25 iconic R&B songs about infidelity

In 2006, Rihanna released her sophomore album A Girl Like Me, featuring the single “Unfaithful.” Co-written by Ne-Yo, the song gives a woman's perspective of regret for cheating on her partner. As she sings on the track, “And I know that he knows I’m unfaithful / And it kills him inside / To know that I am happy with some other guy / I can see him dying.” 

Easily one of the most recognizable songs about infidelity came in 2004 when Usher released his hit single “Confessions Pt. II.” Co-written alongside frequent collaborators Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, Usher gives the song from the perspective of a man who not only needs to confess his cheating ways, but also lets his lover know that he has a baby on the way with his mistress. Usher knows that he isn’t ready to be a father, and he also knows that his relationship will now be ruined once he tells his partner the truth.

Following the success of her singles “I Changed My Mind” and “(I Just Want It) To Be Over,” Keyshia Cole released her third single “I Should Have Cheated.” On the track, Cole finds out that her partner is cheating on her, but instead of taking accountability for his own actions, he accuses her of cheating too, even though she was faithful to him. Her stance about the accusations is evident on the hook as she sings, “I might as well have cheated on you / As much as you accuse me of cheating / I might as well have lied to you / As much as you accuse me of lying.” 

In 2004, John Legend released his debut album Get Lifted, which featured the deep cut “She Don’t Have to Know.” Produced by will.i.am, Legend uses the song to describe two people cheating on their partners and they’re moving around town as incognito as possible. He seems apologetic for his actions, but he still doesn’t want the affair to end. 

In 1996, Toni Braxton released her sophomore album Secrets, which featured the deep cut “Talking In His Sleep.” From the beginning of the song in which Braxton says, “So, you know everything about your lover / Wanna bet?” Braxton uses the track to describe how she finds out her man is cheating because he’s talking in his sleep and calls out his mistress’ name.

At times, infidelity goes both ways in a relationship, that’s the case on TLC’s hit 1994 single “Creep.” Produced by Dallas Austin, TLC gives the perspective of a woman who knows that her partner is cheating on her. However, she feels she needs affection too, so in turn, she “creeps” around and cheats as well. 

In Billy Paul’s 1972 hit single “Me and Mrs. Jones,” the singer gives the perspective of a man having an affair with a married woman. He details how they meet up every day at a cafe and they try not to get their hopes up too high, because they both know they’re in the wrong for keeping the affair going, but their heart got the best of them. 

Whitney Houston’s 1985 single “Saving All My Love For You” may sound like a love ballad at first, but lyrically she’s actually singing about being in love with a married man. She knows the man has a wife and kids to take care of, but Houston also feels like she’ll never find another man like him. “Saving All My Love For You” became Houston’s first track to top the Billboard Hot 100. 

“If Your Girl Only Knew” was the lead single from Aaliyah’s sophomore album One in a Million. Written by frequent collaborators Missy Elliott and Timbaland, the song finds Aaliyah dealing with a man who keeps making advances at her. As she sings in the first verse, “If your girl only knew / That you was trying to get with me / If your girl only knew / That you was dissin’ her to talk to me.” 

Xscape describes the excitement of being sneaky on their 1998 single “My Little Secret.” Co-written by Jermaine Dupri, the song details how people in extramarital affairs try to keep their situations on the hush. Their stance is evident on the hook as they sing, “You’re my little secret / And that’s how we should keep it / It’s on everybody’s mind about you and I / They think so, but they don’t really know or wanna know.” 

Songwriter and producer Babyface recruited Mary J. Blige for the hit song “Not Gon’ Cry” which was featured on the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. In the song, Blige gives the perspective of a wife learning that her man is cheating and finding the strength to not cry over the pain he caused. “Not Gon’ Cry” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” is one of those records that different artists recorded, but its most popular version came from Marvin Gaye. On the track, Gaye tells the story of finding out that his girl is cheating on him, he feels betrayed and would’ve respected the girl more if she told him instead of hearing it from folks around town. As he says in the second verse, “Losing you would end my life, you see / ‘Cause you mean that much to me / You could have told me yourself / That you love someone else.” 

SWV knows how to be blunt with their feelings on their 1995 track “You’re The One.” On the track, they have an interest in a guy who is already spoken for, but they’re trying to convince the guy to give them a chance instead. As they sing in the first verse, “I know that you’re somebody else’s guy / But these feelings that I have for you I can’t deny.” 

On Dru Hill’s 1996 track “In My Bed,” frontman Sisqo gives the perspective of a man who knows something isn’t right in his relationship. Friends keep trying to tell him that his woman is cheating but he’s hoping what they’re saying just isn’t true. 

Kandi sings of how cheating can go both ways in a relationship in her single “Don’t Think I’m Not.” She knows that her partner lies about his whereabouts, but don’t think she’s at home crying over him, she’s out having fun of her own as well. As she sings on the hook, “When you’re out in the club, don’t think I’m not / Even when you’re out making love, don’t think I’m not / When you’re feeling good in somebody’s spot, getting hot don’t stop / Just don’t think I’m not, ‘cause I’m out getting mine.” 

Carl Thomas came onto the scene in 2000 when he released his breakthrough single “I Wish.” On the track, Thomas describes how he’s falling in love with a woman, but she unfortunately tells him that she’s in an unhappy marriage. Although Thomas feels bad for falling so hard for a married woman, he knows they can never be together. Like he sings on the hook, “And I wish I never met her at all / Even though I love her so / She got love for me / But she still belongs to someone else.” 

In 2001, Blu Cantrell released her debut single “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops).” Produced by Dallas Austin, Cantrell uses the track to describe how she caught her man cheating and now believes he should pay up for causing her so much trouble, so she in turn runs up his credit card. She encourages listeners on the hook singing, “Hey ladies, when your man wanna get buck wild / Just go back and hit ‘em up style / Get your hands on his cash / And spend it to the last dime for all the hard times.” 

In 2000, Kelly Price released a cover of Shirley Murdock’s 1986 hit single “As We Lay.” On the track, Price details the morning after spending the night with the person she’s involved with. They both are in committed relationships with other people, but all they can think about is the moments they spend with each other. 

Jazmine Sullivan came onto the scene in 2008 with her debut album Fearless, which featured the hit single “Bust Your Windows.” Produced by Salaam Remi, Sullivan gives the perspective of a woman scorned after finding out about her partner’s infidelity and expresses her anger for being hurt. As she sings in the second verse, “I bust the windows out your car / You should feel lucky that was all I did / After five years of this bulls**t / Gave you all of me and you played with it.” 

In 2001, 112 released its third album Part III, which was led by the hit single “It’s Over Now.” On the track, the group gives the perspective of a man who feels like a woman is acting differently in their relationship. He realizes that the relationship must end, especially once he finds out that she’s keeping phone numbers from people who made advances at her. 

In 2000, Joe released his critically-acclaimed third album My Name is Joe. The album garnered three singles including the Teddy Riley-produced track “Stutter.” Joe uses the track to describe catching his girl in a lie, he keeps asking about her whereabouts, but every time she talks, she starts stuttering. He catches her in verse three as he sings, “I smell cologne, damn it’s strong, how’d you get it on? / He messed up your hair, makeup’s everywhere / Girl you’re crying ‘cause you’re lying to my face / Stop lying to me about seeing a man ‘cause you’re ticking me off.” 

Beyoncé is fed up dealing with her unfaithful man in her 2006 “Irreplaceable.” Written by Ne-Yo, Beyoncé uses the track to kick her boyfriend out of the house and end the relationship after his infidelity. She calls him out in the second verse as she sings, “So go ahead and get gone / Call up that chick and see if she’s home / Oops, I bet you thought that I didn’t know / What did you think I was putting you out for? / Because you was untrue.”

Brandy and Monica took over the airwaves in 1998 when they released their smash single “The Boy Is Mine.” Produced by Rodney Jerkins, the song takes the perspective of two women fighting over the same man who is essentially cheating on both of them. Not only did the song become a No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. 

Powerhouse vocalist Deborah Cox is calling it quits on her 1999 single “It’s Over Now.” On the track, Cox describes how shady and untrue her partner was to her and the relationship no longer serves her. As she sings on the hook, “You been cheating and telling me lies / You been creeping while I’m sleeping at night / And you been chasing every girl in sight / And you been messing around and now you down / It’s over now.”

In Stevie Wonder’s 1985 single “Part-Time Lover,” he tells the perspective of two individuals trying to hide their infidelity from their partners and the public world. However, the end of the song details how their partners also have part-time lovers of their own.