Best P!nk Songs: 10 Top Tracks, Ranked!
P!nk—neé Alecia Moore—has famously said record execs tried to mold her into another Britney Spears. Instead, she emerged unapologetically herself with P!nk songs in the early 2000s amongst a sea of blonde pop stars like Spears, Jessica Simpson, and Christina Aguilera with her signature spiky pink hairdo, piercings, and tattoos.
Singing, “I'm tired of being compared to damn Britney Spears; she's so pretty, that just ain't me,” in the hit single “Don’t Let Me Get Me” from her second studio album, the Pennsylvania-born singer quickly carved her own niche in pop music.
“I never got a record deal because I was cute; I got a record deal because I was fiery, I had a lot to say, and I had a voice," she told 60 Minutes in 2023. “I'm relieved I don't have to fall back on conventional beauty, and that doesn't have to be my thing, and I don't have to keep that up, either, as I age. I don't have to be that. I can be all this.”
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The 44-year-old was a self-proclaimed troubled teen, dropping out of high school at age 16, dabbling in drugs, and singing R&B in clubs at an early age. After a near-fatal drug overdose in 1995, the "Try" singer got clean—and was soon on her path to stardom, performing under the moniker P!nk, her nickname.
She released her first album in 2000 at age 21 and went on to have 36 hits in the Billboard Top 100, four of which would climb to number one. With a mixture of catchy party anthems and honest lyrics that speak of personal pain, self-loathing, and a tumultuous childhood, it’s easy to see why the three-time Grammy winner’s music resonated with fans. Her second and career-defining album, Missundaztood, proved it was cool to not be one of the ‘cool kids,’ and sold 15 million copies worldwide. Yet, P!nk shares that she still feels like ‘the underdog’ 25 years into her remarkable career.
Although we adore some of P!nk’s collabs with other artists including Aguilera ("Lady Marmalade"), Nate Reuss ("Just Give Me a Reason"), Chris Stapleton ("Love Me Anyway"), fellow rebel Eminem ("Won’t Back Down"), and her own adorable daughter Willow ("Cover Me in Sunshine"), here are ten of our favorite solo songs from P!nk over the years, ranked in descending order.
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10. "Please Don’t Leave Me" (2009)
With a knack for combining heartwrenching, raw lyrics with an upbeat melody, 2009’s "Please Don’t Leave Me" is one of our favorite angsty break-up anthems. With lines like ‘you’re my perfect little punching bag, I need you, I’m sorry,’ P!nk proves themes of toxic love, insecurity, and fear of abandonment are a hit with critics and fans alike. Although it wasn’t her biggest hit, it has become one of her signature songs, showcasing her versatility as an artist.
9. "Sober" (2008): P!nk songs
A nod to her past drug abuse and partying lifestyle, Sober is a sobering look at addiction and its repercussions. The 2008 song—also from her fifth album Funhouse— received critical acclaim for its raw honesty and emotional depth, and it became one of Pink's signature songs.
8. "Stupid Girls" (2006)
While P!nk has been accused of picking on fellow pop stars of her time, she has said she intended to poke fun at the industry as a whole. The 2006 hit Stupid Girls is just that, with P!nk lamenting “What happened to the dreams of a girl president? She’s dancing in the video next to 50 Cent.”
From her fourth album, I’m Not Dead, the song is a satirical commentary on the shallow and superficial aspects of pop culture (complete with an interlude of a woman throwing up in an effort to be thin). P!nk critiques society’s obsession with physical appearance, materialism, and the pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards.
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7. "You Make Me Sick" (2001): P!nk songs
You Make Me Sick makes our list because it’s perhaps our first introduction to the singer and her unique sound and perspective. It explores themes of betrayal, disillusionment, and self-respect in the context of a troubled romantic relationship. It's a bold and assertive song that showcases P!nk's early style and attitude as an artist as she attempts to differentiate herself from other pop stars of the early aughts.
6. "U + Ur Hand" (2007)
While most singers were penning lovey-dovey lyrics about idealistic relationships, P!nk had what some have described as a “strong feminist message,” which was especially apparent in songs like U + Ur Hand. The edgy and defiant anthem that addresses themes of female empowerment, independence, and sexual liberation was a huge commercial hit for P!nk, and encouraged listeners to assert their own boundaries in relationships and stand up for themselves.
5. "So What" (2008) : P!nk songs
In yet another breakup anthem, P!nk sings about her independence and resilience after leaving a romantic relationship. The song mirrored P!nk’s personal life at the time, as she announced her separation from husband Carey Hart that same year, referring to the tune as a ‘vomiting of truths.’ The song was a hit with fans, reaching #1 on the Billboard charts in 2008 and P!nk and Hart reconciled 11 months later.
4. "Try" (2012)
P!nk’s 2012 hit from her sixth album proves the singer not only has staying power but so does her hope and faith in love. Try is a poignant and introspective ballad that captures the emotional rollercoaster ups and downs of a relationship and the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity urging listeners to “get up and try, try, try.”
3. "Raise Your Glass" (2010) : P!nk songs
Raise Your Glass is a musical pat on the back from the singer who previously built a brand around self-depreciation and self-loathing. It came at the perfect time, as she released her first greatest hits compilation album in 2010. The infectious song has a message to other misfits and underdogs like her who are unapologetically themselves, regardless of their differences. She celebrates those like herself who don't conform to traditional standards, urging them to be proud of who they are and to live life to the fullest.
2. "F**Kin’ Perfect" (2011)
Also from her greatest hits compilation, P!nk sings about her own struggles with low self-esteem and how far she’s come from that girl who used to talk down to herself and do drugs to numb the pain. In the uplifting ballad, she urges listeners to embrace their flaws, love themselves unconditionally, and believe in their own worth, no matter what. The poignant song reached #2 on the Billboard charts and remains one of her most iconic releases to date.
1. "Don’t Let Me Get Me" (2001) : P!nk songs
We’d be remiss if we didn’t include the song that put P!nk on the map. In the song that’s a nod to her troubled teen years and early years in the music biz, she refers to herself as “[her] own worst enemy.” She also reveals some clues about her journey as a musician and having an image that’s deemed not commercial enough, with record exec LA Reid telling her she’d have to change everything about herself in order to be a success. We’re so glad she didn’t listen!
Honorable Mention: "Get the Party Started" (2001)
Another early P!nk tune, this one deserves a mention. Get the Party Started was the first hit from her second album. The party track is a feel-good song amongst all the angst of P!nk’s early years and proves that despite her reluctance to be a ‘pop star,’ she could indeed create infectious hits in that genre.
