23 Best Songs About Fighting & Arguments

Musicians and singers have composed many powerful and aggressive songs about fighting for their audiences.

At the same time, fighting can be all about channeling this energy to stand up for a cause you believe in and do the right thing.

Read on, and we’ll explore the best fight songs of all time, from tracks about struggling relationships to anthems for international protest.

The 23 Best Songs About Fighting & Arguments

Fighting takes on many musical forms, reflecting everything from the energy of a physical altercation to standing by your beliefs in the face of adversity.

We’ve compiled this playlist to reflect the topic of fighting in all its aspects, with music from various genres and chart-topping artists worldwide.

Without further ado, here’s our playlist of the 23 best songs about fighting and arguments:

23. “We Just Disagree” – Dave Mason

The soft rock song “We Just Disagree,” written and performed by Dave Mason, was released in 1977 and explores fighting between two former lovers.

It’s a lament to formerly great times together that have broken down into arguments due to past animosities.

In 2004, David Mason was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the group Traffic for their contributions to psychedelic rock music.

22. “Arguments” – DDG

DDG cuts straight to the chase with their aptly titled song about fighting, “Arguments,” a clarion cry to get a relationship to work.

It’s a blend of R&B and trap music, with lyrics explaining how work is necessary to give them a great lifestyle, despite it leading to fights.

DDG, born Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr., began producing hip-hop and rap tunes in 2014 and released his debut studio album Valedictorian in 2019.

21. “Take It Outside” – Brantley Gilbert

No one wants to be around people when they’re fighting with one another, as Brantley Gilbert’s song “Take It Outside” appreciates.

It’s an ode to the old way of settling disputes when people left the venue and fought in the parking lot.

“Take It Outside” is a quintessential country song from one of the genre’s leading multi-award-winning performers.

20. “Bad Blood” – Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar

Two of the biggest icons of modern music, pop singer Taylor Swift and hip-hop producer Kendrick Lamar, joined forces for the song “Bad Blood.”

It’s about how years of fighting can lead to hard feelings that linger on for years and how loving feelings can easily turn toxic.

Taylor Swift took a different approach in one of the best karaoke songs of all time, her celebrated track “Love Story.”

19. “Survivor” – Destiny’s Child

Destiny’s Child got the idea for their popular song “Survivor” when they were compared to the show of the same name due to the frequency their members changed.

The lyrics capture how fighting can make us stronger: “I’m a survivor, I’m not gon’ give up, I’m not gon’ stop, I’m gon’ work harder.”

The trio is among music’s most successful singing acts, with over 60 million copies of their singles and albums sold worldwide.

18. “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)” – Beastie Boys

Punk-inspired hip-hip outfit Beastie Boys are well known for its no-nonsense music, exemplified in the track “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party).”

It’s a song anyone eagerly anticipated the weekend could relate to, getting through a hard slog so you can let loose and have fun.

The Beastie Boys have branched out to cover many different subjects in their music, including one of the best songs about food, “Egg Man.”

17. “Good Fight” – Unspoken

While many fights aren’t worth the time, Unspoken’s contribution to songs about fighting takes a more optimistic look at the premise.

“Good Fight” is about not giving up in the face of adversity and pushing on in life despite the many hurdles it throws up.

The song was released as part of the band’s third studio album, The Fight of My Life, which hit the charts in 2007.

16. “Fussing And Fighting” – Bob Marley

Bob Marley released the song “Fussing and Fighting” as part of his album Kaya, highlighting the alternating process of fighting and making up.

Marley takes the opportunity in the song to try and teach us to deal with our arguments and overcome our differences so we can get along.

Perhaps the most important reggae singer-songwriter in the genre’s history, Bob Marley has written some of the best songs of all time, including “No Woman, No Cry.”

15. “Fighting My Way Back” – Thin Lizzy

“Fighting My Way Back” by Thin Lizzy is all about continuing with life even after it has knocked you down and being as resilient as you can.

Despite being unsure and unsound, the song sees the upside, with the lyrics, “I’m tough, rough, ready and able to pick myself up from under this table.”

One of the best hard rock bands of the 1970s, Thin Lizzy, enjoyed their biggest hit with the well-known song “The Boys Are Back in Town.”

14. “Love Is A Battlefield” – Pat Benatar

As with many of the songs about fighting, the context for Pat Benatar’s song “Love is a Battlefield” revolves around the fights people have in a relationship.

Pat Benatar appreciates how love can cause people to inflict wounds upon each other, although she doesn’t see this as inevitable.

Its music video features Benatar as a rebellious teenager who runs away from her idealized home life to find love and adventure in the wider world.

13. “A Punch Up At A Wedding” – Radiohead

British alternative rock band Radiohead takes fight songs in a new direction with “A Punch Up at a Wedding,” all about someone eager for a dust-up.

Frontman Thom Yorke sings about how “pointless snide remarks” can get someone’s back up and lead to physical fights on someone’s special day.

Radiohead is perhaps better known to music fans for writing some of the best songs about anxiety, including the epic 1992 song “Creep.”

12. “Fight For You” – Jason Derulo

Not all fights result from bad feelings, as the Jason Derulo song “Fight for You” clearly shows.

This is a track about fighting for someone who is worth the effort and time to build a strong relationship and who reciprocates these feelings.

It’s a catchy pop song released in 2013 and featured on Derulo’s well-received album Future History.

11. “Can’t Hold Us” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis chose to approach their fight song in a similarly optimistic way, singing about fighting in the context of chasing your dreams.

“Can’t Hold Us” explores how we can only achieve our dreams and realize our ambitions when we work hard to overcome obstacles.

The song peaked at number one on the Hot 100 chart, following their previous single “Thrift Shop,” which also hit the top spot.

10. “Fight The Power” – Public Enemy

Perhaps the most well-known song released by Public Enemy, “Fight the Power,” has become an anthem for anyone who stands up against authoritarian structures.

It urges its listeners to “fight the powers that be” and was used as a rallying cry for protests against racial injustice throughout America.

The song was also a massive hit on dissident radio stations in Serbia as part of nationwide protests against the rule of Slobodan Miloševic.

9. “Battlefield” – Lea Michele

Lea Michele’s song “Battlefield” returns again to the familiar musical territory of fighting, relationships, and indecision.

It’s a powerful ballad about a couple facing the end of their relationship, reflecting on all the battles that have led them to this place.

A haunting song with minimal instrumentation and a simple piano melody, “Battlefield” is a more serious song from the prolific songwriter.

8. “Mama Said Knock You Out” – LL Cool J

LL Cool J released his rap song “Mama Said Knock You Out” in 1991 to answer the critics who claimed he’d sold out with his previous album Walking with a Panther.

It’s a hard-hitting song showcasing Cool J’s toughness and refusal to let anyone prevent him from achieving success.

Released on his album of the same name, it also explores the deep bonds between a parent and their children and their willingness to do anything to protect them.

7. “Out Of Your Mind” – Kanye West

Kanye West is no stranger to battles regarding his mental health and relationships, and he uses this as the subject of his song “Out of Your Mind.”

The incidents that sparked fights in his relationship with his girlfriend inform the lyrics, with the neighbors eavesdropping on their arguments.

Kanye West’s aptly-titled track “Power” is one of the best songs about power you can listen to and a fitting companion to “Out of Your Mind.”

6. “Street Fighting Man” – The Rolling Stones

As with Radiohead’s fight song, The Rolling Stones take on the subject of brawling in their track “Street Fighting Man.”

It serves as an analogy for taking on the government’s oppression, with Jagger singing about joining the human race and doing his share.

The English rock band released it on their debut album in 1963, one of many popular songs they released over the years.

5. “Part Of Me” – Katy Perry

Katy Perry tackles fight songs with “Part of Me,” another great piece of music about fighting for what you believe in and never giving up.

The lyrics revolve around a break in a relationship and not letting the broken relationship destroy the essential core of her personality.

A hugely popular singer and performer, Katy Perry has picked up an impressive 13 Grammy Award nominations, although she is yet to take home the prize.

4. “What’s My Name?” – DMX

Rappers are known for their ability to wax lyrical about being tough and streetwise, and DMX is no exception.

His track “What’s My Name?” is all about establishing his superiority, dissing other performers over the punchy beats and piano licks.

A prolific rapper and producer, DMX sadly died in 2021 from a cocaine-induced heart attack, leaving behind an impressive body of work.

3. “King Of Anything” – Sara Bareilles

In the song “King of Anything,” Sara Bareilles takes on the subject of fighting with a sarcastic tune about an argument with her partner.

“Who made you king of anything?” she sings in her inimitable voice, continuing with the lyrics, “So you dare tell me who to be?”

Bareilles released the track as part of her album Kaleidoscope Heart in 2010, which sold 90,000 copies in the first week of its release.

2. “Fighter” – Christina Aguilera

“Christina Aguilera’s song “Fighter” is all about standing up for your beliefs and having faith in your abilities, regardless of what stands in the way.

To Aguilera, fighting “Makes me work a little bit harder, makes me that much wiser” is the perfect song to listen to for extra motivation.

Christina Aguilera understands what can often follow from fighting, having written one of the best songs about revenge with the track “Fighter.”

1. “Fight Song” – Rachel Platten

Rachel Platten gets straight to the point with her track “Fight Song,” a peppy pop song that will give you the extra kick to stand up for yourself.

It’s a popular redemption song encouraging listeners to stick up for themselves and avoid living a life of misery.

Rachel Platten released the song in 2014 on the album of the same name, winning the iHeartRadio Music Award for Best Lyrics for her efforts.

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed this playlist exploring some of the greatest songs about fighting ever recorded.

This music reflects fighting in all aspects, from how we respond to a broken heart to fighting against injustice and persecution.

It’s a popular and enduring theme that will continue to inspire musicians of all types to explore their inner aggression for years to come.

What songs about fighting do you listen to when you’re feeling wound up? Leave a comment below.