We all need to let it out sometimes. The most cathartic songs are the ones you can play in your car and wail along. They are songs that are full of rage, regret, or sadness. The best part of screaming in your car along with your music is that you can let out raw emotion.
Here are some of the ten best songs to scream in the car, varying in genre and style.
Top Songs To Scream in the Car
“Good 4 U” – Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo exploded onto the music scene thanks to the television show High School Musical: the Musical: the Series on Disney Plus. Her song “Driver’s License” came out during the COVID-19 pandemic. While communities were locked down, TikTok helped propel Olivia Rodrigo’s music into popularity.
“Good 4 U,” in addition to being an excellent emotional song to wail in the car, also became a TikTok meme. Older millennials made videos sharing their love of “Good 4 U” because of its similarities to the Paramore song “Misery Business” (another great song to scream to in the car).
“You Oughta Know” – Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette, a Canadian singer-songwriter, was in a relationship with Full House actor Dave Coulier. After years of rumors, Coulier told the press that Morissette wrote “You Oughta Know” about him. He later retracted the statement.
“You Oughta Know” won two Grammy awards and appears on Morissette’s album Jagged Little Pill. The song illustrates what made Morissette so famous: raw, ragged emotion conveyed through heavy guitar and tidy beats. It is one of the best songs to scream when you’re mad.
“Sugar, We’re Going Down” – Fall Out Boy
“Sugar, We’re Going Down” is a song from the pop-punk band Fall Out Boy from their 2005 album From Under the Cork Tree. The song was the first top ten hit that the band achieved. Previous to their massive popularity, Fall Out Boy was more punk than pop, and this song brought them into the mainstream.
This song is one of the all-time best songs to scream in the car with your friends because of its punk roots and lead vocalist Patrick Stump’s wailing vocals.
“What’s Up” – 4 Non Blondes
“What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes starts slow, but the chorus invites a car-load of people to shout and scream along. “What’s Up” may have been the only mainstream hit from the alternative indie band, but the group maintains a strong fanbase.
4 Non Blondes formed in San Francisco. The band drew inspiration from feminist and queer liberation movements of the 1980s, and the lyrics reflect the disenfranchisement of those communities. The Netflix show Sense8, created by the Wachowski sisters and featuring many queer characters, included “What’s Up” as a pivotal song in the show.
“Girl On Fire” – Alicia Keys
“Girl on Fire,” tells the story of a girl who observes the damage and wreckage of the world around her and, instead of submitting to it, digs in her heels. It is the perfect song to scream to in the car because of its lyrics, meaning, and Alica’s passionate vocals.
The song shares a title with Keys’ fifth studio album. There is another version of the song, “Girl on Fire Inferno Remix,” that features Nicki Minaj.
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” – Panic! At The Disco
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” is one of the pop-punk bands Panic! At The Disco’s most popular songs. The song tells the story of a wedding where everyone knows that the bride has been unfaithful. Brandon Urie’s vocals and the theme of adultery make it an excellent song to scream to in the car.
The song was number seven on the US charts, the band’s only top ten hit. It earned a gold platinum single certification in 2006. The song is so fun to sing along to that Fall Out Boy covered “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” as well.
“Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood
Another song about the pain of cheating, “Before He Cheats,” is one of the top rage-filled country songs to scream in the car. The song tells the story of getting revenge on a wandering lover. It was the first country release that sold over two million copies online. It also won a Grammy award for Best Country Song.
Carrie Underwood was a fairly new star when the song was released in 2005. She was an American Idol winner but has had an illustrious career. In addition to her music work, she is also a best-selling author.
“Perfect” – Simple Plan
Another pop-punk classic from the early 2000s era, “Perfect” by Simple Plan, is good to blast from your car speakers with the windows rolled down. Lead singer Pierre Bouvier sings from the perspective of a son trying to live up to his father’s expectations.
“Perfect” was Simple Plan’s last single on their first album No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls from 2002. It charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for 20 weeks, reaching number 24 at its peak.
“***Flawless” – Beyonce (Featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
The song “***Flawless” begins with old footage of a singing and dancing competition that Beyonce participated in as a young girl. By the time the song ends, listeners discover that Beyonce’s group did not win the competition. The song in between is an R&B-fueled thrash toward independence.
In addition to many lyrics that are perfect to scream along to (including the now famous “I woke up like this”), “***Flawless” features a portion of the Tedx Talk from Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. In her speech, Adichie makes a passionate speech about why everyone should be a feminist.
“Sabotage” – Beastie Boys
“Sabotage” by Beastie Boys feels like it was practically created to be played in a car. The song was a single from Beastie Boys’ fourth album, III Communication. It pairs the bright, funk-inspired rap that made the Beastie Boys famous with heavy guitar riffs.
Beastie Boys wrote the song as a tongue-in-cheek finger to their producer, who they claimed was sabotaging their artistic process. One reason why this is the perfect throwback song to scream in the car is that Beastie Boys are screaming too.
Final Thoughts
We all need a release. Music helps us process all the emotions that are hard to feel in the moment. Either alone or together, this is a playlist that will make us lock our car doors, roll down the windows, and scream along with our favorite songs to process the pain.
Born and raised in Austin, David is a dedicated writer and avid fragrance lover. When he's not trying out perfumes, he enjoys traveling and exploring new restaurants.