Chances are you met a narcissist in your life.
Studies found that up to 5% of people suffer from narcissistic personality disorders of some sort.
They might be hard to deal with sometimes, but if you can take a step back and try to understand how they work, I can assure you things become easier.
To help you out with this quest, here are the top 11 songs written about, for, or by narcissists.
1. Rap God – EMINEM
Taking things a notch above narcissism, first in the list comes EMINEM with his God complex.
But whether you like it or not, you have to admit he is a master of his craft, and this song shows off his many skills as a performer and lyricist.
Taking shots at the haters, and name-dropping a few celebrities, this is indeed a quintessential Slim Shady song.
2. Blank Space – Taylor Swift
Taylor here wrote a satire of what usually the press publishes about her usually public romantic relationships.
From a very narcissistic point of view, centered on her as the main character, it’s a witty exploration of how many of us consume the news about her life.
3. Mean – Taylor Swift
Again Ms. Swift, but this time being the one dealing with a narcissist that mistreats her.
Through interviews, we learned that the antagonist character in this song is the opinion of harsh critics of Taylor’s work and lifestyle.
She said that when she wrote this song her skin was way thinner than it’s now and online trolls really did get to her.
4. You’re So Vain – Carly Simon
What a classic!
You probably know this one.
And also, what a punchline:
“You’re so vain you probably think this song is about you”
Pure genius from Carly Simon.
It’s never clear who this song was actually about, but I’m pretty sure that many people did actually think that it was about them.
5. I Want You to Want Me – Cheap Trick
Often mistaken for a love song, Cheap Trick’s I Want You to Want Me, in my opinion, describes the thought process of a very narcissistic individual that just can’t accept being rejected.
It reflects the frustration and even the anger that one that considers themselves perfect gets when the other person says “no”.
You don’t always get what you want.
6. No More Drama – Mary J. Blige
Sometimes dealing with a narcissist in your inner circle can be too heavy to live with.
Their constant selfishness and lack of empathy can be extenuating.
Mary sings about this as a way of letting that go.
This is a song about heartbreak, lost friends, and above all, the truest and hardest sides of life.
7. I’m Too Sexy – Right Said Fred
Another classic that couldn’t be kept out of this list.
He’s just too sexy for most things, and that’s even funny.
I raise a big narcissistic red flag for this guy, however, I have always taken this song with humor, and as satire.
I hope he did too!
8. Liar – Henry Rollins Band
This song is about a creep that takes advantage of vulnerable women.
And as the lyrics describe he is truly a narcissist who thinks he is just too good for everything and everyone.
He is as charming as he is manipulative, and ultimately an awful person.
But does he have control over it?
Does he even realize the harm he is doing?
The only thing we know for sure is that he knows he is lying, he enjoys it, and he wants to do it again.
9. Linger – The Cranberries
Some songs serve as confessions of guilt, while others serve as accusations.
One of the latter is this song from the Irish rock band The Cranberries from 1993.
It is a song that describes a taker who has no remorse for being a taker and the wailing cries of their victim.
This is perfectly described by the line (and the emotion behind it): “You know I’m such a fool for you”
10. Sad But True – Metallica
Sad But True is probably a song about dependence, and I might risk substance abuse, but I also think you can also read the lyrics as if they were sung by an incredibly narcissistic guy.
11. Sympathy For The Devil – Rolling Stones
Who could be more narcissistic than the devil himself?
This is one of my favorite songs from the Stones, and while perhaps it’s not mainly about narcissism, the story is told in a very self-centered fashion.
Hello there, my name is Ramiro and I’ve been playing guitar for almost 20 years. I’m obsessed with everything gear-related and I thought it might be worth sharing it. From guitars, pedals, amps, and synths to studio gear and production tips, I hope you find what I post here useful, and I’ll try my best to keep it entertaining also.
