Chappell Roan — The Subway: Her Breakup Ballad Finally Falls into Place

Chappell Roan’s The Subway has been a whispered favorite in festival crowds and live sets for over a year.

Now, the long-anticipated studio version has arrived—and it’s every bit the heart-squeezing breakup anthem fans have been craving.

Released on July 31, 2025, via Amusement and Island Records, The Subway marks the emotional second single of her upcoming second album. The song was penned by Roan alongside producer Dan Nigro, whose sonic touch elevates the track’s dreamy alt-pop backbone.

Sonically, The Subway blends pop, alt-pop, dream pop, and power pop with jangle-pop and shoegaze undertones, recalling the emotional textures of Cocteau Twins, The Sundays, and The Cranberries.

Lyrically, the track is a tender yet gut-wrenching exploration of lingering heartbreak. Roan channels vivid imagery—green hair and beauty marks in passing strangers, a whiff of familiar perfume that nearly unravels her, and a desperate vow: “If in four months this feeling ain’t gone / Well, f— this city, I’m movin’ to Saskatchewan.”

In the official music video, Roan gives us cinematic heartbreak and surreal charm. She chases a phantom love through New York—across subways, down fire escapes, and into fleeting frames—her Rapunzel-length hair tangling and caught in chaotic city moments. The video also includes a cameo from the Instagram-famous "Green Lady," heightening the song’s eerie obsession.

Critics have been moved by the emotional depth and nostalgic elegance of The Subway. Harper’s Bazaar calls it “the heartbreak anthem of the summer,” highlighting Roan’s raw sincerity and theatrical expression. Meanwhile, Pitchfork praises the song’s seamless melding of ’80s dream-pop influences with original flair.

Roan has openly reflected on the creative struggle of adapting the track into a studio version. She confessed that The Subway felt better live, but ultimately embraced the studio challenge for what it was—“different,” not diminished.

Although she’s on a fast-moving festival circuit and pop-up tour, Roan has made clear: her second album isn’t in progress yet. Like her debut, the next project may take years—and that’s exactly how she wants it. The Subway serves as a potent reminder that some songs are worth waiting for.