25 songs you should never play on your wedding day

On Ariana Grande’s 2018 single “Thank U, Next,” the singer looks back on past relationships that didn’t work out, but in the end, she’s grateful for the experiences. On the pre-hook, Grande sings, “One taught me love / One taught me patience / And one taught me pain / Now, I'm so amazing.”

On Magic!’s single “Rude,” the band tells the story of a protagonist who’s looking to marry his girlfriend, but her father doesn’t approve of it. As they sing on the hook, “Why you gotta be so rude? / Don't you know I'm human, too? / Why you gotta be so rude? / I'm gonna marry her anyway.”

In 2011, Gotye teamed up with Kimbra on their hit single “Somebody That I Used to Know.” On the track, they detail a relationship that went sour, and although one person wants to continue being friends, the other party wants to completely cut the friendship off. As he sings on the hook, “But you didn't have to cut me off / Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing / And I don't even need your love / But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough.”

By the title alone, Bruno Mars’ track “Marry You” is all about two people becoming a union. However, Mars lyrically highlights how a couple is looking to do this “dumb” idea of eloping at a little chapel. As he starts the song off saying, “It's a beautiful night, we're lookin' for somethin' dumb to do / Hey, baby, I think I wanna marry you.”

In 2008, The Pūssycat Dolls released their hit single “I Hate This Part.” On the track, the group gives the perspective of a woman who doesn’t feel the need to continue a relationship. As they sing on the hook, “I can't take it any longer / Thought that we were stronger / All we do is linger / Slipping through our fingers.”

Taylor Swift has no problem writing songs for people who are ready to call it quits on their relationship. It was no different in 2012 when she released her single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” On the track, Taylor states how she’s fed up with going back-and-forth with a partner who continues to play with her heart. 

Marriage is all about two individuals coming together in one union, who are truly committed to each other, so it’s best if the wedding DJ avoids any songs about infidelity. On Rihanna’s single “Unfaithful,” she describes how much she continues to hurt her partner due to her cheating ways. 

In 2002, Justin Timberlake released his solo debut album Justified, which featured the hit single “Cry Me a River.” On the track, Timberlake tells the perspective of a man who finds out that his partner has been unfaithful. And he’s unforgiving of her actions. 

Although Gloria Gaynor’s hit single “I Will Survive” is one of the most successful tracks of the disco era, it’s a song in which she describes moving on from someone who no longer serves her. As she sings on the second verse, “And I spent oh so many nights just feeling sorry for myself / I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high.”

By the title of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name,” listeners can tell the song is about a protagonist who isn’t too fond of love. As they sing in the first verse, “An angel's smile is what you sell / You promised me heaven, then put me through hell.”

Mariah Carey wants to make it clear that she’s focused on herself and not her haters on the single “Obsessed.” As she sings on the hook, “Why you so obsessed with me? / Boy, I wanna know / Lyin' that you're sexin' me,/ when everybody knows / It's clear that you're upset with me / Finally found a girl that you couldn't impress / Last man on the earth, still couldn't get this.”

Carly Simon is all about calling out any arrogant person on her hit song “You’re So Vain.” On the track, she describes how someone walks into a room and thinks they own the place, but she can see right through them. 

In 2009, Lady Gaga released her hit song “Bad Romance.” The track finds Gaga wanting the good, bad, and ugly of being with a person. On the hook she sings, “I want your love and I want your revenge / You and me could write a bad romance.”

Kanye West and Jamie Foxx reflect on past relationships on their hit song “Gold Digger.” Let’s just say, it’s probably not a good idea to play a song at the wedding reception that highlights how a woman uses her partner for their money. 

In 2004, Kelly Clarkson released her hit song “Since U Been Gone,” which was a perfect track for anyone going through a break-up. On the single, Clarkson reflects on a past relationship and how she feel liberated and free when they finally called it quits. As she sings on the hook, “But since you been gone / I can breathe for the first time / I'm so movin' on, yeah, yeah / Thanks to you.”

Whitney Houston portrays a woman who is no longer putting up with her partner’s infidelity on her hit single “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay.” As she sings on the hook, “It's not right, but it's okay / I'm gonna make it anyway / Pack your bags, up and leave / Don't you dare come runnin' back to me.”

On Bonnie Raitt’s song “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” she reflects on how her feelings can be strong for her partner, but she can't force it to be reciprocated. As she sings on the hook, “'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't / You can't make your heart feel somethin' it won't.”

In 2010, Eminem teamed up with Rihanna on their hit single “Love the Way You Lie.” On the track, they detail the ups and downs of being in a toxic relationship. As Rihanna sings on the hook, “Just gonna stand there and watch me burn? / Well, that's all right because I like the way it hurts / Just gonna stand there and hear me cry? / Well, that's all right because I love the way you lie.”

In 1987, U2 released their hit single “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” On the track, the band describes how they’ve searched near and far for their soulmate, but they still feel like they haven’t found the right person. 

Cheating is never the right thing to do when one is in a relationship, but to get caught by their partner is on a totally different level. That was the case on Shaggy’s 2000 hit single “It Wasn’t Me,” in which he gets caught cheating and then tries to deny it. 

Country singer Carrie Underwood is a woman scorned looking for revenge against her unfaithful parter on the track “Before He Cheats.” Once Underwood found about his infidelity, she tries getting back at him like crashing into his car or slashing his tires.

On Keyshia Cole’s 2005 single “I Should’ve Cheated,” she reflects on dealing with an unfaithful partner who also accuses her of cheating, even though she hasn’t. As she sings on the hook, “I might as well have cheated on you / As much as you accused me of cheatin' / I might as well have lied to you / As much as you accused me of lying.”

Amy Winehouse reflects on how a relationship didn’t last on her track “Love is a Losing Game.” Although she likes being in love, she feels pretty unlucky when the relationship dies. As she sings on the first verse, “Love is a losing game / One I wished I never played / Oh, what a mess we made / And now the final frame / Love is a losing game.”

Drake doesn’t shy away from calling out people who only show him love when it’s convenient for them on his hit song “Fake Love.” His feelings are evident as he states, “I've been down so long, it look like up to me / They look up to me / I got fake people showin' fake love to me / Straight up to my face, straight up to my face.”

On Billie Eilish’s hit song “Bad Guy,” she describes how the type of man she likes being with. She then describes herself as she sings, “I'm that bad type / Make your mama sad type / Make your girlfriend mad tight / Might seduce your dad type / I'm the bad guy.”