BALLADS FOR THE BROKENHEARTED

MEND AN ACHING HEART IN THE SPACE OF A FLIGHT.

PEOPLE TEND TO turn to a tear-jerker film (see p99) when they find themselves in need of a good cry, but if it’s an affliction of the heart, there’s guaranteed to be a ballad to suit your mood. We’ve picked out the albums to take you through every step of a breakup.

1 STAGE ONE: BREAKUP

JONI MITCHELL – BOTH SIDES NOW

Few people know their way around a broken heart quite like Joni Mitchell. Just don’t make a hard time harder, and steer clear of Emma Thompson in Love Actually for the time being.

2 STAGE TWO: ACHING

WHITNEY HOUSTON – WHITNEY HOUSTON You may have been saving all your love for someone, but now is the time to let it all out. The eponymous record features a collection of ballads best listened to in a dark, quiet cabin.

3 STAGE THREE: YEARNING NICHOLAS BRITELL – IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

The Oscar-nominated score for Barry Jenkins’ slow-burning romantic drama is the perfect soundtrack for staring out of the window. Dramatic strings echo a (likely all too familiar) sense of longing.

4 STAGE FOUR: FEELING

SARA BAREILLES – AMIDST THE CHAOS

After penning a hit Broadway musical, Bareilles is back in the studio for her sixth album. It’s a raw, bare-all record of love, loss and heartbreak guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings.

5 STAGE FIVE: RECOVERY MICHAEL BUBLÉ – LOVE

When your heart has begun to heal, you can start to dream about the future Mr or Mrs Right, and what better soundtrack than Canadian crooner Michael Bublé? The record is filled with classic love songs, while its heart emoji album title shows its resonance with millennial minds.