve as a reminder, I present to you just a few of the songs that proved to be strong allies during trying times. I hope these songs find you well (if not to also give you a little nostalgic emokid kick in your mainstream-pop-music-saturated butt).

8. Hawthorne Heights – Ohio is for Lovers

This track is one of Hawthorne Heights’ breakout singles, elevating them to  their status as a household name in the scene. This song is, to this day, resonant of heartbreak and sleepless nights spent overthinking.

7. Panic at the Disco – Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off

Listening to this song never fails to bring me back to my “Hot Topic” days. Flashback to around 2005, late nights spent driving around with friends, trying to forget about petty heartbreaks and high school heartaches. This song is one for those who were cheated on (myself included). This song helped me get through those dramatic times.

Favorite lines: I’ve got more wit, a better kiss, a hotter touch, a better fuck/Than any boy you’ll ever meet, sweetie you had me/Girl I was it, look past the sweat, a better love deserving of/Exchanging body heat in the passenger seat?/No, no, no, you know it will always just be me

6. The Spill Canvas – All Hail the Heartbreaker

Nothing screams emo (or #hugot para up-to-date) better than the title of this song. Got an ex who messed you up really bad? This one’s for you.

Favorite lines: Your lips, your eyelashes, your skin/These are the parts of your body/That cause my comatose to begin

Pretty dramatic, I know, but listening to this gave my past self so much pleasure. Might serve the same purpose for some of you out there as well.

5. Fall Out Boy – Thnks fr th Mmrs

A little trivia for you guys: the line “tastes like you only sweeter” was inspired by the movie Closer, possibly because they’d rather have a different lover in the current lover’s place. This song’s about a relationship that’s gone somewhat sour but it goes on just to serve a more primal purpose: as the quintessential teenage one night stand song.

4. Finch – Letters to You

I used to write a lot of loveletters back when I was a teenager, mostly because I was really fond of passing them around to my crushes or to past lovers, so this one strikes a chord on a personal level. Its very relatable if you think about the chorus’ lines: I want you to know that/I miss you so. One of those songs for lost love, or for the one that got away.

3. Taking Back Sunday – Cute Without the “E”

Another song about being left/cheated on by your lover, but the lover doesn’t know that you’re aware of the situation. Its about knowing the truth that its probably over but you can’t quite move on just yet. This song reminds me so much of adolescent hurt that even just listening to it brings me back to my punky teenage-angst days. This song was definitely one of my favorites and was a staple in my mp3 player, back when I had my brooding-in-my-hoodie moments in high school.

2. The Academy Is – Slow Down

This song struck me as a song about faking some feelings to manipulate the relationship in their favor, about being in a relationship that you figured out to be something else in the end. Definitely one for this playlist.

1. The Used – Blue and Yellow

This song reminds me of indifference, and how you can crave to be with someone on so many levels but knowing deep down that the two of you are completely different people. The song is about feeling lost in the midst of so many people who are trying to relate (or making it seem like they understand when in reality they don’t).

Quit fighting it! Let’s be emokids together! Release your inner emo child and share your favorite break up songs with us in the comments!