By Mina Wiebe

I was only eleven when Lady Antebellum released their Grammy-winning track “Need You Now”, and I was surprised when the song managed to make me relate to the heartache of a breakup that eleven-year-old-me had yet to experience. The lyrics “[i]t’s a quarter after one, I’m a little drunk, and I need you now” blasted from my Mickey Mouse radio, and I couldn’t help but melt and sink into an imaginary sorrow despite the lyrics being far from applicable to my life. But I guess that’s a sign of a good breakup song—when it makes you mourn an imaginary relationship.

In reality, the agony of missing someone you were once inseparable from is a tremendous hurdle to cross—a hurdle that almost everyone will have to cross at some point in their life. And I think that’s partly why people went crazy for this acoustic-country tune upon its 2009 release. It topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at number one for five weeks straight, and reached an impressive number two position on the Billboard Hot 100. It was played on country and pop music stations alike, receiving international recognition and praise. People may have been taken with the song because of its beautiful melody and delicate piano, but I also think they related to its raw depiction of heartbreak.

One of the things that makes “Need You Now” such an incredibly effective breakup-song is its duet-style. It offers heartache from the perspective of both partners, as their raw vocals ring with passion and sincerity, presenting you with this miserable imagery of two former lovers who are drunk and alone, wishing the other would call. It’s a breakup song that does its job, acting as a poignant reflection of the pain that so many have felt: that feeling of empty loneliness as you ache for someone and wonder if they’re thinking about you too. The line “[i]t’s a quarter after one, I’m all alone and I need you now” resonates with the world’s heartbroken listeners who have felt that exact pain.

Ten years later, I’m listening to “Need You Now” after a breakup, so this time around the sorrow is real. Something that hasn’t changed though, is the song’s ability to force me to grieve. Hearing your thoughts and emotions conveyed through music is validating, and sometimes that’s necessary to move forward. I would qualify it as one of the best songs to listen to post-breakup, specifically when you’re in need of a good cry. And for that reason, I play it on repeat and encourage the broken-hearted to do the same.