Everyone experiences things that make them want to retaliate, that make them want to get revenge, whether it is something as petty as simply getting on your nerves with their behavior, or as severe as repeatedly cheating on you in a relationship and lying about it time and time again. No matter what it is. we as humans feel the need to retaliate, the need to get revenge.
Musicians and artists have been putting these feelings in their songs about revenge for decades, and some of those songs are still just as relevant and popular now as they were then.
Here are some songs about revenge that are sure to stir up some feelings within you that you can relate to, or give you that cathartic feeling of singing or screaming along to the lyrics. This mix of 20 songs about revenge should provide a little something for everyone to relate to with whatever situation you’re going through.
#1. ‘Before He Cheats’ by Carrie Underwood
This is a classic song about getting revenge on someone who you have discovered had been cheating on you and you act in the heat of passion by taking out your aggression on their physical possessions.
Getting revenge on someone by wrecking things can feel amazing and depending on the items wrecked, can serve as a warning for the next person to come along, to tell the next person that the person they are dating has a habit of cheating, or it may simply serve as a reminded for the cheater to think twice before breaking someone’s heart who may have a wild streak.
#2. ‘Gives You Hell’ by The All-American Rejects
A song for those who left you because they thought you would not make anything of yourself in life, of those who left you because they thought you were nothing.
This is a song of a subtler form of revenge, a revenge dealing with them being tormented for not believing in you, not believing in your dreams, not believing you could make it, and then having to see you succeed, having to see your success and your betterment of yourself.
It is about the revenge of showing those who left you and thought you were nothing that they were wrong and now they have to see just what they could have had with you and what they are missing out on.
#3. ‘These Boots are Made for Walkin’’ by Nancy Sinatra
A song almost 60 years old. but still just as relevant as it was when it was first released. ‘These Boots are Made for Walkin’ is a song many can relate to.
It is a song about being in a bad relationship where your partner continuously keeps lying and breaking their promises, saying time and time again that they are going to change, that it isn’t going to happen again.
However, you have had enough of what they have to say and you are tired of putting up with them and their empty promises and lies. It’s time for you to get your revenge by flipping the script, by taking no more from them, by putting on your best boots, and by walking all over them for a change.
#4. ‘Had Enough’ by Breaking Benjamin
‘Had Enough’ is a song about those who take too much from you. who just keep taking and taking without asking, pushing you over your limit. They are greedy and they make sure they always get the best of whatever happens to be available at the expense of others, and that includes you.
This song is about swearing to get your revenge on them, and making sure that they know you will be the one to leave them miserable and alone at the end of the day for all they have done.
#5. ‘Revenge’ by Pink feat. Eminem
This song is one about two toxic people who keep cheating on each other in a relationship that they shouldn’t be in and each one is plotting revenge on the other to make them hurt like they do.
Each of them blames the other for cheating on them and causing them pain and each of them want to get revenge on the other by cheating on them and making them feel that same pain. It’s a vicious cycle of petty revenge repeating itself over and over, with no end in sight.
#6. ‘Little Smirk’ by Theory of a Deadman
Far too many people know the pain of happily coming home to their partner only to find them enjoying themselves in bed with someone else and become absolutely furious, which is completely understandable.
This song is about making a list of how you are going to get revenge on them to the absolute fullest.
Lists like this include burning all of their clothes, locking them out of the house, spending way too much money on their credit cards, and stealing their car, all in the hopes of getting revenge on them so they know how you felt when you caught them in bed with someone else.
#7. ‘Brain Damage’ by Eminem
A song for those bullied underdogs, ‘Brain Damage’ tells the story of a bullied kid who was beaten within an inch of his life, with no help from those around him, with the whole world seemingly against him.
It tells the story of the kid getting revenge against those who beat them down, of beating up the bully for a change and standing victorious on their body. Don’t let yourself be bullied; take your revenge and feel the sweet intoxication of liberation.
#8. ‘Piece by Piece’ by Kelly Clarkson
People who can hurt you come in many forms, including those who are supposed to love you and take care of you unconditionally.
This song is about dealing with the abandonment issues of having a parent walk out of your life, even after you desperately beg them to stay or to come back and taking revenge upon them by proving that you do not need them in your life after all, that they can be replaced by someone who wants to be there, who wants to take care of you.
Sometimes revenge is just accepting the love offered by those around you.
#9. ‘Obsessed’ by Mariah Carrey
This song itself was an act of revenge that went down in the history books. A little-known musician was spreading rumors and releasing songs claiming to be dating Mariah Carrey, and in order to address these rumors.
Mariah Carrey got her revenge by releasing a song asking who they were, calling them delusional, and asking why they were so obsessed with her. The song is a great revenge tool that belittles its subject and is a great way to deal with someone that is too clingy whether they are an ex or a friend that seems to be getting a little too close for comfort.
#10. ‘One Way or Another’ by Blondie
While this song starts out with a very real and very scary scenario, it ends with revenge and self-empowerment. It tells the very real story of being stalked but soon the tables are flipped and the victim turns into the pursuer, taking revenge by looking to figure out who it is that is stalking them and uncover their identity so they can be arrested and put behind bars.
The revenge here is taking back control of your life and forcing those who were controlling you to submit, which can denoteextremely empowering and give you your feelings of freedom back.
#11. ‘I’ll Get Even With You’ by Foreigner
This is a simple song with a chill beat and lyrics that are repetitive to drive their point home. When you’ve been knocked down by someone time and time again, it is best to get back up and plan your revenge, even if you don’t exactly know how, you simply know that there will come a day where you take your revenge and get even with them, knocking them down giving them what’s coming to them.
#12. ‘9 to 5’ by Dolly Parton
‘9 to 5’ is not a traditional revenge, but it is sung by the classic singer Dolly Parton. You may not have even realized the meaning behind the catchy beat and lyrics.
The song is about being overworked and underpaid, something that is still all too relevant, but it is also about taking revenge against the bosses and corporations running things by uniting with your fellow individuals fighting in that same struggle and changing things for the better, taking revenge by taking your fair share of what you’re owed for what you do.
#13. ‘IDGAF’ by Dua Lipa
Everyone knows the feeling of being in a relationship that seems so one-sided where you were the one invested and your partner seemed to be more interested in doing other things, or in doing other people, and the satisfaction that comes from cutting them out of your life.
This is a song where you get revenge by ignoring your ex as they suddenly have more interest in you now that you’re not dating them and as you’re thriving and prospering outside of that relationship.
You get your revenge by watching them suffer as they realize what a good relationship they actually had and as they beg to have you back while you ignore them and reject them time and time again.
#14. ‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adelle
This is a revenge song for the ages with notes and melodies that are hauntingly beautiful and unmistakably powerful. The song comes from Adelle’s real relationship experience and in it, she sings about how deeply in love she was with her partner who ended up being toxic and abusive.
Once she realized this, she ended the relationship and wrote this song as a power-ballad of empowerment of sorts, singing about how the end of the relationship has made her even stronger and has lit a fire in her heart and she will do whatever she needs to do to stay where she is when it comes to dealing with her unsavory ex.
#15. ‘I Bet’ by Ciara
This song is about leaving a relationship only for your ex to realize they were better off when they were with you and they think they’re the one who will treat you the best. You, however, don’t need them to take care of you, to complete you, to make you feel good.
This song is a simple one about taking revenge on your ex just by loving yourself and showing them that you don’t need them in your life at all.
It may not seem like much in terms of revenge, but watching someone thrive because they don’t need you can be absolutely maddening. And watching someone go mad because you’re thriving without them can be extremely satisfying. Remember to love yourself.
#16. ‘Don’t Get Mad, Get Even’ by Aerosmith
A rock classic from the end of the 1980’s. Aerosmith managed to put the entire concept of revenge into a single song, perfectly summing up how it feels somedays when bad things happen or when people push you past your limits.
No matter who has slighted you. or the degree to which you’ve been slighted. Aerosmith has the answer with “Don’t Get Mad. Get Even”.
Don’t spend your time and energy being upset at someone for what they did, but instead channel that energy into taking revenge on them and making them suffer the same you have suffered.
#17. ‘You Oughta Know’ by Alanis Morissette
This song is another one that comes straight from the artist’s personal experiences. The song describes Alanis Morissette’s experiences in a bad relationship that left her broken and full of rage.
She is replaced quite quickly by her ex-partner and is devastated once more and left a wreck.
However, she decides to take revenge by making sure that she isn’t the only one suffering and gets her revenge by making sure they will never forget her, that they will never forget the things they did to her, and that future partners may use her as a warning against her ex-partner.
#18. ‘Trailer for Rent’ by Pistol Annies
While most country revenge songs deal with violence, property damage, and even murder. Trailer for Rent’ is a simpler song about a woman fed up with her man and just wanting to get out of the relationship, and the home, with no hassle. She simply leaves, places an ad in the paper about renting out her trailer right away, and heads back home, pretending everything is fine as she waits for her phone to ring.
The revenge in this song is realizing you deserve better and doing what you can to make that happen without taking crap from anyone.
The revenge is renting out her trailer without telling her man about it, thus evicting him before he even knows it. Remember to focus on you and what’s good for yourself because often times, loving yourself and doing what’s right for you is the best revenge.
#19. ‘Going Down’ by Sick Puppies
This song is a song about revenge over those petty slights that just build up overtime until you can’t stand to see that person anymore.
Little things start to add up quickly when they happen over and over and as it turns out the best revenge is just the petty, yet satisfying revenge of hitting them and physically working out the problems you have with that person because you just don’t care anymore at that point and can’t stand to do anything else but get revenge on them in the good ol’ fashioned manner of connecting your fist with their face until you’re satisfied.
#20. ‘Deal With It’ by Ashnikko feat. Kelis
‘Deal With It’ is a revenge song by Ashnikko that blew up in the beginning of 2021 about showing up and showing off to your ex who still misses you and still wants to get back together.
It’s a revenge song about showing how much you’ve improved yourself and how little you need them. It’s a revenge song about showing them how little you care about them now and how replaceable they truly are to you.
These songs about revenge come from throughout the decades through a variety of genres from artists both new and old, yet still, these songs about revenge resonate within so many people who share the same feelings.
There are many ways to get revenge on someone, whether it is physically damaging their property, following your dreams and making something of yourself, or simply working on bettering yourself and loving yourself.
Sometimes the smallest acts of defiance have the largest impact but other areas of revenge just call for you to be petty and get physical with someone. Whatever the case, within these 20 songs about revenge, there’s a little something for everyone.