20 Songs About Moving On And Letting Go Of An Ex
At one point in our lives, many of us go through a breakup from a deep relationship. Sometimes that relationship may never be revived so the best decision is just to move on with life and find something better. Here are some songs that you can relate to if you are in this type of situation.
1. Adele – Someone Like You
The track is from the album, 21 and is one of Adele’s most commercially successful singles. It became her first number one single in the UK and second in the USA. It was actually the first pure-piano ballad to ever top the Billboard Hot 100. It won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance back in 2012.
The song was inspired by the broken relationship that inspired most of the album. She had met the love of her life and felt like she will never find anyone like him again. However, they were just not right for each other so they destroyed the relationship too much to be able to go back to it again in the future. She added that their relationship happened by accident and has finally come to terms with her breakup.
2. Juice WRLD – Lucid Dreams
The song is part of the album JuiceWRLD 999. It was able to peak at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Lucid dreaming refers to a state of consciousness where a person is aware they are dreaming hence has the ability to control how their dream goes. Juice Wrld uses the analogy to avoid the pain of seeing his ex-lover in his dreams and seeks to replace her for good.
The song also explores the mental anguish he felt after experiencing the break-up. He ended up engaging in popping pills as a scapegoat as a result of this. However, it just made things worse.
3. Kygo & Miguel – Remind To Forget
The song talks about a finished relationship. The chorus of the song shows how much his ex meant to him and it seems she left a permanent make that he will always be reminded of her whenever he tries to forget.
Furthermore, the singer is trying to detach himself from the broken relationship and the emotions that came with it. The memories of the heartbreak are a reminder to just forget her.
4. Ariana Grande – No Tears Left To Cry
This is a self-lifting anthem that is the lead single to her fourth studio album Sweetener. It debuted on the Hot 100 chart at #3 marking her ninth top 10 single at the time.
The song is basically about picking yourself up after something unpleasant happens. After the attack on her concert in Manchester in 2017, Ariana was mostly depressed and isolated due to suffering from PTSD. She used music as an outlet to help her move on and let go.
5. Dua Lipa – New Rules
‘New Rules’ is about moving on from an ex and how you need to keep your distance from them. Dua Lipa lists a number of rules that one should follow so as to achieve this.
The process of getting over someone can easily result in one falling back into old patterns and ending up back with an ex. The song acts as a self-reminder that because you are getting whisked away in the moment doesn’t mean it’s a good idea in the long term.
6. Rudimental – These Days feat Jess Glynne
The track is about reflecting on the troubles of a past relationship after it ends. In addition to that, there is also the feeling of gratitude for the fact that the other person helped you find your way in life. The singer also hopes that when the dust is settled, he can meet up with his ex and have a laugh about the past times spent together.
The song is part of the album Toast To Our Differences which was released in 2019.
7. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Getting Back Together
The song is the lead single for Taylor Swift’s fourth studio album Red. It was her first #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy Award nomination. During an interview, Taylor Swift stated that the song is a portrait of how she felt when she stopped caring what her ex thought of her. Initially, he had made her feel like she was good or relevant as the hipster bands he was listening to. She decided to make a song to drive him crazy.
Lyrically, Taylor Swift can’t take it anymore with her boyfriend so she decides that they should break up. No matter how much he tried to find a way for them to get back together, she won’t accept him back. She is not naive anymore and has realized that some relationships just don’t work out.
8. Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You
Whitney Houston recorded the track for her 1992 film The Bodyguard. It was originally written by Dolly Parton and released in 1974. When Houston did the cover, it became one of the best-selling singles of all time and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 consecutive weeks. At the time, it was a record for the longest number one.
Lyrically, the song is about leaving someone you love because you feel you are a stumbling block in their life. This is despite still being so deeply in love with them.
9. Adele – Send My Love To You
This is an upbeat song that is part of the 21 album. Lyrically, Adele seems to have moved on from her past relationship and she seems like she doesn’t care anymore about it. She states that they are both grownups and should be able to get over an ended relationship.
However, Adele can’t resist being petty. She only sends her love to her ex’s new lover and not her actual ex. She also reveal that he had trouble keeping up with her and this made them go out of sync. As a result, the relationship is likely headed for a crash.
10. Hailee Steinfeld, Alesso – Let Me Go
The song is about letting go of a relationship on the verge of collapsing. Hailee wishes her lover moves on from her because she feels that she has a destructive influence.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, Hailee stated that it’s heartbreaking when you love someone so much but you can’t give them the time and energy they deserve. You need to let them be happy with someone who can bring out that happiness.
11. Avicii – Lonely Together ft Rita Ora
The track is about Rita Ora’s struggle with a collapsed relationship that she thinks about reviving when drunk. However, she knows there won’t be romantic love anymore. She is struggling to move on from the relationship because of intense feelings of loneliness so she wants to go back to him for a one-night stand. She knows she is making a mistake and she will hate herself the next day for doing it.
12. Destiny’s Child – Survivor
Beyonce sings about having just gotten out of a relationship whereby the man thought she would be weaker without him. However, the opposite happens she feels stronger and her life feels so much better. He thought that she would fail but now is a star and proclaims she will even be a bigger star.
Survivor was released in 2001 and peaked at no 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Destiny’s Child went on to win many awards for the song such as MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B in 2001 and Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group.
13. Kelly Clarkson – Stronger
This is Kelly Clarkson’s third number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It is basically a self-confidence empowerment following a recovery from heartbreak. It tells people that the pain experienced from the ending of the relationship will end eventually and give rise to a stronger version of themselves.
14. Fergie – Big Girls Don’t Cry
This is the 4th single from The Dutchess and was certified quadruple-platinum. It was met with critical acclaim from critics praising the song’s lyrics, vocals and tone.
The subject of the song is Fergie’s breakup with her ex-boyfriend whom she was still in love. She reminisces about the old times when they used to hang out together when they were in school and play jacks and UNO cards. However, the spark they had got strained from the pressures of having a long-distance relationship and staying in it just made things worse. She now just needs time to work on herself and gain clarity of her mind.
15. Sam Smith, Normani – Dancing With A Stranger
The song is about finding someone new, expressed in the metaphor ‘dancing with a stranger’ and moving on from an old flame. Sam realizes that he doesn’t like being alone so he has to go out to meet someone new even though he resents the whole idea. He is still aching for a past love.
16. Toni Braxton & Trey Songz – Yesterday
This is a song off her album Pulse. Lyrically, Toni finally sees the true colors of her significant other when she realized he was cheating on her. He smelled of some other lady’s perfume and this was enough proof for her. She confronted him but he was so drunk he could barely explain himself. At this moment, Toni was so done with the relationship.
Once it sunk in that the relationship has ended, Toni’s ex (played by Trey Songz) starts begging her to come back to him and wishes he could change history. She resists and explains she is officially done.
17. Taylor Swift – I Forgot That You Existed
During an interview, Taylor Swift stated that the song closes the book on ‘reputation’ in resolving that conflict with a shrug. She is now over those problems because she forgot they ever existed.
18. Selena Gomez – Look At Her Now
This is an upbeat song about becoming a stronger person after going through a turbulent relationship. Selena’s breakup with Justin Bieber was believed to be the main inspiration for the song. It was her first real relationship that turned toxic towards the tail-end. Justin moved on to his long-time friend Hailey Bieber.
In this song, Selena is over the whole relationship and feels like she dodged a bullet after years of gaining clarity. She has now emerged a whole new person ready to start afresh.
19. Jhene Aiko – None Of Your Concern
Jhene reunites with her ex-boyfriend and together reflects on their failed relationship and attempt to move on. It deals with the repercussions of their past relationship and symbolizes a different phase of her path towards getting past her breakup with Big Sean.
20. Bow Wow feat Chris Brown – Ain’t Thinking About You
This is a track from Bow Wow’s album Underrated. Together with Chris Brown, they vent their feelings about their breakups with Ciara and Rihanna respectively.