Better Broken
2025 studio album by Sarah McLachlan
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Better Broken is the tenth studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. It was released on 19 September 2025 by Concord Records.[6]
| Better Broken | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 19 September 2025 | |||
| Studio | Sound City (Los Angeles) Creekside Studios (Vancouver) | |||
| Length | 45:53 | |||
| Label | Concord | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Sarah McLachlan chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 77/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Slant Magazine | [3] |
| Uncut | 7/10[4] |
| Under the Radar | [5] |
Background and recording
Better Broken is McLachlan's first album in nine years, following Wonderland (2016), and her first of original material since Shine On (2014).[7] The album was produced by Tony Berg and Will Maclellan, and recorded primarily at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles.[8] Of the new material, McLachlan said in a press release that the lyricism was inspired by her thoughts of the state of the world, adding that her goal with this album was to "[provide] people with some relief and release — but in the end I just want them to take whatever they need from it, and make the songs part of their own story."[9]
Promotion
The album was preceded by the release of the title track, "Better Broken", simultaneously with the album announcement on 26 June 2025[10] as well as "Gravity" on 8 August 2025[11] and "Reminds Me" on 16 September 2025.
McLachlan embarked on a tour in support of the album beginning in November 2025.[12]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Better Broken" |
| 4:00 |
| 2. | "Gravity" |
| 5:00 |
| 3. | "The Last to Go" | McLachlan | 3:34 |
| 4. | "Only Way Out Is Through" |
| 4:01 |
| 5. | "Reminds Me" (featuring Katie Gavin) | McLachlan | 3:49 |
| 6. | "One in a Long Line" |
| 3:44 |
| 7. | "Only Human" | McLachlan | 3:48 |
| 8. | "Long Road Home" | McLachlan | 4:02 |
| 9. | "Rise" |
| 3:38 |
| 10. | "Wilderness" | McLachlan | 4:38 |
| 11. | "If This Is the End..." |
| 5:35 |
| Total length: | 45:53 | ||
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[14]
- Sarah McLachlan – vocals (all tracks), piano (tracks 1–4, 6–10), acoustic guitar (8, 11)
- Will Maclellan – production, mixing, engineering (all tracks); programming (1, 6, 9), percussion (3, 4, 6); acoustic guitar, drum programming, electric guitar, ngoni, upright bass (3); vocal programming (7)
- Tony Berg – production (all tracks), electric guitar (6), acoustic guitar (8, 9), percussion (11)
- Pat Sullivan – mastering
- Chris Potter – additional engineering
- Nana Adjoa – engineering assistance (all tracks), bass guitar (3, 11)
- Benny Bock – synthesizer (1–3, 5–8, 11), celesta (1), piano (3, 10), keyboards (4), organ (4, 5), Mellotron (8), accordion (9), banjo (11), choir vocals (11)
- Mason Stoops – guitar (1), electric guitar (3, 6, 7, 11), baritone guitar (4, 8), acoustic guitar (5), choir vocals (11)
- Wendy Melvoin – bass guitar (1, 4, 6), guitar (1), drums (6)
- Abe Rounds – drums (1, 9), percussion (1)
- Vanessa Freebairn-Smith – cello (2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11), choir vocals (11)
- Sebastian Steinberg – upright bass (2, 8, 10, 11)
- Leah Katz – viola (2)
- Charlie Bisharat – violin (2)
- Daphne Chen – violin (2)
- Kane Ritchotte – drums (3, 8), choir vocals (11)
- CJ Camerieri – horn (3)
- Matt Chamberlain – drums (4, 5, 11), percussion (4, 11)
- Gabe Noel – bass guitar (5, 9)
- Katie Gavin – vocals (5), choir vocals (11)
- Greg Leisz – pedal steel guitar (5)
- India Sood – vocals (6), choir vocals (11)
- Taja Sood – vocals (6), choir vocals (11)
- Dylan Day – electric guitar (9)
- Alex Greenwald – choir vocals (11)
- Anne Preven – choir vocals (11)
- Annie Stela – choir vocals (11)
- Bing Bon Berg – choir vocals (11)
- Briana Lee – choir vocals (11)
- Cary Berg – choir vocals (11)
- Darin Harmon – choir vocals (11)
- Goldie Harmon – choir vocals (11)
- Joe Keefe – choir vocals (11)
- Kelly Hughes – choir vocals (11)
- Kharen Hill – choir vocals (11)
- Marieke Ochtman – choir vocals (11)
- Marlon Sexton – choir vocals (11)
- Nicholas Nistal – choir vocals (11)
- Pinky Turzo – choir vocals (11)
- Rachel Selch – choir vocals (11)
- Serena Reynolds – choir vocals (11)
- Shane Boose – choir vocals (11)
- Thomas Berg – choir vocals (11)
- Z Berg – choir vocals (11)
- Zoey Ochtman – choir vocals (11)
Charts
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] | 33 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[16] | 28 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[17] | 55 |
| UK Albums Sales (OCC)[18] | 41 |
| US Billboard 200[19] | 96 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[20] | 12 |