Music has always been a way to express oneself, and there are countless songs about haters. Whether it’s about somebody who doesn’t believe in you, somebody who talks behind your back, or somebody who is plain mean, these songs provide a voice for those who feel misunderstood or mistreated.
From rap to pop to country, there is a hater song for everyone. And while some of these songs are angry and vengeful, others take a more positive approach, using their haters as motivation to succeed. Here are the best songs about haters.
Best Songs About Haters
“In Da Club” – 50 Cent
“In Da Club” was released in 2003, at a time when 50 Cent was one of the most hated rappers in the game. The rapper starts with the line, “Go shorty, it’s your birthday / We gon’ party like it’s your birthday,” which sets the tone for the rest of the song. 50 cent talks about how he’s going to ball and “if they hate then let ’em hate and watch the money pile up.”
“Flawless” – Beyonce
The song quickly became an anthem for anyone who’s ever been the victim of haters at its release in 2014. It starts with a sample of a famous TED talk given by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – her talk included the dangers of labelling girls as “wrong” or “spoiled.” Beyonce then addresses her haters directly, calling them out for their jealousy and insecurity. The song is empowering and inspirational, and it serves as a reminder that haters will always be there.
“Haterz Everywhere” – B.o.B
The number quickly became a fan favorite in 2010 when it was released. The catchy beat and relatable lyrics resonate with listeners of all ages. In the song, B.o.B. speaks to the haters who try to bring him down. While the haters might think they’re getting under his skin, B.o.B. is quick to shut them down. He’s confident in himself, and he knows he doesn’t need approval to be successful.
“Dirt Off Your Shoulder” – Jay Z
In 2003, Jay Z released the “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” as a response to his haters. The song became a hit, and its catchy hook (“I brush my shoulder off”) has been frequently quoted. Despite its popularity, there is more to it than meets the eye. By brushing dirt off his shoulder, Jay Z suggests that he doesn’t care about the haters or tabloid gossip. In this way, the song is a declaration of confidence.
“Piece Of Me” – Britney Spears
Released in 2007, this ditty has sassy clap back to all the haters who’ve been trying to take Britney down throughout her career. It’s a declaration of no longer taking crap from anyone. The catchy beat and attitude-filled lyrics make “Piece of Me” one of Britney’s most iconic songs, and it’s an anthem for anyone who’s been told they can’t see through what they’re passionate about.
“Energy” – Drake
Ever felt like an outsider? Then “Energy”, released in 2015, should be the new favorite. The lyrics are primarily based on Drake’s success and how he has been able to brush off his haters. In many ways, it is a song about not allowing haters to drain your energy and instead continuing to pursue your dreams.
“Shake It Off” – Taylor Swift
The catchy tune and empowering message resonated with fans worldwide at the release date in 2016. In “Shake It Off,” Swift embraces her inner goofball and encourages listeners to do the same. The song is all about shaking off the haters and following your life’s trajectory, something many of her fans can relate to.
“Haters” – Hilary Duff
The song waxes lyrical on how haters can bring you down, but ultimately it’s up to the individual to ignore them and stay strong. Released in 2004, Duff belts out an empowering and relatable message. The catchy beat also makes it a fun song to sing along to. This number is a reminder that haters will always be around, but they don’t have to have the last word.
“We Can’t Stop” – Miley Cyurs
The song is about living in the moment. Since its release in 2013, it has been interpreted in many different ways, but its overall message is a reminder that life is too short to worry about what think. “We run things, things don’t run we!” Cyrus says.
“Hate on me” – Jill Scott
Released in 2007, this sassy tune is the perfect way to tell your haters just how you feel about them. With its upbeat rhythm and cheerful lyrics, this song is sure to put a smile on your face – even when the haters are giving you a hard time. “Go ahead and hate on me hater, I’m not afraid of what I got I pay for,” she says.
“Beautiful” – Christina Aguilera
This powerful piano ballad from Stripped, one of Aguilera’s most successful albums, has been adopted as a self-love anthem by many people around the world. The song speaks to the power of knowing your own worth and not letting the opinion of haters get to you. “Words can’t bring me down,” sings Aguilera.
In 2022, Aguilera rereleased Stripped to mark its 20th anniversary. With this rerelease came a new music video for “Beautiful” that showed the damaging effects of social media on young people. With powerful imagery and performances from young actors, Aguilera demonstrated how the message of “Beautiful” is still relevant two decades later.
“S.L.U.T” – Bea Miller
After Instagram comments began shaming her for showing her body on the platform, Miller released this track dedicated to all her haters. “It’s really not my fault if you’re scared of a sweet little unforgettable thing,” she sings. Repurposing a hateful word that was thrown at her, Miller turns it into a compliment and sings about how much she loves being comfortable in her own skin. She rejects the shame haters try to get her to feel and throws it back on them.
“Skin” – Sabrina Carpenter
Outside scrutiny is always a stressful thing to be faced with in a new relationship, and as Carpenter demonstrates in “Skin”, this is multiplied tenfold when you’re in the public eye. Faced with a slew of social media comments and haters speaking negatively about her new romance, she delivers a message to them: “I wish you knew that even you can’t get under my skin if I don’t let you in.”
“Skin” is about a famous love triangle that took place between Olivia Rodigro, Joshua Basset and Carpenter. When Rodrigo released an uber successful break up track about her relationship with Basset, Sabrina was faced with a lot of criticism for being the woman that Basset had moved on with. “Skin” was her response to it.
“F*ck You” – Lily Allen
Allen delivers a triumphant middle finger to all of the haters in the world in “F*ck You”. “So sick and tired of all the hatred you harbour,” she sings, before continuing to take down all the different kinds of haters online – sexists, racists, homophobes, and general trolls. Sung in Allen’s typical conversational tone, the track is a sweet, tongue-in-cheek offering with an unexpected bite.
“Don’t Lose Sight” – Lawrence
Sibling duo Lawrence sing about the difficult of making it in the music industry in “Don’t Lose Sight”. Faced with haters, doubters and many obstacles, the two have to be their own cheerleaders, writing this self-hype anthem. “Don’t lose sight baby, don’t lose sight,” they tell themselves. Although the song has a frustrating concept, its upbeat, catchy sound was what caught the attention of users on TikTok, where the app began to gain traction.
“Follow Your Arrow” – Kacey Musgraves
On Follow Your Arrow, country pop superstar Musgraves points out that haters are going to have their opinions on whatever you do – “so you might as well just do whatever you want”. Taken from Musgraves’ debut album Same Trailer Different Park, the track espouses the benefits of living like no one’s watching. She encourages listeners to do what they want, kiss who they like and make all the noise they can whilst they still can.
“Born This Way” – Lady Gaga
On “Born This Way”, Gaga delivers an affirming message of self-confidence. Since we all can’t be anything other than what we are, we might as well learn to love ourselves and ignore the opinions of haters. The track has become one of the most popular anti-hater anthems out there and remains particularly special to members of the LGBTQ+ community, with many people citing “Born This Way” as a key step on their journey to coming out.
“Bully” – Shinedown
Shinedown deliver an affirming dose of hard rock in this anti-bullying anthems. Singing to all of the haters in their lives, they sing: “All you’ll ever be is a faded memory of a bully”. The message is that being a hater doesn’t get you far, but learning to rise above the bullies and keep a strong sense of self always will.
The track comes from the band’s album Amaryllis, named after a flower that grows in a desolate area. The whole album is about “overcoming and rising up and being a strong person,” according to drummer Barry Kerch.
“Who Says” – Selena Gomez & The Scene
“I wouldn’t wanna be anybody else,” sings Gomez in the opening lyric of “Who Says”. Released on her third and final album with her once-band The Scene, When The Sun Goes Down, “Who Says” is a sweet, upbeat pop song about ignoring the haters and having confidence in your ability to achieve your dreams.
Gomez asks her listeners who the haters around them are to tell them what they can do, and why they should have any authority. The music video for the track involved Gomez dancing with a large group of real fans that she invited to the shoot.
“Wish Wish” – DJ Khaled ft Cardi B, 21 Savage
DJ Khaled, Cardi B and 21 Savage deliver a message to all the haters who predicted that their careers would be over be this point. “They say my time is almost up, tell them b*tches, “Wish, wish,”” sings Cardi. The group insist that the opinions of haters had no impact on their rise – despite other people’s criticism, they are all still going strong.
“Swish Swish” – Katy Perry ft Nicki Minaj
Perry dismisses her haters on this collaboration with Nicki Minaj, using a basketball analogy to describe how she scores past them every time. The epic basketball-themed music video featured a roster of stars including Terry Crews, Molly Shannon and Gaten Matarazzo.
Although Perry speaks generally about her haters in “Swish Swish”, many have theorised that the song is about one specific feud. “Swish Swish” dropped suspiciously soon after Taylor Swift released “Bad Blood”, another diss track with a star-studded video. “Bad Blood”, in which Swift described a friendship gone sour, was generally assumed to be about Perry, and “Swish Swish” was Perry’s retort.
Caitlin Devlin is a music, entertainment and lifestyle writer based in London. When she’s not creating playlists for Repeat Replay, she’s reviewing gigs and interviewing artists for Ticketmaster UK and thinking about what her Spotify Wrapped will look like this year.