Sad ballads often strike us differently as we age, as it’s not uncommon to become more sentimental with each new trip around the sun. We feel like we’re running out of time, and the more distant the memories, the more we feel the sting of loss.

Dating these days happens at a faster pace and with heightened emotions. Several melancholy ballads nominated for Grammys seem to reflect that. By Sadiba Hasan The slew of emotions that comes with a breakup can be difficult to put into words, but it seemed ...