21 Best Songs About Jealousy Of All Time

The best songs about jealousy capture the bitterness and resentment that can build up over time when we envy something others have that we don’t.

Whether this jealousy comes from being jilted by a lover or observing someone else’s success, it’s a powerful force that can easily consume our daily lives.

These songs explore jealousy in all forms and from various genres, including the latest pop songs and classic rock ballads that have withstood the test of time.

The 21 Best Songs About Jealousy of All Time

We’ve dug through the history of music to find the best songs that explore jealousy in all its guises to help bring you a diverse and exciting list of music.

This includes songs from iconic singers such as John Lennon and Taylor Swift and more obscure musical gems from lesser-known bands and artists.

Without further ado, here’s our playlist of the 21 best songs about jealousy of all time:

21. “Jealous Bone” – Patty Loveless

The country song “Jealous Bone,” released in 1992, explores the perhaps inevitable jealousy that comes from love.

The song’s lyrics explore a jealous guy who is insecure about everything, something many women will undoubtedly relate to.

In contrast to “Jealous Bone,” Patty Loveless has also written one of the best songs about helping others, 1994 single “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye.”

20. “My Best Friend’s Girl” – The Cars

“My Best Friend’s Girl” by The Cars tackles the one-sided nature of love when jealousy rears its head and a woman leaves a man for his best friend.

“She’s my best friend’s girl, but she used to be mine,” go the lyrics, reflecting how it hurts when your best friend’s girlfriend takes a shine for someone else.

Released in 1978, it’s one of the most recognizable rock songs about jealousy from that decade, with an impressive orchestral arrangement accompanying the guitars.

19. “Revenge” – Pink ft. Eminem

Jealousy songs are often intertwined with the notion of revenge, the subject of this classic hip-hop track from Pink featuring Eminem.

The relatable yet spiteful lyrics explore how someone will have to pay for their infidelity, conveying how jealousy can lead to unintended consequences.

It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 1000 Singles charts in 2017, one of many chart-topping tracks to have featured Eminem’s vocal prowess.

18. “Anyone Else” – Blake Shelton

Talented country musician and songwriter Blake Shelton used his song “Anyone Else” as a lesson in how to deal with a jealous person in your life.

It’s a song that explores the negative emotions that sometimes come with friendships and how some people refuse to be happy for other people’s success.

Shelton is one of the most successful country singers working today, with over 10 million copies of his albums and singles sold worldwide.

17. “Green Is The Colour” – Pink Floyd

One of the lesser-known releases from iconic progressive rock band Pink Floyd, “Green is the Colour,” takes the topic of envy in new and exciting directions.

It’s a song with a degree of ethereal appeal and charm which features the excellent lyric, “envy is the bond between the hopeful and the damned.”

Pink Floyd also wrote and produced one of the best songs about flying, “Learning to Fly,” released on their 1987 album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

16. “Treat You Better” – Shawn Mendes

Pop song “Treat You Better” represents another outstanding ballad from Shawn Mendes, revolving around an abusive relationship.

Mendes sings, “I know I can treat you better than he can,” as he watches someone being mistreated by their lover from a safe distance.

He picked up the Song of the Year award at the Radio Disney Music Awards in 2016, with the song also charting well in the US and Canada.

15. “Jealousy” – Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop cuts to the chase with his 1981 song “Jealousy,” released on his popular album American Caesar.

For Iggy Pop, jealousy is a destructive force that consumes him with thoughts of his partner cheating on him and driving him crazy.

The lyrics “It’s boiling my blood” reflect a feeling anyone who has experienced these strong emotions will likely relate to strongly.

14. “No One Else” – Weezer

Weezer singer Rivers Cuomo takes the subject of jealousy as a starting point for his desire to have a woman in his life who only belongs to him.

The song “No One Else” is about jealousy as a destructive force in a relationship, where control and power take precedence.

It’s a satirical and tongue-in-cheek song that playfully mocks the jealous lover stereotype and how relationships inevitably break down when jealousy takes hold.

13. “Jealous” – Nick Jonas

Nick Jonas released one of the best songs on the subject of jealousy, “Jealous,” on his self-titled album released in 2014.

It’s reportedly about Jonas’s relationship with Miss Universe Olivia Culpo and discusses his jealousy when she spoke to another man.

Another success for the singer, it peaked at the top spot on the American Hot Dance Club song charts and sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

12. “Jessie’s Girl” – Rick Springfield

Unrequited love can often lead to feelings of jealousy, which Rick Springfield explored in depth in his song “Jessie’s Girl.”

It’s a song about his jealousy of his friend Jessie’s girlfriend and his admiration for her as he watches her in his friend’s arms.

Springfield won a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for “Jessie’s Girl” and enjoyed success in the charts by reaching the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

11. “Hey Jealousy” – Gin Blossoms

Whereas some songs about jealousy take a subtle approach to the subject, Gin Blossoms go all-out and explore jealousy as a raging emotion.

“Hey Jealousy” is a song that calls out jealousy in all its forms and how Blossoms’ guitarist Doug Hopkins opts to self-medicate to control the jealousy overwhelming him.

Unfortunately, Hopkins struggled with alcoholism for many years, taking his own life in 1993 after being unable to overcome his addiction.

10. “When It Was Me” – Paula Deanda

Jealousy and heartbreak often go hand-in-hand, which is something Paula Deanda seems to have experienced personally in her song “When It Was Me.”

This heartbreaking ballad exudes resentment and bitterness as the singer observes her ex-lover quickly moving on to a new relationship as she wallows in jealousy.

She released the song as part of her self-titled debut album in 2006, which also featured the singles “Walk Away,” “Easy,” and “Doing Too Much.”

9. “You Belong With Me” – Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is no stranger to singing incredibly catchy songs, responsible for some of the best karaoke songs of all time, such as “Love Story.”

“You Belong with Me” is a pop country song that explores Swift’s experiences with jealousy, self-entitlement, and the problems associated with unspoken love.

It’s one of many hugely popular songs released by Swift throughout her career, picking up over one billion views on YouTube since it was released.

8. “David Watts” – The Jam

As you might expect from The Jam, their song about jealousy is a powerful and dynamic production that captures the power and heat of this emotion.

“David Watts” refers to the head boy at school and team captain, which the singer views from their self-perspective as someone “dull and simple.”

Anyone who has seen those around them excel while they struggle through life will find the song “David Watts” instantly relatable to their experiences.

7. “Lounge Act” – Nirvana

Nirvana’s rock song “Lounge Act,” recorded and released in 1991, is one of the most popular songs from their huge album, Nevermind.

In the song, Kurt Cobain sings about how his heart breaks apart due to jealousy and destroying his relationship, set to impressive guitar chords and a killer bassline.

Nirvana was among the biggest bands of their generation, releasing one of the best songs of all time, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which was also included on the album Nevermind.

6. “Jealous” – Beyoncé

Beyoncé has written several songs about jealousy, including “Ring the Alarm” and the more obviously-titled song “Jealous.”

It’s a classic pop song from 2013 in which the iconic star sings, “And I love making you jealous but don’t judge me,” showing the power people can hold over others.

Released on her fifth studio album, Beyoncé, the song was performed live at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards and received a standing ovation.

5. “Tell Me You Love Me” – Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato turns her vocal prowess and songwriting ability to the subject of jealousy with her 2017 song, “Tell Me You Love Me.”

It’s a great song that uses relationship metaphors to send a strong message to anyone feeling jealous and vulnerable and looking for a way to escape these feelings.

The song was featured as the title track on the album Tell Me You Love Me, which saw Lovato incorporating elements of R&B along with her traditional pop sounds.

4. “Mr. Brightside” – The Killers

The Killers dive into jealousy with their song “Mr. Brightside,” exploring the many negative emotions that jealousy can lead to if left unchecked.

Featuring a great music video that captures the uncontrollable rage that comes from jealousy, it’s a banging track that blends dance, disco, and rock music.

With an undercurrent of irony, not least in the song’s lyrics and title, it’s one of the best tracks from The Killers and a powerful ode to the downsides of jealousy.

3. “Jealous Guy” – John Lennon

There’s little room for ambiguity in the title of John Lennon’s song about jealousy, “Jealous Guy,” which was initially released as a single in 1995.

John Lennon releases pure unadulterated emotions in the song, singing about his failures as a lover and the loneliness that this leads to over time.

In contrast, John Lennon also wrote one of the best songs about unity you could listen to, with his track “Imagine” becoming one of the biggest hits of his impressive career.

2. “Bad At Love” – Halsey

While pop singer Halsey is perhaps not as well known as some of the stars featured on this list, her song “Bad at Love” is nevertheless one of the greatest songs about jealousy you can hear today.

It’s a stirring pop ballad in which Halsey sings about her long list of former lovers and how they have gone wrong, souring her perception of relationships.

Halsey won several awards for the song, including a Teen Choice Award, and it has been covered many times since she released it in 2017.

1. “Every Breath You Take” – The Police

“Every Breath You Take” by The Police is a song that a jealous kind of person could take as an instruction manual, taking a stalker’s point of view as they track the habits of their lover.

It’s a song that takes a sympathetic view on jealousy and how someone obsessed with their lover takes in their every action down to the most minute details.

The Police earned critical and commercial acclaim for “Every Breath You Take,” with its success contributing to one of the many Grammy Awards the band has won over the years.

Summary

That concludes this comprehensive overview of the greatest songs about jealousy you can listen to, regardless of your taste in music or experiences with the emotion.

It’s one of the strongest emotions a person can feel, and this list reflects how it impacts everyone, from the person who feels it to their former lover who tries to escape.

With jealousy an ever-present fact of life, more songs exploring the theme are inevitable, and we can expect this list of great songs to continue to expand. 

What songs about jealousy have resonated with your experiences? Leave a comment below.