17 R&B Breakup Songs For Every '90s Kid Going Through Heartbreak

We might've been a little too young to fully understand the lyrics at the time, but that didn't stop us from obsessing over the top R&B breakup songs of the '90s. Is it just me, or does it seem as though '90s artists knew more about heartbreak than those in the new millennium? There's just something about real R&B that evokes so much emotion. I totally don't get the same feeling that Mary J. Blige or Deborah Cox left when talking about cheating that I get from Kehlani. And that's just a fact.

Not to completely discount newer artists, but Bryson Tiller has nothing on Sisqó — and that's coming from someone who's a fan of TRAPSOUL. Bottom line, if I want to get over, or make sense of, a breakup, I'm whipping out an entire playlist filled with nothing but '90s classics. From Lauryn Hill's "Ex-Factor" to TLC's "Creep," I know there's a cure for my heartache somewhere within.

I've named the top R&B tracks that have helped me deal with many breakups and broken hearts over the years, below. I'm sure that there are a lot more that should probably be added. But, hey — you have to start somewhere, right?

1 "We're Not Making Love No More" — Dru Hill

There were the signs that your relationship was completely falling apart, and Sisqó lists them all.

2 "Ex-Factor" — Lauryn Hill

Hill let us know that our decision to walk away was a good one.

3 "Not Gon' Cry" — Mary J. Blige

Regrets. All of the regrets.

4 "Creep" — TLC

But before you break it off, you might feel the urge to seek revenge.

5 "Movin' On" — Mya

This one's for when you finally wake up and decide to move on.

6 "Tyrone" — Erykah Badu

Just kick that moocher to the curb. You were better off by yourself, anyway.

7 "It’s Not Right, But It’s Okay" — Whitney Houston

Whitney was no longer interested in getting revenge, she just wanted them gone.

8 "I Don't Ever Want To See You Again" — Uncle Sam

Uncle Sam let us know that it's OK to never want to see our exes again.

9 "The One I Gave My Heart To" — Aaliyah

There are just so many unanswered questions.

10 "Brokenhearted" — Brandy

We never thought that relationships were going to be perfect, but that didn't stop the pain from coming.

11 "Unbreak My Heart" — Toni Braxton

They've got a lot of things to "undo" before they think they're scot-free.

12 "Almost Doesn't Count" — Brandy

We were "almost" happy, but everybody knows what happened next.

13 "All Cried Out" — Allure

There's no more tears left to cry — just rage and fire from the pain they've caused.

14 "Get It Together" — 702

702 let us know that it's OK to have second thoughts about ending things for good.

15 "Before You Walk Out Of My Life" — Monica

And Monica showed just how mature a breakup can be.

16 "End Of The Road" — Boyz II Men

We may be done, but we still need our exes to know that we'll always be there for them.

17 "We Can't Be Friends" — Deborah Cox & R.L.

Or sometimes you just have to pretend you've never met someone in order to get over them. And Cox showed us just how it's done.

Get Even More From Bustle — Sign Up For The Newsletter

From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person who’s on TikTok, even if you aren’t.