Every State’s Favorite Breakup Song, Mapped

Breaking up is hard to do, but sometimes it's made better with a good breakup song.

There are some great music options out there to help get over a broken heart. Maybe you prefer a poppy post-breakup celebration or a sad ballad lamenting a loss. Whatever you choose, there are probably others out there who pick the same songs as you to get through a breakup, and that can depend on the state you live in.

Heartbreaks happen in all 50 states, which might be why each one has its opinion of what the best breakup songs are. Preply reviewed data from Google Trends to find out which breakup songs are the most popular in each state. Check out the map below, followed by the ranking of the top tracks.

1. “Lovely” (Featuring Khalid)

Billie Eilish's song featuring heartbreak—and Khalid—has a haunting sound that makes for a great breakup song. “Lovely,” which was produced by Eilish's brother Finneas O'Connor, gained extra attention when it was featured on the 2018 soundtrack for the TV show 13 Reasons Why and is now favored by 10 states. You may be a fan if you live in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia.

2. (Tied) “Changes”

Breakups mean it's time for a change, which may have inspired the song by XXXTentacion. But more than one state liked things to stay the same, with the breakup song ranking as No. 1 in five locations: Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Oregon, and Utah.

2. (Tie) “Falling”

Harry Styles was famously in the band One Direction before they broke up, so he’s an expert on merging music and breakups. That may be the case with “Falling,” a breakup ballad. The song is a favorite of the broken-hearted in five states: Maine, Nebraska, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and West Virginia.

3. (Tie) “All Too Well”

Taylor Swift originally released the song in 2012, but a longer, 10-minute version came out almost a decade later. It's a favorite for four states: Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Montana.

3. (Tie) “Be Alright”

Is it going to be alright? That may be the big question for fans of Dean Lewis who prefer this breakup song over any other, particularly in the four states of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

3. (Tie) “Another Love”

While “Another Love” was first released in 2012, the Tom Odell song reappeared on charts in 2022 after it went viral on TikTok. Perhaps it's a sign you can make up after a breakup, or maybe it's just a good breakup song for the four states of Illinois, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

4. (Tie) “What a Time”

Another artist who went solo after his time with One Direction is Niall Horan, who was featured on “What a Time” by Julia Michaels. The three states of Arizona, Iowa, and North Carolina prefer this breakup song, which is a nostalgic look back after the end of a relationship.

4. (Tie) “Flowers”

While some breakup songs are moody and brooding, Miley Cyrus seems to take her breakup in stride with some ideas of what she can do now that her ex is gone. She proves this with the song “Flowers,” which is the favorite breakup songs of three states: Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming.

4. (Tie) “abcdefu”

Singer-songwriter Gayle was a teenage sensation with “abcdefu,” an upbeat song to tell her ex that he can go away now. But three Midwest states want to keep it around: Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

4. (Tie) “Happier” and “Happier”

There was more than just one most popular song in three states, with “Happier” by Ed Sheeran and “Happier” by Olivia Rodrigo coming in as the favorites. Arizona, Idaho, and Oklahoma weren't sure just how happy (or not happy) to be about a breakup.

Olivia Rodrigo is a Breakup Song Queen

In addition to “Happier,” Olivia Rodrigo had a few other breakup songs make the list of most popular by state. Her hit “Drivers License” was a favorite in North Dakota, while “Déjà Vu” found fans in Maryland. Heartbroken listeners in Michigan preferred “Traitor.”