Ever feel completely angry with yourself because of things you’ve done in the past? We’ve all felt some type of self-hatred or self-loathing in the past. It’s common! And sometimes, before we try to eventually move on and get past these feelings of hating ourselves, it’s nice to wallow in the utter sadness of it all.
In this article, we’ve listed 20 of our favorite songs about hating yourself. From sad songs to more angsty songs full of anger and disappointment, these songs are full of self-hatred.
1. “I Hate Myself” by Pretenders
“I Hate Myself” by Pretenders opens with the lyrics, “I hate myself, I hate myself, I hate myself / For being jealous / I hate myself, I hate myself, I hate myself / For things that you can’t see.”
As the song goes on, the singer explains all their faults. They know that they shouldn’t do the things that they do. However, they can’t seem to help themselves — and this results in them regretting their actions and their feelings. In the end, their actions lead them to feel as if they hate themselves.
2. “Creep” by Radiohead
“Creep” by Radiohead, which was first released in 1992, is perhaps one of the best songs about self-loathing. According to the band, the song is about a drunk man trying to confess his feelings towards a woman, but utterly failing.
Since its inception, the song has gone on to mean various different things, depending on whose listening to it. That’s the beauty of music!
So, the song remains a great song about not liking yourself, or at least about recognizing some of the self-hatred you may have. We’ve all felt like this at one point in our lives, after all.
3. “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
1988’s “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts follows the singer as she deals with her problematic relationship. Jett sings about how much she hates someone who has done her wrong. As a result, she hates herself, as she knows that she should move on from this terrible person!
So, Jett sings, “I hate myself for loving you / Can’t break free from the things that you do / I wanna walk but I run back to you / That’s why I hate myself for loving you.”
4. “Preface” by FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs’ track “Preface” also deals with hating yourself because of love. In this short track, FKA Twigs repeatedly sings the lyrics, “I love another, and thus I hate myself.”
While there are many interpretations listeners can derive from this song, Twigs here sings about how hard it can be to move on and love someone else after a breakup! This song could also hint at infidelity.
5. “I Hate Myself For Losing You” by Kelly Clarkson
2004’s “I Hate Myself For Losing You” by Kelly Clarkson, which appears on her album Breakaway, explores a breakup. Clarkson explains that her boyfriend ended things with her and found another woman. He cheated on her and left her for another.
However, Clarkson can’t help but blame herself. As a result, she hates herself because she misses her ex — even though he did wrong! She sings, “I hate myself for losing you / What do you do when you look in the mirror / And staring at you is why he’s not here?”
6. “Lonely Together” by Avicii & Rita Ora
“Lonely Together” by Avicii and Rita Ora detail a complicated relationship. Ora has broken up with her partner. However, she still wants to be with her ex — though she doesn’t want to reignite a relationship with them, or be friends with them.
Ora knows that she should just stay away from her ex. But she can’t! This makes her hate herself, and she sings, “I might hate myself tomorrow / But I’m on my way tonight / At the bottom of a bottle / You’re the poison in the wine.”
7. “Worth” by Kid Cudi
In “Worth”, Kid Cudi sings about two people who struggle, but who might be able to get better if they get into a relationship with each other. Cudi explains that he hates himself. The girl he likes hates herself. But they both like each other — and they both might be good for each other.
Of course, they both have issues, and those issues may remain. But he wants to get better, which is the first step.
He says, “I hate myself but I wanna fix it / She hates herself but wants to fix it / The evils want to nix it, it could be working / Or it could be worth it, I think it’s worth it.”
8. “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
In “Anti-Hero”, Taylor Swift details all of her flaws and problems. In this pop track, she goes deep and expresses her own self-hatred. She feels like she’s always the problem. She’s always the person who messes things up. As a result, this is one of the best self-hate songs on this list!
Swift sings the lyrics, “It’s me, hi / I’m the problem, it’s me / At teatime, everybody agrees.”
9. “White Mercedes” by Charli XCX
“White Mercedes” by Charli XCX follows the singer as she describes her flaws and problems. She can’t seem to deal with her emotions, so she turns to drugs and alcohol. However, she does love her partner… even though she knows that she treats her partner badly.
This results in her singing, “Hate myself, I really love you / Hurting you feels like I’m hurting as well / All I know is I don’t deserve you.”
10. “Dirge” by Bob Dylan
1974’s “Dirge” by Bob Dylan, which appears on the album Planet Waves, opens with the lyrics, “I hate myself for loving’ you and the weakness that it showed / You were just a painted face on a trip down Suicide Road / The stage was set, the lights went out all around the old hotel / I hate myself for loving you and I’m glad the curtain fell.”
The song was written when Dylan’s marriage was coming to an end. Therefore, the song is all about his own self-hatred because of his marriage’s destruction. He also sings about how he hates himself for letting his wife fall for him, as he knows what he’s like.
11. “She Loves Me” by Descendents
1996’s “She Loves Me” by Descendents is a punk song about hating yourself. In this song, the singer expresses joy that someone loves him. However, he also sings about his own self-hatred and how even her love might not be able to save him. But her love is good and pure — and might be just what he needs!
So, he sings, “She loves me and I’m sure that she can’t hear / How I scream out for someone else / When I’m asleep or by myself / How I’m so sad, I hate myself.”
12. “Hate Myself” by Tate McRae
“Hate Myself” by Tate McRae follows the singer as she tries to deal with a breakup. McRae takes full responsibility for the breakup, as she knows that she always pushes people away. However, she truly didn’t intend to push her ex away… but that’s exactly what she did.
Even though she tries to act like she doesn’t care, she does. She sings, “After I just put you right through hell / You couldn’t hate me more than I hate myself.”
13. “On the Other Side” by The Strokes
2006’s “On the Other Side” by The Strokes, which appears on their album First Impressions of Earth, describes hating everyone, including yourself. The singer explores his life and his angry emotions. He feels that he shouldn’t hate everyone. However, he can’t stop himself from feeling this way.
As a result, he ends up singing, “I hate them all, I hate them all / I hate myself for hating them / So I’ll drink some more, I love them all / I’ll drink even more, I’ll hate them even more than I did before.”
14. “Gave Up” by Nine Inch Nails
In “Gave Up”, Nine Inch Nails sings about self-hatred. The band explains that one person finally was able to show them the light. However, it appears that this person also left them — and now they’re in a darker place than before.
The band sings the lyrics, “Of the trust, I will betray / Give it to me, I throw it away / After everything I’ve done I hate myself for what I’ve become.”
15. “I Wish I Was” by Maren Morris
Maren Morris’ song “I Wish I Was” details a breakup. Even though Morris loves the person she’s with, she knows their relationship must end. She knows that she won’t end up getting the guy — and she hates herself, as a result.
So, she sings, “So go on, hate me if you have to / I hate myself, too / ‘Cause as much as I wanna be / I’m not the hero in the story.”
16. “You Know I’m No Good” by Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse’s hit song “You Know I’m No Good” mainly describes a complicated relationship that is filled with infidelity. However, Winehouse also takes the time to criticize herself and deal with her own issues of self-hatred.
In the chorus, she sings the memorable lyrics, “I cheated myself / Like I knew I would / I told you I was trouble / You know that I’m no good.”
17. “The Pros and Cons of Breathing” by Fall Out Boy
“The Pros and Cons of Breathing” by Fall Out Boy explores a rather bitter breakup. The band sings about the many emotions that come with this breakup, including self-hatred. As a result, they sing, “I want to hate you half as much as I hate my / Self, but know that I could crush you with my voice.”
18. “Second to Last” by New Found Glory
2000’s “Second to Last” by New Found Glory begins with the lyrics, “I hate myself for losing you / I blame myself for pulling you apart.” The band goes on to sing about how their relationship has ended, and they’re happy about this, even if it does hurt. And it does!
19. “Goodbye” by Secondhand Serenade
“Goodbye” by Secondhand Serenade also explores a breakup. The singer expresses his anger and sadness that this relationship has come to an end. However, he also recognizes that it had to, as they both had become something they didn’t want to be.
Because his emotions are everywhere after this breakup, he hates both his ex and himself. He sings, “It made me learn to hate you / Or hate myself for letting it pass by.”
20. “Somebody You Found” by The Japanese House
“Somebody You Found” by The Japanese House also deals with a breakup — and all the self-loathing that can occur after breakups. The singer says that she knows she likely made mistakes in this relationship.
As a result, she sings, “My mistake, I made this about me / And I wrapped you around me like a blanket / I hate it, I hate myself.”
Listen to the full playlist on YouTube here.