Selfishness and greed are believed to be the top reasons why living in this world is hard, as most people only care about things that are beneficial for them. However, being “selfish” can also be positive in some way. For instance, there are times when it is necessary to be self-centered in order to better love and protect yourself.
Songs about one’s own self-interest can be interpreted in many different ways in the musical canon. Make sure to check out these 21 best songs about being selfish, listed below.
Table of Contents
- 21. Selfish — Madison Beer
- 20. Selfish Girl — Rihanna
- 19. Selfish — Kanye West
- 18. Selfish Girl — Charli XCX
- 17. Self‐Centered — Bowling for Soup
- 16. Selfish — Jordan Davis
- 15. Selfish — NEIMY
- 14. Selfish — Toni Braxton
- 13. Selfish — Ace Wilder
- 12. Selfish — SAINt JHN
- 11. Jar of Hearts — Christina Perri
- 10. Selfish — Britney Spears
- 9. Selfish Love — Jessie Ware
- 8. SELFISH — The Kid LAROI
- 7. Selfish Man — Flogging Molly
- 6. Material Girl — Madonna
- 5. Selfish — PnB Rock
- 4. Selfish Girls — Jake Miller
- 3. You Don’t Own Me — Lesley Gore
- 2. Greed and Gold — Seth Lakeman
- 1. Greedy — Ariana Grande
21. Selfish — Madison Beer
The first song is about being in love with a narcissist. The song “Selfish” by Madison Beer is featured on her album Life Support as a single. Emotionally, she sings in this pop song about how a bad relationship wore her down. Madison’s incredible singing voice and genuine lyrics have made this song a fan favorite since its 2021 release. As an added bonus, “Selfish” was shortlisted for the MTV Video Music Award’s Push Performance of the Year.
20. Selfish Girl — Rihanna
Feeling head over heels for someone causes us to be selfish. In Rihanna’s album A Girl Like Me, a song titled “Selfish Girl” is included. It is an R&B track that describes her feelings about how someone makes her selfish, as mentioned in the following verses:
When it comes to love, I’m not trying share you
You might think I’m greedy, but I just don’t care
I need you in my world, ’cause I’m a selfish girl
Rihanna’s sweet voice and the song’s lighthearted tune make this a delightful track to listen to.
19. Selfish — Kanye West
On the song “Selfish,” found on Kanye West’s album Donda 2, XXXTENTACION and Kanye West worked together as collaborators. This pop-rope song focuses, much like Rihanna’s song “Selfish Girl,” on the way a woman can cause a man to become self-centered and want to keep her all to himself. The song “Selfish” is a stripped-back piece, and it has an unhurried atmosphere that makes it very soothing to listen to.
18. Selfish Girl — Charli XCX
You won’t be able to keep yourself from replaying “Selfish Girl” by Charli XCX after hearing it. It recently came out in 2022 from her album, Crash. It features a nostalgic, dance-pop tune that everyone will surely vibe to. This song’s lyrics reflect how independent she is as a woman, and nothing can stop her from achieving her goals.
17. Self‐Centered — Bowling for Soup
Get ready to jump around as we play “Self-Centered” from Bowling for Soup’s Drunk Enough to Dance. With its catchy tune and lively instrumentation, this punk song has the power to cheer you up and make you feel better. The lyrics of “Self-Centered” tell the story of a woman who left him and how he wants to be self-centered afterward as his coping mechanism.
16. Selfish — Jordan Davis
Jordan Davis is a country-pop singer-songwriter whose calming songs catapulted him to the top of the charts across the entire nation. One of these is titled “Selfish” and can be found on his album Home State. In this country song, he sings a romantic song about how all he wants to do is spend the whole day in bed with the woman he loves. Dare to fall in love while listening to this piece.
15. Selfish — NEIMY
NEIMY’s “Selfish” is now on its way to a million views on YouTube. This Swedish singer’s voice will melt your heart from the moment the first verse begins. She calls out her ex-lover as selfish, saying that the best term to describe him is “selfish.” Both the melody and the accompanying music have strong hooks. If your heart has ever been broken by someone, you will surely resonate with this title track.
14. Selfish — Toni Braxton
In 2002, Toni Braxton released her song “Selfish” as part of her album titled More Than a Woman. This R&B song features her airy, ethereal voice that will leave you feeling weightless. In this song, she sings how she is willing to be selfish just to have him for herself. You can hear it in the verses that follow:
I’m selfish
I don’t wanna share you with anybody else
Don’t want them hugging you
Touching you, feeling you, kissing you
You could call me selfish
13. Selfish — Ace Wilder
Those who have heard Ace Wilder’s “Selfish,” which appears on Lugna Favoriter, have described it as “odd yet addictive.” This 2017 song’s lyrics emphasize putting oneself first to avoid getting hurt, as she says, “I love to see you cry, better you than I.” Ace Wilder’s “Selfish” is not to be missed if you want to hear a song with a contemporary and distinctive arrangement.
12. Selfish — SAINt JHN
One of life’s most trying circumstances is developing feelings for someone who is already taken. That emotion is captured perfectly in “Selfish,” a hip-hop song by rapper SAINt JHN from his album Collection One. Even though she is seeing someone else, he admits that he secretly wishes he could keep her all to himself. “Selfish” has a calming musical effect that’s perfect for winding down.
11. Jar of Hearts — Christina Perri
“Jar of Hearts” is one of the most successful songs by Christina Perri. “Jar of Hearts” is about a man who goes around breaking people’s hearts. With the flawless combination of Perri’s hypnotizing voice, the well-written lyrics, and the song’s beautiful melody and instrumentation, there is no way you are not going to love this pop song from her album Lovestrong after playing it.
10. Selfish — Britney Spears
The room will immediately fill with dancers when the next Femme Fatale track by Britney Spears is played. It’s an electropop tune called “Selfish,” and it’s all about how much she wants to be with the man who makes her feel that way. Britney’s dulcet tones and the song’s catchy melody will have you singing along in no time.
9. Selfish Love — Jessie Ware
“Selfish Love,” recorded by Jessie Ware, is a selfish-themed song that is quite different from the others as it is not about being the victim but being a narcissist in a relationship. The singer admits that she can’t get enough of how she can manipulate him just to get her way. You will surely be captivated by this Glasshouse pop track with its unique musical quality.
8. SELFISH — The Kid LAROI
The Kid LAROI’s passionate performance of “SELFISH” will leave you overwhelmed by the emotion in his voice. This track first came out on 2020 in his album, F*ck Love. The protagonist of “SELFISH” makes the decision to act selfishly as a means of escaping his traumatic past. It is an introspective hip-hop track with infectious beats that will transport you to The Kid LAROI’s own journey.
7. Selfish Man — Flogging Molly
A classic piece has made the cut. It is the song “Selfish Man” from Flogging Molly’s Alive Behind the Green Door. He honestly comments on how he doesn’t understand why he only loves himself and no one else. The song “Selfish Man” features the conventional instrumentation of folk-rock music from the 1990s, which is sure to give you a boost of energy.
6. Material Girl — Madonna
Madonna’s “Material Girl” addresses a topic that, if we’re being honest, we all share: a desire for the finer things in life. In 1984, the infectious tune and distinctive style of this pop song from her best-selling album Like a Virgin caused a worldwide sensation. Lyrics from “Material Girl” reveal how she uses her charms on wealthy men to get what she wants. It’s a masterpiece, and you’ll be humming it for days.
5. Selfish — PnB Rock
In 2016, PnB Rock shot to fame when his rap single “Selfish” earned a spot in the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100. Featuring infectious hooks and rhythms, this song is a smash from GTTM: Goin’ Through the Motions. In his lyrics, he describes how deeply in love he is with a woman and how much he desires her so much that he is willing to act selfishly in order to get her.
4. Selfish Girls — Jake Miller
This track from Rumors will capture your heart with Jake’s attractive voice and lovely tune, in addition to the touching music video for “Selfish Girls” by Jake Miller, in which he features home videos of his fans singing his song. It’s a pop song with a delightful melody and lyrics about a self-centered girl he dated who eventually broke up with him and left him in shambles.
3. You Don’t Own Me — Lesley Gore
There’s a track called “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore from her 1963 album, Sings of Mixed-Up Hearts. This song serves as her anthem for independence from a person who, out of greed, attempted to control her throughout their time together. Lesley’s lovely voice and the music’s soothing background track are both enjoyable to hear.
2. Greed and Gold — Seth Lakeman
You’ll be haunted by the song “Greed and Gold” from Seth Lakeman’s Poor Man’s Heaven album. The lyrics portray a woman as a victim of a greedy man who lured her to his house before assaulting her, effectively demonstrating how dangerous greed and gold can be. This folk song, which was released in 2008, has dark lyrics, but the minimal instrumentation makes it calming to listen to.
1. Greedy — Ariana Grande
We are now down to our final selection of the best songs about being selfish! Let’s hear it from pop sensation Ariana Grande. In her album Dangerous Woman, a track titled “Greedy” is included. Ariana Grande’s dynamic vocal range is on full display in this elated, lively pop song that is sure to get everyone in the room pumped up. Lyrically, it describes her insatiable love for someone and how proud she is of her being greedy for him.