An accompanying music video was released on August 18, 2009, which shows moving doodles that appear from a boy's notebook. It charted at number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100. The cover received mixed to positive responses from critics, some of whom praised the musical direction. A pop rock ballad, the cover reworks the original. The band debuted their cover on the Live Lounge for BBC Radio 1 in February 2009, before it was released as a single on April 17. 'Heartless' has been subject to cover versions by various artists, including the Fray. West performed 'Heartless' at the 36th Annual American Music Awards and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 20, respectively. At the 2009 BET Awards, it received a nomination for the Video of the Year award.

Critics gave the video favorable reviews, generally praising the animation. The video is animated, with it showcasing West expressing sadness over breaking up with Phifer. The song's music video, released on November 7, 2008, is a tribute to Ralph Bakshi's 1981 film American Pop. It has also received platinum certifications in Australia, Denmark, and the UK by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), IFPI Danmark, and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), respectively. Having been certified septuple platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the song stands as one of the highest certified digital singles in the US. It further attained top 10 positions in Canada, New Zealand, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. The song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming West's third highest charting release on the chart. At the 2010 BMI Pop Awards, it stood among the Award Winning Songs. Some placed emphasis on the song's subject matter, while other critics praised the composition. 'Heartless' received generally positive reviews from music critics, who mostly complimented West's performance. In the lyrics of the song, West reflects on his break-up with Alexis Phifer.

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