Better Broken

Better Broken
Studio album by Sarah McLachlan
Released	19 September 2025
Studio	Sound City (Los Angeles) Creekside Studios (Vancouver)
Length	45:53
Label	Concord
Producer	Tony Berg Will Maclellan
Sarah McLachlan chronology
Wonderland (2016) Better Broken (2025)

Professional ratings

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]

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]

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 will embark on a tour in support of the album beginning in November 2025. ^[12]

Track listing

Better Broken track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Better Broken"	Sarah McLachlan Benjamin Bock Matthew Morris	4:00
2.	"Gravity"	McLachlan Thomas Doucet	5:00
3.	"The Last to Go"	McLachlan	3:34
4.	"Only Way Out Is Through"	McLachlan Tony Berg	4:01
5.	"Reminds Me" (featuring Katie Gavin)	McLachlan	3:49
6.	"One in a Long Line"	McLachlan Anne Preven	3:44
7.	"Only Human"	McLachlan	3:48
8.	"Long Road Home"	McLachlan	4:02
9.	"Rise"	McLachlan Doucet Preven	3:38
10.	"Wilderness"	McLachlan	4:38
11.	"If This Is the End..."	McLachlan Berg	5:35
Total length:			45:53

Target bonus track ^[13]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"All This Disaster"	McLachlan Greenwald	3:22

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 performance for Better Broken

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

References

1. "Better Broken reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 21 October 2016.
2. Neil Z. Yeung. "Better Broken by Sarah McLachlan - Review on Allmusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 23 September 2025.
3. Sal Cinquemani (20 September 2025). "Shine On Album Review". Slant Magazine . Retrieved 23 September 2025.
4. "Sarah McLachlan- Shine On (Album Review)". uncut.co.uk. 20 September 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
5. Lee Campbell (19 September 2025). "Sarah McLachlan: Shine On - Album Review". undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
6. Gregory, Allie (26 June 2025). "Sarah McLachlan Details New Album 'Better Broken' │ Exclaim!". Exclaim!. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
7. Breihan, Tom (26 June 2025). "Sarah McLachlan Announces 'Better Broken', Her First Album In A Decade: Hear The Title Track". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
8. Taylor-Singh, Heather (26 June 2025). "Sarah McLachlan Announces Her First Album In More Than a Decade, 'Better Broken' | Billboard Canada". Billboard Canada. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
9. "Sarah McLachlan announces first album in 9 years, premieres new song". CBC Radio . Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
10. Stoddard, Cait (26 June 2025). "Sarah McLachlan Announces New Album Better Broken For September 2025 Release, Shares Title Track & Video". mxdwn Music. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
11. "iHeart New Music - August 8, 2025 - Newly Added". www.iheartradio.ca. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
12. Fu, Eddie (18 September 2025). "Sarah McLachlan Announces 2025 "Better Broken Tour" Dates". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved 23 September 2025.
13. "Sarah McLachlan - Better Broken (Target Exclusive, CD)". Tidal. Archived from the original on September 19, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
14. "Better Broken / Sarah McLachlan / Credits". Tidal . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
15. "Australiancharts.com – Sarah McLachlan – Better Broken". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
16. "Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
17. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
18. "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 27 September 2025.
19. "Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
20. "Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 September 2025.