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This song goes out to my heartbroken friends.
By Destiny Duprey — Written on Feb 20, 2021
There's a certain feel to the way we listen to songs about cheating, whether the subject of the song has been cheated on or is doing the two-timing.
Not everyone is unfaithful, but music about cheaters and being cheated on can make you feel less alone as you're second-guessing your personal situation.
That's the power of music — it allows us to walk in the shoes of the artist and experience their deepest, most vulnerable life lessons.
These songs deeply resonate with us. Not only is each one iconic in its own right, but they do more than just entertain; they could help someone who is experiencing a painful situation.
40 Songs About Cheating
1. "Unfaithful" by Rihanna
While many cheaters don't feel remorse for cheating on their partner, this song by Rihanna is about a woman doing just that. And because she's hurting her partner so much, she isn't sure if she wants to carry on with the affair.
And I know that he knows I'm unfaithful /And it kills him inside
To know that I am happy with some other guy /I can see him dying
2. "You Know I'm No Good" by Amy Winehouse
A sultry song serves as a warning against cheating and the end result. A woman sends her boyfriend away for the day to spend time with her lover, and finds pain in the end that she predicted she would find.
Upstairs in bed with my ex-boy / He's in a place, but I can't get joy
Thinking on you in the final throes / This is when my buzzer goes
3. "Long Black Veil" by Johnny Cash
You can't have a list of songs about cheating without a country ballad. In this song by Johnny Cash, a man is thought to be a murderer and hanged for "his crime." His alibi is that he was sleeping with his best friend's wife, but he knows he cannot tell the truth, so he lets himself die.
The judge said, 'Son, what is your alibi / If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die'
I spoke not a word, thou it meant my life / For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
4. "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder
A man's lover calls him while he's with his girlfriend. And while he loves his girlfriend, he cannot bear to let go of his lover and her "lips of an angel."
It's funny that you're calling me tonight / And, yes, I've dreamt of you, too
And does he know you're talking to me? Will it start a fight?
No, I don't think she has a clue
5. "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy
If you grew up in the early 2000s, you'll remember this song. A man is caught cheating on his girlfriend and goes to a friend for guidance. His friends suggests he tells his girlfriend it wasn't him, because that's how you get out of this sort of thing, right?
Honey came in and she caught me red-handed / Creeping with the girl next door
Picture this we were both butt naked / Banging on the bathroom floor
How could I forget that I had given her an extra key?
All this time she was standing there she never took her eyes off me
6. "Messing Around" by Pitbull
In this song, a man reveals that he has been "messing around" with multiple different women while in a relationship. It's a catchy tune where the narrator is proud of his infidelity.
I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who / Heard it from another you been messin' around
I'm hoping that your friend, too, told you about me, too / 'Cause I'mma tell you straight up, I been messin' around
7. "Call Your Girlfriend" by Robyn
Emotional and powerful, in this song, Robyn encourages her lover to break up with his girlfriend, confident that her relationship with her lover will be much better.
Call your girlfriend / It's time you had the talk
Give your reasons / Say it's not her fault
But you just met somebody new
8. "She Don't Have To Know" by John Legend
Legend sings about a man figuring out how to see his lover without his girlfriend finding out. And while he's remorseful, he also struggles with letting his lover go.
But you / I know you got a little secret of your own
You sneaking out with me while your man's at home
You know you're wrong / But it's so strong, still carrying on
9. "Confessions Part II" by Usher
A man's life comes crumbling down as he tells his girlfriend how he found out his side chick is pregnant, but doesn't want to lose his girlfriend. The song plays out as the narrator talks to his girlfriend, hoping she will still stay with him.
These are my confessions / Just when I thought I said all I could say
My chick on the side said she got one on the way
These are my confessions / Man, I'm throwed and I don't know what to do
I guess I gotta give part two of my confessions
10. "Human" by The Human League
Pleading with their partner to forgive them, the narrator says they never meant to hurt them. They are only "human," after all.
I wouldn't ever try to hurt you / I just needed someone to hold me
To fill the void while you were gone / To fill this space of emptiness
11. "The Other Woman" by Ray Parker Jr.
While this man is in a relationship with a woman, he ends up falling for his one-night stand. He tells of how his life was fine before the other woman, but so much better after meeting her.
I'm just an average guy / I fooled around a little on the side
Never thought it would amount to much / Never met a girl whose love was so tough
Who'd thought a one-night stand / Would turn into such a hot romance?
12. "Second Chance" by 38 Special
A song about wanting your relationship back after cheating, the man in this song pleads for forgiveness. But as he hopes for a second chance, he's unsure of how to let her go and accept his own actions.
All I made was one mistake / How much more will I have to pay
Why can't you think it over / Why can't you forget about the past
13. "(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" by Luther Ingram
A married man with kids falls in love with a woman who isn't in his wife and doesn't want to let her go. He knows what he's doing is wrong, but wants to keep up their affair.
Your friends tell you it's no future / In loving a married man
If I can't see you when I want to / I'll see you when I can
If loving you is wrong, I don't wanna be right
14. "We'll Sweep Out the Ashes in the Morning" by Gram Parsons
Lovers in relationships agree again and again to end their affair but also end up seeing each other again. They always agree it will be the last time, but this song leads you to believe it will happen again.
We're two people caught up in the flame that has to die out soon
I didn't mean to start this fire and neither did you
So tonight when you hold me tight we'll let the fire burn on
And we'll sweep out the ashes in the morning
15. "Last Time" by Trey Songz
Trey Songz tells his lover this has to be the last time he sees her. He's remorseful as he knows the truth would hurt his girlfriend, and his lover deserves better.
Your love is so, so serious / Girl you keep me comin' back that is
I be with her thinkin' of you / I be with you thinkin' of her
16. "Borrowed" by LeAnn Rimes
Reflecting on her real-life drama, LeAnn Rimes sings about her and her current partners' infidelity.
I know you're not mine, only borrowed / 'Cause you already belong to her, at least you said so
But I'm starting to believe it ain't the whole truth / 'Cause when we're lying side by side, I get the whole you
17. "How Long" by Charlie Puth
When his girlfriend finds out about his cheating, she asks him for the truth. But he gives excuses and she doesn't accept them.
How long has this been goin' on? You been creepin' 'round on me
While you're callin' me 'baby' / How long has this been goin' on?
You've been actin' so shady (shady) / I've been feelin' it lately, baby
18. "This Kiss" by Carly Rae Jepsen
Sometimes, a person might find someone who is too desirable to resist, even though they're taken. In this case, neither party resists the urge nor do they show any remorse.
And she's a real sweet girl / And you know I got a boy
Details we both forgot to mention (forgot to mention)
19. "John, I'm Only Dancing" by David Bowie
When a man dances with a woman, he tells her boyfriend that dancing doesn't mean anything. But the song is ambiguous, hinting that something happens between the narrator and man later on.
But I'm only dancing / She turns me on
But don't get me wrong / I'm only dancing
20. "I'm Not The Only One" by Sam Smith
Inspired by real-life events, Smith mourns their relationship where their partner is cheating. Their partner calls them "crazy" and tries to gaslight, but Smith knows they aren't the only one in their partner's life.
You say I'm crazy / 'Cause you don't think I know what you've done
But when you call me baby / I know I'm not the only one
21. "Wake Up Call" by Maroon 5
An upbeat tune hides such a darker meaning, as a man gets tired of his girlfriend's infidelity. Upon finding her in bed with him again, he kills her lover.
Wake up call / Caught you in the morning with another one in my bed
Don't you care about me anymore? Don't you care about me?
I don't think so
22. "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood
Before your man cheats, take a note out of Carrie Underwood's rule book and ruin his car. He won't be seeing her anytime soon, that's for sure.
I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive / Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights / I slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats
23. "Don't Bother" by Shakira
In this song by Shakira, she knows her partner (now ex) is cheating. But she reminds her ex that she can move on without him, and doesn't need him to show any sympathy for his actions.
And don't bother / I'll be fine, but she's waiting
And the ring you gave to her will lose its shine / So don't bother, be unkind
24. "Cry Me A River" by Justin Timberlake
Rumored to be a song about his ex Britney Spears, Timberlake sings about the lack of remorse he feels towards his cheating partner. Instead of feeling sorry for her, he tells her to "cry me a river."
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?
25. "Creep" by TLC
After being together for a long time, a woman follows her boyfriend to find out if her suspicions of him cheating are correct.
So I creep, yeah, just creepin' on / On the down low, 'cept nobody is supposed to know
So I creep yeah, 'cause he doesn't know what I do / And no attention goes to show, oh
26. "Jolene" by Dolly Parton
Parton pleads with another woman to not take her man. She wants to keep him but knows he would leave her without a second thought.
He talks about you in his sleep / And there's nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name / Jolene
27. "Ring The Alarm" by Beyoncé
A woman is angry at her boyfriend who she suspects is cheating on her. This is the last straw and she throws him out, wanting to let him go once and for all.
People told me 'bout the flames / I couldn't see through the smoke
When I need answers, accusations / What you mean you gone choke?
28. "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye
In some cases, rumors about cheating turn out to be true. Gaye tells his cheating partner that he's found out about her infidelity, wondering why she would want to hurt him as he was so in love with her.
Ooh, I bet you're wonderin' how I knew / 'Bout your plans to make me blue
With some other guy you knew before / Between the two of us guys you know I love you more
29. "I Should've Cheated" by Keyshia Cole
When you keep getting accused of cheating even though you're faithful, you may start to wish you had cheated. That's what Cole sings about, realizing her guy has cheated but refusing to accuse him the way he accused her.
I might as well have cheated on you (You) / As much as you accused me of cheatin'
I might as well have lied to you / As much as you accused me of lyin'
I might as well have gone to the club / As much as you accused me of clubbin'
I might as well have given away my love / As much as you accused me, I should have cheated
30. "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child
Sometimes, suspicious behavior is an indicator of cheating. This song is about thinking your partner is cheating based on how they talk on the phone, and how they can't say your name because they are with someone else.
Say my name, say my name / If no one is around you
Say baby I love you / If you ain't runnin' game
Say my name, say my name / You actin' kinda shady
Ain't callin' me baby / Why the sudden change?
31. "One Last Time" by Ariana Grande
In this song, Grande rationalizes being with a man who is in a relationship, just one last time. She wants to be in his arms, even though she knows it's wrong and he will have to leave her behind.
So one last time / I need to be the one who takes you home
One more time / I promise after that, I'll let you go
Baby, I don't care if you got her in your heart / All I really care is you wake up in my arms
32. "Irreplaceable" by Beyoncé
In this power anthem of knowing your worth, a woman kicks out her boyfriend after finding out she was cheated on. She tells him he's replaceable and shouldn't have strayed if he wanted to stay with her.
You must not know 'bout me / You must not know 'bout me
I'll have another you by tomorrow / So don't you ever for a second
Get to thinking you're irreplaceable
33. "It's Not Right But It's Okay" by Whitney Houston
When Whitney Houston finds out her boyfriend cheated, she kicks him out, telling him she will be just fine without him. She recalls all instances where she realized he was cheating, and was prepared to let him go in the end.
It's not right / But it's okay
I'm gonna make it anyway / Pack your bags up and leave
Don't you dare come running back to me
34. "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan
After finding out her significant other cheated, a woman wants to make him feel the way she does, so she smashes his car. She thinks about how he still won't hurt the way she is, but decides that it's payback enough.
You see you can't just play with people's feelings / Tell them you love them and don't mean it
You'll probably say that it was juvenile / But I think that I deserve to smile
35. "Beautiful Liar" by Beyoncé and Shakira
Beyoncé and Shakira sing about both being cheated on, rationalizing that they should move on and there's no use going back to their "beautiful liar."
I trusted him, but when I followed you / I saw you together
I didn't know about you then 'til I saw you with him again / I walked in on your love scene
Slow dancing / You stole everything, how could you say I did you wrong?
36. "Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" by Panic! At The Disco
A man is bitter after finding out his girlfriend has cheated on him. He contemplates if it was worth it for her, thinking about he wants her actions to ruin all the fun she will have with her lover.
Is it still me that makes you sweat? Am I who you think about in bed
When the lights are dim and your hands are shaking / As you're sliding off your dress?
Then think of what you did / And how I hope to God he was worth it
When the lights are dim and your heart is racing / As your fingers touch his skin
37. "Babe" by Sugarland
When a woman is brokenhearted after finding out her husband cheated, she prepares to leave him. She sings about how their vows were the "sweetest promise [he] should have never made," and how he blew his chance.
Since you admitted it, I keep picturing / Her lips on your neck, I can't unsee it
I hate that because of you, I can't love you
38. "Revenge" by P!nk feat. Eminem
A fun, lighthearted song about being mad and wanting revenge on a significant other, Pink thinks about how, rather than taking the subtle route, she will make him hurt, "eye for an eye" style.
I'm daydreaming (I'm daydreaming) / Let me count the ways (let me count the ways)
How I'll get you (I'll get you) / Or how I'll make you pay (you pay)
Babe, I'm hurtin' (I'm hurtin') / And now you'll feel the same (feel the same)
That's my plan
39. "Sorry" by Beyoncé
Will we ever know if Jay-Z ever really cheated? Queen B has had enough of her cheating partner and isn't sorry about it.
Looking at my watch, he shoulda been home / Today I regret the night I put that ring on
He always got them f***ing excuses / I pray to the Lord you reveal what his truth is
I left a note in the hallway / By the time you read it, I'll be far away
40. "Without Me" by Halsey
Pain is common at the end of a relationship. In this song, Halsey reflects on her past relationship with a man who took advantage of her to get ahead. Reportedly, this song was about G-Eazy cheating on Halsey.
I said I'd catch you if you fall / And if they laugh, then f*** 'em all
And then I got you off your knees / Put you right back on your feet
Just so you could take advantage of me
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Destiny Duprey is a writer who covers music, love and relationships, and astrology topics.