[2025] A roundup of classic and popular Western songs about jealousy

Lounge ActNirvana

Nirvana – Lounge Act (Live at Reading 1992)

A song from Nevermind, the second album by the American grunge band Nirvana, released in 1991.

The lyrics depict struggles with jealousy from an oblique perspective.

The track has also been used in video game soundtracks.

Circus EnvyR.E.M.

R.E.M. Circus Envy

R.

E.

M.

is an American alternative rock band formed in 1980, and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

This song, which is about ruthless love, is included on their ninth album, Monster, released in 1994.

Go On GirlNe-Yo

Ne-Yo – Go On Girl (Official Music Video)

This is a song by American R&B singer Ne-Yo that portrays a man who, precisely because he loves his partner, wishes happiness for the lover whose heart has changed and gently tells them, “It’s okay to go.” It shows that deep affection for the other person outweighs anger or sadness—proof of truly being in love.

The ultimate form of love, prioritizing the other’s happiness even at the cost of oneself, may be a pain only those who’ve lived it can understand.

The album that includes this track, Because of You, was released in 2007 and won at the 50th Grammy Awards.

Filled with the quiet resolve to step back for the sake of someone torn by a forbidden romance, this song will be there to comfort you when you’re thinking about what you can do for someone you care about in a situation that feels impossible.

You Know I’m No GoodAmy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse – You Know I’m No Good

Knowing she’s a flawed woman, she still betrays her faithful partner.

Sung by England’s Amy Winehouse, it’s a story of a self-destructive love.

Featured on the landmark album Back to Black, the song vividly portrays, in her deep, soulful voice, the turmoil of a woman who keeps repeating her mistakes over a retro soul sound.

Even with a good person by her side, she can’t resist a dangerous allure—perhaps one of love’s bewitching facets.

The legendary performance when she won five Grammys in February 2008 also speaks to the song’s appeal.

It’s a track that tightens the chest with the weight of a love you can’t stop, even when you know it will hurt you.

IrresponsibleKiana Ledé

Kiana Ledé – Irresponsible (Official Music Video)

This song by American R&B singer Kiana Ledé conveys her aching emotions.

Carried by a melancholic melody, it tells the story of a heart shattered by the irresponsibility of someone she trusted.

The despair of realizing that the flirtatious signals that made her believe the feelings were mutual were nothing but her own misunderstanding is truly painful.

The way she wavers between blaming the other person and being unable to let go of her feelings is something anyone who has experienced unrequited love can painfully relate to.

Kiana Ledé’s soulful voice seems to envelop and soothe this unbearable suffering.

Part-Time LoverStevie Wonder

Part-Time Lover

This song by American musician Stevie Wonder features a breezy, quintessentially ’80s synth sound that feels delightful.

At first listen, it sounds like a cheerful dance number, but the lyrics tell of a thrilling rendezvous with an affair partner.

The story doesn’t end there, however—there’s an ironic twist: the protagonist’s own partner has been betraying them in the same way.

The two are accomplices, lying and deceiving one another.

The thrill of a forbidden love and the emptiness that shadows it are portrayed brilliantly.

Released as a single in August 1985 and included on the classic album In Square Circle, the track is also known for achieving a historic first by simultaneously reaching No.

1 in four Billboard categories.

Set to a light, buoyant melody, it captures the guilt and futility of a secret romance.

Anyone struggling with a love that refuses to go right will likely find it painfully relatable.

traitorOlivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo – traitor (Official Video)

If your ex starts a new romance right after your breakup, is that a “betrayal”? Even if there wasn’t any cheating, the fact that their heart already belonged to someone else while they were still with you can be incredibly painful.

Olivia Rodrigo, an American singer-songwriter, delicately captures those directionless emotions in her song.

Featured on the acclaimed 2021 May release SOUR, the track debuted at No.

9 on the U.

S.

singles chart despite being an album cut.

You can’t help but empathize with the quiet reproach of a partner’s change of heart.

It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone who can’t accept how a relationship ended and is left with unresolved feelings.