Songfacts®:

• This '90s-R&B-influenced song finds Kelly lamenting a breakup. She can't help wondering what their relationship could have potentially blossomed into. Kelly wrote the song with Swedish singer-songwriter Laleh, the production team The Struts who have also worked with Tove Lo, Oscar Holter, Alexander Kronlund and James Alan.
• The song was released as the second single from Unbreakable Smile and the follow-up to "Nobody Love." Kelly explained to Ryan Seacrest: "When we're sitting as a team and kind of figuring out what song should be next, we had a couple of options and we were about to go with a happier vibe and I was like, 'Nobody Love' is already so upbeat and fun.' So ['Should've Been Us'] gives more of what's on the album too. It's more in-depth lyrically, I think, and it just gives more of a darker side to it, more edge."
• This achieved additional momentum after Kelly sung the tune on the VMAs. The song leapt from #75 to #51 on the Hot 100 in the week after her performance.