3 Pop Songs That Prove That Honesty Is More Important Than Being Relatable

Many naysayers don’t see pop music as the most “honest” of genres. The most famous pop songs are often meant to be uber-relatable rather than to be candid art pieces. But really great pop stars can do both. The three hits below are both honest and widely listened to.

“Anti-Hero” — Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” isn’t a pop song that everyone can relate to; at least in the actual context of the song. Swift sings about her public persona and self-image in this song. Though we all struggle with how we’re perceived from time to time, nothing can compare to the constant scrutiny celebrities face.

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“I should not be left to my own devices / They come with prices and vices / I end up in crisis,” Swift sings in this hit. This is an honest song that doesn’t shy away from life’s hard sides. In the end, fans could relate to this song. But there was a possibility that Swift calling herself an anti-hero could’ve backfired. That speaks to her bravery as a pop star and her ability to mix honesty without sacrificing radio play.

“The Cure” — Olivia Rodrigo

Moving on to Olivia Rodrigo, we have a song from her latest album, “The Cure”. Many breakup songs take it upon themselves to make a villain out of the other person. Rodrigo takes responsibility for the downfall of her relationship in this 1990s-tinged pop song.

“It feels like medication, and it’s good for me, I’m sure / But it don’t matter how your love feels anymore / It’ll never be the cure,” she sings, explaining that a good relationship is no match for the anxieties she built up over the years. This is a deeply personal song. Again, it proved to be a familiar sentiment for many. But with this release, Rodrigo risked divulging her deepest secrets and finding out that no one could relate.

“I Wish I Hated You” — Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande delivered a very fair breakup song with “I Wish I Hated You”. Like Rodrigo’s track, Grande allows herself to be the villain a bit, recognizing that sometimes relationships fall apart because of both parties’ actions.

“Wish there was worse to you / I wish you were worse to me,” she sings in the chorus, being brutally honest about the dissolution of her relationship. Grande admits there wasn’t a dramatic injustice or mistreatment. Instead, it was an evenly matched effort that led them to call it quits. Not all songwriters can be as impartial.

(Photo by Xavi Torrent/Getty Images)

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