--- title: Celebrity Breakups: Is Summer 2016 the Worst Season Yet? description: From Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris to Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney canonical: https://time.com/4413256/celebrity-breakups-summer-2016/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-07-19T21:59:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:46:36.032Z og:title: Is Summer '16 the Season of the Celebrity Breakup? og:description: From T. Swift and Calvin to Gaga and Taylor og:url: https://time.com/4413256/celebrity-breakups-summer-2016/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Is Summer '16 the Season of the Celebrity Breakup? twitter:description: From T. Swift and Calvin to Gaga and Taylor twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Is Summer '16 the Ultimate Season For Celebrity Breakups? > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=6426c797-24ec-4b29-98ba-9add2df57342&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services. ### TIME The Brief: key statements * The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=6426c797-24ec-4b29-98ba-9add2df57342&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=6426c797-24ec-4b29-98ba-9add2df57342&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's daily news newsletter? The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically.  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jul 19, 2016 9:59 PM UTC  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jul 19, 2016 9:59 PM UTC It might only be July, but it seems like celebrities have taken the adage, “single for the summer” to heart, given the number of high-profile splits that have happened since temperatures started rising. While some of the breakups have been amicable, others have brought the heat this summer, proving that they’re definitely candidates for [drafting season](http://time.com/4355157/taylor-swift-calvin-harris-break-up-internet-responds/). From the shortest to the longest relationships, all good things must come to an end — see who’s single and ready to mingle for summer, below. ### Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris  NEW YORK - MAY 28: Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris get lunch at the Spotted Pig on May 28, 2015 in New York, New York. (Photo by Josiah Kamau/BuzzFoto via Getty Images) Josiah Kamau—BuzzFoto via Getty Images The duo [called it quits](http://time.com/4354546/taylor-swift-calvin-harris-break-up/) after 15 months of dating, but Swift made headlines when she [started dating actor Tom Hiddleston](http://time.com/4394697/tom-hiddleston-taylor-swift-july-4th/) just two weeks after her breakup from Harris. Since the split, the drama has only ramped up, [most notably with social media skirmishes](http://time.com/4370822/taylor-swift-calvin-harris-instagram-twitter/). In the words of T. Swift — it used to be mad love, but now there’s [bad blood](http://time.com/3883348/taylor-swift-bad-blood-video-instagram-stunts/). ### Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney  Steve Granitz—WireImage The pop star and her actor fiancé [called off their engagement in July](http://time.com/4413068/lady-gaga-taylor-kinney-break-up/) after nearly five years together. The pair met on the set of her “You and I” video in 2011 and got engaged on Valentine’s Day last year. ### Demi Lovato and Wilmer Valderrama  BEVERLY HILLS, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Actor Wilmer Valderrama and singer Demi Lovato arrive at the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 28, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic) Jon Kopaloff—FilmMagic The couple [called it quits](http://time.com/4357489/demi-lovato-wilmer-valderrama-break-up/) in early June after nearly six years of dating; the pair announced their split via social media posts, stating that “we have realized more than anything that we are better as best friends. We will always be supportive of one another.” ### Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson  NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 11: Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson attend the Off-Broadway Opening After Party for 'Smart People' at the Four at Yotel on February 11, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Walter McBride/Getty Images,) Walter McBride—Getty Images, _The Affair_ star and his German partner split after nearly a decade together in July. Con: the world’s most photogenic couple is no more. Pro: [Pacey ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacey%5FWitter)is back on the market. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4413256/celebrity-breakups-summer-2016/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4413256/celebrity-breakups-summer-2016/"},"headline":"Is Summer '16 the Ultimate Season For Celebrity Breakups?","datePublished":"2016-07-19T21:59:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:46:36.032Z","description":"From T. Swift and Calvin to Gaga and Taylor","url":"https://time.com/4413256/celebrity-breakups-summer-2016/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Entertainment","celebrities","Taylor Swift","photography","celebrity","Calvin Harris"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4413256/celebrity-breakups-summer-2016/","name":"Is Summer '16 the Ultimate Season For Celebrity Breakups?"}}]}] ```