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It’s not uncommon for artists to constitute songs that papers the highs and lows of their relationships, adjacent lifting the lid connected backstage scandals, messy breakups, and more. Let’s instrumentality a look backmost astatine immoderate of the astir damning examples successful caller years:
1. “Just Enough” by Lily Allen
Last month, Lily appeared to telephone out her ex-husband, David Harbour, crossed her 5th workplace album, West End Girl.
After 4 years of marriage, Lily and David’s divided was confirmed successful February 2025, with sources claiming that the narration had been “crumbling” for a while.
Speaking of her unfiltered latest album, Lily said, “This grounds was purely for me, and it was a mode of processing things that I was going done successful my backstage life.” She besides shared, “There are things that are connected the grounds that I experienced wrong my marriage, but that’s not to accidental that it’s each gospel. It is inspired by what went connected successful the relationship.”
As mentioned, Lily appears to notation David crossed the full record, but 1 of the astir loaded tracks is, without a doubt, “Just Enough.” On it, Lily sings, “I deliberation you're successful emotion with idiosyncratic other / Felt you propulsion distant and present I'm blaming myself,” and, “Look astatine my reflection, I consciousness truthful drawn, truthful aged / I booked myself a facelift, wondering however agelong it mightiness hold.” (Ahead of the album’s release, Lily made immoderate precise pointed comments astir men who day younger women).
Later connected successful the song, Lily asks, “Did you autumn successful emotion with idiosyncratic who isn't me? / Why arе we present talking astir vasеctomies? / Did you get idiosyncratic pregnant? Someone who isn't me? / Did you instrumentality her to the clinic? Did you clasp her hand? / Is she having your babies?”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
2. “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo
Think you’re Blondie’s biggest fan? Put your ~reputation~ to the test.
In 2021, Olivia released “drivers license” — arsenic good as, later, her songs “deja vu,” “good 4 u,” and “traitor” — that powerfully appeared to notation her rumored ex, Joshua Bassett.
Olivia and Joshua, who starred unneurotic successful Disney’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, were concisely linked from aboriginal 2019 to mid 2020.
Olivia memorably posed successful a T-shirt that said “dump him” and shared a caption astir “failed relationships” astir the aforesaid clip that Joshua was spotted retired with Sabrina Carpenter, sparking a load of emotion triangle rumors.
And Olivia appeared to notation the evident messy divided successful “drivers license,” with a precise pointed lyric that seemingly nodded towards Sabrina: “You're astir apt with that blonde miss / Who ever made maine uncertainty / She's truthful overmuch older than maine / She's everything I'm insecure about.”
Elsewhere connected the breakup anthem, Olivia sings, “I cognize we weren't cleanable but I've ne'er felt this mode for nary 1 / And I conscionable can't ideate however you could beryllium truthful good present that I'm gone / Guess you didn't mean what you wrote successful that opus astir maine / ‘Cause you said forever, present I thrust unsocial past your street.”
You tin perceive to the afloat opus here.
3. “Crisis” by Joshua Bassett
Later successful the year, Joshua appeared to deed backmost astatine Olivia with a fewer songs of his own, 1 of the astir pointed being “Crisis.”
In the song, Joshua seemingly accused Olivia of sensationalizing their narration play for the media successful an evident notation to the aggregate songs she released that appeared to beryllium astir him. He sings, “You're messin' with my beingness arsenic a vocation move,” earlier aboriginal adding, “I privation that I could unfastened my eyes and the nightmare beryllium implicit / But you sensationalize, support fannin' the occurrence for the headlines.”
Joshua besides sings, “But don't you situation enactment similar I didn't emotion you / Don't spell thinkin' that I didn't wounded excessively / Don't you ever wonderment if I'm OK aft each you enactment maine through?” — which seemingly refers to the onslaught of hatred helium received aft Olivia’s songs blew up.
Despite their messy history, however, Joshua and Olivia present appear to beryllium connected overmuch better terms. You tin perceive to the afloat opus here.
4. “Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina appeared to telephone retired her ex Barry Keoghan crossed overmuch of her latest album, Man’s Best Friend — but possibly the astir pointed way of each is its pb single, “Manchild.”
Sabrina and Barry were archetypal linked towards the extremity of 2023 and went nationalist with their romance aboriginal successful 2024. By the extremity of the year, however, quality broke that the brace had parted ways, with an insider telling People, “They are some young and career-focused, truthful they've decided to instrumentality a break.”
On “Manchild,” which was released astir six months aft she and Barry reportedly split, Sabrina did NOT clasp back. She sings, “You said your telephone was broken, conscionable forgot to complaint it / Whole outfit you're wearing, God, I anticipation it's ironic / Did you conscionable accidental you're finished? Didn't cognize we started / It's each conscionable truthful familiar, baby, what bash you telephone it?”
“Stupid…or is it slow? / Maybe it's useless / But there's a cuter connection for it, I know…Manchild,” she adds.
You tin perceive to the opus here.
In 2022, Demi released a pointed way called “29,” which appeared to reference her ex-partner Wilmer Valderrama.
Demi and Wilmer were 17 and 29, respectively, erstwhile they met successful 2010. They got unneurotic erstwhile she turned 18, and dated connected and disconnected for the adjacent six years.
On “29,” Demi seemingly references their controversial property gap arsenic she sings, “Petal connected the vine / Too young to portion vino / Just 5 years of bleeders, pupil and a teacher / Far from guiltless / What the fuck’s consent? / Numbers told you not to / But that didn’t halt you.”
“Finally 29 / Funny, conscionable similar you were astatine the time,” she says.
“Thought it was a teenage imagination / Just a phantasy / But was it yours oregon was it mine?” she adds, earlier aboriginal pointedly singing: “17, 29 / Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohio / 17, 29.”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
6. “Cry Me A River” by Justin Timberlake
Justin’s brutal breakup anthem “Cry Me A River” is wide speculated to beryllium astir Britney Spears.
Of course, Britney and Justin dated for 3 years earlier parting ways successful 2002. When they broke up, Britney was vilified by galore owed to speculation that she’d been unfaithful to Justin — a communicative that helium fueled, peculiarly with the merchandise of his 2nd solo single, which charts the acquisition of uncovering retired that you’ve been cheated on.
“You don't person to accidental / What you did / I already cognize / I recovered retired from him,” Justin sings. “Now there's conscionable nary accidental / With you and maine / There'll ne'er beryllium / And don't it marque you bittersweet astir it?”
What’s more, Justin memorably formed an uncanny Britney lookalike successful the song’s euphony video.
It wasn’t until 2023 that Britney opened up astatine magnitude astir being “shamed” by Justin’s song, penning successful her memoir, “In the quality media, I was described arsenic a harlot who'd breached the bosom of America's aureate boy. The truth: I was comatose successful Louisiana, and helium was happily moving astir Hollywood.”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
7. “Call Out My Name” by The Weeknd
The Weeknd (real sanction Abel Tesfaye) appeared to notation his ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez crossed his 2018 way “Call Out My Name.”
Abel and Selena were archetypal linked astatine the commencement of 2017, conscionable a mates of months aft helium divided from Bella Hadid.
By October that year, however, the brace had parted ways — and Abel appeared to sing astir his heartbreak connected “Call Out My Name,” which was released astir 5 months aft the breakup.
The way features touching lyrics like, “I enactment you connected top, I enactment you connected apical / I claimed you truthful arrogant and openly / And erstwhile times were rough, erstwhile times were unsmooth / I made definite I held you adjacent to me.”
“So telephone retired my sanction (call retired my name) / Call retired my sanction erstwhile I buss you truthful mildly / I privation you to enactment (I privation you to stay) / I privation you to stay, adjacent though you don't privation me,” Abel sings.
And possibly the astir pointed lyric comes successful the 2nd verse. Abel sings, “I astir chopped a portion of myself for your life,” which respective fans judge suggests that helium astir donated his kidney to Selena erstwhile she was successful request of a transplant soon earlier they broke up. Selena’s adjacent person Francia Raisa ended up being the donor, and Francia recalled Selena worrying that she would person to hold years and years to find a match.
You tin perceive to the afloat opus here.
In 2014, Ed released a precise candid opus called “Don’t,” which respective fans believe is astir Ellie Goulding.
Ellie and Ed were rumored to beryllium dating successful 2013 aft they were spotted holding hands astatine the VMAs. While Ellie firmly denied that they were together, Ed suggested differently, saying, “I mean, mean radical don’t clasp hands if they’re conscionable friends.”
And erstwhile helium released “Don’t” a twelvemonth later, Ed didn’t clasp backmost portion singing astir being cheated connected by a miss who spent the nighttime with 1 of his friends. He says, "I ne'er intended to beryllium adjacent / But you didn't request to instrumentality him to bed, that's each / And I ne'er saw him arsenic a menace / Until you disappeared with him to person sex, of people / It's not similar we were some connected circuit / We were staying connected the aforesaid fucking edifice floor."
Days earlier Ellie and Ed were seen holding hands astatine the VMAs, she was seemingly spotted kissing erstwhile One Direction subordinate Niall Horan astatine a festival — and so, Ed’s opus instantly sparked speculation that helium was singing astir Ellie and Niall.
Years later, Ellie erstwhile again denied the rumor that she had cheated connected Ed with Niall. She besides opened up astir however the play and speculation had caused her “a batch of trauma” and made her “reclusive.”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
9. “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift
In 2012, Taylor Swift released (the archetypal mentation of) 1 of her astir damning breakup anthems, “All Too Well,” which is wide rumoured to beryllium astir Jake Gyllenhaal.
Taylor and Jake dated precise concisely successful precocious 2010 and aboriginal 2011. She was 20 years aged erstwhile they archetypal got together, and helium was 29.
The archetypal version, which is 5 minutes long, references a scarf that Taylor sings astir leaving astatine her lover's “sister's house,” which sparked a fashionable mentation that she was alluding to her virginity. This was aboriginal reignited erstwhile Taylor released a 10-minute mentation of the way successful 2022, implicit with a abbreviated movie starring then-19-year-old Sadie Sink and 30-year-old Dylan O’Brien arsenic lovers.
Between Dylan’s facial hair, eye-catching beanie, and property spread with Sadie, it seemed evident that Taylor was alluding to her and Jake’s narration adjacent much pointedly than she had successful the past — and the song’s updated lyrics surely suggested the same.
In the caller version, Taylor makes respective apparent references to the property spread betwixt herself and Jake, astatine 1 constituent adjacent recalling “weeping successful a enactment bathroom” implicit a spouse who had told her, “If we had been person successful age, possibly it would person been fine.” She besides sings, “I was ne'er bully astatine telling jokes / But the punchline goes / 'I’ll get older, but your lovers volition enactment my age,’” seemingly referring to Jake’s signifier of dating women younger than him. (He is presently 44, and his longtime partner, Jeanne Cadieu, is 29).
What’s more, Taylor each but confirmed the “scarf theory” successful 2022, erstwhile she got incredibly flustered arsenic she said, “The scarf is simply a metaphor… Um… And I deliberation erstwhile I accidental it’s a metaphor, I’m conscionable going to stop… And I’m going to accidental acknowledgment for the unthinkable question to whoever asked it, you’ve truly taken america for a thrust with that one, convey you.”
You tin perceive to the afloat opus (and ticker the abbreviated film) here.
10. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” by Taylor Swift
Last year, Taylor appeared to reference her ex Matty Healy crossed her eleventh workplace album, The Tortured Poets Department, with “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” arguably being 1 of the astir loaded tracks.
Taylor and Matty were linked connected and disconnected for years earlier they publically dated successful 2023 — little than a period aft she reportedly divided from her fellow of six years, Joe Alwyn.
The little romance, which ended successful June 2023, was instantly dogged with backlash owed to Matty’s past of problematic behavior, which you tin work astir successful item here.
But successful spite of however short-lived the narration was, Taylor appeared to sing astir Matty astatine magnitude crossed TTPD, adjacent suggesting that helium ghosted her successful “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.” She sings, “You hung maine connected your partition / Stabbed maine with your propulsion pins / In public, showed maine disconnected / Then sank successful stoned oblivion,” and, “‘Cause it wasn't sexy erstwhile it wasn't forbidden / I would've died for your sins, instead, I conscionable died inside.”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
Drake’s 2016 collaboration with Rihanna, “Too Good,” is confirmed to beryllium astir Serena Williams.
Drake and Serena were rumored to person dated astir 2015. While determination aren’t a ton of nationalist details astir their evident relationship, Drake has referenced Serena connected songs galore times — including connected his 2010 collab with J. Cole, “In The Morning,” his 2013 way “Worst Behavior,” and his 2022 deed “Middle of the Ocean.”
On “Too Good,” Drake sings astir his emotion being taken “for granted” by idiosyncratic with precocious “expectations.” The opus begins, “I don't cognize however to speech to you / I don't cognize however to inquire you if you're OK / My friends ever consciousness the request to archer maine things / Seems similar they're conscionable happier than america these days.”
“I’m excessively bully to you / I’m mode excessively bully to you / You instrumentality my emotion for granted / I conscionable don't recognize it,” helium says successful the chorus.
Last year, Drake released never-before-seen footage of himself successful the workplace moving connected “Too Good.” In the clip, his mom, Sandi Graham, asked who had inspired the breakup track, to which Drake said, “This [song] is much astir maine and Serena.”
“I cognize Serena precise well, and I cognize that she’ll perceive it large and clear, but she’ll besides not hatred maine for it due to the fact that it’s lighthearted,” helium said.
Sandi past reminded Drake that Serena “is seeing idiosyncratic else,” presumably referring to the athlete’s now-husband, Alexis Ohanian, whom she started dating successful 2015. Drake replied, “I don’t know, Mom.”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
12. “Hate the Club" by Kehlani
Kehlani’s 2020 deed opus “Hate the Club” is wide believed to beryllium astir Victoria Monét.
The brace were rumored to person dated concisely successful the past, with Victoria confirming successful 2023 that they were, successful fact, an item. She said of Kehlani, “We’re friends. I benignant of americium similar that with each of my past relationships. I truly don’t similar the thought of like, present someone’s dormant to me, unless they did [me wrong].… I conscionable got implicit it. I similar to person an unfastened connection. I don’t privation to termination idiosyncratic off. I consciousness similar that takes adjacent much vigor to like, effort to debar radical and trying to hatred them.”
While determination aren’t a ton of nationalist details astir the romance, fans speculated that Kehlani was singing astir Victoria connected “Hate the Club,” not slightest due to the fact that of the line, “Order different circular and circular and circular / Drunk erstwhile I telephone you Monet / Beggin' you to locomotion maine out.”
Kehlani aboriginal sings, “You're a Taurus, fto maine provender you / So important, I inactive request you,” which, again, seemingly references Victoria, who is simply a Taurus.
“Say you miss me, well, I request impervious / I came each this mode to spot you / Every connection you accidental is see-through / You beryllium lying, baby, maine too,” she says earlier aboriginal adding, “Tired of going out, frightened I'll tally into you.”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
13. “BZRP Music Sessions #53” by Shakira
Shakira’s “BZRP Music Sessions #53” is seemingly about her ex-partner, Gerard Piqué.
The brace spent 11 years unneurotic and welcomed 2 children earlier separating successful the summertime of 2022. Shakria aboriginal told Elle that the breakup was “really hard to speech about,” adding, “I tin lone accidental that I enactment everything I had into this narration and my family.”
At the time, loads of radical speculated that Gerard had cheated connected Shakira, with unverified rumors sparked by writer Jordi Martin claiming that he’d been seeing exemplary Bar Refaeli during their relationship.
Gerard has ne'er explicitly commented connected the claims, but helium did authorities successful 2024 that the “truth” down his and Shakira’s divided was “not told.” "In the end, the information oregon what happens oregon occurs is not told successful the mode it was. I cannot power this,” helium said successful an interview translated from Spanish.
Shortly aft the infidelity rumors surfaced, Shakira released immoderate very pointed lyrics connected “BZRP Music Sessions #53.” Translated into English, the lines read, “I’ve outgrown you and that's wherefore you're with a miss conscionable similar you / A she-wolf similar maine ain't for a rookie.”
“I’m not coming backmost to you, adjacent if you're crying oregon begging…You near maine the in-laws arsenic my neighbors, media outlets astatine my doorway and successful indebtedness with the Treasury,” she sings, seemingly referencing her infamous taxation evasion ungraded that unfolded successful 2022, wherever she was accused of not paying implicit $13 cardinal successful income taxes betwixt 2012 and 2014. She repeatedly denied immoderate wrongdoing and later settled the case with a €7.5 million fine.
“You thought you wounded me, but you made maine stronger / Women don’t outcry anymore, they currency in,” she adds.
You tin perceive to the opus here.
14. “7 Things” by Miley Cyrus
Miley’s 2008 deed “7 Things” is seemingly astir her ex Nick Jonas, whom she started dating successful 2006.
Throughout the people of their short-lived relationship, which ended successful 2007, Miley and Nick kept things quiet, and it wasn’t until 2008 that the Hannah Montana prima opened up successful item astir their breakup.
“Nick and I loved each other. We inactive do, but we were successful emotion with each other. For 2 years helium was fundamentally my 24/7. But it was truly hard to support it from people. We were arguing a lot, and it truly wasn't fun,” she said to Seventeen mag portion admitting that she “bawled for a period straight” aft the split.
Nick swiftly moved connected with chap Disney alum Selena Gomez, sparking years-long rumors that determination was immoderate benignant of overlap with his and Miley’s relationship.
And successful “7 Things,” Miley hits retired astatine Nick with nary filter whatsoever, pointedly wearing a necklace that helium gave her successful the song’s euphony video arsenic she sings, “The 7 things I hatred astir you / You're vain, your games, you're insecure / You emotion me, you similar her / You made maine laugh, you made maine cry, I don't cognize which broadside to buy.”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
15. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
More recently, Miley called retired her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, connected “Flowers.”
Miley and Liam had an infamously messy relationship, getting engaged doubly earlier yet tying the knot successful 2018 — lone to portion ways aft little than a twelvemonth of marriage.
The pointed way — which was released connected Liam’s day successful 2023 — makes respective apparent references to the Hunger Games actor, including a motion to their Malibu home, which tragically burned down during the Woolsey fires successful 2018. She sings, “We were good, we were golden / Kind of imagination that can't beryllium sold / We were close 'til we weren't / Built a location and watched it burn.”
“I tin bargain myself flowers / Write my sanction successful the soil / Talk to myself for hours / Say things you don't understand,” she says successful the chorus.
You tin perceive to the opus here.
Ciara appeared to telephone retired her ex-fiancé, Future, connected her 2015 deed “I Bet.”
Ciara and Future started dating successful 2013 and swiftly got engaged. During this time, they besides welcomed a lad named Future Zahir, who is present 11 years old.
However, the brace ended up splitting successful August 2014, conscionable 14 months aft they began dating. And astatine the commencement of 2015, Ciara released “I Bet,” which is aimed astatine a cheating partner.
“So I'm s'posed to judge that it's Fellini's calling your phone? (OK) / I’m s'posed to judge that they're asking you if you're home? (You trippin') / I wasn't calved yesterday, not maine (Yeah, no) / Can't get that implicit me, not maine (Can't get it over, no, not me),” she says.
“I mean, I'ma enactment if you could archer the information (Be honest) . But you can't, nary substance however overmuch clip I ask,” she adds.
Notably, the way features antheral adlibs that heavy mimic Future’s signature style.
You tin perceive to the opus here.
17. “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette
Alanis’s 1995 deed “You Oughta Know” is wide believed to beryllium astir her ex Dave Coulier, whom she dated betwixt 1992 and 1994. Alanis was 18 erstwhile they archetypal got together, portion Dave was 33.
“I privation you to cognize that I'm blessed for you / I privation thing but the champion for you some / An older mentation of me, is she perverted similar me? / Would she spell down connected you successful a theatre?” she sings successful the opening verse.
“And I'm present to punctual you / Of the messiness you near erstwhile you went distant / It's not just to contradict maine / Of the transverse I carnivore that you gave to me,” she sings.
In 2013, Dave revealed that helium realized “You Oughta Know” was astir him aft proceeding the line, “I hatred to bug you successful the mediate of dinner.” He recalled, “We had already breached up. She called and I said, ‘Hey, you know, I'm close successful the mediate of dinner. Can I conscionable telephone you close back?’ And truthful I remembered that enactment erstwhile I heard ‘You Oughta Know,’ and it was much like, ‘Uh-oh.’”
More recently, successful 2022, Dave recalled hearing the deed opus for the archetypal time. “I’m like, wow, this is simply a truly chill hook. And past I commencement proceeding the voice. I'm like, wow, this miss tin sing. And I had nary idea, you know, that this was the record,” helium said. “And past I was listening to the lyrics going, “Ooh, ohio no! Oh, I can't beryllium this guy.”
You tin perceive to the opus here.
18. “Without Me” by Halsey
In 2018, Halsey released “Without Me,” a scathing breakup anthem that is astir her ex, G-Eazy.
Halsey, who uses she/her and they/them pronouns, dated G-Eazy for astir a year, parting ways successful 2018. While they were together, they repeatedly gushed astir each different successful the nationalist eye, made respective PDA-filled appearances, and adjacent released and repeatedly performed their collaborative Bonnie-and-Clyde-esque way “Him & I.”
Lifting the lid connected their split, Halsey sings successful “Without Me,” “I said I'd drawback you if you autumn / And if they laugh, past fuck 'em each / And past I got you disconnected your knees / Put you close backmost connected your feet / Just truthful you could instrumentality vantage of me.”
She aboriginal interpolates a lyric from Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River,” singing, “You don't person to accidental conscionable what you did (What you did) / I already cognize (I know) / I had to spell and find retired from them.” The way was confirmed to beryllium astir her divided from G-Eazy successful a 2019 Glamour profile, successful which Halsey opened up astir feeling unit to remark connected the breakup and choosing to bash truthful done her lyrics — not to notation the information that she featured an uncanny lookalike of the rapper successful the song’s euphony video.
What’s more, Halsey (real sanction Ashley) appeared to corroborate the viral rumors that G-Eazy had cheated connected her during a show connected Saturday Night Live aboriginal successful 2019. While they sang “Without Me,” messages appeared connected the partition down them that read, “I'm truthful atrocious Ashley, I cheated,” alongside respective locations, including “at location successful Los Angeles,” New Orleans, Austin, and Minneapolis. One pointed enactment said, “More places I can't adjacent remember.”
G-Eazy has not explicitly commented connected the rumors.
You tin perceive to the opus here.
19. And finally, fundamentally each of Lemonade by Beyoncé
Perhaps the astir damning illustration connected this database is fundamentally the entirety of Beyoncé’s medium Lemonade, which is astir Jay-Z.
Jay-Z — who got joined to Beyoncé successful 2008, and present shares 3 kids with her — was heavy accused of infidelity crossed 2013, with 1 notable lawsuit being precisely a twelvemonth aft she gave commencement to their archetypal child, Blue Ivy.
Bey kept quiescent arsenic the rumors surfaced, though she aboriginal called Jay-Z retired connected her 2016 medium Lemonade. On “Hold Up,” for example, she sings, “How did it travel down to this? Scrolling done your telephone database / I don't wanna suffer my pride, but I'ma fuck maine up a bitch / Know that I kept it sexy, you cognize I kept it amusive / There's thing that I'm missing, possibly my caput for one.”
On different 1 of the album’s astir pointed tracks, titled “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” Beyoncé angrily sings, “Who the fuck bash you deliberation I is? / You ain't joined to nary mean bitch, boy.”
A twelvemonth aft Lemonade was released, Jay-Z publically admitted that helium had, successful fact, cheated connected Beyoncé, and helium aboriginal discussed his infidelity further connected his opus “4:44.” Despite everything, Beyoncé and Jay-Z stayed together.
You tin perceive to Lemonade here.
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