Top 10 Female Rage Songs of the 2000s

MsMojo

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned... Join us as we count down the most fury-filled female anthems that defined the 2000s! From Taylor Swift's early angst to Kelly Clarkson's triumphant rage, these songs capture the raw emotion of heartbreak, betrayal, and empowerment. Whether you're dealing with a bad breakup or just need to let off some steam, these tracks are perfect for your rage playlist!

Transcript

00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most fury-filled ladies' anthems of the 2000s.

00:1710. Picture to Burn – Taylor Swift

00:21Before Taylor Swift was a world-conquering superstar, she was a girl with a guitar and a dream.

00:27But her fourth single, Picture to Burn, showed she also had a serious axe to grind.

00:38Far from the wistful nostalgia of Tim McGraw or the bubbly infatuation of our song, Picture to Burn sizzles with adolescent angst.

00:47Her raw emotion set against the pop country beat perfectly captures the anger that can come from not getting what you want out of a relationship.

00:57There's nothing stopping me from going out with all of your best friends.

01:02She may still be angry, but she knows she'll move on.

01:05After all, what's better than getting rid of a selfish guy?

01:08Destroying the evidence that you ever spent time on him?

01:11As far as I can burn, you're just another picture to burn.

01:169. Smile – Lily Allen

01:19Don't let the light, carefree tone of this track fool you.

01:22Despite being less musically harsh as other entries on this list, there's deep resentment right bubbling beneath the surface of Smile.

01:37It's never a great feeling to watch someone quickly move on after getting dumped.

01:41However, with help from friends, it gets easier to move on.

01:44Even when he tries to get her back, all she can do is smile while she rejects him.

01:55On top of that, Allen gets to take vindictive pleasure in watching misfortune befall him.

02:00If your revenge playlist is missing some schadenfreude, Allen's got you covered.

02:048. I'm So Sick – Flyleaf

02:14Sometimes, there's nothing quite so painful as feeling numb.

02:18Flyleaf knew this and explored it brilliantly with their 2005 single, I'm So Sick.

02:23I will break!

02:27At its center, this song is a cry for something real in an otherwise fake world.

02:33Even if you didn't know Flyleaf was a Christian band, the pain Lacey Sturm projects feels deeply spiritual.

02:40Sturm's guttural scream doesn't just come from wanting respite.

02:51It's a deep desire for the people who wronged her to never forget the pain they caused.

02:56As much as I'm So Sick feels like relief, it also feels like revenge.

03:01And we can't think of a more appropriate combination for this track.

03:097. Bust Your Windows – Jasmine Sullivan

03:13Three years after Carrie Underwood released her card-destroying revenge anthem,

03:18Jasmine Sullivan threw her own crowbar into the ring with this R&B banger.

03:22Bust Your Windows is as heartbreaking as it is empowering,

03:35with Sullivan retaliating against her partner after catching him in bed with another woman.

03:39The pain she feels from putting five years into a relationship,

03:43only for it to end like this, is palpable.

03:45Even if trashing his car didn't help all that much, it sent a clear message.

03:58Break my heart, and I'll break your car.

04:01We don't recommend actually committing property damage against an ex,

04:04but it can be fun to fantasize.

04:066. Are You Happy Now – Michelle Branch

04:19Michelle Branch may have released the definitive post-breakup rage anthem

04:23when she put out Are You Happy Now in 2003.

04:26The music video suggests the song could be self-directed to some extent,

04:30but the heart of Are You Happy Now?

04:32comes from Branch outlining the ways she was mistreated by an ex-partner.

04:41It starts as an indignant demand for him not to pretend their relationship never mattered.

04:46By the time the chorus hits, she finally lets her rage boil over with bite and sarcasm.

04:52You're dead to my face, so have I been erased?

04:57Are you happy now?

04:59Whether she's belting or crooning,

05:01her voice teems with resentment for how casually she's been discarded.

05:05Even if you never get to ask these questions yourself,

05:08shouting this song at the top of your lungs is the next best thing.

05:115. Losing Grip – Avril Lavigne

05:22The queen of 2000's teen angst has arrived.

05:26Described by Pitchfork as a new metal pop song,

05:29Lavigne kicked off her debut album with a deeply frustrated lament

05:33about holding onto someone who isn't treating you well.

05:36Despite everything saying you should let go,

05:45something inside of you still cares, even though you know you shouldn't.

05:50Lavigne did everything she could to be seen by this guy and still felt invisible.

05:54When you turn around, can you recognize my face?

06:00The best part comes right at the end when she officially declares the relationship over and done.

06:06It's a cathartic feeling too many of us can relate to.

06:09If you don't care, then I don't care when I'm going anywhere.

06:154. Not Ready to Make Nice – The Chicks

06:19The Chicks are no strangers to righteous anger,

06:33but not even Goodbye Earl can compare to the unapologetic fury of Not Ready to Make Nice.

06:38This was their first single after being blacklisted from country radio stations

06:42following critical remarks frontwoman Natalie Maines made about then-president George Bush.

06:47Rather than shy away or apologize, they double down with a powerful statement of defiance.

06:53Ground the very first note, this song seethes with it.

06:57Maines' voice soars with frustration as she faces the backlash head-on,

07:02even referencing an actual death threat she received before a concert.

07:06Grab me a letter, saying that I better share it and sing or my life will be open.

07:12Tense string arrangements and bombastic harmonies from Marty McGuire and Emily Strayer

07:18solidify the chicks as a unified front ready to face anything.

07:22Talk about girl power!

07:253. Misery Business – Paramore

07:28There's no shortage of Paramore songs we could have put on this list.

07:32But how could we not pick Misery Business?

07:34In the business of misery, let's take it from the top

07:38She's got a body like an hourglass, it's taken like a clock

07:40The song was pulled from their set list in 2018 due to backlash to the song's lyrics and themes,

07:46and it's not hard to see why.

07:48Frontwoman Hayley Williams spends the song spitefully mocking another woman after getting with that woman's ex.

07:54But God, it feels so good

07:56Even if some of the lyrics haven't necessarily aged well,

08:03it's hard to deny how cathartic jamming out to this can be.

08:06It's too catchy and goes too hard to nod.

08:10Besides, whoever said Rage was nice?

08:12We never meant to brag,

08:13but fans got what they wanted when Misery Business made a triumphant return in 2022 after years of demanding it back.

08:20Watch this wildest dreams come true

08:23And not one of them involving me

08:25Number 2. Fighter, Christina Aguilera

08:29Hell hath no fury like Christina Aguilera scorned,

08:33and she's ready to go scorched earth on everyone who hurt her with her 2002 hit Fighter.

08:38Yes, I, I couldn't trust

08:41Cause I'm love, Tommy's love, cause I've had enough

08:43Co-written by Aguilera, she explores all the different ways she's been put through the ringer,

08:48but she channels that pain into self-improvement.

08:52Rather than crumble, she rises, becoming stronger, faster, and wiser.

09:05Fighter's hard rock edges drive home the burning rage in Aguilera's delivery,

09:09and the way she belts I've had enough throws fuel onto an already raging fire.

09:18We just want to say thank you for this inspiring banger.

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09:41Number 1. Since you've been gone, Kelly Clarkson.

09:45The first thing anyone should know about Kelly Clarkson, she gets what she wants.

09:50We feel like we can too when we belt this at the top of our lungs.

09:54Since you've been gone, I can't breathe all the best time.

10:01With Since You've Been Gone, Clarkson proved she had some hard edges which American Idol couldn't soften.

10:07Thanks to that, she became all the more relatable.

10:10After all, falling too hard in a one-sided situationship is something too many of us have experienced,

10:17and the rage that comes from it bleeds all over this song.

10:20Had a chance, she blew it, out of sight, out of mind.

10:27More than that, it's a moment of triumph.

10:30Being awarded both Best Pop Video and Best Female Video at the 2005 MTV Music Awards for this

10:36must have been the cherry on top of a stellar winning streak.

10:47Did your favorite make our list?

10:49What songs are you adding to your rage playlist?

10:51Let us know down in the comments, and we'll see you next time.

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