The Beat Went On: Sonny and Cher Went from In Love to Out of Touch

When it comes to couples-turned-superstars and their impact on music and pop culture, Sonny and Cher take the cake. They were two of the biggest names of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, mastering both music and TV as a duo. But their tumultuous relationship eventually tore them apart, both privately and professionally. Nearly five decades after they split up, and two decades after Sonny’s death, Cher spoke candidly about what happened and how it all went so, so wrong.

Sonny and Cher, 1966.

Sonny and Cher, 1966. Photo By Dezo Hoffman/Shutterstock

The couple started out as a “pop-rock hippie duo,” with hits like “The Beat Goes On” and “I Got You Babe.” They ended up, however, in a bitter divorce. From how they met, to what they fought about, to why they split up, this is the complicated story of Sonny and Cher.