I hope you’re not squeamish, as today we’ll be looking at some of the best songs about blood. Whether that’s literal blood, blood relatives, or bad blood, we cover it all.
1. “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar
Song Year: 2014
Taylor Swift released one of the best pop songs about blood with rapper Kendrick Lamar on her album 1989 titled “Bad Blood.”
In this song, Swift shares a story of two friends who get into a fight, and now the relationship is ruined. Swift got inspired to write “Bad Blood” after getting betrayed by a female friend.
While Taylor never disclosed the friend’s name, many Swifties suspect it was written about Swift’s feud with Katy Perry.
2. “Blood” by My Chemical Romance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX3Gw82f6GU
Song Year: 2006
The emo-rock band, My Chemical Romance is famous for its dark lyrics about death. The song “Blood” was a hidden track on their album The Black Parade that features ragtime-inspired piano instrumentals that contrasts the content in the lyrics.
The lyrics of this song share a statement about the band getting famous for their emotional lyrics. The song uses blood as a metaphor for pouring out their soul for other people to enjoy.
3. “Blood / / Water” by Grandson
Song Year: 2017
Trap and alternative musician Jordan Edward Benjamin, known as Grandson, released the song “Blood / / Water” with heavy lyrics that speak about society with a dystopian sound.
This song features screeching instrumentals, heavy drops, and a rhythmic beat. The lyrics paint a picture of war and destruction where there’s no water left to drink because too much blood has gotten spilled.
4. “In My Blood” by Shawn Mendes
Song Year: 2018
Canadian singer and musician Shawn Mendes wrote the song “In My Blood” about his experience with anxiety.
Shawn Mendes sings about feeling insecure, partaking in reckless behaviors to find happiness, and wanting to give up. However, this motivational song shares that giving up isn’t in his blood.
5. “In the Blood” by John Mayer
Song Year: 2017
“In the Blood” by John Mayer is one of the best songs about blood from his album The Search for Everything.
This song speaks about the genetic features and trauma responses we inherit from our family. Mayer asks if he’s fated to be like his parents or if he can change how he thinks and acts and become a better man.
6. “BLOOD.” by Kendrick Lamar
Song Year: 2017
“BLOOD.” by Kendrick Lamar is a thought-provoking song that features the rapper’s echoing voice speaking over stringed instruments and ethereal sounds.
“BLOOD.” is about a man who tries to help a blind woman find something that she lost on the street. However, when he asks to help her, she shoots him in cold blood. The song finishes with an outro of two newscasters criticizing Lamar’s lyrics about police brutality in the song “Alright.”
7. “Blood on the Ground” by Incubus
Song Year: 2001
“Blood on the Ground” by Incubus is one of the best songs about blood from their album Morning View.
This song features meaningful lyrics about not engaging with someone who makes your blood boil. The chorus sings about biting your tongue until it bleeds instead of partaking in violent behaviors.
8. “My Blood” by Twenty-One Pilots
Song Year: 2018
“My Blood” by the American rock and rap band Twenty-One Pilots is a positive song that uses blood as a metaphor for close friendships.
“My Blood” is an encouraging song that shares the bond between two people who can support and rely on each other during their toughest times and hardest battles.
9. “Blood on the Dance Floor” by Michael Jackson
Song Year: 1997
Michael Jackson expressed his take on the expression “dressed to kill” with his dance and pop song “Blood on the Dance Floor.”
This song features Jackson’s iconic vocals with hiccups and gasps and lyrics that share the story of a femme fatale named Susie, who leaves “Blood on the Dance Floor” after men approach her to dance.
10. “Hot Blooded” by Foreigner
Song Year: 1978
Foreigner released one of the best classic rock songs about blood with “Hot Blooded” on their album Double Vision.
“Hot Blooded” describes a steamy and secret love story. In this song, Foreigner shares the feeling of catching eyes with someone attractive and spending a night dancing close together with the hope they can dance in private at the end of the night.
11. “Out For Blood” by Sum 41
Song Year: 2019
Canadian pop-rock band Sum 41 released a statement about political instability with their song “Out For Blood.”
Sum 41 shares that the world is bleeding and that the leaders of the world are not doing anything to stop it. In this song, blood is also a symbol of getting revenge and how angry citizens are “Out For Blood.”
12. “Raining Blood” by Slayer
Song Year: 1986
The thrash metal band Slayer has one of the best metal songs about blood from their album Reign in Blood.
“Raining Blood” features an instrumental opening with ominous music that transforms into one of the band’s most popular guitar riffs. The song shares poetic lyrics about a crimson sky opening and raining blood on the world.
13. “Blood, Sweat & Tears” by Ava Max
Song Year: 2019
“Blood, Sweat & Tears” is a pop song by Ava Max about a challenging relationship where lovers must work to be with one another.
Ava Max uses blood as a metaphor for what she’s willing to sacrifice to make the relationship work until the two die together, even though she knows it’s unhealthy for her to stay.
14. “Blood” by In This Moment
Song Year: 2012
“Blood” by the nu-metal and hard rock band In This Moment is easily one of the best songs about blood to headbang to.
“Blood” features a catchy chorus where lead singer Maria Brink uses the metaphor of muddy blood to share her desire for unhealthy expressions of love and support from a partner.
The song also uses blood to paint a picture of emotional vampires who suck you dry and make you feel crazy.
15. “Back In Blood” by Pooh Shiesty feat. Lil Durk
Song Year: 2021
“Back In Blood” is one of the best rap songs about blood by Pooh Shiesty, featuring Lil Durk.
In this hip-hop and rap song, the two vocalists use blood as a metaphor for revenge killing. The song “Back In Blood” is about losing people you love to violence and getting revenge and justice by killing the one responsible.
16. “Blood and Thunder” by Mastodon
Song Year: 2004
The metal band Mastodon released an exceptional song about blood on their concept album Leviathan.
The album is a musical retelling of the story of Moby Dick, and in “Blood and Thunder,” the band depicts Captain Ahab’s obsession with finding and spilling the blood of the white whale.
17. “Blood On The Money” by Future
Song Year: 2015
The catchy rap song “Blood On The Money” by Future is one of the best songs about blood money.
The lyrics of this trap and rap song share a story about how Future earned significant wealth by selling drugs and murdering people. Even though the money is blood money, Future continues to count it and live a lavish lifestyle.
18. “Bloodbath In Paradise” by Ozzy Osbourne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50jw48zVCWk
Song Year: 1988
“Bloodbath In Paradise” by Ozzy Osbourne is one of the best classic metal songs about blood and the murders tied to Charles Manson and his cult of followers.
This song from Osbourne’s album No Rest for the Wicked recounts scary scenes of home invasions and violence inflicted upon unsuspecting victims in California by the Manson Family.
19. “Wash Us in the Blood” by Kanye West feat. Travis Scott
Song Year: 2020
“Wash Us in the Blood” by rappers Kanye West and Travis Scott is one of the best songs about blood being a form of cleansing. In this rap song, West and Scott use the religious metaphor of the blood of the holy spirit washing away sins.
The song speaks of violence, genocide, and life’s hardships with a cry for them to get washed away with blood.
20. “Bloodstream” by Ed Sheeran
Song Year: 2014
Singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran released the song “Bloodstream” on his second studio album.
“Bloodstream” is a song about addiction that speaks about the desire to partake in drugs, sex, and alcohol until he feels it in his blood. Sheeran got inspired to write this song about blood after taking a pill in Ibiza and experiencing the various emotions and feelings it induced.
21. “Bleed It Out” by Linkin Park
Song Year: 2007
The rock band Linkin Park has one of the best songs about blood titled “Bleed It Out” from the album Minutes To Midnight.
This song features aggressive instrumentals and the iconic vocals of rapper Mike Shinoda and the late Chester Bennington. The lyrics share wishes of death, with imagery of digging a grave and bleeding.
22. “In Cold Blood” by Alt-J
Song Year: 2017
“In Cold Blood” is one of the best alternative and indie songs about blood.
In this song, Alt-J shares the musical story of a pool party where everyone is having a blast drinking and partying together. However, in the time it takes for someone to jump into the water and surface, death occurs as one of the guests gets murdered “In Cold Blood.”
23. “Bleeding Out” by Imagine Dragons
Song Year: 2012
“Bleeding Out” by Imagine Dragons was one of the band’s first successes that elevated the indie/alternative band on global music charts.
This song features heavy lyrics backed by powerful instrumentals with synthesizers and heavy bass. The verses and chorus sing about sacrificing yourself for someone you love by bleeding out all the sadness and unwanted emotions to make space for love.
24. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2
Song Year: 1983
“Sunday Bloody Sunday” by the Irish rock band U2 is one of the best songs about blood that shares a historical story about political unrest in Derry, Ireland.
“Sunday Bloody Sunday” recounts the band’s feelings about watching the news after the 1972 Bloody Sunday, or Bogside Massacre, when British troops fired and killed 26 unarmed protestors.
25. “God Save Our Young Blood” by Borns feat. Lana Del Rey
Song Year: 2018
If you’re looking for electro-pop songs about blood, listen to the duet by Borns and Lana Del Rey titled “God Save Our Young Blood.” In this catchy song, young blood highlights the reckless decisions young people make as they explore life.
This song features dreamy vocals and electronic sounds with a repetitive chorus asking for a higher power to protect them in their youth as they enjoy life to its fullest.
26. “Bad Blood” by Bastille
Song Year: 2013
British pop band Bastille released one of the best songs about two people who get into a fight titled “Bad Blood.” In this song, bad blood refers to a betrayal and the resentment that lingers between two people that cannot go unnoticed any longer.
The song explores the question of whether or not bad blood can be washed away or if the two are destined to always be in an unhealthy dynamic.
27. “Blood Sweat & Tears” by BTS
Song Year: 2016
The South Korean boyband BTS has one of the best songs about blood with their hit track “Blood Sweat & Tears.”
BTS uses blood, alongside sweat, tears, and the last dance, as a metaphor for giving your all to someone who doesn’t appreciate the effort. Although the kisses cause pain, the boys are happy to endure it because there is also pleasure in the pain.
28. “Blood Bank” by Bon Iver
Song Year: 2009
Bon Iver blessed the world with the song “Blood Bank” on his album of the same title. This song uses a blood bank as a metaphor for the modern dating scene.
The lyrics begin by sharing how two lovers meet at a blood bank and are overwhelmed by all the bags available and how many of them look the same. There’s no way to know if the blood is a match until it’s running through each other’s veins.
29. “Thicker Than Blood” by Garth Brooks
Song Year: 2001
Country singer Garth Brooks shares his adaptation of the old proverb that blood is thicker than water in his song “Thicker Than Blood.”
While the saying suggests that family ties are the strongest bonds we share, Brooks announces that love is more substantial than blood ties.
30. “Blood on My Hands” by The Used
Song Year: 2009
American rock band The Used has one of the best songs about blood with their track “Blood on My Hands.”
In this dark song, the band shares the story from a first-person perspective of a serial killer who takes pleasure in taking lives. The killer shares his thoughts as he spends time with an unsuspecting victim whom he is about to kill.
31. “Pay in Blood” by Bob Dylan
Song Year: 2012
Folk singer and songwriter Bob Dylan released one of the most poetic songs about blood on his 35th album Tempest. “Pay in Blood” sings about blood sacrifices that others make so that the rest of the world can live.
This folk song features various references to Christianity and the blood sacrifice of Jesus. However, it also speaks about political instability and the many people who’ve lost their lives due to war.
32. “Bleeding Me” by Metallica
Song Year: 1996
The rock and metal band Metallica has a song that uses blood as a metaphor for releasing negative emotions on their album Load.
“Bleeding Me” is a musical interpretation about going through therapy and releasing pent-up emotions to find healing.
33. “Romeo Is Bleeding” by Tom Waits
Song Year: 1978
Enjoy the sounds of Tom Waits’ growling voice on the track “Romeo Is Bleeding.”
This is one of the songs about blood that tells a musical story of a man named Romeo who kills a police sheriff to get justice for the death of his brother.
Top Songs About Blood, Final Thoughts
Not all songs about blood are gory and dangerous. Musicians often use blood as a symbol of the power inside of them, the strength to continue, or strong family ties. That said, blood is a common topic in many songs because it’s a symbol that represents death and pain.
Add these songs about blood to your next playlist and discover thought-provoking lyrics about friends, lovers, and society.