R&B Songs About Real-Life Heartbreak

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Heartbreak absolutely sucks but some of the best songs are based on real-life situations, like these popular R&B songs about real-life heartbreak.

Ciara’s “I Bet”

A few years ago, Ciara was plotting on a musical comeback and she enlisted the help of singer/songwriter Future. But their working relationship quickly turned into something more and soon they were engaged and expecting a baby. Fast forward to Ciara’s brand new song “I Bet,” which touches on the demise of their relationship after Future allegedly cheated on his fourth baby mama with his stylist. Some of the lyrics included, “I love you but I won’t be a fool for you / That is just something that I wouldn’t do, babe / I mean I’mma stay if you could tell the truth / But you can’t, no matter how much time I ask.”

Jordin Sparks’ “How Bout Now (Remix)”

For three years, Jordin Sparks and Jason Derulo were one of the cutest young couples in the music industry. But last fall the couple called it quits and although they said they were on good terms with each other, the mud began to fly shortly afterwards. Both Sparks and Derulo have talked about their relationships in interviews with Power 105’s “The Breakfast Club” but Sparks also put her feelings to wax. In the song, “How Bout Now (Remix),” Sparks accused Derulo of being ungrateful and unappreciative when she nursed him back to health following back surgery. She also claimed that he let the fame get to his head.

Adele’s “Chasing Pavements”

Adele has a history of turning heartbreak into hit songs. Her first album was critically acclaimed and well received in the U.K. as well as here in the U.S. It contained the song “Chasing Pavements,” which she wrote after she found out her boyfriend of six months was cheating on her. “I went to the pub [where he was] and punched him in the face,” Adele recalled. “I got thrown out, and as I was running away, the phrase ‘chasing pavements’ came to me. I sang it into my phone, went home and got three chords together.”

Robin Thicke’s “Get Her Back”

Robin Thicke’s career really took off thanks to his mega smash summer hit “Blurred Lines.” But even though his career was reaching new heights, it ended up costing him his marriage. Thicke enjoyed his newfound fame and the attention from the ladies but wife Paula Patton was fed up with his infidelity and wanted out of their marriage. Thicke tried to woo her back with an entire album dedicated to her. He begged Patton to return home in “Get Her Back” and vowed to treat her right. The album flopped and Patton went ahead with the divorce anyway.

Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”

Taylor Swift has written the anthem of all anthems for getting over an ex. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” is a declaration to moving on from a former flame for good and it was based on her short-lived relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. It served as the lead single from her 2012 “Red” album and sold over five million copies. Swift once again used a love gone wrong for another song when she wrote “Dear John,” following her breakup with fellow singer John Mayer.

Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River”

Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears were one of pop’s hottest young couples but that ended when she cheated on him and broke his heart. Timberlake was just leaving the boy band group N’Sync and preparing to embark on a solo career. He channeled the emotions from suffering from a broken heart and put it in his music. “Cry Me A River” was the stand out track on Timberlake’s solo album and it was about a guy getting over his cheating ex-girlfriend. JT even enlisted a Britney Spears lookalike for the video.

No Doubt’s “Ex-Girlfriend”

Gwen Stefani has written songs about heartbreak and failed relationships before but “Ex-Girlfriend” was dedicated to her now husband Gavin Rossdale. It was written in response to Bush’s song “Dead Meat” where he sings, “I’m doing you in tomorrow/ I’ll burn before I mellow.” Stefani responds in “Ex-Girlfriend” with “You say you’re gonna burn before you mellow/ I will be the one to burn you.” Despite the hurt feelings, the two tied the knot in 2002 and have three children.

K. Michelle’s “Maybe I Should Call”

K. Michelle is known for dating a guy and then writing and singing about it so when her latest album was released, a lot of people were wondering who was the man behind the inspiration. Many people speculated that “Maybe I Should Call” was about Idris Elba because they had worked together on her “Rebellious Soul” musical. K. Michelle confirmed everybody’s suspicions when she revealed that she had a secret relationship with “The Wire” star that ended when his girlfriend gave birth to their child.

Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”

Sam Smith is an international star all because of an album that was based on unrequited love. The U.K. crooner’s “Stay With Me” is a heartfelt ballad that begs for the attention of a special someone and Smith opened up about the inspiration behind his debut album. “‘In the Lonely Hour’ is about a guy that I fell in love with last year, and he didn’t love me back,” Smith told “Fader” magazine. “I think I’m over it now, but I was in a very dark place. I kept feeling lonely in the fact that I hadn’t felt love before.”

Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man”

Bruno Mars got very personal and introspective on his second album on the song “When I Was Your Man.” Mars confessed the song was based on real-life stories and it’s about a guy lamenting about a failed relationship. In the heartfelt ballad, Mars wishes that his ex finds a new man that could give her the love and affection that he failed to provide. The song ended up being nominated as the Best Breakup Song at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards.

Bjork’s “Possibly Maybe”

Bjork’s “Possibly Maybe” was about her breakup with French photographer and director Stéphane Sednaoui. Bjork confessed it was the first sad song she’s ever written and she ended up feeling ashamed that she wrote a song that didn’t give her fans a feeling of hope at the end. Interestingly enough, Bjork got her ex Sednaoui to direct the video.

Ed Sheeran’s “Don’t”

Ed Sheeran’s “Don’t” is about a female cheating and breaking his heart but when it comes to naming the woman that inspired the song, he decided to take the high road. Sheeran was asked to spill the beans on who the female muse was but he politely declined. “I think the particular song you are getting at, it was more about getting it off my chest and I think the positive thing was releasing those emotions,” Sheeran said.

Nicki Minaj’s “Bed of Lies”

When it was time to work on her third album, Nicki Minaj didn’t have to look far for inspiration. All she had to do was draw inspiration from her love life. She had just broken up with longtime boyfriend Safaree “SB” Samuels and expressed her feelings in the song “Bed of Lies.” She debuted the song while hosting last year’s MTV’s European’s Music Awards. She rapped, “You was caught up in the rush, and you was caught up in the thrill of it/You was with me way before I hit a quarter mil’ in it/Put you in the crib and you ain’t never pay a bill in it/I was killin’ it, man you got me poppin’ pills in it.”

Usher’s “Confessions II”

When Usher dropped the song “Confessions II,” many people thought the R&B singer was coming clean by admitting that he had been unfaithful. He had recently broken up with TLC member Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and it felt like “Confessions II” was Usher’s way of apologizing and taking blame for what went wrong in their relationship. Although the song was based on real heartbreak, it wasn’t inspired by Usher and Chilli’s relationship. It was actually based on producer Jermaine Dupri’s failed romance.

Miley Cyrus’s “7 Things”

Miley Cyrus spared no feelings when she wrote “7 Things’”following her break up with fellow pop star Nick Jonas. In the song, she sang, “The 7 things I hate about you…You’re vain, your games, you’re insecure, you love me, you like her. You make me laugh, you make me cry, I don’t know which side to buy. Your friends, they’re jerks, when you act like them just know it hurts. I wanna be with the one I know. And the 7th thing I hate the most that you do…You make me love you.”