In this article we will unveil the best songs about cheating ever made!
Maybe you’re looking for a girlpower anthem after a good-for-nothing guy cheated on you or maybe you want a miserable ballad to go along with your blanket pile and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.
Whatever your reasons for wanting songs about cheating, here are some of the best titles for when you’re in your feelings.
1. Justin Timberlake – Cry Me A River
One of the most famous cheating songs of all time, “Cry Me a River” is about the breakdown of Justin and Britney’s relationship, but the lyrics are still raw and relatable decades later. Even if you’re too young to have watched all of the drama unfold on MTV back in the day, you can understand the intense emotions coming off this track.
Next: Best songs about liars and lying
2. Carrie Underwood – Before He Cheats
Put on your cowboy boots and grab your baseball bat! “Before He Cheats” is the ultimate revenge song, one that puts a country twang in a deliciously twisted story about a girl who makes her unfaithful boyfriend regret it. Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats…
3. Cardi B – Thru Your Phone
Call your mama phone/Let her know that she raised a b****. Cardi B does not hold back in this spitfire track where she drags her man to filth. It’s obviously based on her rocky relationship with rapper Offset, but even if you aren’t familiar with their drama, it’s an angry cheating song that’s sure to get you riled.
Next: The best hip hop songs of all time (top tracks ever)
4. Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland – Dilemma
Maybe you haven’t been cheated on. Maybe you’re the one thinking scandalous thoughts about someone new in your life. If so, you might relate to the lyrics of “Dilemma,” an award-winning bop from the early 2000s that tells the story of two people who are drawn to each other despite both of them already being in relationships.
Next: The best 2000s songs (our list)
5. Rihanna – Take a Bow
A powerful but surprisingly emotional song, “Take a Bow” describes the show put on by a cheating boyfriend begging for forgiveness. Rihanna takes him to task for his stupidity while also exploring themes of hurt, loneliness and knowing that you need to move on after a betrayal that you just can’t forgive. I know you’re only sorry you got caught…
Next: Best songs about hurt & pain
6. Usher – Confessions Part II
While there’s a part one to this saga, “Confessions Part II” is the song that everyone remembers. It’s probably because the first is your standard-issue cheating song while the second ramps up the drama with the revelation that the side girl is pregnant. Usher inspired all kinds of scandal with this track, but it propelled him to the top of the Billboard Charts, so it clearly worked out for him.
7. Destiny’s Child – Nasty Girl
While not technically a cheating song, Destiny’s Child is absolutely savage in this no-holds-barred track about cheap girls who make it hard for good women to find a man. You’ll definitely relate to the lyrics if you’ve lost a boyfriend to the clutches of a homewrecker. Who knew that Beyonce could tear into people like this?
8. Taylor Swift – Should’ve Said No
Do you remember the days when Taylor Swift was a baby-faced country girl with long wavy hair and artfully ripped jeans? “Should’ve Said No” was one of her most popular songs back then, and it tells the familiar story of a girl who gets cheated on and then turns to her guitar to talk about it. You should’ve said no/You should’ve gone home/You should’ve thought twice before you let it all go…
Next: Best songs about betrayal of all time
9. Charli XCX – No Angel
If you’re a heartbreaker and proud of it, this unapologetic song can serve as the soundtrack of your life. It’s for girls who aren’t afraid to fool around, have fun, break promises and leave a trail of broken-hearted boys in their wake.
Next: Best songs about breakups and heartbreak
10. Jason Derulo – Whatcha Say
Despite sampling a song that’s better known as a meme, “Whatcha Say” is heavy track about a man realizing his mistakes and asking his girlfriend to give him another chance. Pleading with her that they’re meant to be together and promising her that he’ll treat her better in the future, he bares his soul and hopes for the best.
11. Mya – Case Of The Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do)
If your boyfriend has a wandering eye, this song is for you. It’s about a guy who hasn’t cheated yet, but he’s being hit up by his ex an awful lot, and Mya can see through her even if her man can’t. She puts them both on blast with a passionate song that also has an awesomely choreographed music video. Just beware the studded denim and blue eyeshadow of 2000!
Next: Songs about fighting between people
12. Panic! at the Disco – I Write Sins Not Tragedies
What a shame the poor groom’s bride is a *****. A staple of the pop-punk genre, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” is an elaborate spectacle about a wedding with an unfaithful woman. It’s also a costume party for some reason. It’s best not to question it, honestly; the emo phase of the early millennium was weird for everyone.
Next: Best songs about trust, integrity, honesty & more
13. Charlie Puth – How Long
“How Long” is an interesting song that tries to examine both sides of an unfaithful relationship. Charlie Puth plays dual roles as he sings from each party’s point of view.
14. Brandy and Monica – The Boy is Mine
Are you fighting another hussy for the same man? If so, you’re in the same boat as Brandy and Monica in their duet “The Boy is Mine.” It’s considered a classic of female R&B, and it’s hard not to sing along to the themes of love, jealousy and just a touch of cattiness.
Next: The top songs about jealousy ever made
15. Brown Eyed Girls – Abracadabra
K-pop is all about stunning visuals and sleek choreography, but “Abracadabra” takes things even further with an engrossing storyline about a cheating boyfriend and a potentially lethal girlfriend with whips and poisons. You’ll be hooked by the mini-movie even as you bop to the song and/or try to replicate the dance.
16. Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know
The original queen of alternative rock, Alanis Morissette has said that this song was based on real events, and only the act of writing it kept her from messing up her ex’s car. You can hear the anger in everything from her mocking vocals to the lyrics themselves: Does she know how you told me you’d hold me until you died? But you’re still alive…
17. Dolly Parton – Jolene
Though the web would probably rise up en masse to protect Dolly Parton from getting cheated on, this song was written long ago, so there’s no one to help her as she begs the other woman not to take her man. Poor Dolly!
18. Rihanna – Unfaithful
RiRi is always good for a bop, and despite its sad, self-critical lyrics, “Unfaithful” is undeniably catchy. It’s also a great exploration of conflicting feelings when you’re hurting someone with your actions but still unable to get off the roller coaster of whatever you’re doing.
19. Loretta Lynn – You Ain’t Woman Enough
A true classic, “You Ain’t Woman Enough” was released way back in 1966, and it has the sky-hair to prove it. The leading lady performs it with an acoustic guitar and a soft smile that’s completely at odds with its lyrics, which are fierce enough to belong to any contemporary rap track: You say you’re gonna take him, but I don’t think you can/Cause you ain’t woman enough to take my man.
20. Dream – He Loves You Not
If you’ve successfully defended your relationship from another woman trying to tear it apart, “He Loves You Not” is the anthem for you. It’s a bit cheesy in the sense that it’s clearly a Spice Girls ripoff complete with the crimped hair and shiny pleather bodysuits of the era, but it’s hard to beat the sassiness of the lyrics: He’s into what he’s got, and that’s me/He loves me, he loves you not.
21. Beyonce – Irreplaceable
Another classic from Queen B, “Irreplaceable” is an ironic title because it’s all about a cheating loser who isn’t. Beyonce has no qualms telling him to hit the door. She even rubs a little well-deserved salt into the wound: I can have another you by tomorrow/So don’t you ever for a second get to thinking you’re irreplaceable.
22. Ariana Grande – One Last Time
You know that you need to let him go. However, your heart is craving one last night together where you can pretend that everything is okay. This is what’s going on in “One Last Time,” a song that explores an impending break-up with the full depth and range of Ari’s amazing vocals.
Next: Best boyfriend love songs (for him)
23. Blu Cantrell – Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)
You might not recognize this song by name, but if you were around in the early 2000s, its beat will take you right back to the days of shopping malls, chunky cars and glittery rise-high jeans with beads on the back. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing “Hit ‘Em Up Style,” a song about a woman who gets revenge on her cheating boyfriend by spending all of his money on luxury goods.
Next: Best strength songs for not giving up
24. The Killers – Mr. Brightside
Weaving a tale of jealousy, paranoia and heartache, “Mr. Brightside” is an emotionally complex song that also just so happens to have a bangin’ video. Cabaret-style costumes come together with vintage set pieces for an elaborately fashionable theater production. You might even forget that the song is about cheating!
Next: Best songs about magic & supernatural themes
25. The Weeknd – Call Out My Name
Falling for you was my mistake. If you can relate to this sentiment a little too much, you might appreciate this rough and emotional ballad from the Weeknd. It comes from the similarly sad album “My Dear Melancholy.”
26. TLC – Creep
How should you respond to a cheating boyfriend? If you’re TLC, the answer is cheat right back! “Creep” is a quintessential ’90s song right down to the flannel shirts tied around their waists, but it’s also low, smooth and surprisingly catchy for all that its lyrics are actually kind of morally bankrupt.
27. Robyn – Call Your Girlfriend
It’s rare to hear a song from the perspective of the other woman, but “Call Your Girlfriend” does it, and it does so with cheerful nightclub-style pop synths. Robyn makes no apologies for what she wants, which is a guy already in a relationship, so she spends the song urging him to call his boo and break it off. You might recognize this song from the fabulousness that is RuPaul’s Drag Race.
28. Kelis – Caught Out There
This song is for all the women out there/ That been lied to by their men. Years before Kelis’s milkshake was bringing boys to the yard, she was an afro-haired 90s hip-hop queen singing songs like “Caught Out There.” If you’ve ever been cheated on, you’ll know exactly what she’s talking about.
29. Ashnikko feat. Kelis – Deal With It
Released in 2021, “Deal With It” is another girlpower song that celebrates the ladies and casts aside all the players and cheaters. It also samples Kelis’s old song “Caught Out There,” proving that strength and solidarity between women will never go out of style. More than two decades after the original was released, it lives on for a new generation.
Next: Best freedom songs of all time
30. Hoku – Another Dumb Blonde
Surprisingly wholesome, “Another Dumb Blonde” sees young starlet Hoku living it up as she sings and dances a cheerful tune about leaving an unfaithful boyfriend. Not only does she assure him That’s all right/That’s okay/I never loved you anyway, but she also gets self-empowering with lines like I think it’s time for you to find another dumb blonde/Cause it’s not me, no no.
31. Adele – Cold Shoulder
Belted out with the powerful vocals that you’d expect from Adele, “Cold Shoulder” is a song that works on multiple levels thanks to its heartbroken lyrics. It’s clearly about cheating, but it could also apply to other people treating you badly or other life situations that just didn’t go as planned.
32. Paramore – Misery Business
Paramore’s “Misery Business” takes a unique approach to infidelity. When another girl steals her boyfriend, the lead singer steals him right back! It might not be kosher, but it’s awesome to hear.
33. The Black Eyed Peas – Shut Up
This is another track that isn’t technically a cheating song, but it’s about a volatile couple that keeps yelling and fighting before kissing and making up, so it could definitely be relatable to someone with a push-and-pull kind of relationship. Fergie and will.i.am both contribute to the vocals in a fun and rhythmic back and forth that’s part song and part poetry.
34. Drake – Marvin’s Room
Even a notorious womanizer like Drake can get his heart broken by an unfaithful girlfriend, and “Marvin’s Room” doesn’t spare any details about the hurt, uncertainty and solitude that plagues him in such a scenario.
35. Sam Smith – I’m Not The Only One
Based on a true story, “I’m Not The Only One” is a heartrending tale about a married couple torn apart by an affair. You and me, we made a vow/For better or for worse/I can’t believe you let me down. It isn’t enough to listen to, but its pain can be quite familiar for those in a similar situation.
36. Jazmine Sullivan – Bust Your Windows
If you liked Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” you’ll love Jazmine Sullivan’s “Bust Your Windows.” It offers the same tale of vengeance and the same fun of seeing a jilted woman get her payback. Breaking the windows in his car is only the start of her journey.
37. Destiny’s Child – Say My Name
Why does Beyonce have so many cheating songs? Who’s cheating on Beyonce? The world may never know, but until then, enjoy songs like the utterly addictive “Say My Name.” From its rhythmic BPM to its eye-popping visuals, it’s one of the most memorable tracks from Destiny’s Child, and it withstands the test of time with only minor bits of outdated slang.
Next: Top songs everyone knows
38. SZA – The Weekend
Another song that explores the feelings of the side piece, “The Weekend” is both delicate and defiant as it makes no apologies for seeing someone else’s man on the weekends. Hey, life is too short for shame!
39. Aqualung – Tongue Tied
Though cheating isn’t mentioned in the lyrics, this soft, sad song is clearly about a relationship that’s nearing its end. What went wrong? I need to know/I can feel you’re letting go. If you just want to have a good cry about the loss of your love, “Tongue Tied” will hit the spot.
Next: Best sad songs of all time
40. Marvin Gaye – Heard It Through the Grapevine
Another golden oldie, “Heard It Through the Grapevine” is the embodiment of old-school Motown and the smooth cats that used to sing about their lives and loves. In this case, a man knows that his woman is stepping out on him.
41. Shaggy – It Wasn’t Me
Last but certainly not least, “It Wasn’t Me” is one of the world’s most famous songs about cheating, and it still holds up despite being more than two decades old. With a catchy beat and hilarious lyrics, it’s the kind of track that will make you smile when you’re finally ready to move on.
Read Next:
Best songs about regret & guilt
Best songs about fire and flames
Songs about winning and celebration
As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.