7 Self-Loathing Songs We Hate to Love

Self-Loathing Music Strikes a Chord with All of Us

Sherri Thornhill
We've all been there; feeling sorry for ourselves and at the same time beating ourselves up over one thing or another. When you have self-loathing feelings going on, the last thing you should really be doing is listening to music that is going to make you feel worse. Still, we do it sometimes, needing the moment to bask in our own self-pity and feelings of low self-esteem. So if you feel like listening to self-loathing music, then I have 7 songs that are worth listening too.

"I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo."

Radiohead "Creep"- If you really messed up or you are just the kind of person that feels like you don't "fit in", you'll definitely relate to this song. Heck, I still crank it up when I hear it on the radio, and I don't have the self-loathing thing going on (anymore).

"What else should I be? All apologies."

Nirvana "All Apologies"- I admit that pretty much ANY Nirvana song would qualify as self-loathing, but All Apologies is a really good song about how marriage can suck the life out of you. I'm guessing Kurt Cobain was not in marital bliss with Courtney Love when he wrote this song.

"I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel."

Nine Inch Nails "Hurt"-Trent Reznor sings of letting others down, being a liar and wondering what he has become in this powerful song. Many NIN songs are self-loathing or self-obsessive, but that is the core of alternate-rock.

"I'm staring down the barrel of a .45, swimming through the ashes of another life."

Shinedown "45"- It is certainly self-loathing, but more than that, it is a song about what can happen when you keep your feelings bottled inside. The words are those of a man who is so despondent over the changes in his life that he plans to commit suicide. There is always a better way out of depression than suicide, it's a permanent solution to temporary problems.

"I'm sorry for what I did; I did what my body told me to."

Weezer "Butterfly"- So this is both a self-loathing song and a "sorry I screwed up but it's really you're fault" song. The singer can't seem to make up his mine if he hates himself or the woman he cheated on. It is a good song though, but I think he should just suck it up and take the blame for messing up.

"I wanna walk but I run back to you, thats why I hate myself for loving you."

Joan Jett "Hate Myself For Loving You"- Sure it's not as depressing as the other self-loathing songs, but Joan Jett hates on herself for loving someone. That someone is a cheating dog, which does make you wonder why Joan is feeling the love? It's ok Ms. Jett, we've all been there and felt like idiots for it.

"Everyday I fight a war against the mirror I can't take the person starin' back at me."

Pink "Don't Let Me Get Me"- Early Pink was much more self-loathing than present Pink. You know this is a self-loathing song when the lyrics say, "Its bad when you annoy yourself, so irritating." I love this song, and I think it's very relatable. You're a bigger person if you can admit you are irritated with yourself, but don't stay in that self-loathing mentality too long.

Related Articles by Sherri Thornhill:

My Picks for the 10 Best Music Videos of 2010

10 Best Bands and Singers of 2010

10 Things 80s Songs Convinced Us To Do

Divorce Party Music: 10 Perfect Songs for A Divorce Party

It Gets Better: 10 Things I Wish I Knew At Age 15

Sources: Author's opinion, lyrics.com, youtube.com, lyrics007.com

Published by Sherri Thornhill

I am a retired Police Officer and a professional freelance writer. I enjoy writing about a variety of topics. In addition to Yahoo Voices, I write for Examiner.com as the National Generation X Examiner, the...  View profile

11 Comments

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  • Radell Hunter1/1/2011

    Hey girl, and a Happy New Year to you, too! For some reason I just can't seeing you buy into self loathing at all. :-)

  • R.C. Johnson12/31/2010

    Just making a few page view visits to wish you a Happy New Year! rcj

  • Darren Koobs12/30/2010

    Excellent choices. Of course I love anything from Shinedown, and .45 is one of their most incredible songs. I also enjoy Pink, and even though I haven't heard that particular one for a while, I remember it well.

  • Melanie Gibson12/30/2010

    A lot of these I'm not familiar with, but I loved the first one and always sing along with them. It's just so refreshing to get all that self loathing angst out!

  • R.C. Johnson12/29/2010

    An interesting read! rcj

  • Monica Lehua12/29/2010

    Interesting, thanks for sharing!

  • Maria Roth12/29/2010

    These are perfect choices!

  • Diane Z. Ciatto12/29/2010

    Cool choices, Sherri, Happy New Year!!!

  • Tiffany Booth12/29/2010

    Great work! Happy Holidays =0)

  • John Myers12/29/2010

    Love em!

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