Jealousy is one of those emotions that cuts across every genre. Whether it’s the sting of watching someone move on, the fear of losing love, or the envy of someone else’s life, jealousy has fueled some great songs over the years. From classic country storytelling to slick pop confessionals and gritty rock outbursts, it’s a feeling that never goes out of style.
Be sure to check out the Songs About Jealousy Playlist at the bottom of this page.
Best Songs About Jealousy
1. “Jolene” – Dolly Parton
Lyric Sample: “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, I’m begging of you please don’t take my man.”
In this 1973 country classic, Parton sings about her fear of losing a partner to someone she sees as far superior. It’s a devastating plea from one woman to another.
Related: “Jolene” Song Meaning
2. “Jealous Guy” – John Lennon
Lyric Sample: “I didn’t mean to hurt you, I’m sorry that I made you cry.”
Lennon admits his insecurity and past hurtful behavior stemming from his feelings of jealousy. This 1970s song is an apology for letting personal anxieties affect a relationship.
3. “Jessie’s Girl” – Rick Springfield
Lyric Sample: “Where can I find a woman like that?”
This rock hit nails the frustration of wanting what your best friend has. Springfield yearns for something he cannot have, admitting he’s in love with the one person he absolutely shouldn’t be.
Related: Best Songs with Names in the Title
4. “Lay All Your Love On Me” – ABBA
Lyric Sample: “I wasn’t jealous before we met, now every woman that I see is a potential threat.”
This dance-pop hit is about how love can turn even the calmest person possessive. It pairs disco beats with lyrics about realizing how easily passion can blur into possessiveness.
Lyric Stories Newsletter
Don’t miss out on our latest song interpretations and curated music lists!
5. “Kill Bill” – SZA
Lyric Sample: “I might kill my ex, not the best idea, his new girlfriend’s next, how’d I get here?”
SZA uses dark humor to describe her extreme jealousy and obsession following a breakup in this R&B hit. She admits to feeling irrational rage and imagines violent scenarios fueled by her fixation on her ex and his new partner.
6. “Mr. Brightside” – The Killers
Lyric Sample: “It’s all in my head, but she’s touching his chest now.”
This megahit from the 2000s is about the moment jealousy spirals into paranoia. Every line feels like a snapshot of someone trying and failing to keep their emotions in check.
Related: “Mr. Brightside” Song Meaning
7. “Hey Jealousy” – Gin Blossoms
Lyric Sample: “If you don’t expect too much from me, you might not be let down.”
This ’90s alt-rock hit blends regret and longing in the aftermath of a failed relationship. It’s less about anger and more about wishing for one last chance to feel connected again.
8. “Jealous” – Labrinth
Lyric Sample: “It’s hard for me to say, I’m jealous of the way you’re happy without me.”
“Jealous” is about seeing someone you love find happiness without you. It’s a painful admission of envy and regret from someone who never stopped caring.
9. “She’s Got You” – Patsy Cline
Lyric Sample: “I’ve got your picture, she’s got you.”
Cline beautifully portrays the misery of being left behind while comparing what she has to what the new woman possesses. The country classic is about the small keepsakes she holds onto, contrasting them with the rival who has the man himself.
10. “Heather” – Conan Gray
Lyric Sample: “Why would you ever kiss me? I’m not even half as pretty.”
Gray describes the pain of seeing someone you like give their attention to someone else in this 2020s hit. It’s jealousy mixed with self-doubt and the wish to be the person they love.
11. “Who’s That Girl?” – Eurythmics
Lyric Sample: “Who’s that girl running around with you?”
This synth-pop hit is about noticing someone new in a partner’s life and feeling left out. It’s a mix of jealousy, confusion, and frustration as you watch someone you care about drift away.
12. “Jealous (I Ain’t With It)” – Chromeo
Lyric Sample: “I get jealous, but I’m too cool to admit it, when the fellas talk to my girl I ain’t with it.”
Chromeo turns jealousy into a funky, self-aware confession. It’s about feeling possessive while trying to appear cool, blending humor with genuine frustration.
13. “Somebody Else” – The 1975
Lyric Sample: “I don’t want your body, but I hate to think about you with somebody else.”
“Somebody Else” is about the jealousy that hits after a breakup when someone you care about moves on. It’s about frustration and the difficulty of seeing them with someone new.
14. “I’ll Think of a Reason Later” – Lee Ann Womack
Lyric Sample: “But I really hate her, I’ll think of a reason later.”
Womack’s country hit mixes humor with envy as she watches someone else win over the man she likes. It’s playful jealousy, showing how petty thoughts can sneak in even when you know you shouldn’t care.
15. “Jealous” – Nick Jonas
Lyric Sample: “I’m gettin’ red in the face, you can call me obsessed.”
Nick Jonas sings about feeling possessive and insecure even in a strong relationship in this 2010s hit. It’s a mix of pride and envy as he reacts to the attention his girlfriend gets.
16. “Jealous Again” – The Black Crowes
Lyric Sample: “Stop, understand me, I ain’t afraid of losing face.”
“Jealous Again” is a rock song about the frustration and irritation that come with recurring jealousy. It’s about being caught in cycles of doubt and suspicion.
17. “Jealousy, Jealousy” – Olivia Rodrigo
Lyric Sample: “I wanna be you so bad, and I don’t even know you.”
Rodrigo tackles a modern form of jealousy fueled by social media and comparing your life to others. It’s a pop song that details the pressure of seeing seemingly perfect lives online and the damage it causes.
18. “Girl Crush” – Little Big Town
Lyric Sample: “I want her long blonde hair, I want her magic touch.”
“Girl Crush” is a country ballad from the 2010s that flips the idea of jealousy. It focuses on obsessing over someone else because they have the person you want.
Related: CMA – Single of the Year
🎧 Listen to the Full Playlist ↓
19. “You Oughta Know” – Alanis Morissette
Lyric Sample: “And every time you speak her name, does she know how you told me you’d hold me until you died?”
Morissette’s fury made this ’90s rock song an instant classic. It’s jealousy mixed with betrayal, anger, and a demand to be remembered.
Related: “You Oughta Know” Song Meaning
20. “She’s All I Wanna Be” – Tate McRae
Lyric Sample: “She’s got everything that I don’t have, and she’s all I wanna be.”
“She’s All I Wanna Be” is about feeling second best next to someone seemingly perfect. It’s full of insecurity as McRae compares herself to the girl who has what she wants.
21. “Jealous” – Beyoncé
Lyric Sample: “Now you got me yellin’, that’s because I’m jealous.”
Beyoncé sings about the sting of suspicion when trust is broken in a relationship. It’s a song filled with frustration and hurt as she confronts feelings of envy and insecurity.
22. “Jealous of Myself” – Tenille Arts
Lyric Sample: “I’m jealous of myself when I had you.”
“Jealous of Myself” is a country song about watching an ex with someone new and wishing you could still be in that place. It’s about the small moments the new person now has that the singer once enjoyed.
23. “Jealousy” – Club Nouveau
Lyric Sample: “I don’t need jealousy, I don’t want the bad talk around me.”
This upbeat ’80s track is about dealing with gossip and envy from others. It’s about the frustration of people letting jealousy interfere with relationships and spreading rumors.
24. “New Magic Wand” – Tyler, the Creator
Lyric Sample: “Please don’t leave me now.”
“New Magic Wand” is a dark 2019 track about jealousy and obsession. Tyler, the Creator sings about being desperate to eliminate a rival for his lover’s attention, blurring the line between fantasy and reality.
25. “The Less I Know the Better” – Tame Impala
Lyric Sample: “She was holding hands with Trevor, not the greatest feeling ever.’”
“The Less I Know the Better” is a modern psychedelic pop-rock song about heartbreak and jealousy. It describes the pain of seeing someone you love with someone else.
26. “No One Else” – Weezer
Lyric Sample: “I want a girl who will laugh for no one else.”
“No One Else” is an alternative rock song about possessiveness and insecurity. It satirizes someone wanting a partner’s attention and affection to be exclusively theirs.
27. “Someone Like You” – Adele
Lyric Sample: “I heard that your dreams came true, guess she gave you things I didn’t give to you.”
Adele’s modern classic comes from a place of observing an ex-partner’s happiness with someone new. The song is not angry, but an acknowledgment that the new woman succeeded where she failed.
Related: “Someone Like You” Song Meaning
28. “Want U Back” – Cher Lloyd
Lyric Sample: “I broke it off, thought you’d be crying, now I feel like shh looking at you flying.”
“Want U Back” is a playful pop song about regret and jealousy after a breakup. It’s driven by attitude and humor as Lloyd realizes she wants her ex back the moment she sees him happy with someone else.
29. “My Best Friend’s Girl” – The Cars
Lyric Sample: “Well, she’s my best friend’s girl, but she used to be mine.”
This 1970s new wave hit is about jealousy and lost love. It tells the story of a guy watching his ex date his best friend, mixing bitterness with a cool, detached tone.
30. “Everybody Wants You” – Johnny Orlando
Lyric Sample: “So if I’m on your mind, tell me what you’re gonna do, ’cause everybody wants you.”
“Everybody Wants You” is a sleek modern pop song about jealousy and desire. Johnny Orlando sings about the frustration of watching someone he likes basking in attention from everyone else while he struggles to stand out.
31. “Jealous Bone” – Patty Loveless
Lyric Sample: “Can’t bear to see you out of my sight.”
“Jealous Bone” is a 1990s country song about the struggle between love and possessiveness. It’s a confession of insecurity, where passion turns into jealousy that’s hard to control.
32. “All Your Exes” – Julia Michaels
Lyric Sample: “I want to live in a world where all your exes are dead.”
Michaels takes jealousy to darkly funny extremes in this 2020s track. She humorously and honestly sings about wanting to erase her partner’s history.
33. “Shock the Monkey” – Peter Gabriel
Lyric Sample: “Darling, don’t you monkey with the monkey!”
Peter Gabriel uses the monkey as a symbol for the primal rage of jealousy and fear of losing someone. The 1980s track is a dramatic look at the emotional breakdown caused by a partner’s perceived unfaithfulness.
34. “Baby, I’m Jealous” – Bebe Rexha ft. Doja Cat
Lyric Sample: “Baby, I’m jealous of the pictures that you like.”
“Baby, I’m Jealous” is a self-aware pop track about insecurity and envy. It balances humor and honesty as Bebe and Doja Cat admit to feeling jealous while trying to embrace self-love.
35. “Jealousy” – Queen
Lyric Sample: “Jealousy, you brought me down, you bring me sorrow, you cause me pain.”
“Jealousy” is a dramatic rock ballad about how possessiveness and suspicion can destroy love. Freddie Mercury sings about the pain of being overtaken by insecurity and regret.
Conclusion
Jealousy might not be a comfortable feeling, but it has fueled decades of unforgettable music. Whether it’s rage, longing, humor, or heartbreak, every song on this list shows a different side of what happens when envy gets tangled up with love.
If you liked this collection, you might also enjoy our picks for Songs About Revenge, Songs About Cheating, and Songs About Divorce.
