75 Best Songs About Betrayal And Broken Trust

One of the worst feelings is when someone breaks your trust.

By Tamara Sanon — Written on Oct 29, 2021

Photo: getty

What hurts most about betrayal is that it always comes from someone you once trusted or loved. Only those close to you have the power to betray you in a deep way.

The artists who wrote the songs about betrayal below know exactly how that feels.

Whenever you do become vulnerable or emotionally available in a relationship, romantic or otherwise, you're putting your heart on the line. You're giving another person access to a level of trust or part of yourself that isn’t seen by many. Opening up to someone takes a lot of effort and trust. When that trust is broken or betrayed, it's emotionally scarring and leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions, regrets, and trust issues.

Betrayal is a cautionary tale that reminds us to be selective about who we trust, how soon we trust, and how much we reveal. It's not wise to go around trusting just anyone.

At the same time, don't allow the fear of betrayal to keep you from opening up to others. Opening up authentically is what connects us to one another. Connection elevates a normal relationship to a great one. It makes the risk of betrayal worth it.

If you’re going through heartbreak or if someone broke your trust, know that you aren't alone, as these songs about betrayal and broken trust make sure you know.

75 Best Songs About Betrayal

1. “Take A Bow” by Rihanna

Sometimes, the person who has broken your trust shows no remorse. And when that happens, it's time to let go.

"Don't tell me you're sorry 'cause you're not / Baby when I know you're only sorry you got caught

But you put on quite a show / Really had me goin'"

2. “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake

Finding out about your lover betraying you can come from the strangest source.

"You don't have to say, what you did / I already know, I found out from him

Now there's just no chance / With you and me / There'll never be

Don't it make you sad about it?"

3. “Say My Name” by Destiny's Child

One indicator that your partner is cheating is when he seems to act differently around his friends... and another woman.

“First of all, let me say / I am not the one / To sit around, and be played

So prove yourself to me / I am the girl that you claim

Why don't you say the things / That you said to me yesterday"

4. “You're Not Sorry” by Taylor Swift

Giving second chances isn't something that should be taken lightly. But after the third and the fourth and the fifth chance, it's clear you're not sorry for your actions.

"I've been giving out chances every time / And all you do is let me down

And it's taking me this long / Baby but I figured you out

And you're thinking we'll be fine again / But not this time around"

5. “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri

After you've experiences a breach of trust and betrayal in your relationship, there's only so much you can take.

"Who do you think you are? / Runnin' 'round leaving scars

Collecting your jar of hearts / Tearing love apart

You're gonna catch a cold / From the ice inside your soul

So don't come back for me / Who do you think you are?"

6. “Sandcastles” by Beyoncé

Though you may try to move on after you've been hurt, it's painful for both you and your ex.

"We built sand castles that washed away / I made you cry when I walked away

Oh, and although I promised that I couldn't stay, baby

Every promise don't work out that way, oh, babe / Every promise don't work out that way"

7. “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele

When you think about what could have been with your untrustworthy lover, it's probably just as hard for them to let go.

"The scars of your love remind me of us / They keep me thinking that we almost had it all

The scars of your love, they leave me breathless / I can't help feeling

We could have had it all"

8. “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye

When your partner loves another person, it's almost less painful for them to be up-front about their true feelings, rather than finding out from someone else.

"I know a man ain't supposed to cry / But these tears I can't hold inside

Losin' you would end my life you see / 'Cause you mean that much to me

You could have told me yourself / That you love someone else"

9. “The Worst” by Jhene Aiko

When your partner knows full well what they have done, but shows no indication of changing, you really don't need them in your life anymore.

"If you cannot stay down / Then you do not have to pretend

Like there is no way out / I shoulda never let you in

'Cause you got me face down"

10. “Run for Your Life” by The Beatles

Even though a jealous lover can betray you, their toxicity can manifest itself in not wanting to see you happy, ever.

"You better run for your life if you can, little girl / Hide your head in the sand, little girl

Catch you with another man / That's the end, little girl"

11. “Use Me” by Bill Withers

The feeling of broken trust is painful, of course, but it can feel impossible to not be with the one who hurts you.

"Ah-huh, sometimes / It's true you really do abuse me

Ah, you get me crowd of high class people And then you act real rude to me

Ah-huh, but oh, baby, baby, baby, baby / When you love me I can't get enough”

12. “The Heart Wants What It Wants” by Selena Gomez

When you want to give up on your relationship, you may find yourself drawn back to each other, even though you know it's not right.

“This is a modern fairy tale / No happy endings / No wind in our sails

But I can't imagine a life without

Breathless moments / Breaking me down, down, down, down”

13. “Let Me Let You Know” by Pink

Finding the strength to leave a cheating boyfriend isn't easy, but it's worth it for your own sanity.

"Dear baby, I'm not sorry for leaving you this way / And I know I should have told you face to face

We've always been straight up so I won't waste your time / I'm leaving, say goodbye because I know what you did last night"

14. “Medicine” by Queen Naija

Sometimes, the only way to get even is to do the same thing your cheating partner did. But it won't make you feel better in the end.

"I'ma call up Brian, I'ma FaceTime Ryan / I'ma text Lorenzo and I'ma leave you cryin'

Don't get it twisted I can play this game too / How would you like it if I did the same to you, same to you, yeah?"

15. “Right My Wrongs” by Bryson Tiller

We often don't hear the side of the cheater, but when they truly want to make amends and are sorry, it might be a chance to salvage the relationship.

"Something that I should know / All the things that you went through

Girl I never meant to put you through it twice, no"

16. “Eye Hate U” by Prince

When the person you love does something so hurtful, it can make you resentful.

"I never thought that you would be the one / After all the things that we've been through

You gave your body to another in the name of fun / I hope you had some baby, if not, boo hoo"

17. “Loyal To Me" by Nina Nesbitt

Cheaters may think their partner will never catch on, but a woman scorned is smarter than even the brainiest person.

"If he never wants you to meet his friends / If he ain't tagging you on the 'Gram

Take your heart and turn around while you still can

And tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him / I got somewhere else to be"

18. “False Pretense” by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Betrayal doesn't only happen in romantic relationships — friendships can suffer from broken trust, too.

"The world's got a funny way of turning round on you / When a friend tries to stab you right in the face

Losing faith in everything I thought, I hoped and knew

Don't sweat it / Set a false pretense"

19. “Toxic” by Kehlani

People who manipulate others use physical affection to keep you around, and when you're blinded by intimacy, you may not see the truth.

"Thinkin' I would wait for you / And that damn Don Julio made me a fool for you

And now I might hit your phone up

With that ra-ra-ra, missin' my da-da-da / Missin' that a-a-a (ah, ah)

And all of this love is toxic"

20. “Say It” by Evans Blue

Keeping your eyes closed to the truth can come back to bite you. But, eventually, you'll see what was in front of you all along.

"No one takes pride from pain / Save your game

No one believes you anyway / Save it

You know you’ve been shut down / Your s***’s been figured out

And all your ways belong to fate / I can't believe you had me"

21. “When the Wild Life Betrays Me” by Jimmy Buffett

After cheating on a partner, you may ponder whether or not they will take you back, and that burden can weigh you down.

"What a fool I have been / There's no way I can win

Unless you take me back in"

22. “Not Today” by Mary J. Blige

That feeling of wanting your partner to grow up and be mature comes to a head when he breaks all his promises to you.

"You're the worst / I can't even depend on you

You say a lot of good things / But something else you always do"

23. “Second Chances” by Kiana Ledé

When you give someone a second chance and they totally blow it, it's best to move on and never look back.

"I can't give him no more chances, chances

So I'd rather walk away / I'd rather walk away

It'd be wrong for me to stay / 'Cause that means you got your way"

24. “Deep End” by Birdy

Deep down, you may care about someone you've wronged, but there may be no coming back from broken trust and betrayal.

"Ooh, I don't want this to break you / Ooh, but I've got no one else to talk to

I don't know if you mean everything to me / And I wonder, can I give you what you need?"

25. “Resentment” by Beyoncé

It's easy to fall into a cycle of resentment when the one you love cheats and lies.

"Loving you was easy once upon a time / But now my suspicions of you have multiplied

And it's all because you lied"

26. “Reinventing Your Exit” by Underoath

Taking someone back means you have higher expectations. And when they don't meet them and continue to lie, it's a sign that it's a dead end.

"It's you and me on a Monday / The lies that we told

This is where we both go numb now

You broke my heart again this time / You're fading now, you crossed the line

You crossed the line"

27. “Comfort Betrays” by As I Lay Dying

Friends come and friends go, especially when they betray your trust. And that love you once had is met with disgust.

"Never had I felt so betrayed

That you would sacrifice my life / For no more than your comfort

And now your love means nothing / Nothing to me"

28. “Switch Up” by Toni Romiti

Sometimes, things seem to be going so well that it's impossible to see the red flags. And that person you thought you knew was a stranger all along.

"At first, you wasn't my type / But then I learned you were just what I like

There wasn't a day when you weren't on my mind

Now it seems like you've just changed overnight / You changed up like I change clothes"

29. “Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band

When everyone around you tells you that your lying partner is no good, you struggle to believe them, and you end up suffering the most pain.

"My friends tell me, that I've been such a fool / But I had to stand by and take it baby, all for lovin' you

Drown myself in sorrow as I look at what you've done

But nothing seemed to change, the bad times stayed the same / And I can't run"

30. “Goodbye” by Secondhand Serenade

Someone can act a certain way and trick you into believing they are a good person, but eventually, you'll see the truth.

"It's a shame that it had to be this way

It's not enough to say I'm sorry / It's not enough to say I'm sorry

Maybe I'm to blame / Or maybe we're the same

But either way I can't breathe"

31. “The First Cut is the Deepest” by Sheryl Crow

Falling in love for the first time can be painful enough, but when you're betrayed by that person, you'll never be the same.

"I would have given you all of my heart / But there's someone who's torn it apart

And he's taking just all that I had / But if you want, I'll try to love again

Baby, I'll try to love again, but I know"

32. “Your Betrayal” by Bullet for My Valentine

Being betrayed by your partner not only makes you angry, but in some way gives you happiness knowing they won't be able to let go of you.

"So take your eyes off the trigger / I'm not to blame if your world turns to black

As your eyes start to blister / There's just no hope for our final embrace

So here we are, I'm in your head / I'm in your heart"

33. “Mr. Storyteller” by Human Drama

You can become so entranced by someone's lies that you don't realize until it's too late that they were never being truthful.

"Tell me again if you will / Of this love that never dies

Explain to me again my friend / Where all I have given lies"

34. “She Loves Me Not” by Papa Roach

If you find yourself fighting with your partner, it can lead to anger and resentment, and, ultimately, an unhappy relationship.

"Over the past five years / I have shed my tears / I have drank my beers and watched my fears fly away

And until this day she still swings this way / But it's sad to say, sometimes she says she loves me not

But I hesitate to tell her I hate this relationship / I want out today this is over"

35. “99 Times” by Kate Voegele

Sometimes, the biggest liars are hard to detect. And every word they tell you ends up being a non-truth.

"For every 99 times / You looked me in the eye / You looked me in the eye

And swore you weren't lying / Well, I was so blind

I never saw the signs"

36. “Personal” by Kehlani

When you're tired of the lies and cheating, the best revenge is success.

"You so far gone, got you thinking you're safe

All said and done you lost my respect / All said and done you're the one I regret

Now you gon' watch from the crowd lookin' up like the rest"

37. “Unraveling” by Sevendust

Broken trust can lead to a broke relationship, especially if it's built on lies and deceit.

"I want the world to see / You sold a broken dream / You were not there for me

I was unraveling / All that we never knew / That could have been me and you"

38. “Everybody's Fool” by Evanescence

When you're made out to be a fool, it can take a while to see the truth. But when you do, it might become easy to leave it all behind.

"Never was and never will be / You don't know how you've betrayed me

And somehow you've got everybody fooled

Without the mask where will you hide / Can't find yourself lost in your lie"

39. “Judas” by Kelly Clarkson

Judas is the apostle who betrayed Jesus, and in this song, Clarkson equates a lover to him.

"The only one who took you in / The only one who held your hand

Defended you against the others / Had your back on everything

Never let you down / You turned around betrayed your only brother"

40. “You Give Love A Bad Name” by Bon Jovi

Most people have experienced toxic love at one point or another, and all the promises made are eventually broken.

"An angel's smile is what you sell / You promise me Heaven, then put me through hell

Chains of love got a hold on me / When passion's a prison, you can't break free"

41. "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette

Allegedly written about Dave Coulier, Morissette's devastation and anger shine right through in this song.

"And I'm here, to remind you / Of the mess you left when you went away

It's not fair, to deny me / Of the cross I bear that you gave to me

You, you, you oughta know"

42. "How Do You Sleep" by LCD Soundsystem

When you are betrayed by a friend, it's a really lonely place to be.

"I remember when we were friends / I remember calling you friend

Standing on the shore, my ear aimed east

I can't hear you / I can't hear you anymore"

43. “Apologize” by Timbaland feat. OneRepublic

Toxic relationships can flat-out consume you, and when that happens, one person will inevitably leave.

"You tell me that you need me / Then you go and cut me down, but wait

You tell me that you're sorry / Didn't think I'd turn around and say

That it's too late to apologize, it's too late"

44. “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift

When a friend betrays you, sometimes there's no going back to the way things were before. Trust simply cannot be rebuilt.

"Did you have to do this? / I was thinking that you could be trusted

Did you have to ruin what was shining now it's all rusted

Did you have to hit me where / I'm weak, baby, I couldn't breathe

I rubbed it in so deep / Salt in the wound like you're laughing right at me"

45. “Backstabber” by Kesha

Betrayal doesn't always come in the form of lying or cheating; betrayal can mean talking about your friend behind their back.

"Girl (girl), you're such a backstabber (stabber) / You're such a backstabber

Run your mouth more than anyone I've ever known / And everybody knows it (and everybody knows it)"

46. “Call Me When You're Sober” by Evanescence

Addiction can plague a relationship and lead to lying. And that lying might mean the end of the relationship as you know it.

"Don't cry to me, if you loved me / You would be here with me

You want me, come find me / Make up your mind"

47. “Dogs” by Pink Floyd

You reap what you sow when you're a liar, and pretty soon, it will all come back to bite you.

"You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to / So that when they turn their backs on you

You'll get the chance to put the knife in / You gotta keep one eye looking over your shoulder

You know it's gonna get harder harder and harder as you get older"

48. “Gone” by Charli XCX & Christine and the Queens

In the music business, artists aren't immune to betrayal by their management. This song is also a reminder of the anxiety and loneliness that comes with this line of work.

"I am just now realizing, they don't care

I try real hard, but I'm caught up by my insecurities

Pour me one more, watch the ice melt in my fist"

49. “Positively 4th Street” by Bob Dylan

Betraying your friends is the ultimate disloyalty, and when you need your friend the most after treating them so poorly, don't expect them to help you.

"You've got a lotta nerve to say you are my friend / When I was down you just stood there grinnin'

You've got a lotta nerve to say you got a helping hand to lend / You just want to be on the side that's winnin'"

50. “All Out of Love” by Air Supply

A heartbreaking ballad, when you realize you've messed up and your relationship is over, most of the time it's too late to go back.

"I'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you / I know you were right believing for so long

I'm all out of love, what am I without you? / I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong"

51. "Enemy" by Sevendust

The road to success has its ups and downs, but if you screw others over just to get your way, you won't like how it ends.

"So when you fall to the ground / And finally get back to reality

No one at all is around

So tell me / How does it feel to be the enemy?"

52. "Cry" by Kelly Clarkson

It's okay to cry after getting your heart broken, but you're doing yourself a disservice by pretending everything is fine.

"If anyone asks, I'll tell them we just grew apart / What do I care if they believe me or not?

Whenever I feel your memory is breaking my heart

I'll pretend I'm okay with it all / Act like there's nothing wrong"

53. "Smile" by Lily Allen

In a song about an ex leaving and then dating another woman, only to be dumped by that woman, that grief can sometimes be turned into pure happiness.

"When you first left me / I didn't know what to say

I've never been on my own that way / Just sat by myself all day

I was so lost back then

But with a little help from my friends / I found the light in the tunnel at the end"

54. "Snuff" by Slipknot

When you're the one who is careless in your relationship, the best thing you can do for your partner is to let them go.

"So if you love me let me go / And run away before I know

My heart is just too dark to care / I can't destroy what isn't there"

55. "Unwanted" by Avril Lavigne

When you love someone, you don't ever think their family would reject you. But in this song, Avril sings about that exact scenario.

"You don't know me / Don't ignore me

You don't want me there / You just shut me out

You don't know me / Don't ignore me

If you had your way / You'd just shut me out / Make me go away"

56. "We Used to be Friends" by The Dandy Warhols

Leaving the past behind can sometimes cause nostalgia for the good old days. And that's especially true in the case of friendships that ended due to lying.

"A long time ago we used to be friends / But I haven't thought of you lately at all

If ever again a greeting I send to you / Short and sweet to the soul I intend"

57. "F.O.D." by Green Day

When people hide their true deceitful selves from you, when you finally discover their two-faced attitude, the only thing to do is confront them.

"Something's on my mind / It's been for quite some time

This time I'm on to you / So where's the other face"

58. "No Vaseline" by Ice Cube

When betrayal happens within a music group, there's no doubt the lyrics will be biting. Such is the case in this song, written about Ice Cube's former group, N.W.A.

"Goddamn I'm glad y'all set it off / Used to be hard now you're just wet and soft

First you was down with the AK / And now I see you on a video with Michel'le?

Lookin' like straight Bozos / I saw it comin' that's why I went solo"

59. "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles

While women will occasionally use their charms on men, they can also break your trust by having ulterior motives that aren't too hard to spot.

"You can't hide your lyin' eyes / And your smile is a thin disguise

I thought by now you'd realize / There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes"

60. "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

Thought to be about a man watching another man drown without saving him, Collins actually wrote this song about his divorce.

"Well, I was there and I saw what you did / I saw it with my own two eyes

So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been

It's all been a pack of lies"

61. "Heartless" by Kanye West

The end of a relationship is bad enough, but when you're betrayed by your ex's coldness, it's a whole other level of hurt.

"In the night I hear 'em talk / The coldest story ever told

Somewhere far along this road / He lost his soul to a woman so heartless

How could you be so heartless? / Oh, how could you be so heartless?"

62. "Caught Like a Fly" by Falling In Reverse

Being stabbed in the back by a friend not only makes you feel vulnerable, but like there's nobody else to turn to.

"So how did it feel? / When you held the knife

That you stuck right in my back / A thousand times"

63. "Betrayed" by Avenged Sevenfold

A tribute to Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, who was murdered by a deranged fan, this song is from the perspective of Dimebag, the murderer, and lead singer of Avenged Sevenfold, M. Shadows.

"A smoking gun in your hand, now don't you realize what you've done

Put a bullet in his back, your hero since you were so young

How could you kill the man who brought salvation through your pain

He must mean everything to end it all this shameful way"

64. "Norwegian Wood" by The Beatles

Lying can also come in the form of a change of plans. In this Beatles song, the narrator is invited over to a woman's house, only to be told as he waits that she wants to go to bed.

"I once had a girl / Or should I say she once had me

She showed me her room / Isn't it good Norwegian wood?"

65. "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" by Nancy Sinatra

Originally sung by Sonny Bono, this song is about a groom leaving his bride, and "shooting her down," or rejecting her and her love.

"Bang bang, he shot me down / Bang bang, I hit the ground

Bang bang, that awful sound / Bang bang, my baby shot me down"

66. "You Won't See Me" by The Beatles

When that feeling of being heartbroken over a relationship ending is in full force, you may reason with yourself that it's not actually the end.

"Time after time / You refuse to even listen

I wouldn't mind / If I knew what I was missing (no, I wouldn't, no, I wouldn't)"

67. "Liar" by Three Dog Night

It's hard to walk away from a friendship or relationship, even though you've been lied to.

"Hanging on anyway / Believing the things you say

Being the fool

You've taken my life / So take my soul

That's what you said / And I believed it all"

68. "Sociopath" by Nightcore

Would you be able to tell that you were in love with a sociopath? Probably not, and the fallout can lead to some pretty awful feelings.

Yeah I feel ashamed / Embarrassed with rage

So I bloody the rain on your pity parade

So cry, cry, cry / I don't need you in my life

69. "Such a Night" by Dr. John

From the perspective of "the other man," sometimes, you're overcome by a feeling and have to act on it, even though it's wrong.

"You came here with my best friend Jim

And here I am / Trying to steal you away from him

Oh, but If I don't do it somebody else will / If I don't do it, you know somebody else will"

70. "Backstreets" by Bruce Springsteen

A song about longing for the days when he was close with his friend, broken trust in a friendship is just as hurtful.

"At night sometimes it seemed / You could hear the whole damn city crying

Blame it on the lies that killed us / Blame it on the truth that ran us down"

71. "Old Friends 4 Sale" by Prince

There's nothing more heartbreaking than having your partner cheat on you with one of your family members.

Tears fall gently in my garden / As I wait in vain for my sweet baby to call

I guess what my own brother told me was true / He had been with my sweet baby and she never really loved me at all"

72. "Cornflake Girl" by Tori Amos

In a 1994 interview, Amos explained that the song was written about a woman's disillusionment at going from one way of thinking to another, and can be applied to betrayal in relationships as well.

"She's gone to the other side / Giving us a yo-heave-ho

Things are getting kind of gross / And I go at sleepy time"

73. "Babooshka" by Kate Bush

Trying to set up your lover to check if they are lying can sometimes backfire. It's best to just confront them head-on.

"She wanted to test her husband / She knew exactly what to do

A pseudonym / To fool him

She couldn't have made a worse move"

74. "Heart of Glass" by Blondie

When a relationship is plagued by mistrust and deception, the illusion breaking down is just as shocking.

Soon found out I was losing my mind

It seemed like the real thing but I was so blind / Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind"

75. "Regret" by Fiona Apple

When you're at the end of your rope and fed up with the BS, you might regret loving this person in the first place.

"'Member when we argued on the concept of regret? / You were an expert even then but not me, not yet

Now all you gotta do's remind me that we met / And there ya got me, that's how you got me, taught me to regret"

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Tamara Sanon is a writer with a passion for covering topics about health and wellness, lifestyle, astrology, and relationships.

75 Songs About Betrayal And Broken Trust