Share and Follow
When it comes to crafting breakup playlists on Spotify, heartbroken users consistently gravitate towards a familiar set of artists. Topping the list is an unsurprising figure, but many other musicians also provide solace during tough times. Here’s a look at the top ten artists frequently featured on breakup playlists.
Taylor Swift tops the list of most-streamed artists following a breakup
A report released in February 2026 by JB.com reveals that Taylor Swift is the predominant choice for these playlists. She appears on a staggering 325 playlists, with “All Too Well” being her most popular track.
This song, part of her 2012 album Red, is well-loved for its emotional depth, and fans have speculated that its lyrics might be inspired by her past relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal.
Though Swift leads the pack, other artists also see frequent play during heartache. Billie Eilish ranks second, featuring on 144 playlists with her hit “Happier Than Ever” as the top choice. Olivia Rodrigo claims the third spot with 128 mentions, most notably for her song “Traitor.”
What other artists do people stream after a breakup?
The list is rounded out by Adele, Lewis Capaldi, Lana Del Rey, Gracie Abrams, Ariana Grande, Tate McRae, and Conan Gray. Notably, while Capaldi ranks fifth, his track “Someone You Loved” boasts over 4 billion streams, making it a standout hit among these emotional anthems.
Adele, Lewis Capaldi, Lana Del Rey, Gracie Abrams, Ariana Grande, Tate McCray, and Conan Gray round out the list. While Capaldi is in the fifth place spot, his song “Someone You Loved” has the most streams, with over 4 billion.
“Breakup songs have become a genre of their own,” the CEO of JB.com tells us. “One of the industry’s lesser-known secrets is that major artists are often assigned songs and genres that meet market demand. This may sound strange given how emotionally connected we may feel to some of these tracks, but if it comes from a big pop artist, there is a good chance it was shaped by prior market research. Every genre and theme has its own data, and the people working with pop artists always consider these trends when making albums. That’s how the hits are made.”
Taylor Swift once said she had one album about heartbreak
While Swift has a number of breakup songs, she once said she only thought she had one true breakup album. Fittingly, it’s Red, which features “All Too Well.”
“Musically and lyrically, Red resembled a heartbroken person,” Swift wrote when she announced Red: Taylor’s Version. “It was all over the place, a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the end. Happy, free, confused, lonely, devastated, euphoric, wild, and tortured by memories past.”
She said that the album reminded her of talking through the end of a relationship with friends.
“Sometimes you need to talk it over (over and over and over) for it to ever really be … over,” she wrote. “Like your friend who calls you in the middle of the night going on and on about their ex, I just couldn’t stop writing.”