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 Alex 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). "Better Broken Album Review". Slant Magazine . Retrieved 23 September 2025.
4. "Sarah McLachlan- Better Broken (Album Review)". uncut.co.uk. 20 September 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
5. Lee Campbell (19 September 2025). "Sarah McLachlan: Better Broken - 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)". Target. 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 on 26/9/2025 – 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.