15 Best Break-Up Anthems

We all have different methods of dealing with breakups. Some of us get comfy in our pajamas and eat our weight in ice cream. Others take a more aggressive approach and spend their time erasing their ex's existence from social media and cursing his very existence. But one thing we all have in common is that we like listening to sad music. It may seem counter-productive since we want to move past the grieving stage, but the music somehow makes us feel better in the moment. Chances are that you probably already have a playlist on hand for dealing with end-of-relationship woes. Maybe it is filled with songs that remind you of your ex. Or it could just be a classic tune that is often associated with the end of a relationship. Whatever your preference, you have a ton of great songs to choose from. Try these 15 break-up anthems. They're sure to make you feel a million times better and will help you move on.

15 I Knew You Were Trouble By Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" perfectly describes what it is like to date a bad boy. Taylor, like many of us, has been with a guy that she knew was "trouble when he walked in" but gave him a chance anyway. Once he showed his true colors, she ended up "lying on the cold hard ground." It sucks, but that is totally what happens to you when you ignore your gut. Every time. Your first instinct is almost never wrong, so if you ignore it, be prepared to deal with the consequences. Sometimes, though, our attraction takes over that gut feeling and we lead with our heart instead of our mind. Unlike some of the other tunes on this list, "I Knew You Were Trouble" is a total pop song that's super catchy and upbeat so go ahead and dance it out.

14 Burn By Usher

It's been over a decade since it's release, but "Burn" still perfectly describes that feeling when you need to let go of someone… but you really, really don't want to. It's never easy to hurt someone you love, even if the relationship has run its course. So you may try to make it work, but eventually, you find that you're still miserable and all that's left to do is to leave. But you explain it to your S/O? How do you tell them that it's over? It's a lose-lose situation and you probably will torture yourself until you can make the necessary decision to part ways because you know that you'll be better in the long run. And one day they may thank you for making the hard decision for you both. Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same (another great heartbreak song BTW).

13 Leave (Get Out) By JoJo

JoJo was only fourteen when she released "Leave (Get Out)", the hit 2004 song that fully encompasses that feeling of when you've had enough. And boy, can we relate. We've all been with someone who just didn't respect our time or space. Maybe he cheated or maybe he was just a jerk. Either way, he definitely didn't deserve us. "Leave" definitely taught us that breakups aren't always a sad thing and should not be looked at as such. In fact, it's the complete opposite. It can feel empowering to kick someone out of your life only brings your down. And you should never, ever feel bad about it. If you can't value yourself, who will? You can't expect someone else to love you if you don't feel that way about yourself. Your happiness comes first, and if someone has hurt you then you should definitely tell them to leave!

12 Cry Me A River By Justin Timberlake

"Cry Me A River" is basically like a big "f you!" to cheaters everywhere. This song is supposedly about Justin's break-up with Brittany Spears. Apparently, she cheated on him and he gives her absolutely zero mercy in this tune. Honestly, he shouldn't have, as much as we hate to admit that since we loved that adorable couple (and their matching denim!). Anyone who cheats doesn't deserve another chance with you. Admit it. You've probably gotten some satisfaction from breaking up with a cheater and having them beg you to take them back. I'd bet that if you broke up around the time that this song was released in the early 2000s, you used the exact phrase of the song. It may be petty, but you have to admit that it felt good in the moment. And the way he get's back at her with that video… ouff that moment is golden.

11 Stone Cold By Demi Lovato

"Stone Cold" is a song for those days when you can't get out of bed. It's for that break-up that absolutely crushed your spirit to the point where you don't know how you're going to go on. I mean, you were "his amber," and now this new girl is "shade of gold," leaving you  left out in the cold. That's incredibly hard to deal with. But you're not bitter. No, you actually wish the best for him. But, man is it hard. But that's kind of the point. Your happiness depends on his, and if being happy is hard sometimes, then you're right on track. Confused? Let Demi explain it. Not only is this song one of our favorites as the best breakup anthems, but it so happens that Demi loves this song too! She has said interviews that writing this song was "like therapy" for her. Imagine the wonders it can do for you!

10 I Bet By Ciara

Some people just don't appreciate what they have until it's gone. It's one of the biggest cliches but applies to so many people. Ciara expresses this beautifully in her song "I Bet." It really sucks to accept this but some guys only try to get you back when they see that you've totally moved on, you don't need them anymore, and oh yeah, you've got a great new boyfriend. It's like men are programmed with a trigger that goes off whenever it is something in your life is going well ad you're happy. Even then, sadly, it's not really even about you. The fact that the other guy wants you makes you more desirable to him because now he sees getting you back as a challenge. It's all a sick game to him, really, but Ciara is here to remind us that we don't have to put up with that.

9 I'm Going Down By Mary J. Blige

Yeah, the original belonged to Royce Royce but Mary J Blige's rendition definitely became our favorite version. Her soulful voice tugged at all of our heartstrings as she told a classic story of love and loss. Everything around her is sinking and her world gets turned upside down. How relatable is that?! We 've all been blindsided at one time or another and felt like our world would come crashing down because someone betrayed our trust. But the truth is that this honestly happens to everyone and you can't do anything except move on and hopefully do better next time. Only you are in control of your romantic destiny -- don't ever forget that!

8 Irreplaceable By Beyonce

Ever had a guy who thought that the sun rose and set on his behind? Beyonce has, according to this song at least. She was super quick to let him know that, nope, he's not the only fish in the sea and she's better off without him. Would you expect anything less of Beyonce?! Of course not. We all go through a phase when we let a guy treat us like crap… and then run back to him because there's a certain comfort level there and he's familiar, or we don't want to be lonely. We can all learn a thing or two from this song -- like the fact that we should always value ourselves and never let a guy walk all over us. So go ahead and channel your inner Beyonce. She's never going to lead you astray.

7 Someone Like You By Adele

There is no one like Adele who can make us fall in love with feeling sad. Come on, you know that look followed by that gut-wrenching pain that only an Adele song can stir up. She has a way of making us feel pain, real and perceived and actually enjoying it in some twisted way. I'm convinced that Adele reached peak-dispair in someone like you. It's weird because it's not really the melody or lyrics that are super sad, but the strength she definitely had to dig deep within herself to find. Not only does she show her maturity by wishing her ex well, but she further compliments him by telling him that she hopes to find someone just like him. She genuinely wants the best for both of them, even though that means spending a lifetime apart. Seriously, is there anything that Adele does that doesn't make you want to sit in a ball and cry? The woman is Queen of heartbreak anthems, even when she doesn't try to be.

6 Shake it Off- Mariah Carey

Before Taylor Swift was shaking off haters, Mariah Carey was shaking off a bad relationship. She sang about a guy that just didn't appreciate her for who she was and on top of that, he was totally sneaking around behind her back! Who does that to Mariah?! So she did what anyone in that kind of awful situation should do: she showed him the door. Obviously, that's easier said than done, but leaving a guy that's not treating you right is always, without a doubt, for the best.  People only treat us that way that we allow them to. If you don't speak up, you run the risk of getting walked all over forever, and that's no way to live, and no way to love, either. Do yourself a favor and listen to this one when you're going through a really bad break-up. It's going to give you the strength you need in order to move on with your life.

5 I Will Always Love You By Whitney Houston

This break-up anthem is an oldie but absolutely a goodie. You may not know that Dolly Parton actually originally wrote this song! She also recorded it too, back in the 1970s. That's a little fun fact for you. But it wasn't until Whitney Houston recorded her own version that this song became the super memorable and moving one we all know and love. It honestly became an instant classic and we still adore it to this day. How relatable is this song?!  We all have one person who will always hold a very, very special place in our hearts and will never be erased from our thoughts, no matter how much time goes by. Sure, the song can seem a little bit melodramatic at times, but hey, the more dramatic, the better, especially when you're going through a break-up.

4 The Arms of the One Who Loves You By Xscape

If you've ever been dumped but realized that you could totally see why they had to leave, so you didn't feel bad or resentful at all? You know that things are far from perfect and you can't blame them for wanting to move on. It's a rare emotion to experience after someone breaks up with you, but the ultimate sign that you're super selfless. "The Arms of the Once Who Loves You," tells the tale of a someone who may not understand why their true love is leaving but lets them know that they'll be there with open arms if they change their mind. It's a beautiful sentiment, but absolutely soul crushing to experience because there's a very real chance that they won't ever come back to you.

3 Before He Cheats By Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" is not really about breaking up but it's about cheating… which can really be the same thing since if your BF's cheating, you really want to send him on his way. It's about all of the crap that they guy does that will lead to the eventual breakup… and the glorious, glorious revenge that Carrie gets on the guy. The sassy s0ng is that anthem for scorned women everywhere. She dug her keys into his tires and scratched a hole in his tires. That seems like a small price to pay for someone who betrayed her so. Sill, we recommend that you live vicariously through Carrie and not actually carve your name in someone's car seat. If you're going to commit vandalism, you don't want to leave any evidence behind, do you? Just kidding.

2 Since You've Been Gone By Kelly Clarkson

Ever let out a heavy sigh after getting out of a bad relationship? Yeah, me too. It's pretty crazy how when you are in a bad relationship you're totally blind to how destructive it is and how insane it's making you. But once the guy's out of your life forever, you can really see him for who he really was, and everything seems brand new. Hindsight really is 20/20 and it is exactly what Kelly Clarkson was experiencing in "Since You've Been Gone." It's like getting used to bad eyesight then getting glasses and suddenly things are clearer than you ever knew they could be. And because you can see you want to dance and sing about being able to see. Get it? No? Okay. Good riddance.

1 End of the Road By Boyz II Men

Okay, so "End of the Road" is a song that you should only listen to when you need to have a good cry. I'm talking about that cry where you use an entire box of tissues. I mean, come on, this song will induce tears on a happy day. What do you think it will do when you are freshly broken up? It evokes such strong emotions and that's why it's our number one breakup anthem. The autobiographical lyrics paired with Boyz 11 Men's vocals paint the perfect photo of the emotions associated with the end of a relationship. No one likes for things to come to an end, especially a relationship, but it's just a fact of life that even the best things can not last forever.