21 Songs About Haters (2023)

Since time immemorial, songs had been an avenue for people to express their thoughts, feelings, and sentiments. Among the most despicable emotions by far is hate, and many singers and songwriters had boldly addressed this topic. It goes a long way from somebody who just doesn’t believe you, someone who talks behind your back, people who are simply mean, to people who are vengeful and angry. You can unfailingly find a hater song in all types of music genres.

In these songs, the artists usually take a defiant and confident tone to assert their worth and succeed despite the haters’ attempts to pull them down. Their songs had become their self-expression to call out the criticisms and negativities they have struggled with.

In this article, we will explore the songs about haters, their purpose and impact, and some notable examples from recent years.

21. “Haterz Everywhere” by B.o.B

Album: Who the F#*k is B.o.B? | Style: Hip-hop, Rap

This song promotes an empowering idea to ignore haters and never let their negativities bring you down. The song is full of clever wordplay and metaphors, all in connection to how haters try to impede the singer’s success but fortunately, he never allowed their words and actions to distract him in any way. B.o.B encourages his listeners ad fans to keep pushing forward despite the hurdles that haters build along your path to fame and fortune.

20. “Energy” by Drake

Album: If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late | Style: Hip-hop

Sometimes, haters get the better of us, and most of the time they even drain our energy. This song talks about all these kinds of stuff and how haters tend to disorient the rapper in all the career efforts he makes. However, it is evident in the song that the rapper just brushes them all off his shirt and never allowed his determination to falter. He then calls on his fans and listeners to do the same.

19. “Haters” by TLC

Album: 3D | Style: R&B, Hip Hop

During life, we learned to accept the fact that no matter how seemingly perfect we become, there will always be some haters to pinpoint even our tiniest flaws. People tend to say something negative, and this song perfectly embraces this reality. However, toward the end of the song, the singer encourages listeners to ignore these types of jealous people and just focus on their happiness and goals.

18. “***Flawless” by Beyoncé

Album: Beyoncé | Style: Hip Hop, Pop

The song features the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women as it focuses on self-confidence, self-love, and embracing one’s flaws and imperfections. It has also been praised for its feminist themes and its bold and assertive way of making these issues heard. Just like most of Beyonce’s songs, “Flawless” has also been popularized as a dance and workout song.

17. “S.L.U.T” by Bea Miller

Album: Aurora | Style: Pop

In this song, S.L.U.T. serves as an acronym for “Sweet Little Unforgettable Thing”, contrary to what most people might think to be the direct term “slut”. The song flips the meaning of this s-word into an empowering and positive message, specifically for women. It also encourages women to embrace their sexuality and disregard the judgmental and hater people in society.

16. “Gives You Hell” by All American Rejects

Album: When The World Comes Down | Style: Pop Rock

This is a typical song that dwells on hatred and revenge at the same time. It talks of a man, so in love with a woman, but was left behind because of discontent and greed for money. However, when the man succeeds in his life, he looks down on the woman who hurt him and was ready to get revenge for the pain she caused him. This song serves as a rallying cry for people who refuse to be treated poorly.

15. “Haters” by Hillary Duff

Album: Dignity | Style: Pop

It takes a lot of courage to stand up for what you know is right, and it takes a lot more deal of inner power to stand up to the haters in your life. However, Hillary Duff didn’t falter or mince a word in this song as she calls the attention and wrongdoings of her haters. This song resonated with the lives of people who had dealt with negative and critical people and served as a constant reminder to face adversities with confidence and conviction.

14. “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera

Album: Stripped | Style: Pop Ballad

Extraordinarily, this fabulous song is a reminder of how beautiful we are in every single way. Thus, the singer pushes us to hold our ground despite the insecurities, jealousies, and hatred that block our way. It calls us to not let the hateful words of others bring us down the pit of defeat and self-pity. Because of Christina Aguilera’s heartfelt rendition, this song is a popular choice for graduation ceremonies and motivational speeches.

13. “Don’t Laugh at Me” by Mark Willis

Album: Loving Every Minute | Style: Country

Have you ever been bullied, or have you known someone who had been victimized by bullies? This song is an outright response to bullying, of any sort. It describes the harmful effects of bullying as much as the pain and isolation experienced by those who had been tagged to be different or weird. Since bullying is a common issue even in today’s modern world, this song serves as a perfect tribute to the victims and it promotes anti-bullying awareness, as well.

12. “Follow Your Arrow” by Kacey Musgraves

Album: Same Trailer Different Park | Style: Country

This song undeniably touches a deeply personal and emotional impact on its listeners as it deals with a call to celebrate nonconformity and individuality. The singer emphasizes how we should live on our own terms and just follow our arrows wherever it leads us, regardless of what others might think. Moreover, the feel-good country vibe of the song makes you tap your feet on a groove.

11. “Buzzkill” by Luke Bryan

Album: Crash My Party | Style: Country

Literally, a buzzkill refers a person who has a depressing or dispiriting effect and who tends to ruin the pleasures of others. Unlikely though, this song does not have the effect to its listeners because its catchy lyrics and tempo make it a fun song to sing along with. Ironically, the song describes an encounter with someone who always seem to ruin the mood, but the song itself is something that will complete your day.

10. “She Hates Me” by Puddle of Mudd

Album: Come Clean | Style: Post-grunge

Basically, the song was written and composed out of anger as its lyrics describe the feeling of betrayal and heartbreak bursting out from the heart of someone who had been abandoned or divorced. Some listeners may find the song an expression of hatred and frustration, but a lot more fans find it an aggressive way to blame an ex-lover for a failed relationship. After all, it takes two to tango.

9. “H.A.T.E.U.” by Mariah Carey

Album: Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel | Style: R&B / Pop

An acronym for “Having A Typical Emotional Upset,” this song reflects the emotional turmoil and vulnerability after a devastating breakup. The song is a strong statement of something like “I can’t wait to hate you” for someone whom you really hate for hurting you but cannot do so because you still love the person as much as you used to.

8. “Dem Haters” by Rihanna

Album: A Girl Like Me | Style: Reggae, R&B

This song echoes a very important message that addresses the issue of jealousy and envy. It describes how people can become bitter and resentful toward someone’s success. These people exist in our lives whether we like them or not, and we cannot do anything other than control our emotions and attitudes toward them. The best part of the song is that it empowers us to rise above any negativity.

7. “Hater” by Miranda Brooke

Album: Miranda Brooke | Style: R&B

This song has a lot of spice in it as Miranda Brooke boldly accepts in this song how much of a hater she is. However, she tried to justify her hate by vividly describing how she worked hard for loving the man, but she just got played. Later, the man ended up in another relationship where he acts as perfect as he must have been. It’s like popping out the question in your mind on what you did wrong that he couldn’t love you back before the way he loves her now.

6. “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson

Album: Stronger | Style: Pop Rock

According to Kelly Clarkson herself, this song is a perfect representation of her life and how she moved on from the pain even stronger than she used to be. A lot of people may come to hate us, but the song speaks to the resilience of the human spirit reminding us that what doesn’t kill us will make us stronger, taller, and warmer. It just depends on the attitude we manifest toward this hate, violence, and pain.

5. “Hate On Me” by Jill Scott

Album: The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 | Style: R&B

This is a powerful track that speaks directly to those who have felt oppressed by society’s standards and were judged unjustly due to race, gender, physique, or character. The lyrics then describe how the singer dealt with people who tried to bring her down and define her. Ultimately, the song encourages listeners to embrace their individuality and not let others’ opinions hold them back.

4. “Mean” by Taylor Swift

Album: Speak Now | Style: Country Pop

This is one of Taylor Swift’s remarkable masterpieces because even though it centers on the theme of bullying, she put so much humanity into the song which made it even more relatable to ordinary people. The lyrics describe how she had been told she was worthless, stupid, and ugly, but she refuses to let these negative opinions diffuse her self-confidence. In fact, she just regarded the other party as someone who is just “mean” and that fate will pull him down big time somehow.

3. “Don’t You Just Hate Those People” by Jennette McCurdy

Album: Not That Far Away | Style: Pop

Unlike most songs about hate that condemn haters, this song comes from a perspective of a hater herself. She describes how much she hates seeing couples who display public affection simply because she’s jealous of the love she doesn’t have. Although the song has a quite negative subject matter, its catchy melody is fun and easy to listen to and the lyrics are full of honesty that fans could easily find comfort in this song knowing that someone shares the same frustrations with them.

2. “Who Says” by Selena Gomez

Album: When the Sun Goes Down | Style: Pop

Through this song, Selena Gomez tells her fans to never believe someone telling them that they are not pretty and perfect simply because they are beautiful in their own ways. This song raises a great deal of self-love and self-acceptance as it urges its listeners to embrace their unique qualities. It also points out the fact that haters would try to knock you off because that is the price of being perfectly beautiful in your way. Thus, you just get to accept and deal with them with utmost confidence and resilience.

1. “F**k You” by Lily Allen

Album: It’s Not Me, It’s You | Style: Pop

Typically, this is a perfect song to dedicate to people you are so angry with – for whatever reason in the world there may be. There is a conflict between something sounding so sweet and being really quite dark all throughout the song’s thematic delivery. Originally, this song is very political; however, fans can easily associate this song with even just the slightest issues that can stir up anger within themselves.