1. Ariana Grande – Thank u, next Ariana Grande made the break-up song to end all break-up songs when she released ‘thank u, next’ in 2019 and name-checked four high-profile ex-boyfriends (Pete Davidson, Mac Miller, Big Sean and Ricky Alvarez).
2. Lorde – Green Light As per Lorde “The song is really about those moments kind of immediately after your life changes and about all the silly little things that you gravitate towards.”
3. Rihanna – Take A Bow This Good Girl Gone Bad era Rihanna sarcastically tells her ex to ‘take a bow’ after breaking her heart, betraying and fooling her.
4. Destiny’s Child – Independent Women Part II If we’re honest, many of Destiny’s Child’s songs are appropriate for break-ups, and well, Independent Women is pretty self-explanatory.
5. Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone A break-up song to scream at the top of your lungs when you’ve finally ditched your rubbish ex.
6. No Doubt – Don’t Speak In 1996, the band released ‘Don’t Speak’ which had been rewritten by Gwen Stefani to reflect her break-up from her No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal.
7. Miley Cyrus – Midnight Sky Written and released in the aftermath of her separation from husband Liam Hemsworth, ‘Midnight Sky’ sees Cyrus reclaiming her independence.
8. Dua Lipa – New Rules This serves as a reminder to everyone that ‘if you’re under him, you ain’t getting over him. As part of Dua Lipa’s many new rules for what to do after a break-up.
9. Adele – Someone Like You One of the most devastating break-up songs of recent time came thanks to Adele – has gone down as one of the very best by the multi-Grammy winner.
10. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Getting Back Together The singer explained how the song came about when a friend of an ex-boyfriend walked into the recording studio she was in and questioned whether they were in fact getting back together.
