Valentine’s Day tends to hit hard not only for people in the first flush of love, but also those who’ve recently suffered a tough breakup. Either way, you might want to express how you’re feeling through the medium of music, and now Muse Group has revealed the breakup and love songs that are most popular among budding guitarists and pianists.
Let’s take the breakup songs first - because, let’s face it, they’re often more interesting - and there’s a clear winner on both Ultimate Guitar and MuseScore, Muse Group’s guitar tab and sheet music websites. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s Adele who takes the top spot in the heartbreak chart, with Someone Like You.
Said to have been written during the immediate aftermath of a breakup, the song has been soundtracking splits for well over a decade now (it was released in 2011), and has likely caused tears to be shed on multiple fret- and keyboards.
Emotionally raw guitarists also like to strum away their pain to Bruno Mars’ When I Was Your Man and Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know, apparently, while pained pianists have a penchant for Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved and Coldplay’s The Scientist. Stay strong, everyone.
On a happier note, lovestruck guitarists are all about Oasis’s Wonderwall, the number one love song on Ultimate Guitar. It’s not a song that we’ve never really thought of as romantic, to be honest, but perhaps it’s the slightly awkward expression of emotion that dyed-in-the-wool Britpop fans feel it’s OK to like.
Coupled-up piano players, meanwhile, like to celebrate their love by playing Ed Sheeran’s Perfect, while Celine Dion’s Titanic My Heart Will Go On is also a favourite, albeit a rather sombre one. Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling In Love makes the top three on both Ultimate Guitar and MuseScore.
If none of these songs are to your taste then we’re sure you can find something else with which to serenade your beloved. Music, of course, is the food of love, so play on.
