“All Too Well” by Taylor Swift. “Story of My Life” by One Direction. “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac.

  Certain songs are cursed

Listen to a few of the that survey respondents shared with Anthony Pinter, plus one of his own favorites.

"" by Taylor Swift (2021)

"" by the Miles Davis Quintet (1959)

"" by Frank Ocean (2016)

"" by CHVRCHES (2013)

"" by Los Campesinos! (2013)

Anthony Pinter, an information scientist at 91����Ƶ Boulder, wants to know: What is your breakup song?

“Everyone has a song,” said Pinter, assistant teaching professor in the ATLAS Institute. “I could play it for you right now, and it would take you back to a particular time in your life.”

Pinter is 91����Ƶ Boulder’s guru of breakups. He studies our modern digital identities, including how people manage their social media accounts after a breakup. Do they choose, for example, to delete all the photos of their ex from their Instagram? Or do they keep a few to commemorate that time in their lives?

Now, the researcher has inviting anyone to share their own breakup songs, and the memories and emotions they evoke. Pinter named the project Certain Songs are Cursed, a reference to a 2011 EP by the punk band Johnny Foreigner.

He isn’t trying to resolve, once and for all, what the ultimate breakup song is, although he hopes to have people vote at some point. Instead, he wants to explore how peoples’ life experiences and memories can become bound together with music.

So far, Pinter’s survey has revealed that breakup songs can come in many different flavors. Entries include a lot of obvious culprits. (Think “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood). But they also include ones that are less clear cut. One survey respondent, for example, listed “Alive with the Glory of Love” by pop-punk icons Say Anything—a song that follows the experiences of the lead singer’s grandparents during the Holocaust.

Ultimately, Pinter hopes his findings will inform new strategies that apps like Spotify or Apple Music could employ to help listeners navigate the tough months and years after a breakup—giving people more flexibility to decide what they listen to and when.

He sees the project as an exploration of what might be one of the most universal human experiences: heartbreak.

“In many ways, breakup songs are comforting,” Pinter said. “People may make playlists like that because they can find solace in the fact that someone else has had those same experiences.”

Seeing the end

For Pinter, the project came about, in part, because of his own, long-lasting love affair—in this case with the British emo band Los Campesinos! The group's songs capture themes of sadness and loss, often through the metaphor of soccer.

“You could listen to my music with me, and you’d think, ‘Wow, this person might not be OK,’” Pinter said. “I just love that music. It’s so important to me.”

He isn’t alone in that deep, emotional attachments to music. He noted that people often connect certain songs to important times in their lives—prompting powerful, sometimes even contradictory, emotions.

Currently, Pinter’s , which he created from responses to his survey, includes more than 170 entries. Surprising no one, perhaps, Taylor Swift earns the most spots on the list. But it also includes songs from R&B (“Ivy” by Frank Ocean), jazz (“It Never Entered My Mind” by the Miles Davis Quintet) and the indie scene (“Francis Forever” by Mitski).

To capture the complex emotions that music elicits, Pinter often talks about first dance songs—the ones that happy newlyweds play when they take their first dance as a married couple. At first, they may inspire joyful emotions. But after a divorce, hearing your first dance song can be devastating.

Not all breakup songs, however, prompt unhappy memories.

Pinter spoke to one survey respondent who played the song “Tether” by CHVRCHES non-stop after a traumatic breakup. The synth-pop song, which seemingly describes the end of a relationship, rises to a crescendo with the lead singer repeating the lyrics: “I’m feeling capable of seeing the end.”

“A couple years later, when he was talking to us, he said, ‘If I’m by myself driving and that song comes on, I’ll roll down the windows and crank it,’” Pinter said. “For that individual, it represented a moment of catharsis.”

We will flower again

Those complex emotions can make opening Spotify a minefield for people after a breakup, he added.

  Beyond the story

Our arts and humanities impact by the numbers:

• 40-plus Grammy awards and nominations earned by 91����Ƶ Boulder faculty and alumni
• 2,500 exhibitions across the globe have featured art from art and art history faculty
• 10 91����Ƶ Boulder-affiliated Pulitzer Prize winners

Spotify decides what music to play for you based on a series of algorithms.

“We can now point to the Spotify algorithm and say, ‘Why did you play this? You should know better,’” he said. “We can assign blame to a thing in a way we couldn’t if you’re just out at a bar, and someone puts a song on the jukebox.”

But preventing those kinds of auditory gut punches isn’t always easy. Spotify has a “mute” function that allows users to banish songs from their playlists. That doesn’t account for more complex relationships with music—say, people who want to hear a particular song, but only when they’re home alone and in a safe mental space.

Pinter noted that music apps could take some cues from social media platforms that have tried to provide users with more flexibility, albeit imperfectly. When users change their relationship status on Facebook, for example, they can choose to “take a break”—temporarily hiding posts from their exes while the emotions are still raw.

His own vote for the ultimate breakup song might go to “What Death Leaves Behind” by Los Campesinos! The song’s lyrics are a bittersweet ode to losing a relationship, but feeling hopeful about moving on and being happy again. (“We will flower again/I have surely seen it”).

“I think as I’ve gotten older on and settled into what feels like a stable relationship that my approach to breakup songs has shifted,” Pinter said. "I recognize that those past relationships have informed who I have become as a partner (and person, for that matter), and it is occasionally nice to be transported back to those moments as a reminder that I have grown because of them.”

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This Valentine’s Day, love is in the air—and so are magic, flaming arrows, fairies, dragons and more.

Last month, "Onyx Storm," the third book in Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series, took the publishing industry by, well, storm. The book follows a dragon rider named Violet and her family, friends, lovers and exes at Basgiath War College. It sold 2.7 million copies in its first week on bookshelves, a 20-year record for literature marketed toward adults.

“Onyx Storm” is the latest success story for the fast-rising genre of fiction dubbed “romantasy.” These books blend the conventions of fantasy novels with those of romance. Think sorcerers, mythical creatures and raging battles mixed with heaping doses of sex. Other heavy hitters in the genre include Sarah J. Maas. Her “A Court of Thorns and Roses” (or ACOTAR, to fans) novels dive into the adventures of Feyre Archeron in the faerie lands of Prythian.

Christine Larson, assistant professor of journalism at 91����Ƶ Boulder, follows trends in the romance industry closely. Her 2024 book “” traces the 40-year history of Romancelandia, a tight-knit community of romance writers.

Larson weighs in what makes romantasy books so appealing, how TikTok played a role in their popularity, and why you may want to reevaluate those steamy sex scenes.

Is the rise of romantasy a new phenomenon?

Everyone talks about romantasy as if it's new. But the fantasy or paranormal sub-genres in romance have been around for decades. We can look at “Twilight.” We can look as far back as the “Dragonriders of Pern” series by Anne McCaffrey in the 1960s. Those books combined adventure and strong women who find their equal and their happily ever after.

Why do you think they’ve become so popular?

Romantasy has really taken off for two reasons: One reason is that Sarah Maas and Rebecca Yarros are amazingly good writers who tell a great story. The second is because people are feeling unsettled right now. Women, especially, are often feeling powerless, and the heroines in these books have power. They gain power, and they find love interests who are their equals. That’s important to women right now—to imagine a different world.

How did social media play a role in the emergence of romantasy?

Romantasy has been promoted in a huge way by TikTok, or, specifically, by the sub-segment of TikTok known as BookTok. Romance has been the most popular genre of fiction since the 1980s. With the rise of BookTok, younger readers dispelled myths about older romances. A lot of people thought romance was Fabio and a scantily clad woman bursting out of her bodice, and that it was very old fashioned. But, in fact, romance has come a long way. It has all these different sub-genres now.

Where did all these types of romance come from?

The evolution of new sub-genres in romance rose because of self-publishing beginning around the launch of the Amazon Kindle in 2007. There were many stories that could never be told, could never get published in traditional romance publishing, including stories about Black protagonists, Latina protagonists, LGBTQ+ protagonists, and even these fantasy stories.

Romance writers are super smart, and they said, "I don't need a publisher. I can self-publish." These books took off, and, eventually, romance publishers had to change, as well.

Romance has come a long way, but a lot of readers still turn up their noses at these books. Are romantasy books subject to those same biases?

Romance is the most disparaged, dismissed, mocked genre in the history of literature, but women's literature has always been denigrated by the literary community. It’s not only romance. Fantasy has also been a sort of stepchild of the science fiction world that was associated with women writers. It’s also thought less of in the literary world.

  Beyond the story

Our arts and humanities impact by the numbers:

• 40-plus Grammy awards and nominations earned by 91����Ƶ Boulder faculty and alumni
• 2,500 exhibitions across the globe have featured art from art and art history faculty
• 10 91����Ƶ Boulder-affiliated Pulitzer Prize winners

One of the central, and perhaps most controversial, aspects of these books are their sex scenes, which get, um, a little explicit. What roles do these scenes play in the books?

Anyone who is shocked by the sex scenes in romantasy has not read romance. Romance comes in, shall we say, a variety of spiciness levels—from zero (like Amish romance, which is very sweet) all the way up to four chili peppers (like “50 Shades of Gray”).

The portrayal of sex in romantasy, and all romance, celebrates women's pleasure. That's why it's controversial. Many societies throughout history have feared or suppressed women's sexual pleasure, and romance is a space where that doesn't happen.

Say fantasy isn’t my genre. What other sub-genres of romance should I try?

If you have a favorite genre, there is a romance sub-genre for you. If you like spy fiction, there's romantic suspense. If you like sci-fi, there's sci-fi romance. There's sci-fi paranormal romance. Romance writers are women of words. They write because they love to read, and they're fantastic at world building in any genre.

91����Ƶ Boulder Today regularly publishes Q&As with our faculty members weighing in on news topics through the lens of their scholarly expertise and research/creative work. The responses here reflect the knowledge and interpretations of the expert and should not be considered the university position on the issue. All publication content is subject to edits for clarity, brevity and university style guidelines.

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The American Music Research Center (AMRC) at 91����Ƶ Boulder is a unique hub for exploring and celebrating the diverse traditions of American music. Jointly housed in the College of Music and the University Libraries, the AMRC boasts the largest repository of archival collections on American music in the region, including scores, recordings, personal papers and artifacts documenting the nation’s musical heritage.

This year marks a new chapter for the AMRC with the appointment of Michael Uy as its director. An accomplished scholar, Uy is the author of a book on public and private arts funding and has published extensively in leading musicology journals. His distinguished career includes serving as the assistant dean at Harvard College from 2017 to 2023, along with earning numerous prestigious teaching awards.

In a conversation with 91����Ƶ Boulder Today, Uy shared his vision for the AMRC, discussed upcoming initiatives and highlighted the opportunities and events in store for students under his leadership.

How does the AMRC decide which research projects and initiatives to pursue?

The AMRC selects its research projects and initiatives primarily through the guidance of the director, which is to say I have a lot of discretion which initiatives we pursue. However, these decisions are not made in isolation.

Each academic year, the director collaborates with a team of three to four graduate students specializing in historical musicology, ethnomusicology or related fields. This year, my approach has been to actively involve these graduate students in brainstorming and developing new initiatives for the center, fostering a collaborative environment where their insights and ideas help shape our programs moving forward.

We also have an advisory board made up of community members, donors and other faculty members at the College of Music and libraries, and they are another layer of decision-making and source of new ideas.

What new research areas or initiatives are on the horizon?

Looking ahead, the AMRC is exploring a variety of exciting research areas, including scholarship on Indigenous music practices and Colorado's rich musical heritage.

Indigenous music is a particularly vibrant focus, with projects ideas ranging from analyzing protest music to heavy metal within Indigenous communities. The center is also preparing for , a MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, in support of  the College of Music's McVey Lectureship. His visit will include interviews, student engagements and discussions surrounding Indigenous music.

Simultaneously, the AMRC is considering projects on Colorado’s musical traditions, from bluegrass and folk to the legacy of the iconic Caribou Ranch recording studio—where artists such as Chicago, Elton John and The Beach Boys recorded some of their most famous music.

These projects aim to generate accessible resources, such as study guides and bibliographies, to benefit both scholars and the general public. These efforts may also culminate in special issues of Americas: A Hemispheric Music Journal, the AMRC’s scholarly publication.

What initiatives do you hope to launch?

One of my key interests is exploring American systems of funding that musicians, scholars and artists operate within, particularly regarding public and private funding. This could potentially lead to a national conference or convening on the topic. Similarly, the AMRC could serve as a hub for discussions on Indigenous music-making as well as the Chicano/Latinx, African American and Asian American histories of music in Colorado.

At the same time, there’s important housekeeping work to be done within our archives. Currently, about 30% of our collections remain unprocessed and inaccessible. Addressing this is a medium-term goal that requires attention and resources. It’s not the most glamorous project, but it’s essential for ensuring these materials can support research and scholarship.

What are some standout collections housed in the AMRC archives?

The AMRC houses an array of eclectic collections. One special and unique collection is the Raging Grannies of Denver archive, which documents a group of older women who sang protest songs with a humorous twist. Active during the early 2000s, they reworked familiar tunes with satirical lyrics addressing political and environmental issues. Their archive includes photos, handwritten lyrics and recordings that showcase their spirited activism.

Another highlight is the Otis Taylor collection, recently donated by the legendary blues banjo artist himself. Plans are underway for a spring concert where Taylor will perform and lead a master class with students and faculty.

Additionally, the Dan Fong collection features an impressive array of photographs from iconic Colorado music events, including images of the Grateful Dead, John Denver and Chuck Berry. A spring exhibition of Fong’s work is also in the works.

Finally, the AMRC boasts the extensive Glenn Miller collection, comprising over 1,300 boxes of material. It includes personal treasures from the World War II bandleader, including his trombone from his days at 91����Ƶ Boulder, handwritten scores, letters and much more.

What ongoing initiatives are still happening?

One of the larger ongoing projects at the AMRC is the Pueblo Soundscapes initiative, which was originally spearheaded by my predecessor Susan Thomas. This project, nearing its conclusion, documents the music and culture of the city of Pueblo, Colorado, and the surrounding county.

Researchers interviewed community members and created a digital archive of oral histories and performances that will be accessible to the general public through the University of Colorado Libraries. The project, which also involved significant work by graduate students, is partnering with the Latino History Project and K-12 educators to develop educational curricula for primary and secondary school teachers. While this year will mark the end of the project, it lays the groundwork for new initiatives currently in development at the center.

How does the AMRC support the College of Music’s ‘universal musician’ approach to its mission?

The AMRC plays a pivotal role in supporting the College of Music’s universal musician approach by equipping students with the knowledge and tools to deeply understand the histories of the music they perform and to explore new musical horizons. Through its extensive archival collections, the AMRC provides a treasure trove of materials for students to explore. They have opportunities to study, interpret and play new music, fostering skills that will serve them throughout their careers.

The AMRC enhances students’ educational experience with opportunities to program, perform and engage with diverse works. This integration of research, performance and programming is a distinctive feature of the AMRC, offering 91����Ƶ Boulder students a unique and invaluable resource that prepares them to excel as versatile and informed musicians—an approach rarely matched by other music schools or colleges nationwide.

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