"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" is a song recorded by Neil Sedaka and described by Allmusic as "two minutes and sixteen seconds of pure pop magic". It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 11, 1962.

Originally an uptempo song, Sedaka re-recorded it as a ballad in 1975 and the new version peaked at number eight in February 1976 and went to number one on the Adult Contemporary chart; it was only the second time that an artist made the Billboard Top Ten with two different versions of the same song.

Cover versions

• The Carpenters
• Nick Carter
• Gloria Estefan
• Freddy Fender
• The Four Seasons
• Eydie Gorme
• Lucy Hale
• Garrett Haley
• The Happenings
• Tom Jones
• Carole King
• Ilona Knopfler
• Little Eva
• Renee Olstead
• The Partridge Family/David Cassidy
• Zoogz Rift
• Ruben Studdard during top 5 night (60s/Neil Sedaka Night) of American Idol (season 2) for which Studdard received standing ovations from Sedaka (as guest judge), and fellow judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson
• Svenne & Lotta
• Sylvie Vartan
• A duet with Sedaka and Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø

References in popular culture

• In 1984, the song was parodied by the American Comedy Network as "Breaking Up Is Hard on You (aka Don't Take Ma Bell Away from Me)", in response to the forced breakup that year of AT&T. It reached number 70 on the Billboard charts.
• The episode for the third season finale of Voltron is entitled "Breaking up Is Hard to Doom."
• YTMND frequently plays a loop of the song when the site is down for maintenance.
• A second season episode of Full House is titled "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (in 22 Minutes)". An episode from season seven has neighbor Kimmy Gibbler start to sing and play the song on the Tanners' organ.
• The song was referenced in an early 1980s Garfield comic strip in which Garfield, feeling blue, says, "Boy am I feeling down...down, down, down, down...comma comma down dooby doo down down..."
• The third season of Home Movies features an episode entitled "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do".
• In an episode of Beverly Hills 90210, Brenda, Donna and Kelly along with newcomer Emily Valentine sing the song as part of "Hello Day" at West Beverly Hills High School.
• CBS used the song to promote the season 6 premiere of NCIS, where the main characters are broken up.