Peter Hartlaub of the SF Chronicle just tackled one of my favorite topics, best breakup songs. I like his criteria, especially his point that good breakup songs have to have a slightly psychotic element to them. The best breakup songs capture the extremes of emotion that you go through during that time — the desolation, the rage, etc. — in a realistic way. When your emotional state is threatening to secede from sanity, you need the small consolation that, no, you’re not the only one who’s ever felt that way. And if you don’t listen to country music — which I love precisely because it takes up permanent residence on the fringes of emotion — well, you need to find something to listen to.

I, like most of the commenters, disagree with his choices. Then again, we all process breakups differently, so of course we’ll be drawn to different music to get us through the heartbreak. Check out the discussion for more breakup song fodder.

Here are my two takes on the subject (In retrospect, the 2001 list was pretty lame, but hey, I was young):

• Best Breakup Songs, 2008
  
• Best Breakup Songs, 2001