- Lips of an Angel
There are plenty of heartbreak‑in‑the‑car songs built around one of the most painful betrayals in a relationship: cheating. But only a few artists dive into the messy, conflicted mindset of being the cheater. “Lips of an Angel” by Hinder is one of the most recognizable examples. The grunge‑tinged confession, the emotional cheating and the sweet, seductive words from the lips of an angel create a dangerously catchy, angst‑soaked delivery–the kind that might lead to an uncomfortable conversation with your partner after belting it out in a dingy karaoke bar.
2. Pushing it Down and Praying
Emotional cheating is arguably the worst type of cheating. It’s the kind that twists your stomach inside‑out. Lizzy McAlpine captures this in her song “Pushing It Down and Praying” with an uncomfortably honest portrayal of being intimate with one man while picturing someone else. In her sickeningly beautiful tone, she describes the desperation of wanting to feel guilty, yet sensing something within that keeps that barrier closed. Maybe it isn’t physical cheating, but wanting to feel guilt for how you feel and simply being unable to–that might be the most depressing kind of cheating.
3. Scotty Doesn’t Know
Maybe being the other woman has no glamor, shameful even, but somehow being the other man makes a classic punk one-hit-wonder. “Scotty Doesn’t Know” by Lustra is all about being the accomplice in a cheating relationship, and with the help of an unmistakable electric guitar riff, we almost forget how bad this situation is for poor ole Scotty. Lustra turned messy home-wrecking into one of the most recognizable punk songs of the 2000s, and for that it’s impossible not to give them credit.
4. The Weekend-SZA
Maybe not being the cheater is better, but being the aware and uncaring other woman earns its place on this emotionally complex list. SZA takes her secret romance only on the weekend, turning a messy arrangement into a silky, hypnotic confession. What makes this song so immersive is that it’s not about feeling any guilt in your actions, but finding comfort in knowing exactly what you are to someone, even if it isn’t pretty. The emotional authority and beautifully corrupt truth in this track give it a place that feels impossible to ignore.
5. Thinking of You-Katy Perry
Before Katy Perry went to space, she had a guitar, a dream and released one of the most gut-wrenching hits, “Thinking of You.” In this song, she compares her current lover to a past one, and it’s obvious which one continues to pull at her thoughts. The song is beautifully toned, and it’s not just the relatability that pulls us in. It’s the way she captures those unconscious, impenetrable thoughts of someone else while being with another. Two suns are not so easily compared, yet love is an uncontrollable feeling, and in the midst of moving on, we often find ourselves slipping back into the warmth of our past.