There’s just something bold, emotional, and unforgettable about the color red, and artists across every genre have been tapping into that energy for decades. Whether it’s love, rage, lust, or rebellion, these songs with “red” in the title carry serious weight. From heartbreak ballads to raging rock anthems, this list spans the emotional spectrum in every shade of red imaginable.
Be sure to check out the Songs with “Red” in the Title Playlist at the bottom of this page.
Best Songs with “Red” in the Title
1. “Red Red Wine” – UB40
Lyric Sample: “Red, red wine, goes to my head, makes me forget that I still need her so.”
UB40 turned this Neil Diamond classic into a laid-back reggae staple that’s instantly recognizable. Its easy rhythm and emotional lyrics make it the ultimate heartbreak singalong, especially after a glass or two.
Related: Best Songs About Alcohol
2. “99 Red Balloons” – Nena
Lyric Sample: “99 red balloons floating in the summer sky.”
This ’80s synth-pop hit disguises its anti-war message with a catchy, upbeat melody. It’s stayed relevant for decades thanks to its powerful metaphor and irresistible hook.
Related: “99 Red Balloons” Song Meaning
3. “Red” – Taylor Swift
Lyric Sample: “When I still see it all in my head, in burning red.”
Taylor Swift uses color imagery to show the highs and lows of heartbreak. The track is a fan favorite for its poetic lyrics and emotional vulnerability.
Related: Best Songs with Colors in the Title
4. “The Lady in Red” – Chris de Burgh
Lyric Sample: “The lady in red is dancing with me, cheek to cheek.”
This romantic ballad celebrates a moment of beauty and intimacy on the dance floor. Its great melody and heartfelt lyrics make it a staple for slow dances and weddings.
5. “Little Red Corvette” – Prince
Lyric Sample: “Little red Corvette, Baby, you’re much too fast.”
Prince merges automotive imagery with a wild romance in this funky pop-rock classic. It’s a sleek, sexy ride through fast love and even faster heartbreak.
Related: “Little Red Corvette” Song Meaning
6. “Red Rain” – Peter Gabriel
Lyric Sample: “Red rain is pouring down, pouring down all over me.”
Peter Gabriel brings atmospheric rock and emotional depth in this haunting track. The metaphor of red rain makes for a powerful visual about pain and purification.
Related: Songs About Rain
7. “Red Nation” – The Game ft. Lil Wayne
Lyric Sample: “I can’t tell you what’s good, but I can tell you what’s what.”
With a pounding beat and aggressive verses, this hip-hop track reclaims power and pride. The title refers to The Game’s Bloods affiliation, but the track hits hard even if you miss the reference.
8. “Red Alert” – Basement Jaxx
Lyric Sample: “Don’t panic, ain’t nothin’ goin’ on but history.”
This electrifying dance track explodes with energy and urgency. Its mix of house, funk, and electro creates a party anthem that still hits today.
9. “Red Eyes” – The War on Drugs
Lyric Sample: “Come and ride away, it’s easier to stick to the old.”
“Red Eyes” blends indie rock with heartland influences to craft a soaring, introspective ride. Its layered sound and driving rhythm make it perfect for long, reflective drives.
10. “Red Right Hand” – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Lyric Sample: “He’s a ghost, he’s a god, he’s a man, he’s a guru.”
This dark, cinematic track is soaked in gothic atmosphere and menace. Its mysterious, villainous tone has made it a staple in soundtracks, especially in shows like Peaky Blinders.
11. “Red Light Special” – TLC
Lyric Sample: “I’ll give you the red light special, all through the night.”
This sultry R&B slow jam drips with sensuality and empowerment. TLC owns the moment with steamy lyrics and smooth production that invites listeners to slow things way down.
12. “Red Rubber Ball” – The Cyrkle
Lyric Sample: “The morning sun is shining like a red rubber ball.”
This 1960s sunshine pop tune delivers optimism after a breakup. Its catchy chorus and upbeat tempo make moving on feel like a celebration.
13. “Red Wine Supernova” – Chappell Roan
Lyric Sample: “I don’t care that you’re a stoner, red wine supernova, fall right into me.”
This is a bold, euphoric pop track that blends glam, queerness, and chaos into a swirling, neon-tinted love affair. Roan brings electric energy and vulnerability.
14. “Red Room” – Offset
Lyric Sample: “Sleep on my feet, money turn homies to zombies, they eat.”
Offset gets raw and introspective on this track, digging into personal struggles and street life. The moody trap beat and vivid lyrics give the song serious weight.
15. “Red Light” – Jonny Lang
Lyric Sample: “A second glance, when coming to a red light.”
This blues-rock jam tackles life’s hard stops and emotional crossroads. Lang’s gritty vocals and guitar work drive the song’s urgent, lived-in feel.
16. “Red Cold River” – Breaking Benjamin
Lyric Sample: “I can’t feel anything at all, this life has left me cold and damned.”
Breaking Benjamin unleashes raw emotion in this hard rock track about grief and rage. The powerful chorus and aggressive riffs make it a cathartic experience for anyone going through dark times.
17. “Red Lights” – Stray Kids
Lyric Sample: “The moment when I close my eyes, all I see is red lights.”
This sultry K-pop track dives into obsession, emotional turmoil, and the inability to let go of a consuming love. With haunting production and dramatic vocals, it stands out for its raw intensity and hypnotic pull.
18. “Red Solo Cup” – Toby Keith
Lyric Sample: “Red solo cup, I fill you up, let’s have a party.”
Toby Keith turns a disposable party staple into a country drinking anthem. It’s silly, fun, and weirdly charming, exactly what you’d expect at a rowdy tailgate.
19. “Roses Are Red” – Bobby Vinton
Lyric Sample: “Roses are red, my love, violets are blue.”
This classic ballad from the early ’60s is all about sweet, sentimental love. Its timeless feel and poetic lyrics have helped it endure across generations.
20. “Rednecks, Red Letters, Red Dirt” – Morgan Wallen
Lyric Sample: “Rednecks, red letters, red dirt / One life, one bar, one church.”
An ode to Southern roots and rural tradition, this track blends nostalgia, faith, and homegrown pride. Wallen captures the longing for simplicity and belonging with a chorus that’s both catchy and sincere. It’s red, country-style, and proud of it.
21. “Red Light” – David Nail
Lyric Sample: “At a red light in the sunshine on a Sunday, nothing to say, don’t even try.”
Nail brings heartbreak to the forefront in this country track about a sudden, shocking breakup. The title becomes a metaphor for life’s unexpected emotional collisions.
22. “Red Flag” – Billy Talent
Lyric Sample: “Cast off the crutch that kills the pain, the red flag waving never meant the same.”
This punk rock song sounds the alarm on societal hypocrisy and rebellion. Its driving energy and protest lyrics make it a rallying cry for the disillusioned.
23. “Red Lights” – Tiësto
Lyric Sample: “Nobody else needs to know where we might go.”
Tiësto’s high-energy EDM track is all about seizing the night with reckless abandon. Its anthemic chorus makes it a dance floor staple around the world.
24. “Red Hill Mining Town” – U2
Lyric Sample: “Hanging on, you’re all that’s left to hold on to.”
This deep cut from U2’s The Joshua Tree album tells the story of working-class struggle and devotion. Bono’s aching vocals and the band’s soaring sound add gravity to its narrative.
25. “Red River Valley” – Marty Robbins
Lyric Sample: “Then come sit by my side if you love me, do not hasten to bid me adieu.”
This traditional cowboy ballad speaks to loss and longing on the frontier. Marty Robbins gives it a warm, nostalgic delivery that makes it feel like a faded love letter.
26. “Red Barchetta” – Rush
Lyric Sample: “I strip away the old debris, that hides a shining car.”
Rush dives into dystopian sci-fi territory with this prog rock adventure. The imagery of a forbidden joyride in a red Barchetta is both thrilling and rebellious.
27. “Red Dress” – Sugababes
Lyric Sample: “Cause I’m cooler than the red dress.”
Sugababes created a confident, empowering pop song that flips traditional beauty standards. It’s bold, catchy, and all about self-worth.
28. “Red Dirt Road” – Brooks & Dunn
Lyric Sample: “It’s where I drank my first beer, it’s where I found Jesus.”
This nostalgic country hit reflects on formative experiences along a literal and metaphorical red dirt road. Its lyrics paint a vivid picture of small-town memories and spiritual awakening.
29. “Red Light” – f(x)
Lyric Sample: “Open your eyes wide, you’re about to crash, stop the runaway train.”
A fierce, experimental K-pop song warning of burnout and blind ambition. With edgy synths, urgent vocals, and an industrial vibe, “Red Light” is a wake-up call, both sonically and emotionally.
30. “Red Desert” – 5 Seconds of Summer
Lyric Sample: “In the red desert, heal our blues.”
This dreamy pop-rock ballad uses desert imagery to symbolize emotional healing. The harmonies and atmospheric production give it an ethereal, almost meditative vibe.
31. “Red Dress” – MAGIC!
Lyric Sample: “Hey you with the red dress on, I gotta find a way to take it off.”
A playful, reggae-tinged groove about anticipation and attraction, “Red Dress” captures that moment when desire meets patience. It’s flirty, catchy, and full of slow-burning charm.
32. “Red” – Daniel Merriweather
Lyric Sample: “You took something perfect and painted it red.”
Daniel Merriweather’s soul-infused track deals with regret and emotional scars. His powerful voice and deep lyrics make this a standout among songs with “red” in the title, perhaps one some people haven’t heard yet.
33. “Red Hands” – Walk Off the Earth
Lyric Sample: “Never wanted to be fooling you, can’t believe I was wounding you.”
This genre-blending hit combines indie pop with rock dynamics and infectious hooks. The metaphor of “red hands” explores guilt, passion, and vulnerability in love.
34. “The Red Means I Love You” – Madds Buckley
Lyric Sample: “The red means I love you, tasting your blood means I love you.”
An eerie, theatrical love song that tiptoes between romance and madness. Buckley’s excellent vocals pair with gothic lyricism to talk about obsession and vulnerability in a twisted, poetic way.
35. “The Red” – Chevelle
Lyric Sample: “So lay down, the threat is real, when his sight goes red again.”
This hard rock song is about anger and emotional repression. With pounding drums and intense vocals, it’s a cathartic explosion of raw energy.
Why We Keep Coming Back to “Red” Songs
Red isn’t just a color. It’s an emotion, a memory, a warning, or a celebration. That’s what makes these tracks with “red” in the title so impactful across decades and genres.
Whether it’s an EDM banger or a country ballad, the color red sets the tone for unforgettable storytelling and deep feeling.
If you liked this list, check out Songs with “Blue” in the Title, Songs About Ghosts, and Songs with “Heart” in the Title for more music organized by mood, imagery, and metaphor.