Top 10 Songs We All Listened to in Our Angry Phase

This one goes out to all “the boys and girls in the clique.” Any angry emo kid worth their salt was a fan of My Chemical Romance back in the day. Don’t lie to yourself – you know you were. And when you weren’t screaming your heart out to “Welcome to the Black Parade,” you were head banging to “Teenagers.” There are so many reasons to love this song, but we don’t think it has necessarily received its due as one of the best of the angry genre. Lead singer Gerard Way’s buzzing, biting vocal performance is him at his best, and don’t even get us started on the lyrics. The poetry of “teenagers scare the living sh*t” out of me” simply can’t be beat.

Can you be vain if the song really is about you? If Carly Simon has her way, the answer is definitely yes – and we tend to agree with her. This 1972 hit is one of Simon’s most recognizable songs, and one of her most petty and cutting. It’s got such a jaunty and groovy melody, you almost don’t realize how much anger Simon’s lyrics hold. But if you really listen, you know she’s got a bone to pick. Simon has never really completely confirmed publicly who the song is about – although Warren Beatty did inspire at least one verse. The rest, however, is a mystery. Whatever the case, we can’t get enough of singing along.

At the height of their fame in the mid-to-late 2000s, Plain White T’s were more known for sweet, saccharine love songs than angry anthems. And trust us – we loved softly weeping along to “Hey There Delilah” and enjoying the easy listening vibe of “1, 2, 3, 4.” But, there’s one Plain White T’s song that definitely made its way onto some break-up burnt CDs – and that’s “Hate (I Really Don’t Like You).” The song is probably as Plain White T’s-esque as angry songs can get – that is to say, it chooses its words carefully. The song is about a spurned lover who doesn’t want to use the word hate, but wants their ex to know that they really, really, REALLY don’t like them.

A song worthy of Rachel Berry sending a big kiss off to Finn on “Glee” is a song worthy of our anger. The All-American Rejects ruled the rock scene in the mid 2000s, and gave us a plethora of emo and angry tunes to enjoy. But, their most scathing – and fun – entry into that genre has to be “Gives You Hell.” Lead singer Tyson Ritter – who helped write the song – called it a “tongue-in-cheek” way of telling off that person that you just can’t stand. And we couldn’t agree more! “Gives You Hell” pairs a quirky melody with hilariously mean lyrics, making it the perfect song to scream in the car.

When it comes to the wrath of music, no band was doing it quite like Linkin Park. When their first album hit the scene in 2000, rock fans were having a blast jamming out to each and every single they released. Then came “In the End,” and a reputation was born. The song combines elements of rap and hard rock, giving audiences a rhythmic and hard metal vibe they could sing along to. After the release of “In the End,” Linkin Park really solidified themselves as one of the best rock bands out there – but this one will always be our favorite.

Before 2007, Paramore had released one album and was doing pretty well for a small rock band. Then came “Riot!” and with it – “Misery Business.” As soon as fans heard that drum hit, they knew they were in for something special. “Misery Business” is sung from the perspective of a girl who has a crush on a boy, and hates his girlfriend. Lead singer Hayley Williams actually stopped singing the song for a while starting in 2018, saying that she thought the message of the song wasn’t very feminist. We don’t disagree with her, but that doesn’t change the fact that it came from a real place of anger – and it’s still a blast to scream along with.

Now it’s time to celebrate one of the OGs! Joan Jett – of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts fame – is one of rock and roll’s most indelible female voices. From the smoky, sultry tones of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” to “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” you can’t deny that she’s got attitude. And that attitude manifested itself perfectly in 1980’s “Bad Reputation.” Considered one of the best hard rock songs ever, “Bad Reputation” is the perfect tune to put on when you want to prove just how much you don’t care. There’s nothing better than throwing on your shades, pumping up the volume, and rolling down your windows as you blast it.

It’s one of the most iconic lines in all of music history – “Here we are now, entertain us.” It’s blunt, to the point, and skyrocketed Nirvana to fame in the early 1990s. The opening guitar riff to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” began a song that helped define a generation of music listeners. Beneath the screaming, soaring vocals and instrumentation, anger and apathy shone through in Kurt Cobain’s masterful lyricism. In the 90s, you couldn’t talk about teen anger and emotion without mentioning “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” And the song has so much staying power, that still holds true today.

With this entry, we wanted to honor one of the greatest R&B singers of all time. Kelis blew onto the scene in the late 1990s, dazzling music lovers with her effortless combination of genres and amazing voice. While she might be more well-known today for her mega hit “Milkshake,” we want to shout out the anthem “Caught Out There.” At the beginning of the song, Kelis dedicates the tune to every woman who has ever been lied to by a man – and then proceeds to break them all down. The song has a great beat to it, and listening to Kelis yell out the chorus is better therapy than we could ever ask for.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“So What” (2008), Pink
The Ultimate “Who Cares” Anthem

“Survivor” (2001), Destiny’s Child
We Will Survive Being Bootylicious

“Picture to Burn” (2008), Taylor Swift
Country Girl Break-Up Anthems For the Win

“What’s My Age Again?” (1999), Blink-182
Nobody Likes You When You’re 23

“Potential Breakup Song” (2007), Aly & AJ
Don’t Ever Forget Your Girlfriend’s Birthday

While there are so many angry songs we love, we knew pretty early on that there was only really one correct choice for number one. After all, when it comes to female angst, there’s no artist quite like Alanis Morissette. She’s given us a plethora of rageful sing-alongs over the years, but here we want to honor “You Oughta Know.” There’s just something about Alanis’ cadence and vocal timbre that sets her apart from other artists. She’s a great singer, there’s no doubt about that – but the hurt and anger and pain that radiates within her is so palpable, it’s hard not to let it affect you.