It’s been years since we lost Mac Miller, yet people still talk about him and Ariana Grande like it was yesterday. Why? Because it wasn't just a "Hollywood couple" thing. It felt real. It felt heavy. When people ask how long did mac miller and ariana date, they usually want a quick number.
The short answer? About two years.
But if you’ve ever actually looked into their timeline, you know that "two years" is a massive oversimplification. They were in each other's orbits for nearly six years. It was a slow burn that turned into a whirlwind, followed by a tragic ending that honestly still hurts to think about.
The Friends-to-Lovers Slow Burn (2012–2016)
Before they were "Ariana and Mac," they were just two kids on Twitter. Seriously. It started in late 2012. Ariana was still the girl from Victorious with the bright red hair, and Mac was the "frat rap" king from Pittsburgh. They decided to record a cover of "Baby It's Cold Outside."
It was cute. It was flirty. But they weren't dating.
Then came "The Way" in 2013. If you watch that music video now, the chemistry is kind of ridiculous. They kiss at the end, and the internet basically imploded. But Ariana was dating Jai Brooks at the time (and later Big Sean), and Mac was in a long-term relationship with his high school sweetheart, Nomi Leasure.
💡 You might also like: Dale Mercer Net Worth: Why the RHONY Star is Richer Than You Think
They were just "the homies." For three years, they stayed in that zone. Ariana later told Cosmopolitan that they weren't ready to be together back then. It was all about timing. She said they "loved and adored" each other from the start, but the universe hadn't aligned yet.
When It Finally Became Official (August 2016)
Fast forward to August 2016. Ariana had just broken up with her backup dancer, Ricky Alvarez. Suddenly, she and Mac are spotted at a sushi restaurant in West Hills, kissing. A few weeks later, she posted a photo of them on the floor with the caption "baabyyy."
That was it. The official start.
For the next two years, they were inseparable. They went to Coachella. They dressed up as Pokemon characters for Halloween. Mac was there during the hardest moment of Ariana’s life—the Manchester bombing in May 2017. He literally dropped everything to meet her at the airport when she landed back in the States. He performed with her at the One Love Manchester benefit concert.
Watching them perform "The Way" and "My Favorite Part" during that era was different. You could see the support.
📖 Related: Jaden Newman Leaked OnlyFans: What Most People Get Wrong
Why Did They Break Up in May 2018?
By early 2018, things started to get quiet. They weren't seen together as much. Then, in May 2018, the news broke: they were done.
Ariana posted a Note on her Instagram Story calling Mac one of her "best friends in the whole world" and saying she would support him forever. It seemed amicable. But then, things got messy on the internet. Someone on Twitter tried to blame Ariana for Mac’s DUI after the breakup, and she didn't hold back.
She described the relationship as "toxic" toward the end. She mentioned the "scary" reality of trying to support someone’s sobriety when they aren't ready to be sober themselves. "I am not a babysitter or a mother and no woman should feel that they need to be," she wrote.
It was a raw look at the reality of loving someone with addiction.
A Quick Breakdown of the Timeline:
- First Meeting: Late 2012 (Recording "Baby It's Cold Outside")
- The First "Spark": March 2013 ("The Way" music video)
- Official Dating Start: August 2016 (Confirmed at the VMAs afterparty)
- Official Breakup: May 2018
- Mac's Passing: September 2018
The Legacy of the Two Years
So, how long did mac miller and ariana date? If you count the "official" romance, it was August 2016 to May 2018. Twenty-one months, give or take.
👉 See also: The Fifth Wheel Kim Kardashian: What Really Happened with the Netflix Comedy
But their impact on each other lasted much longer. Just recently, in late 2025 and early 2026, Ariana has been more open about Mac’s influence on her career. During a podcast in December 2025, she credited him with helping her find her "sound" and encouraging her to ditch the Nickelodeon persona.
He was the one who told her it was okay to embrace her natural brown hair and make the R&B-pop music she actually liked.
What Most People Get Wrong
People love a tragedy. Because Mac passed away just four months after they broke up, the narrative often gets twisted into this idea that they were "star-crossed lovers" who couldn't be together.
The reality is more nuanced. Ariana has been clear that while the love was massive, the relationship was also incredibly difficult. You can love someone to death and still realize you can't be with them for your own mental health.
Even today, you can hear him in her music. From the "ghostin" lyrics on thank u, next to the remastered version of "The Way" she released for the 10th anniversary, he’s still there. She still has his dog, Myron.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers
If you’re looking into this for a project or just because you’re a fan, here are a few ways to see the depth of their connection:
- Listen to "The Divine Feminine": This was Mac's 2016 album. While he said it wasn't only about Ariana, she was a massive inspiration for the project's exploration of love and femininity.
- Watch the One Love Manchester Performance: This is the peak of their public support for one another. It shows the comfort they found in each other during a crisis.
- Check the thank u, next Credits: Ariana’s 2019 album is essentially a processing of her grief. "Ghostin" and "Imagine" are widely accepted as being about her struggle to move on while still mourning Mac.
- Follow the Dog: Myron, Mac’s Pitbull mix, has lived with Ariana since 2018. It’s perhaps the most "human" remaining link between them.
Their story wasn't a fairy tale, and it wasn't a movie. It was two years of intense growth, followed by a separation that turned into a permanent loss. It’s why, when you ask how long they were together, the answer feels like it should be longer than just two years.