All of Me (John Legend) - 2013

John Legend's heartfelt song is one of the sweetest you'll hear. Chrissy Teigen said she immediately knew the song was about her. She told The Huffington Post that the first line of the song, "What would I do without your smart mouth?" couldn't be about anybody else but her, and she was right!

The tender piano ballad was inspired by Teigen. At the time, she was Legend's fiancée, and now she is his wife. Critics have said that the song is the most essential in the album "Love in the Future," and it cemented Legend's place in the music industry as one of the most loved singer-songwriters of his time.

We Will Rock You (Queen) - 1977

Written after a 1977 Queen concert, this mega-hit is instantly recognizable today. In an interview, Brian May explained that 'We Will Rock You' was a reaction to the audience becoming a bigger part of the show than Queen itself as a band. With that in mind, band members Freddie and Brian thought it would be interesting to write a song specifically for audience participation.

At the end of the 1977 show, Queen were astonished when the crowd began singing the classic football anthem "You’ll Never Walk Alone." Inspired by the experience, the band wanted to make an anthem for their fans to sing or even stomp along to as well.

Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac) - 1976

As with most songs on Rumours, "Go Your Own Way" documents the relationship strains between the band members. In response to his breakup with fellow Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks, whom Lindsey Buckingham had known since he was 16, Buckingham wrote the song "Go Your Own Way."

In addition to their music, Fleetwood Mac was also famous for their tangled love lives. But despite all the drama, they still created many amazing songs. Nicks knew that the song was about her, and she never liked the lyrics. She even asked for the part that said "Packing up, shacking up is all you wanna do" to be removed, but Buckingham kept the lyrics.

Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) - 1977

As you might imagine, Stevie Nicks had her own take on her breakup with Lindsey Buckingham, which she put in the song "Dreams." According to Q magazine, she later admitted that it was the case of the fairy and the gnome. She tried to be philosophical, but he was just angry.

Despite their failing relationship at the time, the song has now become a symbol of self-reflection and letting the little things go. "Dreams" was initially written when Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks were struggling through one of their most turbulent periods. When the band recorded "Rumours," they couldn't have been further apart in their personal relationships.

Thank U, Next (Ariana Grande) - 2018

In "Thank You, Next's" first verse, Arianna Grande mentions the names of as many as four of her ex-boyfriends. It's no surprise that the song is about her past relationships, but according to her Twitter post, it's also about appreciation, maturity, and accepting that life isn't always so smooth.

The song is the lead single on Grande's fifth studio album also named "Thank U, Next," and it has been described as the best heartbreak song with an empowering twist of self-love. It's no wonder it quickly found its way to the No. 1 spot in many countries including America and the United Kingdom.

I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton) - 1974

In 1974, Dolly Parton wrote the iconic song "I Will Always Love You.". While the lyrics suggest it is about ending a romantic relationship, it is actually about ending a professional relationship. The song was written when Parton decided to leave Porter Wagoner's show.

Her relationship with Wagoner who was her duet partner and mentor hit a snag a year earlier because of her decision to leave his show. Although she worked with him on his show for five years, he was apparently not ready for her to launch her own solo career. Nevertheless, he finally relented after she sang this song to him.

Uptown Girl (Billy Joel) - 1983

'Uptown Girl' was a massive global hit for Billy Joel in 1983, and it ranks among his most popular and enduring songs. As Joel has mentioned in numerous interviews, the song was originally written about his relationship with Elle Macpherson but ended up also referring to his soon-to-be wife, Christie Brinkley, both of whom were supermodels of their time.

A radio interview with Howard Stern revealed that he originally called the song "Uptown Girls" due to how high-class ladies, including Whitney Houston, surrounded him. The song is also said to have been inspired by the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Skyscraper (Demi Lovato) - 2011

Described frequently as a cry for help by Demi Lovato, the song is about rebuilding yourself after being torn apart. Demi Lovato recorded it before she acknowledged her struggles publicly. A pre-treatment and a post-treatment version of the song existed in the beginning, but her final decision was to release only the pre-treatment version because she felt it was more original.

Lovato released this triumphant song after entering a treatment center for addiction in the summer of 2011. According to the singer, this song is particularly meaningful to her because it reflects her journey and the struggles she faced that year.

Love Song (Sara Bareilles) - 2007

While speaking with Glamour, Sara Bareilles revealed that the real story of "Love Song" has gotten shortened to a one-liner that’s less factually accurate. She claims that a very large portion of people believe this song is about her marching into her record label's office, and telling them she wouldn't write a love song. But she later clarified that it wasn't such a simple situation.

What really happened is that she went through a series of difficult co-writing sessions at the direction of her record label, but ultimately penned the now-famous song, which she describes as a love letter to her crafts.

Don't Speak (No Doubt) - 1995

The No Doubt band’s song “Don't Speak” was a love song originally written by Gwen Stefani and her brother Eric Stefani. But after a few modifications by Gwen, it became a breakup song. At the time, she was just fresh out of a seven-year relationship with fellow band member Tony Kanal.

According to sources, it was Kanal who dumped Gwen and she was going through a difficult heartbreak. This Emotion served as fuel for her lyrics in the song and it was a spot-on portrayal of what her emotional inclination was at the time. As a sound straight from the heart, “Don’t Speak” remains a captivating song.

Make Me Like You (Gwen Stefani) - 2016

There have been a lot of emotional rollercoasters in Gwen Stefani’s love life for quite a long time and it has been a big part of her lyrics as a singer and songwriter. Apart from being dumped after seven years of a relationship, the husband she married, Gavin Rossdale, cheated on her as well.

But Stefani found love again with Blake Shelton even though she was very hesitant after previous disappointments. That hesitation she felt is what she penned into the song “Make Me Like You,” which talks about hesitation in newfound love. Guess what? The two are married now.

Turnin' Me On (Blake Shelton) - 2017

Blake Shelton has written songs about Gwen Stefani as well, including this steamy track in which he calls her Revlon red in the blackest night. This line has a lot to do with the fact that Stefani is a global ambassador for Revlon, and she often wears red lipstick when appearing in public.

In the song, Shelton describes how everything Stefani does, turns him on. While on his tour bus, the melody came to him and he penned down a verse and chorus before calling up his friend Jessi Alexander who helped him flesh out the song with the help of Josh Osborne.

Stronger Than Me (Garth Brooks) - 2020

In 2018, Garth Brooks performed this love song at the Country Music Association Awards. During the performance at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, he dedicated the song to his wife Trisha Yearwood, who sat in the front row. As Brooks recalled backstage, he almost pulled out because his wife hadn't heard the song before, and he knew that she wasn't so fond of surprises.

At the time he dedicated this song to her, they had been married for more than 15 years. The song was majorly about how she had always been the stronger person in their marriage, so, it was really all about letting her know he values and appreciates her.

Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus) - 2013

Miley Cyrus released "Wrecking Ball" almost a decade ago, the pop song she allegedly composed about her breakup with actor Liam Hemsworth. Even though she and the Australian actor reconnected and married in 2018, their relationship ended in divorce in January 2020.

In reality, "Wrecking Ball" was not written by Cyrus, but it was still filled with genuine emotion. The song was originally written for Beyoncé, but MoZella suggested she send it to Cyrus after deciding she would be a better fit for it. And because MoZella had already been working on other songs for Cyrus, she managed to get her to listen. Upon hearing the song, Cyrus loved it!

Dear John (Taylor Swift) - 2010

We know Taylor Swift to be pretty literal in her lyrics, which is why it was relatively easy to determine what this song "Dear John" was all about. For a brief period between 2009 and 2010, Swift was romantically involved with the rock musician John Mayer. Many have speculated that this song is about him.

The pair recorded a duet, "Half Of My Heart," in 2009, and that was the beginning of their romance. Despite Swift's refusal to acknowledge the song's subject, there are lines in the song that hint that it may well be about Mayer, who is 12 years older than her.

Bad Blood (Taylor Swift) - 2014

Because Taylor Swift is known for being quite literal with her lyrics, it was relatively easy to figure out what "Dear John" was about. Between 2009 and 2010, Swift was romantically involved with American singer-songwriter John Mayer, and many have speculated that this song is about him.

"Half Of My Heart," a duet they recorded in 2009, marked the beginning of their romantic relationship. And despite Swift's refusal to acknowledge him as the song's subject, there are lines in the song that make it undeniable that it is about John Mayer. Many of her songs are about heartbreak and we wonder why she bothers to hide this information anyway.

Swish Swish (Katy Perry) - 2017

Because of the feud that seemed to be happening between Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, many people speculated that Perry's song with Nicki Minaj, "Swish Swish," was aimed directly at Swift as a response to her "Bad Blood." But Perry never confirmed this.

According to her, the song was just released as an anti-bullying anthem. She didn't talk about it as if it was personal to her, instead, she generalized the idea and claimed that anyone who was feeling bullied or held down could relate to the song. Thankfully, Swift and Perry eventually made up, so it seems like that drama is officially over.

The One That Got Away (Katy Perry) - 2010

Russell Brand, Orlando Bloom, and John Mayer have all been romantically linked to Katy Perry. These are just some of the ones we know of. Speculation is usually at its peak as to which of them her songs are based on. When Perry mentioned the subject of "The One That Got Away," everyone was surprised.

But no one was more surprised than the Broadway star Josh Groban when Katy Perry revealed she wrote the song about him in 2011. When she was promoting her "Witness World Wide" album, she told James Corden that Groban had inspired the song. It became apparent that they had somewhat dated in the past.

Because of You (Kelly Clarkson) - 2004

Kelly Clarkson explained in a 2005 interview with MTV that the song "Because Of You" is about breaking the cycle of mistakes that occur in a family, and she was afraid of following in her parents' footsteps. It was reportedly inspired by their divorce when she was six.

Clarkson began writing this song when she was 16 years old, long before she won American Idol. The song is probably especially aimed at her mom because she was always busy after the separation and Clarkson had to make sandwiches for herself to eat. She became afraid of falling in love because she feared suffering the same way her parents did.

Piece by Piece (Kelly Clarkson) - 2015

Kelly Clarkson's piece of writing, "Piece by Piece," was written in 2015 in memory of her father. The song is primarily about how her father abandoned his family when she was only six years old. This is contrasted with her husband's unconditional love for her and their daughter. It's a song of promise that they would never leave their family broken.

Clarkson assured Glamour that it was actually a positive song with no bad feelings towards her father, even though it sounds somewhat sad. She noted that she has accepted his shortcomings in parenting and is in a better place.

So What (Pink) - 2008

"I guess I just lost my husband, I don't know where he went." Lyrics like that are what convinced everyone that this song was about Pink's ex-husband, the motocross rider, Carey Hart. Pink is not known for being subtle with her lyrics. Although they were not on good terms at the time, he appeared in the music video.

Pink managed to convince him to be a part of the video despite the fact that he had no idea what the song was about until he arrived on set. The two separated over rumors of his infidelity, however, Pink explains that the song isn't strictly based on her life.

True Love (Pink) - 2013

Carey Hart is also the subject of this 2013 song, "True Love." Pink shows in this ode to finding your true love that despite his faults, she loves him. Hart's name is inscribed below her tattoo of 'True Love' on her wrist.

According to the singer, a mother and a partner are the two people who can push your buttons more than anyone else, and her ex-husband did the most on that end. The song was the fourth single from her sixth studio album, "The Truth About Love." She hadn't worked on any new album since giving birth to her daughter in 2011.

Sorry (Beyoncé) - 2016

Jay Z and Beyoncé have been one of the music industry's favorite couples for a pretty long time, but they've also had their share of issues. When Beyoncé released the visuals for the "Lemonade" album, of which "Sorry" is one of the songs, everyone could easily tell it was about her relationship with her husband.

"Sorry" was strictly about her husband's alleged infidelity, an act he later admitted to. In particular, the line at the end of the song that says, "He better call Becky with the good hair," was the part of the song that made figuring it out a no-brainer. She was clearly calling out Jay Z.

Hello (Adele) - 2015

The multi-Grammy Award-Winning singer Adele wrote the song “Hello” after being away by herself for some years. She was filled with a lot of guilt because she left her child to work on writing a record and the song was just a way to show that she was reaching out once again and getting over it.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, she also revealed that “Hello” was an acknowledgment of her growth from the person she was before to who she had eventually become. She described it as both a farewell to her former self and a love letter as well.

Let Me (Zayn Malik) - 2018

Many songs are fueled by intimate relationships and that was the same case for Zayn Malik when he released the song “Let Me.” According to his interview with Ryan Seacrest in 2018, Malik wrote that song about the supermodel Gigi Hadid, although, at the time, they were not together anymore.

The lyrics of the song are so dreamy with Malik asserting that he was ready to be with Hadid forever. Their love seems so genuine and he admitted that he wrote the song when they were still together. “Let Me” is undeniably an emotional love song and Malik never denies that he was deeply in love.

To the Moon and Back (Luke Bryan) - 2015

Although Luke Bryan didn’t write “To The Moon and Back” himself, he put in a lot of emotion into the song and recorded it while focusing all of the lyrics on his wife, Caroline. He was anxious about sharing it with her because it was the first song he had ever recorded just for her, and it was a delicate song.

The love song’s writers Hillary Lindsey, Tony Lane, and Tom Douglas couldn’t have hoped for a better artist to record their ballad. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Bryan explained that singing the song was his attempt at letting his wife know she means a lot through music. Naturally, he had butterflies.

Praying (Kesha) - 2017

This song was a powerful one by Kesha in 2017. She had fought so hard in a long legal battle as she tried to break free from a contract with a producer whom she accused of drugging and assaulting her. The song, “Praying,” came as she began to feel empathy, even for someone that had hurt and scared her.

When she wrote the song, she was hoping that everyone who needed to could heal, including the person who hurt her. She talked about this in a piece that she wrote for Lenny Letter where she expressed that it was a song of triumph over adversity.

Haven't Met You Yet (Michael Bublé) - 2009

Michael Bublé revealed during an interview with The Age newspaper in Australia that the song was inspired by the Argentine actress Luisana Lopilato, his fiancée. And the song "Haven't Met You Yet" is one of two original songs on Bublé's fourth studio album, "Crazy Love."

Apparently, Bublé had met this girl and nothing about her seemed to be solid. Apart from the fact that her English wasn't good, the two of them had just been in very public relationships that didn't end well. It seemed odd that he would try to get into this predicament of a relationship, but he did. And that's what inspired the song.

I Walk the Line (Johnny Cash) - 1956

At age 23, Johnny Cash was married to Vivian Liberto, his first wife. Although Johny Cash had a new wife waiting for him at home at home, he encountered many temptations when he was on tour, which led him to write "I Walk the Line." He wrote it as a declaration of fidelity to his wife.

Cash said that the song was sort of a nudge to himself to keep himself in check. According to its lyrics, he would remain faithful to those who believe and depend on him. The song shows how much he wanted to be the best version of himself.

Don't Stop Believin (Journey) - 1981

Jonathan Cain's conversation with his father shortly after moving to Los Angeles in search of a big break inspired one of Journey's greatest rock hits, "Don't Stop Believin." After being sidelined by his previous band, The Babys, he spoke to his father about just giving up and coming home. But his father encouraged him to stick to it and used the exact words "don't stop believing."

After penning his father's words in his lyric book, he was soon hired as the keyboardist for Journey and became rock's most famous keyboardist and songwriter. Eventually, the lyrics surfaced as the title and refrain of the song written for Journey's 1981 album "Escape."

When Doves Cry (Prince) - 1984

"When Doves Cry" was written for the soundtrack of the movie "Purple Rain" by Prince, and it highlights his tumultuous relationship with Susan Moonsie of Apollonia 6. Their relationship inspired the song according to a biography that Per Nilsen wrote, and Prince's references to doves crying were symbolic of what happens when lovers fight.

The song plays during a part of the film that showcases Images of Prince riding a motorcycle along with intimate moments that he shared with Apollonia. The story also goes further to show Prince's strained relationship with his father who apparently was violent with his mother. However, no one knows whether that part is exactly true.

Baba O'Riley(The Who) - 1971

The title is a reference to two of Pete Townshend's greatest philosophical and musical influences: Maher Baba and Terry Riley. Originally, Townshend wrote the song about the absolute despair of teens at Woodstock, where audience members were strung out on acid and 20 people suffered brain damage.

Based on The Who's Next liner notes, the song was written as Townshend's vision of what was possible if a computer was fed Baba's spirit and transformed the spirit into music. Baba would then be a Terry Riley-styled piece, or "Baba O'Riley" as is the title of the song that was released by The Who.

Harder to Breathe (Maroon 5) - 2002

After initially being interpreted as a song about a breakup because of its carnal undertones, frontman Adam Levine later revealed that the song was actually about their frustration with their record label for demanding more material for their debut album in 2002.

According to Levine, nearly all the songs on the 2002 album "Songs About Jane" were about a former ex-girlfriend, but this one was the exception. While speaking with MTV about it, he noted that it was the 11th hour and the label was applying too much pressure on them. However, he later admitted that it turned out to be a good thing.

Without Me (Halsey) - 2018

Halsey started a relationship with the rapper G-Eazy after he had been through a difficult breakup. She did her best to give him all the love and affection that he needed, but she found out through media leaks that he had been cheating on her, and their relationship crumbled as a result.

Since taking up the name Halsey, which is an anagram of her real name, Ashley, she admitted that it was also the first time, unlike her previous albums and records, that she sang as Ashley and not Halsey. "Without Me" is an honest account of Halsey's relationships with G-Eazy and his addiction problems

Don't (Ed Sheeran) - 2014

During this angst-filled breakup song, Ed Sheeran reveals to us exactly how he feels about an ex-girlfriend. It has been confirmed by Sheeran to Billboard magazine that the lyrics in "Don't" are 100% accurate. In view of the fact that he left out a lot of information in the song, he could have been a lot nastier than he was.

Sheeran confirmed that Ellie Goulding, who reportedly cheated on him with Niall Horan from One Direction, is the ex-girlfriend he was referring to in the song. During the incident, he was downstairs in the hotel that he was staying in with her. It must have been heartbreaking.

Hey There Delilah (Plain White T's) - 2006

In 2007, you could hardly go anywhere without hearing this song. Despite sounding like a sweet tribute to a long-distance lover, Delilah never actually dated the Plain White T's frontman. Although Tom Higgenson revealed that the long-distance relationship he wrote about did not exist, he did admit that he wrote the song to impress Delilah.

In the song, a girl and a boy in a long-distance relationship talk about their future plans—she'll finish and he'll be a rock star. After meeting Delilah, Higgenson worked on the song for six months. It seems he needed the time to make up the rest of the story.

You're So Vain (Carly Simon) - 1972

Before recording "You're So Vain," Carly Simon was not happy with the original lyrics, so she put it away until one time at a party when her friend called her attention to a celebrity guest and described his entrance as though he were walking onto a yacht. She later incorporated those words into her song.

In the song, Carly Simon describes a former love interest who is self-absorbed enough to think the song is about him because he's so vain. There has long been speculation about the identity of this person. But Simon says that the song is about three men, even though only one of them is known—Warren Beatty.

You Oughta Know (Alanis Morissette) - 1995

Apparently, the lyric, "I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner," confirmed that Dave Coulier, who played Uncle Joey on Full House was the inspiration for the song. He remembered that after he and Alanis Morissette had broken up, she called him one day while he was having dinner, and he told her he would call her back later.

In this song, Morisette expresses anger towards her former lover. In the beginning, she only disclosed that it involved a specific person, but she believed at the time that the person didn't know it was about him, which was why he hadn't contacted her.

Something (The Beatles) - 1969

Is there any better inspiration for composing songs than a romantic interest? In the case of Beatles singer and songwriter George Harrison, it was his wife Pattie Boyd who was the inspiration for several Beatles songs penned by him. She was credited as the muse for "Something," as well as other songs like "I Need You" and "For You Blue."

Later on, in 1996, after his divorce from Boyd, he denied writing the song for her. He claimed that people only assumed that because they appeared as a couple in a promotional film. But in Boyd's autobiography in 2007, she revealed that he actually told her that it was about her.

Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton) - 1977

Eric Clapton, one of George Harrison's close friends, eventually ended up marrying Pattie Boyd. Boyd would be very wealthy if being a muse were a career since, in addition to 11 songs written about her by the Beatles, she was also the inspiration for two of Clapton's best-known tunes, "Wonderful Tonight" and "Layla."

When Clapton was waiting for Boyd to get ready for a night out in 1976, he wrote the song "Wonderful Tonight." She was trying on clothes because they were heading out to a Buddy Holly tribute Paul McCartney had organized, and she was taking quite some time doing so.

Money for Nothing (Dire Straits) - 1985

A trip to a New York appliance store inspired the lyrics of "Money for Nothing," according to Dire Straits' lead guitarist and singer Mark Knopfler. In the store, a delivery man was commenting on an MTV video and made statements like "that ain't working" and "he's banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee."

Knopfler liked it so much that he wrote down the words and later put them to music. The song is about what it's like to be a rock star and the luxury it brings as opposed to having to do real work. He had the idea as he sat in the store at a kitchen display set up.

Not Ready to Make Nice (Dixie Chicks) - 2006

This song, "Not Ready to Make Nice," finds the Dixie Chicks standing up for themselves and refusing to back down from statements they made about President George W. Bush because of the war declared on Iraq. They wrote the song after being sidelined by radio stations and receiving death threats.

It was at a 2003 London concert that Dixie Chicks' vocalist Natalie Maines made the controversial comment that she was ashamed that the President of the United States came from Texas. They had no idea they'd be treated so badly, and the song was written to show they won't forget even if they forgive the attacks later on.

In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins) - 1981

Because of the myths surrounding "In the Air Tonight," Phil Collins' iconic song has been discussed quite a bit throughout the years. Apparently, based on the lyrics, people interpreted the song as being about someone actually drowning and not finding help.

The story of this event has been given many different versions of it, including one about an incident that happened while Collins was sailing with a friend who fell overboard. Not minding the many legends of this song, in an interview with TV host Jimmy Fallon, it was revealed that the song was actually about Collins' divorce from Andrea Bertorelli in 1980.

Barracuda (Heart) - 1977

This rock song was written by sisters and bandmates Ann and Nancy Wilson in response to a sleazy move made by their record company. Mushroom Records were spreading rumors that Ann and Nancy were having an affair. In response to this information, the sisters wrote this angry song criticizing the music industry.

Ann's rage is expressed in the song about a promoter who asked how her lover was after a concert in Detroit. Initially, she thought he was talking about her then-boyfriend, band member Michael Fisher. Enraged when the promoter revealed that he was referring to her sister Nancy, she went back to her hotel room to write the song.