Long before texting, social media or seeing what an ex was doing online, heartbreak had a different soundtrack.
There were phone calls you waited for that never came. Letters you kept longer than you should have. Places around town you suddenly avoided. And then there were the songs.
One would come on the radio and somehow say exactly what you had been trying not to think about all day.
If your first real broken heart happened in the 1960s, you probably haven’t forgotten these.
1. “The End of the World” – Skeeter Davis
Few songs captured heartbreak more directly. Skeeter Davis sang about the strange feeling of watching everyday life continue when your own world seemed to have stopped.
2. “Tracks of My Tears” – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Smokey Robinson turned pretending to be okay into one of Motown’s most enduring songs. Anyone who ever smiled around friends while hurting inside understood it.
3. “Crying” – Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison didn’t hold anything back. His voice grew bigger and more desperate as the song continued, creating one of the decade’s great heartbreak performances.
4. “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” – Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield’s voice gave this song an aching quality that made every word feel personal.
5. “Walk on By” – Dionne Warwick
Sometimes heartbreak meant seeing the person again and pretending everything was fine. Dionne Warwick captured that exact feeling beautifully.
6. “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” – Neil Sedaka
The title said everything. Beneath its catchy melody was a message almost everyone eventually learned firsthand.
7. “I Can’t Stop Loving You” – Ray Charles
Moving on sounds easy until you actually have to do it. Ray Charles turned that struggle into a massive, unforgettable recording.
8. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” – The Righteous Brothers
There are few feelings worse than realizing someone you love doesn’t feel the same way anymore. This song captured that slow realization perfectly.
9. “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” – The Animals
Heartbreak wasn’t always quiet. Sometimes it came with frustration, arguments and wishing the other person could understand what you were trying to say.
10. “Yesterday” – The Beatles
Sometimes you don’t need a complicated explanation. You just wish things could go back to the way they were yesterday.
The Beatles became one of the defining chart acts of the era, beginning their run of U.S. No. 1 hits with “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in 1964 and ultimately earning 20 Hot 100 No. 1s, according to Billboard.
Those numbers became music history. For the people actually living through the decade, though, these songs were attached to something much more personal.
Sometimes all it takes is three minutes of music to remember a person you haven’t thought about in years.
Which 1960s song got you through your first broken heart?
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