Ladies, are you looking for songs to sing at the top of your lungs after a breakup? Or maybe you’re loving the single life and the independence it’s brought you? With these 20 songs about not needing a man listed below, you’ll have the time of your life dancing and singing to upbeat songs dedicated to the single life!
All of these songs below deal — in some way, shape, or form — with female empowerment and not needing a man. From songs of self-love to great breakup anthems, this list has it all!
1. “I Don’t Need a Man” by The Pussycat Dolls
“I Don’t Need a Man” by The Pussycat Dolls is a great song about being independent and realizing that you don’t need a man in your life to accomplish your dreams or be happy! The girl group explains that they see men looking at them, but they’re not interested in having any type of romantic relationship!
Instead, they enjoy their single life. They know what they want. And they’re not about to change their minds! They sing the lyrics, “I don’t need a ring around my finger / To make me feel complete.”
2. “Independent Women, Part I” by Destiny’s Child
Destiny’s Child’s hit song “Independent Women, Part I”, which was released in 2000, is one of the best anthems about being independent. In this iconic song, the girl group explains that they have their own money. They’re independent. Therefore, they don’t need a man to buy them all the things they want, as they’ll do it themselves!
Now, they’re not saying they’ll be single forever. However, the girls sing that if they do get into a romantic relationship with a man in the future, they are still going to be independent. After all, they don’t really need him!
3. “Joan of Arc” by Little Mix
“Joan of Arc” by Little Mix also discusses being single and independent — and not needing a man. In this song, the girl group sings about how they can afford their own rings and expensive things. They don’t need a man to do this for them.
They also explain that they’re happy with the life they have, even if they are single. After all, they love themselves and are living the life they’ve always dreamed of having! As a result, in the chorus they explain their thoughts by singing, “I don’t need a man / If I’m lovin’ you, it’s ’cause I can.”
4. “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s iconic song “Single Ladies” is one of the best anthems about getting over an ex and realizing you don’t need a man in your life! The song opens with Beyoncé explaining that her ex ended things. So, she’s going out to a club to have fun.
In the process of living it up, she meets a man who’s interested in her — and this just makes her ex interested in her again. But Beyoncé won’t stand for that and lets him know that if he really wanted her, he should’ve married her when he had the chance! Now, she doesn’t need him!
5. “Woman Up” by Meghan Trainor
“Woman Up” by Meghan Trainor follows the singer as she speaks to women everywhere about not needing a man. Trainor explains that women can all have fun and enjoy their life, regardless of what their relationship status is. She explains that we can all love ourselves in this song full of female empowerment!
In the chorus, she drives this point home by signing the lyrics, “All my girls, raise your hand / If you don’t need a man / ‘Cause you’re more than good enough.”
6. “Me & My Girls” by Selena Gomez
“Me & My Girls” by Selena Gomez, which appears on the 2015 album Revival, is an ode to female empowerment and friendships. Gomez sings about how all she really needs in life is herself and her friends!
Gomez and her friends all make money, so they don’t need a man to buy them the things they want. They do this for themselves! As a result, they don’t need to seek out men, and Gomez sings about avoiding guys wasting your time! She explains by singing, “But you don’t understand / I don’t need a man.”
7. “Woman” by Kesha
Kesha’s 2017 song “Woman” was written about the singer’s love of being a woman. In this upbeat and engaging song, Kesha explains that she pays her own bills. She has her own money. She’s independent and loves her single life.
As a result, she feels that she doesn’t need a man at all! She sings, “I don’t need a man to be holding me too tight.”
8. “Miss Independent” by Kelly Clarkson
“Miss Independent” by Kelly Clarkson, which appears on the 2003 album Thankful, tells the story of a woman who didn’t need love or a man in her life until she found her true love. At the beginning of the song, Clarkson sings, “Miss don’t let a man interfere, no / Miss on her own / Miss almost grown / Miss never let a man help her off her throne.”
However, as the song progresses, Clarkson sings about how this girl eventually lets her guard down for real love. So, while the song doesn’t end up being completely about not needing a man, it’s still a great anthem to listen to!
9. “That’s My Girl” by Fifth Harmony
“That’s My Girl” by Fifth Harmony follows the girl group as they sing about independence and not needing a man in their life. The group sings about feeling overworked as well as having your heartbroken. They explain how so many women feel as if they’re barely hanging on in professional and personal parts of their lives.
However, the group then goes on to sing about the beauty of independence and not letting anyone keep you down! They sing, “Destiny said it, you got to get up and get it / Get mad independent and don’t you ever forget it.”
10. “Single” by Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield’s 2004 song “Single”, which appears on her album Unwritten, follows the singer as she embraces the single life! Bedingfield sings to other single people and explains that she’s happy with how her life is. She doesn’t need a man in her life to make her miserable.
In the chorus, she sings the lyrics, “This is my current single status / My declaration of independence.”
11. “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande’s hit song “thank u, next” is perhaps one of the best songs about getting over your past exes and looking forward to the future. Grande thanks all of her ex-boyfriends, explaining that they all taught her something. Even though these relationships didn’t work out, she refuses to let them continue to hold her back.
Grande also goes on to see that her relationship with herself is much more important than the romantic relationships she has with men. Now that she’s single, she realizes that she doesn’t need a man to be happy!
12. “You Don’t Own Me” by SAYGRACE featuring G-Eazy
“You Don’t Own Me” by SAYGRACE and featuring G-Eazy, which is a cover of Lesley Gore’s classic 1963 song, explores themes of independence from a woman’s point of view. SAYGRACE sings about how no man owns her and she can do what she wants, regardless of what any man thinks!
13. “Bo$$” by Fifth Harmony
Another Fifth Harmony song! The girl group’s 2014 track “Bo$$” also discusses how they don’t need men in their lives to be beautiful, independent, and rich. This song encourages young women to be as independent as they want to be, regardless of what the men in their life say.
The girls sing about how they want respect. They don’t need a man in their life to treat them like dirt. They’ll instead make their own money, live their own lives, and be their own bosses!
14. “Love Myself” by Hailee Steinfeld
“Love Myself” by Hailee Steinfeld follows the singer as she realizes that she doesn’t need a man. After a breakup, she sings that she’s finally realized that she loves herself and can be happy while single. She’s not going to try to be in another relationship where she forgets to respect and love herself!
15. “7 rings” by Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande also sings about not needing a man, as well as female empowerment and independence, in her song “7 rings”. Throughout this song, Grande sings about her rich and wealthy lifestyle. She’s happy with this life and loves the independence she has. She doesn’t need a man to give her these things. Instead, she’ll buy them for herself!
16. “Really Don’t Care” by Demi Lovato featuring Cher Lloyd
“Really Don’t Care” by Demi Lovato, which also features Cher Lloyd, follows the duo after a particularly annoying breakup with men. The two realize that they don’t need a man in their life — and they don’t care about their exes either!
While this song does specifically sing about the end of a relationship, it’s a great track to put on when you’re looking for a song about not needing any men in your life!
17. “Me Too” by Meghan Trainor
Meghan Trainor’s 2016 anthem “Me Too” is all about self-love. Trainor sings about accepting and loving herself. She realizes how wonderful she is — and she knows that others would love to be her!
While this song mainly deals with self-love and female empowerment, it’s also a great anthem for independence and not needing a man! Trainor realizes that she doesn’t need a man to love herself in this fun and upbeat anthem.
18. “I Don’t Care” by Judy Garland
Now, for a classic. “I Don’t Care” by Judy Garland follows the iconic singer as she explains that she doesn’t care what other people think about her. She doesn’t need a man, nor does she need anyone else to tell her how she should act or what she should be.
She explains this when she sings the lyrics, “You see, I’m sort of independent / I am my own superintendent / And my star is on the ascendant / That’s why I don’t care.”
19. “Overprotected” by Britney Spears
“Overprotected” by Britney Spears, which appears on the pop star’s 2001 album Britney, discusses the singer’s emotions about not being able to live her life. Spears feels that too many people in her life are protecting her. As a result, she’s not living her life — and she’s “Overprotected” instead.
She also sings about just wanting to live her life her own way. She craves a bit of independence. While this song could be interpreted in different ways — and could relate to a lot of different relationships — “Overprotected” could definitely be a song to add to any playlist about female independence and not needing a man!
20. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
At last, we’ve come to the final song on our list! “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, first released in 1983, is definitely one of the most iconic songs here. Lauper sings about how girls want to enjoy their life. She sings about female empowerment and independence.
However, she also sings about how girls don’t need men to be happy! She sings the lyrics, “Some boys take a beautiful girl / And hide her away from the rest of the world / I wanna be the one to walk in the sun.”