The well-nigh popular breakup song from the twelvemonth you were born

ariana grande

Ariana Grande channels her emotions into her performances.
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  • Breakup anthems have been topping the Billboard Hot 100 for decades.
  • This includes tracks similar Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and Ariana Grande's "Problem."
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

There are peachy songs about being in dear, merely there are only as many hit songs that discuss breakups.

We looked at Billboard's listing of the highest-charting songs from every year since 1950 and establish the top breakup song from that time.

This includes Adele'due south powerhouse track "Rolling in the Deep," Roxette'south "It Must Take Been Love," and Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man."

Go along reading to run into which breakup song dominated the charts in the twelvemonth you were born.

1950: "I"ll Never Be Costless"— Tennessee Ernie Ford and Kay Starr

Tennessee Ernie Ford circa 1950.
Pictorial Parade/Moviepix/Getty Images

"I"ll Never Be Free" centers on a homo who nonetheless longs for his ex, stating that "no one tin take your place." You can mind to the track hither.

1951: "Rose, Rose I Dear Yous" — Frankie Laine

Frankie Laine performing in Las Vegas, Nevada.
George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images

Laine sings about ending a relationship with a lover and parting ways in "Rose, Rose I Beloved You." Listen to the song here.

1952: "Cry" — Johnnie Ray

Johnny Ray at the Copacabana Night Order circa 1950.
Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Moving-picture show Collection via Getty Images

Ray sings about crying "if your heartaches seem to hang around as well long" in this hit track. You lot tin listen to "Cry" hither.

1953: "Apr in Portugal" — Les Baxter

Les Baxter circa 1970.
Michael Ochs Athenaeum/Getty Images

Baxter sings about the stop of a romance in "April in Portugal," a hit vocal that was also covered by other artists. Mind to the rails here.

1954: "Wanted" — Perry Como

Perry Como in 1943.
CBS via Getty Images

Como sings about a lover who he trusted, merely "gave no alarm / Nosotros'd ever office" in "Wanted." Mind to the song here.

1955: "Ain't That a Shame" — Pat Boone

Pat Boone singing in a recording studio in the 1950s.
Mondadori via Getty Images

Boone calls out an ex who "made me cry / When y'all said bye" in "Ain't That a Shame." Listen to the track hither.

1956: "Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was known every bit the "Rex of Rock and Gyre."
AP

Presley sings about being "so lonely, I could die," in "Heartbreak Hotel." Y'all tin listen to the vocal here.

1957: "Love Letters in the Sand" — Pat Boone

Pat Boone in 1956.
AP

In "Honey Letters in the Sand," Boone sings most heartache with lyrics like: "Now my broken center aches / With every moving ridge that breaks / Over love messages in the sand." Listen to the track here.

1958: "I Beg of You" — Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley at the New Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.
AP

Presley asks a girl to "be careful" and avoid breaking his heart in "I Beg of You." Heed to the song hither.

1959: "Donna" — Ritchie Valens

Ritchie Valens in 1958.
AP

Valens says that he's "never been the same" since a woman named Donna in the striking song. Listen to "Donna" here.

1960: "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" — Connie Francis

Connie Francis in 1965.
AP

In  "Everybody's Somebody'due south Fool," Francis sings about constantly going back to someone who doesn't "care how many tears I cry." Mind to the vocal hither.

1961: "I Fall to Pieces" — Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline circa 1950.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Cline sings well-nigh feeling heartbreak while seeing an ex in "I Fall to Pieces." Heed to the song here.

1962: "I Tin can't Stop Loving You" — Ray Charles

Ray Charles was known as "The Genius."
Kevork Djansezian/AP

Charles sings about living "in memory of the lonesome times" and reminiscing nigh the "happy hours" he shared with a lover in "I Tin't Terminate Loving You lot." You lot can listen to the rail here.

1963: "The Stop of the World" — Skeeter Davis

Skeeter Davis performing in 1970.
Harold Barkley/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Davis sings about the aftermath of a breakup in this hit song from the '60s. Heed to "The End of the Earth" here.

1964: "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" — Gale Garnett

Gale Garnett performing in 1964.
Walt Disney Television set via Getty Images Photograph Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

In "We'll Sing in the Sunshine," Garnett tells someone that they'll sing and "laugh every 24-hour interval," but then she'll get out and "be on my manner." She also warns that they'll but exist together one yr, and the person shouldn't "cling" to her.  Listen to the runway here.

1965: "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" — The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield of The Righteous Brothers.
Gems/Redferns

"You lot've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" details a couple on the brink of a breakup with lyrics like "You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips / And in that location's no tenderness like before in your fingertips." Listen to the vocal here.

1966: "Y'all're My Soul and Inspiration" — The Righteous Brothers

The Righteous Brothers performing in 1964.
Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photograph Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Imagess

In this runway, the principal character begs a daughter not to walk away because "you're my soul and my heart'south inspiration" and he "never had much goin'" without her. Listen to "You lot're My Soul and Inspiration" here.

1967: "Come up Dorsum When You Grow Upwardly" — Bobby Vee and The Strangers

Bobby Vee circa 1970.
Michael Ochs Athenaeum/Getty Images

The song centers on a man telling a girl with" wide-eyed innocence" to return to him once she matures. You tin can heed to it here.

1968: "Love Is Blue" — Paul Mauriat

Paul Mauriat circa 1970.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

In "Dearest Is Bluish," Mauriat says that his eye has become cold and his optics are red after the "honey died" between him and a lover. Heed to the song here.

1969: "(It Looks Like) I'll Never Autumn in Love Over again" — Tom Jones

Tom Jones performing in 1976.
Eustache Cardena/AP

In "(It Looks Like) I'll Never Fall in Love Once more," Jones sings about a lover who "treated me and so incorrect" and was found in the arms of someone else. Listen to information technology here.

1970: "Ring of Aureate" — Freda Payne

Freda Payne in 1994.
Chrystyna Czajkowsky/AP

Payne details the end of a relationship in "Band of Gilded," which was released as role of her 3rd studio anthology of the same name. Listen to the song here.

1971: "Get Abroad Petty Girl" — Donny Osmond

Donny Osmond performing in May 2001.
Paul Warner/AP

Osmond'southward comprehend of "Go Away Little Girl" in which he begs a girl to stay away from him because he belongs "to somebody else and I must be truthful," peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1971. Listen to the vocal here.

1972: "Lone Again (Naturally)" — Gilbert O'Sullivan

Gilbert O'Sullivan performing in 1972.
Michael Putland/Getty Images

O'Sullivan's rail begins with a man contemplating suicide after existence stood up at the altar on his hymeneals solar day. As the song progresses, the person expresses loneliness not just considering of the breakup, but considering of the deaths of his parents. You can listen to the song here.

1973: "You're And so Vain" — Carly Simon

Carly Simon performing in 2017.
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Simon calls out a egotistic person in her hit track "Y'all're So Vain." In the years since the song was released, people speculated about who served as the inspiration for "Y'all're So Vain." Simon has said in interviews that the 2nd verse of the song is nigh Warren Beatty, and there are two other men who the track also refers to.

Listen to "You're So Vain" here.

1974: "The Way We Were" — Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand at the 2019 Oscars.
Getty Images/Kevin Winter

"The Fashion We Were" is from Streisand's 15th studio album of the same name. The rail was besides included in the 1973 moving picture "The Mode We Were," which starred Streisand and Robert Redford equally two characters who fell in love and later broke up.

Listen to the song here.

1975: "Before the Side by side Teardrop Falls" — Freddy Fender

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999.
Chris Pizzello/AP

Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" peaked at No. ane on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975 and sold one 1000000 copies. Listen to the breakup song hither.

1976: "Osculation and Say Goodbye" — The Manhattans

The Manhattans in the music video for "Kiss and Say Goodbye."
TheManhattansVEVO/YouTube

"Kiss and Say Goodbye" peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent two weeks at the meridian spot. Listen to the song here.

1977: "Easy" — Commodores

The track was written by Lionel Richie.
CommodroesVEVO/YouTube

"Easy" is a breakdown song from the group'due south self-titled fifth album. The group sings about leaving a girl the side by side day, afterwards doing "all I can." Listen to "Easy" hither.

1978: "Baby Come Back" — Actor

Bated from being part of the band, Ronn Moss is also an actor.
Aijaz Rahi/AP

Rock band Histrion sings nigh hoping to reconcile with an ex in this hit song from their debut album, which was released in 1977. Heed to the song here.

1979: "I Will Survive" — Gloria Gaynor

Gloria Gaynor in 2002.
Kevin Winter/ABC/ImageDirect

Gaynor's "I Will Survive" is the ultimate postal service-breakup, empowering song. In the track, Gaynor sings about finding the strength to "mend the pieces of my cleaved heart."

Mind to the disco vocal here.

1980: "Working My Way Back to You" — The Spinners

John Edwards, Bobby Smith, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, and Billy Henderson of The Spinners.
Marty Lederhandler/AP

In this feel-practiced vocal, The Spinners sing most finding their fashion back to their ex after breaking up. Listen to "Working My Fashion Back to You" here.

1981: "Existence With You" — Smokey Robinson

Robinson is an honour-winning musician.
Paul Morigi/Stringer/Getty Images

Robinson begs his lover not to break his heart and cease things in "Being With You." Mind to the striking song here.

1982: "Tainted Love" — Soft Prison cell

Marc Almond of Soft Prison cell.
Ian Gavan/Getty Images)=

Soft Jail cell'due south "Tainted Love" is actually a embrace of Gloria Jones' rails. The duo's version peaked at No. viii on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982. Listen to the vocal here.

1983: "Every Breath You Have"— Sting and The Police

Sting says the song is about being obsessed and jealous.
Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

"Every Breath You lot Accept" earned Sting and The Police two Grammys in 1984 — song of the year and best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal.

Sting wrote the song after splitting with Frances Tomelty and has referred to the song as "very sinister and ugly" in previous interviews.

Listen to the song here.

1984: "Confronting All Odds (Accept a Look at Me At present)" — Phil Collins

Collins is likewise a Gold Globes winner.
Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images

Phil Collins sings nigh heartbreak in this Grammy-winning song. Heed to "Take a Look at Me Now" here.

1985: "Careless Whisper" — Wham! featuring George Michael

Andy Ridgeley and George Michael.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images

"Careless Whisper" was one of the virtually popular breakdown songs in the '80s — and the song still lives on in movies like "Deadpool."

Heed to the striking song hither.

1986: "I Miss You" — Klymaxx

Joyce Irby of Klymaxx.
Frederick 1000. Chocolate-brown/Getty Images

Girl group Klymaxx had the biggest breakup song of 1986 with "I Miss Yous," from their fourth anthology.

The group sings about the difficulty in moving on from a carve up with lyrics like: "All the feelings that nosotros used to share / I refused to believe / That you don't care"

Spotter the music video here.

1987: "Here I Go Again" — Whitesnake

Whitesnake performing in November 2008.
Petros Karadjias/AP

"Here I Go Over again" peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is one of their most popular tracks. In the song, lead vocalist David Coverdale sings almost being independent following a breakup.

Listen to the song here.

1988: "Could've Been" — Tiffany

Tiffany performing on "Good Morning America" in 2011.
Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Pop vocalist Tiffany released this hitting song in 1987 and it peaked at No. ane on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988. Listen to the breakdown song hither.

1989: "Look Away" — Chicago

Lou Pardini, Keith Howland, Walfredo Reyes Jr, James Pankow, Ray Herrmann, Tris Imboden, Lee Loughnane, Jeff Coffey, and Robert Lamm of Chicago performing in California in 2017.
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Rock group Chicago sings well-nigh the aftermath of a breakup and trying to motility on from the relationship. Sentry the official music video for "Look Away" here.

1990: "It Must Have Been Love" — Roxette

"It Must Have Been Love" started out as Christmas song.
Hermann J. Knippertz/AP

You probably remember this hit breakup song from the movie "Pretty Woman," which starred Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Listen to the song here.

1991: "I Don't Wanna Cry" — Mariah Carey

Carey has released more than than ten albums.
Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

In "I Don't Wanna Cry," Carey sings about a toxic relationship that she tin no longer comport to exist in considering "it hurts too much to stay around."

Picket the official music video here.

1992: "Terminate of the Route" — Boyz II Men

The song earned them a Grammy for best R&B performance by a duo or group with song.
BoyzIIMenVEVO/YouTube

The boyband was known for their smooth tracks about love, and "Finish of the Route" is one of their most successful tracks. In the song, Boyz II Men harmonize nigh a breakup that is so painful that they "break downward and weep."

Watch the music video hither.

1993: "I Will Always Love You" — Whitney Houston

"I Will Always Love You lot" was originally written and released past Dolly Parton.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Hoston'southward powerhouse ballad "I Will Always Dearest You" took the No. one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993. The song also earned Grammys for tape of the year and best female person popular vocal performance.

Listen to the vocal here.

1994: "Stay (I Missed Y'all)" — Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories

Loeb performing in Los Angeles in 2013.
Katy Winn/Invision/AP

This breakup song sold more than 500,000 copies and the music video was directed by Ethan Hawke.

"It was a story virtually a breakup I was going through, and that situation where it'due south gotten into your head besides much," Loeb said during an interview. "Partially because somebody else is telling you that you're merely hearing what yous want to, and that puts yous in a little scrap of a tailspin."

Listen to the song hither.

1995: "Take a Bow" — Madonna

The track is from her "Bedtime Stories" anthology.
Barry Sugariness/Getty Images

In "Take a Bow," Madonna says adieu to a lover who took her dear "for granted" and bankrupt her heart. Listen to the song hither.

1996: "Give Me One Reason" — Tracy Chapman

Chapman performing in Switzerland in 2006.
Martial Trezzini/AP/KEYSTONE

In "Give Me I Reason," Chapman sings well-nigh a relationship reaching its finish. With her lyrics, she challenges a lover to make an argument for why she should remain in the relationship, rather than walk away.

Listen to the song here.

1997: "Foolish Games" — Jewel

Jewel had several hits in the '90s.
Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Fortune

Gem belts out lyrics nearly a "thoughtless" young man in her chart-topping song "Foolish Games."

Lyrics similar "In case y'all failed to see / This is my heart bleeding before yous" convey true heartbreak.

"I think the adult female is looking at herself saying, 'Why am I involved in a relationship where I'g selling myself so brusque?'" Jewel told Rolling Stone.

Watch the music video here.

1998: "How's It Going to Be" — Third Eye Bullheaded

Stephan Jenkins of 3rd Eye Bullheaded performing in 2014.
Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP

"How's It Going to Be" is a pre-breakdown song, in which the vocalizer thinks about what will happen when a couple eventually splits.

According to Jenkins, it's about "looking at someone you're now close to, but realizing someday you're simply going to be acquaintances."

Listen to the song here.

1999: "Believe" — Cher

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Cher'due south auto-tuned "Believe" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1999 and won a Grammy for best dance recording.

In the vocal, Cher says: "And then sad that y'all're leaving / Takes time to believe it / But after all is said and done / You're going to exist the lonely i."

Listen to the hit breakup song here.

2000: "In that location You Go" — Pinkish

Pink in the music video for "There Yous Go."
PinkVideoVault/YouTube

Pink calls out a "pitiful" ex in "There You Get."

"And I know that all you are doing is running your mind games," she sings. "Do not y'all know my game beats these games?"

Watch the music video for the song here.

2001: "Again" — Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz won the Grammy for best male stone vocal performance four years in a row from 1999 to 2002
Arthur Mola/Invision/AP

Kravitz contemplates whether or not he'll anytime reconcile with an ex in "Once more." Aside from peaking at No. four on the Billboard Hot 100, the track too won a Grammy for all-time male rock vocal performance in 2001.

Sentinel the music video for "Once again" here.

2002: "Foolish" — Ashanti

Ashanti on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in 2002.
Kevin Winter/ImageDirect

In "Foolish," Ashanti belts out lyrics nearly a rocky relationship: "Babe why you hurt me leave me and desert me? / Boy, I gave yous all my heart and all you exercise is tear it up."

Watch the music video for "Foolish" here.

2003: "Miss Yous" — Aaliyah

Aaliyah performing on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in 2001.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

In "Miss Y'all," Aaliyah sings about an ex who left her afterward high schoolhouse, leaving her lost. The breakup song peaked at No. iii on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lookout the music video for "Miss You" here.

2004: "Burn down" — Conductor

Singer Conductor performs during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada
Thomson Reuters

"Burn" is featured on Usher's quaternary studio album, "Confessions." In the ballad, Usher sings about a failed human relationship and proclaims his dearest for his ex.

"I know I made a mistake, at present it's also belatedly," Usher says. "I know she ain't coming back."

Sentinel the music video for "Burn" here.

2005: "Nosotros Belong Together" — Mariah Carey

The rail is from her 10th studio album.
Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

In 2005, Carey'south hit song earned her three Billboard Music Awards — hot 100 song of the year, rhythmic height twoscore championship of the twelvemonth, and hot 100 airplay of the year. Watch the official music video here.

2006: "So Sick" — Ne-Yo

Ne-Yo is a estimate on NBC's "World of Trip the light fantastic."
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

In 2000, Ne-Yo was nominated for an American Music Laurels for favorite R&B/soul male artist. Watch the music video for "So Ill" here.

2007: "Irreplaceable" — Beyoncé

Beyoncé performing at the Coachella in April 2018.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella

In "Irreplaceable," Beyoncé spreads her message of female empowerment and reminds an unfaithful lover that she tin practise better. The song appears on her second anthology, "B'24-hour interval" and won a Grammy for tape of the year.

Scout the official music video hither.

2008: "Repent" — Timbaland featuring OneRepublic

The song was nominated for a Grammy for best popular performance by a duo or group with vocals.
Christopher Polk/Getty Images

"Apologize" was written by OneRepublic'due south Ryan Tedder, and is part of the band's first studio album, "Dreaming Out Loud."

"At that place were a number of unlike experiences that I went through that I guess yous could say inspired information technology," Tedder said during an interview. "That vocal was specifically about three or four of the failed relationships I had had in high school and college."

2009: "Heartless" — Kanye West

West has been nominated for more 60 Grammys throughout his career.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

"Heartless" is from West'southward fourth studio album, "808s & Heartbreak." Watch the music video for the chart-topping song here.

2010: "Demand You Now" — Lady Antebellum

Lady Antebellum at the CMA Awards in 2015.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Lady Antebellum's song peaked at No. ii on the Billboard Hot 100 nautical chart in 2010 and earned them a Grammy for record of the twelvemonth.

"The 3 of us have been there, also," Dave Haywood told The Boot. "I mean, we've been in serious relationships and when you lot go out of that, all y'all want is that person next to you lot."

Watch the official music video here.

2011: "Rolling in the Deep" — Adele

Adele in the music video for "Rolling in the Deep."
Adele/YouTube

Adele connected to show off her powerhouse vocals with this track from her second album, "21."

"It was my reaction to existence told that my life was going to be boring and lonely and rubbish, and that I was a weak person if I didn't stay in a relationship," Adele said. "I was very insulted and wrote that as a sort of 'F--- you.'"

Scout the music video here.

2012: "Somebody That I Used to Know" — Gotye featuring Kimbra

Gotye and Kimbra won several awards at the 2013 Grammys, including record of the year.
AP

This hit song from Gotye and Kimbra draws from several relationships, rather than a single one that brutal autonomously.

"I've had a few breakups over the years of course, but information technology'due south more the retentivity of dissimilar relationships and dissimilar points in those relationships that prompted certain images and certain lines that came out in the song," Gotye said during an interview with MetroLyrics.  "And then those memories were kind of stretched out and embellished and in that location were elements of fiction added, then it's really a drove of things."

Scout the official music video here.

2013: "When I Was Your Man" — Bruno Mars

The song appears on Mars' "Unorthodox Jukebox" album.
Ethan Miller / Getty Images

"When I Was Your Man" is one of the slower ballads featured on his second album. Speaking to MTV News, Mars explained that he channeled real heartbreak to create the hitting song.

"This song is about a special woman that I allow slip away at one time," he said. "Information technology's a happy ending though ... I put everything I got into that one."

Watch the official music video here.

2014: "Problem" — Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea

The song also won an MTV Video Music Award for best popular video.
Ariana Grande/YouTube

Grande continued to dominate pop music with "Problem," from her 2d anthology, "My Everything." In the vocal, she belts out lyrics about feeling conflicted over a relationship, but as well realizing that she's better off without that person.

Lookout the music video for "Problem" hither.

2015: "Where Are U Now" — Skrillex and Diplo featuring Justin Bieber

Diplo, Skrillex, and Justin Bieber won an American Music Accolade for their collaboration in 2015.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Bieber actually created a version of this vocal more than v years agone. At the time, he said it was inspired by his begetter. Simply the most contempo version has modified lyrics, leading fans to think "Where Are U Now" is nigh a romantic relationship.

Watch the music video here.

2016: "Love Yourself" — Justin Bieber

The song is part of Bieber's "Purpose" album.
Mike Windle/Getty Images

In 2016, Bieber'southward "Dear Yourself" was a nautical chart-topper. The song was co-written by Ed Sheeran and appears on his 4th studio album. Sentinel the music video here.

2017: "Attention" — Charlie Puth

The track is from is "Voicenotes" album.
Paras Griffin/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

"Attending" is a difference from Charlie Puth's previously released, piano-driven songs. Speaking to Billboard, Puth said that he "didn't feel like an artist" until "Attention" was released.

"Information technology's southward----talking," he said. "It's a hateful vocal."

Sentry the official music video here.

2018: "New Rules" — Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa is a Grammy-winning singer.
Rich Fury/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Dua Lipa's postal service-breakup anthem filled with tips to avert itch back to an ex was a chart-topper in 2018.

"They're non necessarily rules I've been able to stick past," Lipa told NPR in 2017. "But [they're] rules that I feel similar it'south important to exist able to tell yourself, to tell your friends ... There'south a reason people break up, and it's probably the same reason why y'all shouldn't get back together."

Watch the music video, which has ii billion views on YouTube, here.

2019: "Without Me" — Halsey

Halsey during the European MTV Awards in Seville, Spain in 2019.
Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP

"'Without Me'" started equally a breakup record," Halsey told iHeartRadio. "As I started diving deeper into my feelings and started playing the record for people, information technology even inverse after I'd already made it."

The vocalizer went on to say that the vocal expanded beyond being a breakup track, and can also apply to "relationships and friendships.

Sentinel the music video for "Without Me" hither.

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