16 Famous Songs About Exes
You probably can’t turn on your television or flip open your laptop without hearing about Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. But unless you still collect an allowance or attend grade school, that’s the true definition of puppy love.
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Heartbroken grown folks properly air out their ex lovers with the type of music that lasts decades. The jury is still out on Biebs and his chick. For those of us old enough to legally drink or drive without another licensed driver in the vehicle here are 16 famous songs about exes. Grab the Kleenex and your headphones.
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Photo: WENN
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Judging from the Britney Spears doppelganger and the lyrics matching allegations of Britney Spears cheating, Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River” is most likely about his ex Britney Spears.
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Robin Thicke went the too much info route after separating from his wife Paula Patton. In July of 2014 he released a contrition album named Paula, but by October the former Mrs. Thicke officially filed for divorce.
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Channeling some vintage Guy was cathartic for Nas. He chronicled his breakup with Kelis on “Bye Baby” and even included her wedding dress on the cover of his Life Is Good album. Kelis said she never listed to the music.
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Never marry your boss’s sister. Marvin Gaye lost a settlement with his wife Anna Gordy and had to record an album then give the royalties to his ex-wife—the sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy. The result was 1978’s Here My Dear.
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From “Come Close” to “The Light,” Erykah Badu served as Common’s musical muse for a while. But even after they split, Common was arguably the most gracious ex on this list for still speaking glowingly of Badu on “I Want You.”
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Listen to the lyrics of Ed Sheeran’s “Don’t” and see if you agree with speculation that they’re in reference to his former flame Ellie Goulding.
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Kurupt showed Foxy Brown no mercy on the Dr. Dre song “Xxplosive,” and if there’s a record for how many times you can say a certain five-letter word that rhymes with switch, Kurupt probably broke that record.
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Taylor Swift may be the only person who kisses and tells more than Drake. So it came as no surprise when she shouted out her ex, One Direction member Harry Styles, while accepting a 2013 MTV VMA for the song “I Knew You Were Trouble.”
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Rihanna isn’t one to be coy. In 2010, she told CNN flat out that the song “Cold Case Love” was about Chris Brown.
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When Drake started talking greasy about “what’s her name” on 2 Chainz’s “No Lie,” was he talking about Rihanna? Who knows? Technically, Rihanna is the one who kicked him to the curb, but why let details get in the way?
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Mariah Carey probably thought she got the last word in about her alleged tryst with Eminem on her Gucci Mane-assisted single “Obsessed.” But she would feel the wrath of Marshall Mathers one last time before we all got sick of this feud.
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Andre 3000 definitely won round one of the “I’m making a song about by ex” contest with Erykah Badu on OutKast’s “Ms. Jackson.” But there’s always another side to the story.
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“Green Eyes” wasn’t so much a dig at Andre 3000 as it was one long exhale in three parts courtesy of Erykah Badu. Clearly Badu and Three Stacks express themselves best through music.
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What would any list of scorned musicians be without Kanye West? In 2008, West turned up the Auto-tune and poured out his heart to his ex Alexis Phifer. The result was 808s & Heartbreak.
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After Big Sean and actress Naya Rivera’s canceled engagement, Rivera kept her wedding date and married some other dude. Big Sean summed up his feelings with a retaliatory song and then went public with Ariana Grande.
