Turn up the volume!
Let's do an exercise: Pull up one of your recent playlists and count the number of love songs on there. Now, count how many of those songs are about breakups, makeups, or catching feelings. The answer: Probably a majority of them... which is simply not acceptable IMO. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy love songs about other people as much as anybody else, but it’s important to recognize your greatest love story is the one you have with yourself.
That's why when Lizzo took over the radio with her self-love anthem "Truth Hurts" in late 2019, it took me a minute to fully process what I was hearing. You're telling me this song is about loving... me, myself, and I? Lizzo is a true queen, but she isn’t the only artist who’s mastered the art of writing self-love bops. I rounded up a list of songs about loving yourself that will leave you feeling more empowered and confident with every lyric.
Self-love doesn't come easy for everyone. Some days, you just need a little reminder from your friends, family, and yes, even your favorite artists (from Selena Gomez and Christina Aguilera to Addison Rae and Bad Bunny) to help you on your journey to self-acceptance. But you are more than worthy of feeling beautiful in your own skin, and these songs will make you reevaluate what you see in the mirror when you're feeling down.
01Lizzo - "Truth Hurts"
Lizzo's "Truth Hurts" topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven weeks. With an intro like, "I just took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100% that b*tch," the song reminds you that breakups happen for a reason — and it's because you're so much better off without your ex.
02Lizzo - "Good As Hell"
If you're in your feels after a breakup, know Lizzo's always got your back, honey. Here's her advice: "If he don't love you anymore, just walk your fine ass out the door."
03Zedd & Kehlani - "Good Thing"
There's a stigma surrounding the phrase "alone" because it implies being single is somehow a failure. The reality is, settling down with another person isn't everybody's life plan, and this song is a reminder being single can be equally as fulfilling as having a partner.
04Selena Gomez - "Lose You To Love Me"
Gomez's emotional ballad is about letting go of the person you once loved in order to find yourself again, something that so many people can relate to.
05TWICE - "Feel Special"
The journey to loving yourself can be long, but your friends and family can help tremendously. In "Feel Special," TWICE encourages you to be open about your feelings because you're worthy of love just as much as anybody else.
06Christina Aguilera - "Beautiful"
Anyone who has ever experienced bullying can relate to the lyrics in Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful," which are all about recognizing how beautiful you are despite the insecurity and loneliness you may be experiencing.
07Ariana Grande - "thank u, next"
Rather than dwelling on what could have been if certain relationships worked out, Ariana Grande is grateful for all that her exes taught her, including how to say "thank u, next" when someone isn't right for you.
08Hailee Steinfeld - "Love Myself"
Steinfeld encourages you to be your biggest cheerleader when you feel like no one else is on your side.
09Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie - "ME!"
Anyone who says Taylor Swift only writes about her lovers is totally wrong. In "ME!," Swift takes pride in being different from everybody else with lyrics like, "I promise that you'll never find another like me."
10Taylor Swift - "Shake It Off"
In the grand scheme of things, others' opinions about you won't matter at all, so might as well keep being you and "shake it off."
11ITZY - "DALLA DALLA"
These gals exude serious sorry-not-sorry vibes, especially in their debut single "DALLA DALLA." The song celebrates being different and sends the message that if someone doesn't appreciate your unique qualities, that's their problem, not yours.
12ITZY - "ICY"
Haters' words mean nothing more than "blah blah blah," so tune them out and continue being your awesome self.
13Lady Gaga - "Born This Way"
Loving yourself isn't a sign of arrogance, but confidence, baby! "Born This Way" is the ultimate self-love power anthem, so if you ever need a pick-me-up, you know what song to blast from your speakers.
14BTS - "Epiphany"
In his solo song from BTS' Love Myself, Jin sings about realizing you shouldn't change yourself to fit someone's standard of perfection.
15BTS - "Answer: Love Myself"
The line "Loving myself might be harder than loving someone else/ Let’s admit it/ The standards I made are more strict for myself" honestly hits so hard because it's so true. You're often your own worst critic. That's why loving yourself isn't something that can just happen over night. But BTS' self-love anthem says you can learn to love yourself little by little each day.
16Little Mix - "Joan of Arc"
With lyrics like "Fanning myself, I'm stanning myself" and "Man, I feel like Cleopatra, Joan Of Arc, Queen of Hearts," this track is all about feeling yourself.
17JENNIE - "SOLO"
Similar to Lizzo's "Truth Hurts," Jennie's "SOLO" is the reminder you need that you are so much better off without your ex. Jennie sings, "Used to be your girl, now I'm used to being the GOAT/ You're sittin' on your feelings/ I'm sittin' on my throne," which means the best revenge towards your ex is being happy without them.
18Demi Lovato - "Confident"
Lovato asks a very important question: "What's wrong with being confident?" If you're feeling yourself, you have every right to show off.
19Meghan Trainor - "All About That Bass"
Picture-perfect images in the media aren't always what they seem, and they can put pressure on people to look a certain way. In "All About That Bass," Meghan Trainor reminds you that "every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top."
20Selena Gomez - "Who Says"
OG fans will remember singing along to "Who Says" back in their teenage years. No matter how much time has passed since the song's release in 2011, the message remains the same: Everyone is beautiful in their own way — and anyone who says otherwise is wrong.
21Stray Kids - "My Pace"
Instead of comparing yourself to others, Stray Kids tells fans they should go at their own pace because everyone is on a different path in life. "It's okay to run slower/ Just follow my lane, my lane/ Take it easy/ Just look ahead and run/ You ready, let's go," they sing on "My Pace."
22Alessia Cara - "Scars To Your Beautiful"
The lyrics to Alessia Cara's "Scars To Your Beautiful" are all too real because they touch on people's biggest insecurities, like wanting to look like celebrities in magazines. However, as Cara sings, "You should know you're beautiful just the way you are/ And you don't have to change a thing."
23Addison Rae - "Obsessed"
Addison Rae's debut single, "Obsessed," makes a powerful statement about being your own biggest fan. "I'm obsessed with me as much as you/ Say you'd die for me I'd die for me too," Rae sings on the track.
24Miley Cyrus - "Do My Thang"
Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus' "Do My Thang" is about ignoring the noise around you and just doing whatever your heart desires. "Bang, b*tch! You think I'm strange, b*tch?/ It's bananas, like a f*cking 'rangutan, b*tch/ Don't worry 'bout me, I got it all arranged, b*tch/ Mind your business, stay in your lane," Cyrus sings.
25Kehlani - "CRZY"
Kehlani sings about being the baddest girl around on "CRZY." She says, "Basic, basic, ain't nothin' bout me basic/ I'm crazy, I'm crazy, better watch what you say to me."
26Bad Bunny - "Solo De Mi"
Bad Bunny's "Solo De Mi," which translates to "Mine Alone," is about leaving a toxic relationship and learning to live for yourself again. "I'm not yours or anyone's, I'm only for myself/ And don't call me again 'baby,'" the star sings.
272NE1 - "I Am The Best"
As you can tell from the title, 2NE1's "I Am The Best" is all about celebrating who you are because no one compares to you. "If you touch me you won't be able to handle it/ I'm hot, hot, hot, hot fire," the group sings in the first verse.
28Gloria Gaynor - "I Will Survive"
An oldie but a goodie! Gloria Gaynor’s empowerment anthem taught us that no matter what life throws at us, we can stand tall on our own.
29Beyoncé - "Run The World"
Queen Bey’s female empowerment anthem “Run The World” will wash all your boy troubles away and leave you with an “I don’t need no man” attitude.
30Janelle Monáe & Erykah Badu - "Q.U.E.E.N."
Monae and Badu were the perfect collaborators for 2013’s "Q.U.E.E.N,” written all about living large, breaking rules, and living life as a free spirit.
31Destiny's Child - "Independent Women"
“Independent Women” was originally made for the Charlie’s Angels soundtrack, and it held an important lesson about independence and self-love that would be listened to for years to come. Beyoncé said it best when she sang, “I buy my own diamonds and I buy my own rings.”
32Grace & G-Eazy - "You Don't Own Me"
Grace and G-Eazy’s cover of “You Don’t Own Me,” originally recorded by Lesley Gore, was a reminder that co-dependency is never healthy, and sometimes, we need to put toxic relationships under the microscope in order to put ourselves first.
33Alicia Keys - "Girl On Fire"
One listen to Keys’ “Girl On Fire” will have you feeling ready to take over the world. It’s become the ultimate song of empowerment through the years, and its lyrics are all about becoming a force to be reckoned with.
34TLC - "No Scrubs"
TLC’s “No Scrubs” is all about recognizing your worth and saying “boy bye” to anyone that doesn’t add value to your life.
35Lizzo - "Juice"
Much like her songs “Truth Hurts” and “Good As Hell,” Lizzo’s “Juice” is all about shining bright and encouraging others to do the same. As she sings, “If I'm shining, everybody gonna shine.”
36Shania Twain - "That Don't Impress Me Much"
On her iconic 1997 song, Shania Twain isn’t impressed by external factors like money or job titles. In it, she realizes it’s going to take more than superficial traits to allow someone into her life.
37Shakira - "She Wolf"
On “She Wolf,” Shakira quite literally compares herself to a wolf and embraces her most wild, ferocious side.
38Nicki Minaj ft. Beyoncé - "Feeling Myself"
I couldn't end the list without some Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé. These women are the definition of confidence, star power, and fierceness, and their songs totally give that same feeling — especially "Feeling Myself."
Whenever I'm feeling down, these are my go-to songs that instantly cheer me up because they offer an immediate confidence boost. Give them a chance on your playlist and they'll have you feeling yourself, too.
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