Greg Kihn Band-the Breakup Song (they Dont Write Em) May 2026

Kihn intentionally kept the songwriting straightforward, wanting to move away from the "intellectual" rock trends of the late 1970s—typified by bands like and Pink Floyd —in favor of a classic, relatable "boy meets girl, boy loses girl" theme. Musical Style and Themes

The track is a quintessential example of and pop rock , characterized by: Greg Kihn Band-The Breakup Song (They Dont Write Em)

The song was born from a real-life heartbreak. After a grueling gig, Greg Kihn returned home to find his first wife had moved all his belongings onto the lawn in the rain. He and Steve Wright retreated to a Japanese restaurant to commiserate. While there, an elderly patron remarked, "They don't write 'em like that anymore," a phrase Kihn and Wright turned into a hit song in roughly . He and Steve Wright retreated to a Japanese

"The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" is a seminal 1981 power pop single by the American rock group the Greg Kihn Band. Written by frontman and bassist Steve Wright , it served as the lead single for their sixth studio album, RocKihnRoll . Historical Background and Inspiration Written by frontman and bassist Steve Wright ,