Pick a Day

Music History Events: Breakups and Divorces

August 3, 2015 Gwen Stefani files for divorce from Gavin Rossdale, her husband since 2002. She soon starts dating Blake Shelton, her co-star on the TV competition The Voice.

December 30, 2011 Russell Brand files to divorce Katy Perry, citing irreconcilable differences. According to Perry, she finds out the next day when he texts her the news.

October 14, 2011 After 27 years of marriage, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth announce they are breaking up.

March 17, 2008 Heather Mills is awarded 23.7 million pounds (about $47 million) in her divorce from Paul McCartney, substantially more than the $32 million Paul offered. Throughout the ordeal, Mills is vilified in the British press as being opportunistic.More

December 1, 2006 GQ magazine names Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson "Newlyweds of the Year," but by the time the issue hits newsstands, the couple are divorced.More

March 24, 2000 Jack and Meg White of The White Stripes get divorced three months before releasing their second album, De Stijl. Despite the split, their musical partnership continues until 2011.

January 18, 1996 Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson.

November 17, 1988 Unable to deny his sexual orientation any longer, Elton John divorces from German recording engineer Renate Blauel, whom he married in 1984.

December 24, 1978 Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog of ABBA announce they are separating and getting a divorce.

March 29, 1978 After a tumultuous ordeal that lasted nearly two years, Tina Turner is officially divorced from husband Ike. She gets nothing in the settlement except her name; born Anna Mae Bullock, it was Ike who named her "Tina Turner" when they started performing together.

July 27, 1976 Later depicted in the movie What's Love Got to Do with It, Tina Turner files for divorce from her husband Ike. They have been married 16 years.

August 16, 2023 Britney Spears' third husband, Sam Asghari, files for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. They started dating in 2017 after he played her love interest in the "Slumber Party" video, and got married in June 2022.

January 16, 2014 Toni Tennille files for divorce from husband Daryl Dragon. The Captain & Tennille duo had been married for 39 years.

February 8, 2011 Ashlee Simpson files for divorce from Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, citing irreconcilable differences.

May 15, 2008 Shania Twain and producer Robert "Mutt" Lange announce they are separating after 14 years of marriage. Lange's affair with Twain's best friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud, triggered the split. Twain later marries Thiébaud's ex-husband, Frédéric.

April 16, 2003 Jerry Lee Lewis files for divorce from his sixth wife, Kerrie McCarver, who was once the president of his fan club.

March 21, 2003 Roxy Music's Bryan Ferry divorces his first wife, model Lucy Helmore, after 21 years, on grounds of adultery.

November 26, 2002 Actor and major Elvis fan Nicolas Cage divorces the King's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, after less than four months, citing "irreconcilable differences."

March 1, 2002 Shirley Jones of the Partridge Family files for divorce from her husband, actor Marty Ingalls (she later withdraws the petition).

October 5, 2001 After months of wrangling over child support, rapper Eminem's divorce becomes official.

October 2, 2000 Paul Anka files to divorce his wife of 37 years: former fashion model Anne de Zogheb.

February 11, 2000 Diana Ross officially divorces her husband, Norwegian businessman Arne Naess.

October 11, 1999 Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson's second wife, files for divorce and grants Jackson full custody of their two children, Prince and Paris.

July 9, 1999 Avoiding a legal battle over whether or not they were ever legally married (they had a ceremony in Bali in 1991), Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall reach a settlement, calling their split an annulment.

January 14, 1999 Jerry Hall files for divorce from Mick Jagger, who contests it, claiming they were never actually married. Hall claims adultery, as the Brazilian model Luciana Morad is pregnant with Jagger's baby.

January 7, 1999 Rod Stewart and the supermodel Rachel Hunter announce the end of their eight-year marriage.

March 28, 1995 Lyle Lovett and actress Julia Roberts announce they are separating after 21 months of marriage.

October 21, 1994 Neil Diamond publicly announces his divorce from his second wife, Marcia Murphey, whom he has been with since 1969.

August 25, 1994 Billy Joel is officially divorced from the model Christie Brinkley. Their marriage lasted nine years.

April 13, 1994 After nine years of a very public marriage, Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley announce they have separated. They divorce later in the year.