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1. “Snow Don’t Fall” by Townes Van Zandt (1972)
This version comes from an album called The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. The thing is, the guy put this album out when he was still alive, which leaves little doubt that his sadness was authentic. If you would rather hear an angel sing the song to you, seek out the Death Vessel version.

2. “I Know It’s Over” by The Smiths (1986)
“…as I climb into an empty bed/Oh well, enough said.” Seriously, there’s really no better way to express how you probably feel about your newfound horrible horrible freedom. Just let the notes bring forth your tears, sad-veiled bride.
[Note: This song is not available on iTunes. You can buy the album at Amazon here.]

3. “Hey Boy” by The Blow (2004)
The cool thing about sad songs is that you didn’t write them. That means somebody else felt the same way you do. This electro-poppy rejection tale makes it easy to dance around in your undies, smiling about a gal who’s been dissed as badly as you.

4. “St. Ides Heaven” by Elliott Smith (1995)
While this whispered piss-off tune is more about getting wasted than getting dumped, that’s probably what you’ll be up to in your first week of being single, so why not celebrate how pretty is to have a “head full of stars.”

5. “You Broke My Heart” by Lavender Diamond (2005)
This bittersweet accusatory anthem is a hairbrush-microphone-in-the-mirror tune if ever there was one.

6. “Is That All There Is” by Peggy Lee (1962)
“And then one day he went away/and when he did, I thought I’d die/But I didn’t/And when I didn’t, I said to myself, ‘Is that all there is to love?’” The sassy broad narrating this Leiber/Stoller tune knows that life is just a series of big disappointments, so why not just “break out the booze and have a ball”?

7. “No Fun” by The Stooges (1967)
When Iggy sings that it’s “no fun to be alone, in love with nobody else” against raunchy rhythm guitar and handclaps, we agree. But listening to somebody as frustrated as us is a blast.

8. “Love Me Like You” by The Magic Numbers (2005)
The best way to listen to this ecstatic melody is to pretend that the idiot who dumped you is singing this tune to you. “She don’t love me like you…” That’s right, sucker!

9. “True Love Will Find You In The End” by Daniel Johnston (1990)
Hope never sounded so heartbreaking as this super-simple, warbly recording from a Texas savant.

10. “Where Eagles Dare” by The Misfits (1985)
The punk-rock major-chord chorus is so triumphant that you’ll vow to write a letter to the one who scorned you, and tell that person that you “ain’t no gawdamsunnofabitch.”