The 2020s may only be halfway over, but already, this decade has produced a bumper crop of heartbreak songs and tear-jerkers.

But the very saddest country songs of the 2020s share personal experiences with death. No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 on our list of sad songs from the decade are all story songs about loss and grief ...

Every Friday, pop critics for The New York Times weigh in on the week’s most notable new tracks. Listen to the Playlist on ...