What if we said selfishness is an art? One that keeps your life balanced, satisfied, and free from unnecessary drama? Listening to songs about selfishness could help encourage you to embrace this side of life.
Notably, many benefits follow this move, including a stress-free, care-free life. Songs are meant to make you more altruistic.
They redefine different elements of your life, including character, dreams, and lifestyle. Yet, there are instances when this virtue becomes meaningless.
An excellent song will help you understand when not to be unselfish. Various songs have the selfishness theme. Yet, you must be careful when choosing the one.
This article explores this subject in depth, ensuring that you make logical decisions in the long run. Here are a few insights to keep in mind.
| Nr | Song | Artist | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Selfish | Madison Beer | Learn More |
| 2 | You’re So Vain | Carly Simon | Learn More |
| 3 | Should Have Been Me | Mitski | Learn More |
| 4 | Jar Of Hearts | Christina Perri | Learn More |
| 5 | Selfish | Saint JHN | Learn More |
| 6 | Selfish | PnB Rock | Learn More |
| 7 | Back To Black | Amy Winehouse | Learn More |
| 8 | New Magic Wand | Tyler The Creator | Learn More |
| 9 | Blame | Calvin Harris | Learn More |
| 10 | Somebody Else | 1975 | Learn More |
| 11 | Liar | Rollins Band | Learn More |
| 12 | Rich & Sad | Post Malone | Learn More |
| 13 | Don’t Come Around Here No More | Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers | Learn More |
| 14 | Blank Space | Taylor Swift | Learn More |
| 15 | Under My Thumb | The Rolling Stones | Learn More |
| 16 | Sick Boy | The Chainsmokers | Learn More |
| 17 | You Don’t Own Me | Lesley Gore | Learn More |
| 18 | Brand New Me | Alicia Keys | Learn More |
| 19 | I Love Kanye | Kanye West | Learn More |
| 20 | Linger | The Cranberries | Learn More |
| 21 | Norman F***ing Rockwell | Lana Del Rey | Learn More |
21 Popular Songs About Selfishness
Are you looking to expand your playlist? The list below contains popular songs on selfishness that I think will be a great addition to your collection.
1. Selfish – Madison Beer
It was released on 14th February 2020. The American singer Madison Beer recounts her romantic disentanglement in this electronic pop song. In the song, Madison Beer talks about how sometimes the people we are committed to are only concerned about themselves and think nothing of us.
She reminisces about the two-year-long relationship that she was in and realizes it was doomed from the start. She recognized that loving him was a mistake, but she couldn’t help falling for him at the time.
She wishes she had taken the bull by the horn and called him out on his selfish tendencies instead of staying and hoping he would change eventually.
Recommended: 21 Best Chill Rap Songs To Vibe To.
2. You’re So Vain – Carly Simon
Carly Simon’s real-life experience inspired this song. This song will engross you as Carly speaks about an arrogant, self-centered, hurtful lover. Mick Jagger helps with the backup vocals. Carly Simon states that the song refers to three men, one of them being Warren Beatty.
This song was released in November 1972 and is known as one of Carly’s hit songs. It topped charts in the united states, Canada, and New Zealand and ranked at number 92 on billboard’s greatest hits.
3. Should Have Been Me – Mitski
In this song, Mitski explores selfishness from different dimensions. She starts the song by highlighting the awe-inspiring calmness she feels that she doesn’t feel the need to share with anyone.
Then in a shocking upbeat chorus, she talks about someone wanting her, yet, the person can’t reach her. Alluding to a possible partner who tried to change her instead of accepting and loving her the way she was.
Before the chorus, she talks of seeing her partner with another girl who looked exactly like her, which can be regarded as selfish. It doesn’t make sense why someone intentionally cheats with someone who looks like their partner.
Generally, the song is about the isolation Mitski felt due to her partner’s poor communication. She also apologizes for being emotionally detached from her partner.
4. Jar Of Hearts – Christina Perri
This song was Perri’s breakthrough song after being featured on the show ‘You Think You Can Dance.’ Perri’s real-life experience inspired the song. She was dating a boy who cheated on her with many other girls.
In the song, she calls the hearts the guy broke into the jar of hearts, and she takes her heart back when she chooses to let him go.
But upon returning home, she meets the guy again, and even though her heart still wants him, her head helps her make the right decision for her as it still recalls the heartbreak she went through in the past.
This song charted multiple charts both in the united states and Canada. It was certified platinum after selling more than 600,00 copies and rated the 11th best single in 2011 in the UK.
5. Selfish – Saint JHN
JHN refers to himself as selfish in this song as he is with a lady he doesn’t want to string along with empty promises. Yet, he still doesn’t want to let her go because he feels something unique while with her.
He desires to feel needed as he is lonely and ironically asks the lady to forgive him for not wanting to commit, as he knows he won’t change. Love is selfless and patient. Although for JHN, in this case, he isn’t afraid to admit his selfishness as he won’t commit to the girl. At the same time, he isn’t willing to let her go.
6. Selfish – PnB Rock
Have you ever been in a relationship that you felt was one-sided, and your partner wasn’t willing to commit to you? Then this is the perfect song for you!
In this real-life experience-inspired ballad, PnB Rock is speaking to his woman highlighting how he is not ready for commitment.
Yet, he uses praises and compliments on her hoping she will be convinced to stay with him as he feels jealous seeing her with other people.
7. Back To Black – Amy Winehouse
In this track, Amy Winehouse speaks about the aftermath of her breakup with her ex Blake Fielder-Civil. Back to black is a metaphor denoting going back to a terrible situation after the end of a relationship.
Her selfish ex breaks up with her only to get with another woman, while Amy Winehouse goes back to her harmful habit of drinking and depression.
8. New Magic Wand – Tyler The Creator
Sometimes you got to close a door in order to open a window is a phrase commonly used to denote the rise of a new opportunity. Ironically, in this track, Tyler The Creator is trying to convince his partner not to end a relationship with him.
In the song, Tyler wants the girl to give him 100% of her time. He doesn’t like to share her time. He even wishes he had a magic wand that he could use to fix their problem. He states that he lives with no fear except that she might not be there.
Suppose you are looking for a song about selfishness in a relationship. In that case, this song is rated as one of the most popular.
Recommended: 21 Songs About Stupid People.
9. Blame – Calvin Harris
This hit song is about a man who cheats on his partner and wants to be forgiven but is not willing to take responsibility for his actions. In the music, the man wants to be forgiven and for his partner to remain in their relationship.
In the song, the man wants his partner to blame his cheating on alcohol and fast life, not on him. At the end of the song, the man apologizes and promises his spouse to do better. Even though it’s hard not to like the song, it is difficult to believe that the man will change his habit, yet, he didn’t even take accountability for his actions.
10. Somebody Else – 1975
This hit song by singer-songwriter Matty Healy answers whether selfish people understand their thoughts and intentions or are simply acting off their feelings. The track starts as a sad song until it gets to the chorus.
In the song, Matty Healy finds out that his ex has moved on, and it distraught him. He is not hurt because he still loves her. On the contrary, he doesn’t want her back, but he also doesn’t like the thought of thinking she is now with someone else.
How he talks about negative feelings so vulnerably makes this one of the most popular songs about selfishness.
11. Liar – Rollins Band
The verses of this song are in spoken word, while the chorus is emotional and quite expressive, displaying the narrator’s feelings and numerous sides.
This unique song is told from the perspective of a narcissist. The narcist in the piece lies to women and eventually hurts them. The reason why he behaves the way he does is because of his anger issues.
12. Rich & Sad – Post Malone
In this song, Post Malone regrets losing the only person he loved while trying to acquire wealth. He talks about trying to buy her love with material things, but she doesn’t care about material things.
In the chorus, he talks about how he regrets being selfish and never listening to advice, thinking she would stay because of his money. He is now enjoying the spotlight, yet he feels lonely. He now parties all night long to avoid going back to a luxurious yet, empty home.
13. Don’t Come Around Here No More – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
This song was written by Tom Petty and David A. Stewart of Eurythmics. It was released in February 1985. Petty croons about a relationship gone bad.
In the song, he implores his lover to stay away from him and that he doesn’t feel her anymore. His lover is constantly trying to get back together with him, while he has already moved on.
14. Blank Space – Taylor Swift
Swift wrote this song about a young lady who thrives in dramatic yet painful relationships as an ironic response to her critics.
Most people thought of her as a serial dater seeking to break men’s hearts. It also tackles the topic of men seeking drama in relationships instead of love and security.
15. Under My Thumb – The Rolling Stones
In this ballad, Mick Jagger sings as a protagonist that turns the table on a manipulative woman. Jagger sings about how the woman had him under her thumb, but now the tables have turned, and she is in that position instead.
At the time this hit was written, jagger was in a relationship with Chrissie Shrimpton, and she might or might not have inspired the song.
Recommended: 21 Best Songs About Thunder And Lightning.
16. Sick Boy – The Chainsmokers
This track is understood from a narcist’s standpoint. In the song, the Chainsmokers talk about how the narcist in question wonders whether people take him seriously and considers changing his ways for people to view him the way he wants.
17. You Don’t Own Me – Lesley Gore
Lesley Gore tackles female independence in romantic relationships in this timeless classic hit. The song was recorded and released in 1963 when Gore was just 17 years old.
In the piece, she states that she doesn’t want to be told what to do and asks to be left to be herself and live her life as she wants to.
18. Brand New Me – Alicia Keys
In this song, Keys talks about a fresh start and achieving her goals while defying her critics, who may want to discourage her. She revels in self-empowerment and discovering her true self in the song and becomes selfish with her progress, in a good way.
This masterpiece was a collaboration between Alicia Keys and the Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sande.
19. I Love Kanye – Kanye West
This is a satirical track on his ‘Kanye loves Kanye’ meme of 2016. It was released in February of the same year. He addresses his critics in the song and highlights that even though people would like to see the old Kanye, he is gone, and even though he misses him too, he loves the new Kanye.
It references his ego talking about his changes as an individual and in the rap game. In the track, he talks about how much he loves the new Kanye and wants us to love him too, and even though we don’t, he will not care.
20. Linger – The Cranberries
Dolores O’Riordan wrote this song about the way she reacted to a breakup. She wrote it after breaking up with her first soldier boyfriend. In the song, she talks about how selfish her lover was.
He mistreated and cheated on her and still let their relationship linger. This song solidified The Cranberries band and made them one of the most famous bands in the mid-90s.
21. Norman F***ing Rockwell – Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey is thinking of leaving a man in this song about selfishness. But in the end, she understands him completely, whilst he has no sympathy for her. He attributes his immaturity and moodiness to outside factors.
She repeatedly refers to him as a man-child and claims that he is unaware of the suffering that he causes her. She is still holding out hope that he will change. She has come to terms with the fact that he doesn’t take her feelings into account and that he is selfish by nature.
Last Words
Music can be an excellent outlet when wanting to process your emotions after being with a self-centered and manipulative individual. The aftermath of dealing with selfish people can be detrimental to one’s health.
Hence listening to music, you can relate to is paramount in your healing process. Hopefully, these songs about selfishness have helped you rethink your priorities and will probably cause you to change how you interact with other people.
