It was released as the second single from their fifth studio album, Heathen Chemistry, on June 17, 2002, via Big Brother Recordings.
The track runs for 5 minutes and 3 seconds, produced by the band, and features a uplifting, anthemic sound with Liam Gallagher on lead vocals and Noel on backing vocals.
The song's lyrics convey themes of hope, resilience, and moving forward, with lines like "Hold up / Hold on / Don't be scared / You'll never change what's been and gone" and the chorus repeating "Don't be scared / It's only love / It's only love / That we're falling in." Noel Gallagher has described it as a message of encouragement during tough times.
The single's B-sides include "Thank You for the Good Times" and "Shout It Out Loud."
The official music video features the band performing in a dramatic, cinematic style, and has garnered over 250 million views on YouTube.
Upon release, "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" achieved strong chart success, peaking at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 6 on the UK Indie Chart, No. 1 in Italy, and entering the top 20 in several other countries including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and Norway.
It was initially certified silver by the BPI in July 2002, later upgraded to double platinum for over 1.2 million units sold.
The song has been praised for its emotional depth and has appeared in films like The Butterfly Effect, as well as covers by artists like Leona Lewis and a BBC Radio 2 Allstars supergroup for charity.