Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, and Miley Cyrus are just a few of the singers that have poured their hearts into songs after calling off a relationship. Here are 10 breakup songs written about their famous ex-partners.
1) “On My Mind” – Ellie Goulding about Ed Sheeran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H202k7KfZL0
Ellie Goulding responded to “Don’t” with “On My Mind,” which included the lyrics, “You don’t mess with my love / You mess with the truth” and “You wanted my heart but I just liked your tattoos.”
2) “Perfect” – One Direction about Taylor Swift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho32Oh6b4jc
Taylor has (allegedly) written several songs about her short-lived romance with Harry Styles, including “Style” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The band’s song, “Perfect,” seems to accuse Taylor of knowing what she was getting into with Harry.
3) “Part of Me” – Katy Perry about Russell Brand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuwfgXD8qV8
After divorcing from Russell Brand, Katy Perry released “Part of Me.” Some of the lyrics include, “So you can keep the diamond ring / It don’t mean nothing anyway / In fact, you can keep everything yeah, yeah except for me.”
4) “Love Yourself” – Justin Bieber about Selena Gomez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyEuk8j8imI
Justin Bieber has written his fair share of songs about Selena Gomez, whether they’re love letters or shade. However, the lyric, “My mama don’t like you – and she likes everyone,” is one of the shadiest.
5) “Wrecking Ball” – Miley Cyrus about Liam Hemsworth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2FRPA3Gf8
The first time the long-time lovers called it quits after their engagement in 2014, Miley wrote “Wrecking Ball” with the famous first line of the chorus being inspired by Liam.
6) “Dear John” – Taylor Swift about John Mayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlXGu7ptx08
At just 19, Taylor Swift was dating country star, John Mayer. Taylor then named and shamed John after the pair dramatically split up. In response, he told Rolling Stone, “It was a really, really lousy thing for her to do.”
7) “Paper Doll” – John Mayer about Taylor Swift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S014kzZ-8MQ
Three years after the release of “Dear John,” John Mayer put out a rebuttal called “Paper Doll.” The lyrics, “You’re like 22 girls in one, and none of them know what they’re running from” are likely in reference to Taylor’s hit song, “22,” which had come out a year before.
8) “I Don’t F*ck With You” – Big Sean about Naya Rivera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZaJYDPY-YQ
The rapper and Glee alum broke off their engagement in April 2014. Big Sean’s hit, “I Don’t F*ck With You” was reportedly written about Naya Rivera after their breakup.
9) “Call Out My Name” – The Weeknd about Selena Gomez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4ZoCHID9GI
Selena Gomez and The Weeknd dated for several months before calling it quits in 2017. “Call Out My Name” references his connection with Selena, their time together and her return to Justin Bieber. The lyrics read, “We found each other / I helped you out of a broken place / You gave me comfort / But falling for you was my mistake.”
10) “thank u, next” – Ariana Grande about Pete Davidson, Ricky Alvarez, Big Sean, and Mac Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl1aHhXnN1k
One of the most famous songs to come out this decade, Ariana Grande references her relationships with Pete Davidson, Ricky Alvarez, Big Sean, and the late Mac Miller. Ariana revealed that she had actually written three different versions of the song, each with a different ending depending on how her relationship with Pete Davidson turned out. She was also nervous about naming her exes, however, the majority of them were rather flattered about the shout out and congratulated her on the success of the song.