7 singers who threw shade at their exes in songs

If you're dating a singer, you have to be ready for the post breakup songs that might be based on you. You're in luck if it's a love song but if your relationship ended in bad taste, then be prepared to come under fire. Compiled from Elle magazine, here are seven singers who bad-mouthed their exes in their tracks.

1. Justin Timberlake


Back in the 90s, Timberlake and Britney Spears made an iconic couple. They two made public appearances sporting matching outfits and charmed crowds. In 2002, the pair broke up and the former went on to sing Cry Me a River which was inspired by their relationship. The song became an instant hit and it still hummed by fans today.

2. Justin Bieber


While Bieber is now engaged to model Hailey Baldwin, the singer was always reported to be in an on-again off-again relationship with Selena Gomez. He then released Love Yourself which was reported to have been written for Gomez.

3. Selena Gomez


The Bad Liar artist wasn't one to shy away from writing a song for Bieber either. Her song Same Old Love from 2015 called out an ex who pulls the same tricks over and over again.

4. Calvin Harris


Back in the day, DJ Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift seemed to be madly in love. But after dating for over a year, the two ended their relationship. Later, he released his single My Way as the video of the track through major visual shade at Swift.

5. Taylor Swift


As the reigning queen of bad breakup songs, Swift called out her first celebrity ex in Forever and Always after Joe Jonas dumped her over the phone. It sparked Swift to make more tracks on her toxic relationships. In 2010, Swift point-blank targeted John Mayer in a song titled Dear John.

6. John Mayer


As a reaction to Swift's Dear John, Mayer released a lyrical response called Paper Doll. His lyrics read, "Cut the cord and pull some strings, and make yourself some angel wings, and if those angel wings don’t fly someone’s gonna paint you another sky."

7. Ed Sheeran


In 2014, Ed Sheeran hit at a fellow singer with a song called Don't. It savagely hinted at the anonymous artist for being romantically involved with Sheeran's then girlfriend. At the time, Sheeran was dating Ellie Goulding and the anonymous singer is believed to be One Direction's Niall Horan.

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