Revenge is a dish best served with music. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the times singers put their real or hypothetical exes on blast with some savage lyrics and a memorable tune.
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00:00At first, when I see you cry, it makes me smile.
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the time singers put their
00:11real or hypothetical exes on blast with some savage lyrics and a memorable tune.
00:16Up against you hell, up against you hell, when you walk my way.
00:20Up against you hell, up against you hell.
00:23Number 20, Rolling in the Deep, Adele.
00:26What's the best way to handle a breakup?
00:28If you're Adele, it's heading straight to the studio to write about it.
00:32Turn my sorrow into treasure gold.
00:36Imagine being the person who allegedly said her life would be boring and lonely and rubbish,
00:41and that she was weak if she walked away from the relationship.
00:44Now, imagine hearing Rolling in the Deep for the first time and
00:47practically feeling the singer flipping you off.
00:49Rolling in the deep, rolling in the deep.
00:53You have my heart and soul, and we're sliding away.
00:57The song topped charts worldwide, going platinum countless times and scoring numerous accolades,
01:02and a Guinness World Record for biggest-selling digital track in a calendar year in the US.
01:07Moral of the story?
01:09If you're gonna break up with Adele, you may not want to be a jerk about it.
01:12But you played it, you played it, you played it, you played it to the beat.
01:19Number 19, It's Not Right, But It's Okay, Whitney Houston.
01:23Houston's volatile relationship with singer Bobby Brown is no secret.
01:27So it's hard not to imagine she's singing this song about him.
01:37However, Houston never confirmed that, leaving the idea as pure speculation.
01:42Still, the song's powerful lyrics about finding the strength to leave a cheating
01:45partner and feeling better off for it will strike a chord with anyone who's been there.
01:49Don't you turn around, there's no more tears left in for you to see.
01:56Plus, with its upbeat R&B meets soul rhythm,
01:59it lets you dance away much of the bad feelings towards your unfaithful ex.
02:03Even if cheating wasn't part of your story, the song's message is clear.
02:07Walking away from a bad relationship is always the right move.
02:11Number 18, Perfect Illusion, Lady Gaga.
02:15Although this song was supposedly inspired by Gaga's ex-fiancé Taylor Kinney,
02:19the singer insists it's not a diss track.
02:29She explained the lyrics reflect a feeling that she believes everyone has experienced at some point,
02:34and that she's never been in a relationship before.
02:37So, why are we talking about it?
02:39Well, Gaga's right about one thing.
02:41How often have you looked back on what felt like true love,
02:44only to realize it was just a perfect illusion?
02:47She may not have intended it as a revenge song,
02:49but belting it out at full volume is one of the best ways to express yourself.
02:53The song's lyrics are about a girl who's been in a relationship for a long time,
02:57and it's not just about the relationship, it's about her feelings.
03:01She may not have intended it as a revenge song,
03:04but belting it out at full volume sure feels cathartic.
03:14Number 17, Forget You, CeeLo Green.
03:18According to CeeLo Green, this song isn't just about romantic rejection,
03:22but also his frustration with the music business.
03:31After struggling for years to break through as a solo artist,
03:34his label still wasn't giving him a shot.
03:36Channeling that anger into a fictional breakup story,
03:39complete with the song's original expletive title,
03:42gave him some much-needed release.
03:51Co-writer Bruno Mars added,
03:56The beauty of this track is that it's a fun,
03:59upbeat way to vent about life's lows.
04:01Perhaps he wouldn't sing this to anyone's face,
04:03but there's no harm in belting it out in private and pretending they're in front of you.
04:19This might be one of the happiest and most uplifting breakup songs ever.
04:29It almost reminds us of that scene in 500 Days of Summer,
04:32but instead of celebrating new love,
04:34the singer is thrilled to close this chapter of his life.
04:37It's just about one of the most optimistic takes on breakups you'll ever hear,
04:40and Buble's joy is infectious.
04:48The video features Jamie Presley,
04:50and was shot in the same location as Desperate Housewives' Wisteria Lane.
04:54It shows Buble happily walking away from his cheating girlfriend
04:57while she watches other women take notice of him.
05:08Sometimes when a relationship goes up in flames,
05:10there's no better choice than walking away.
05:16Rihanna wastes no time calling out this unfaithful former beau
05:20in one of the song's opening lyrics.
05:21You look so dumb right now
05:25She frames the relationship like a theatrical performance
05:28where the ex hit all the right marks,
05:29but has been sneaking around behind the scenes.
05:32But you put on quite a show
05:36Really had me going
05:38We love how RiRi takes control of the narrative,
05:41shining the spotlight of shame directly on the wrongdoer.
05:44She may not have written the song,
05:46but she sings every lyric with such fervor
05:48that we know we'd never want to get on her bad side.
05:51I wanna take a bow
05:56While she may have been singing about a fictional relationship at the time,
05:59it hits that much harder now
06:01given what she's faced in her own relationships.
06:07If there's one thing we know about Beyonce,
06:10it is that she knows how to take life's lemons
06:12and turn them into lemonade.
06:14In this song, with lyrics written by Ne-Yo,
06:16she reminds us that no man should ever think
06:18he can replace her number one, herself.
06:21And keep talking that much, that's fine
06:23But could you walk and talk at the same time?
06:26It's all about knowing your self-worth
06:28and never settling for less.
06:29B knows she's a catch
06:31and demands to be treated like the queen she is.
06:34We feel that.
06:34You must not know about me
06:36You must not know about me
06:39I could have another you if needed
06:41No wonder the song dominated charts worldwide,
06:44even hitting number one on several U.S. charts.
06:47If you've been through a breakup,
06:49the lyrics will hit hard.
06:50You might have even sung
06:53at them until they, well, left.
07:06If Driver's License captures the sadness after a breakup,
07:10Good For You is the fiery anger
07:12that comes right before you're fully ready to move on.
07:14Good for you, you look happy and healthy
07:17Not me, if you ever cared to ask
07:20Rumor has it these tracks were inspired
07:22by the Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett,
07:24Sabrina Carpenter love triangle,
07:26though Rodrigo hasn't exactly named names.
07:29Good For You is a sassy breakup anthem,
07:31using cheeky lyrics to wish an ex well,
07:34while secretly hoping they feel the sting.
07:36Good for you, you're doing great
07:38I knew it though, baby
07:40God, I wish that I could do that
07:41Rodrigo said she didn't want her entire album to be sad,
07:44but wasn't ready to sing about happy romances either.
07:47We're all here for that put your ex on blast phase.
07:50It's all just part of the healing.
08:01We definitely do not condone property damage
08:04as a breakup response,
08:05but we totally get the urge.
08:07I bust the windows out your car
08:10Maybe just imagine busting their windows
08:12or keying their car instead.
08:14Or a safer bet is to just crank up these songs
08:16and sing along as loud as you can.
08:18Right now, he's probably buying her
08:20some fruity little drink
08:22cause she can't shoot whiskey
08:24While Underwood didn't have a specific muse for this track,
08:27she said she knew the sting of being cheated on,
08:29but was more of a let it go, move on type.
08:32Still, this banger perfectly captures
08:34the rage of being betrayed.
08:36Yet it has a freeing quality,
08:38especially as it builds to that powerful chorus.
08:47It scooped up numerous awards,
08:49including two Grammys,
08:50and went seven times platinum in the US.
09:03Imagine being in a relationship that's turned sour,
09:05but you still have to work together.
09:08That's exactly what happened
09:09with Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
09:18Buckingham channeled his breakup feelings
09:20and long-held grievances into a song,
09:22and guess who was expected to sing some of those lyrics?
09:25Unsurprisingly, Nicks wasn't thrilled
09:27with some of the content
09:28and asked Buckingham to take it out,
09:30without success.
09:36Even though she understood
09:38this was his way of venting his rage,
09:40it didn't make performing the song any easier.
09:43Is there anything more savage
09:44than making your ex sing a song
09:45about how angry they've made you
09:47to countless audiences?
09:48We think not.
10:02In 2022, Shakira and her husband,
10:05Gerard Piquet,
10:06announced their separation,
10:07allegedly due to the soccer player's infidelity.
10:10Shakira channeled her emotions into music
10:12and released this scathing breakup song
10:14with plenty of potshots at her ex
10:16and his new girlfriend.
10:23As well as hinting that his new girlfriend
10:25is a significant downgrade,
10:26she also references her former mother-in-law,
10:29the relentless media,
10:30and blames Piquet for her recent tax evasion scandal.
10:35It's the perfect balance between
10:43diss track and empowerment anthem
10:44and broke YouTube records for Latin music
10:47with more than 63 million views
10:49in just 24 hours.
10:55Shakira comes for her ex
10:57and comes for him hard.
10:59It's savage and we're here for it.
11:01Number nine,
11:02Since You've Been Gone,
11:03Kelly Clarkson.
11:04Does anyone else feel the rage
11:06bubbling inside them when the song begins?
11:14We've been Kelly Clarkson stans
11:15since American Idol,
11:16but we adored her even more
11:18when she released this relatable thrashy banger
11:20about what happens
11:21when a good relationship turns bad.
11:30Hearing her sing out her anger
11:32with such vigor
11:33and washing her trash and apartment
11:35in the music video
11:36is surprisingly cathartic.
11:37On the one hand,
11:38we feel the rage.
11:40On the other hand,
11:41she's celebrating the freedom
11:42of ending a soured relationship.
11:52This sentiment and the infectious rhythm
11:54made Since You've Been Gone a timeless classic.
11:56It also earned her several awards,
11:58including a Grammy.
12:00Stick that in your ex's face.
12:12When Little Mix released this catchy
12:14post-breakup girl power anthem,
12:16we all side-eyed One Direction's Zayn Malik,
12:18who had recently called off his engagement
12:21to band member Perrie Edwards.
12:23The first verse, sung by Edwards,
12:25is filled with shade,
12:27like referencing the duration
12:28of the relationship
12:29and calling out how quickly
12:31the former lover moved on.
12:39The group has all but denied
12:40these speculations.
12:42Edwards even claimed
12:43that since so many breakup songs are sad,
12:45they just want to release a new one.
12:47It's a shame that the band
12:48has yet to release a new song.
12:53The song is a perfect reminder
12:55that life and love are filled
12:57with learning experiences,
12:58and you should always strive
13:00to live it to the fullest.
13:01Plus, did we mention it's a tune?
13:12Jelena famously dated her ex-boyfriend,
13:14Justin Bieber,
13:15who was also her ex-boyfriend.
13:17She was also a fan of Justin's
13:18and a fan of his music.
13:23for much of the 2010s,
13:24and could easily release
13:26a joint album of songs
13:27they've allegedly written
13:28about each other.
13:35Among the most notable
13:36is Bieber's Love Yourself,
13:38co-written by Ed Sheeran.
13:39Some fans speculated that the title
13:41was inspired by Gomez's tattoo,
13:43which reads
13:44Love Yourself First in Arabic.
13:46The lyrics are incredibly biting
13:49and completely slander
13:50their intended subject.
13:53Whoever he is singing about,
14:01it's clear that this relationship
14:03did not end amicably.
14:09Still, the narrator wants
14:11that person to know
14:12that although they acknowledge
14:13the tumultuous relationship,
14:15they're already over it.
14:23In 2019,
14:25Gomez seemingly responded,
14:26declaring that she needed
14:28to lose you to love me.
14:44Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears
14:46were the it couple of the late 90s
14:48and early 2000s pop music scene.
14:50They broke up in 2002,
14:52the same year Timberlake released
14:53this song about getting cheated on
14:55and wanting revenge.
15:03The singer shared that he was so mad
15:05about the alleged infidelity
15:06between Spears and choreographer
15:08Wade Robson
15:08that it took him just two hours
15:10to pen the track.
15:17There's even a Britney lookalike
15:18in the music video,
15:19as if we needed more convincing.
15:21Supposedly,
15:22Britney responded with her 2004 hit
15:25Every Time,
15:25which is about asking for forgiveness.
15:34However,
15:35she has since accused him
15:36of exploiting their relationship
15:38and breakup to further his career.
15:40In 2019,
15:42Cyrus released Slide Away,
15:43a somber reflection on her split
15:45from Liam Hemsworth.
15:53However,
15:53her 2023 jam Flowers
15:55put a more upbeat spin on the situation
15:57while celebrating self-love
15:59and some of the most popular artists
16:01of all time.
16:10I can buy myself flowers
16:14Write my name in the sand
16:17It's also filled with Easter eggs,
16:19from a possible reference
16:20to the 2018 Woolsey fire
16:22that burned down their home,
16:23Till we weren't
16:25Built a home
16:27And watched it burn
16:29to shooting the music video
16:30in the house where Hemsworth
16:31allegedly cheated on her.
16:33Also,
16:34she released it on his 33rd birthday.
16:36Now that's pretty savage.
16:38The song also seems to sample
16:40another iconic breakup song
16:41in I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor,
16:44which shares a similar message.
16:50Flowers is a major earworm
16:52and so brilliant.
16:54It's essentially a masterclass
16:56in breakup songs.
16:57Yeah, I can love me better than
17:01You can love them, uh
17:07Sometimes after a breakup,
17:09we have a strong desire
17:11to be petty AF.
17:13I guess I just lost my husband
17:15I don't know where he went
17:16Usually,
17:17a little voice in our heads
17:18will talk us out of it.
17:19But this song proves
17:21that sometimes,
17:22pettiness is the most freeing outlet.
17:24Okay,
17:25we don't condone
17:26following Pink's example
17:27but you get what we mean.
17:32So What,
17:33co-penned by Pink,
17:34Shellback,
17:35and Max Martin,
17:36was inspired by the singer's separation
17:38from former ex Carrie Hart.
17:39He even stars in the music video
17:41since they were already back together
17:43by the time of its release.
17:52Still,
17:52it's a cheeky irreverent number
17:54about proving that you don't need
17:56that person to live your best life.
18:08Since its release in the mid-90s,
18:10fans have speculated
18:11who this song might be about.
18:19Names like Ryan Reynolds,
18:21Matt LeBlanc,
18:22Leslie Howe,
18:22and Mike Peluso
18:23have all been thrown into the mix.
18:25More than one person
18:26has taken credit for it.
18:28And I'm thinking,
18:29I don't know if you want to take credit
18:31for being the person I wrote
18:32You Oughta Know about.
18:33However,
18:34Full House actor Dave Coulier
18:35thinks You Oughta Know
18:36that it might be about him,
18:38since she released it
18:39not long after they broke up.
18:41He doesn't seem to know for sure,
18:43but he's revealed
18:44that he can hear aspects
18:45of their relationship
18:46reflected in the song's lyrics.
18:56Meanwhile,
18:57Morissette has no plans
18:58to spill the beans
18:59on the track's intended subject.
19:09Still,
19:09this is a great song to listen to
19:12when you're particularly enraged
19:13and need to let it all out.
19:20T-Swift is no stranger to heartbreak.
19:22She famously channels her emotions
19:24into music,
19:25giving us a plethora
19:26of relatable heartache songs.
19:34From the peppy
19:34We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,
19:37the edgier I Knew You Were Trouble,
19:39to the rockier
19:40Would've Could've Should've
19:41and countless others,
19:42there are too many
19:43unforgettable options
19:44to choose just one.
19:52Some of her tracks
19:53are more subtle and cryptic,
19:55like All Too Well,
19:56while others are self-explanatory
19:58like Dear John.
20:04You can find a Tay-Tay song
20:06for every emotion you've ever felt
20:08while going through
20:09or healing from a breakup.
20:10Incidentally,
20:11it's rumored that she
20:12may be the subject
20:13of John Mayer's Paper Doll
20:15and the Jonas Brothers' Paranoid.
20:17Before we unveil our top pick,
20:19here are some honorable mentions.
20:24Apparently even Big Sean,
20:25who the song is partially inspired by,
20:27was shocked by how much anger
20:29was poured into it.
20:39Well, that's one way to deal
20:41with a cheating ex.
20:50We love a post-breakup
20:51empowerment banger.
20:54To know
20:57F it.
20:58I don't want you back.
20:59Amen.
21:00No, please Amen,
21:01don't beat about the bush.
21:09Also, who remembers Frankie's comeback?
21:11Oof.
21:14Does anyone do
21:15melancholic breakup-revenge songs
21:17quite like Evanescence?
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21:45Which of Simon's exes is so vain they probably think this song is about them?
21:49Could it have been Mick Jagger? Perhaps James Taylor?
21:53Or maybe it was David Cassidy or David Bowie?
22:02For decades, she's been teasing us with little hints here and there, but she's still not ready to spill the tea entirely.
22:09However, she has revealed that the second verse is about Warren Beatty and jokingly added that he thinks the entire song is about him.
22:16So, uh, Carly Simon wrote the song, You're So Vain About You.
22:20How would I know?
22:21Mystery man or man aside, this is arguably Simon's most synonymous track and a total earworm.
22:28But you gave away the things you loved.
22:33Plus, who doesn't love a song telling some arrogant ex that he's not all that and needs to get over himself?
22:38I bet you think this song is about you. Don't you? Don't you?
22:44Which song makes you feel happier than ever after a bad breakup? Let us know in the comments.
22:49I'm happier than ever.
22:54Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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