11 Messy, Messy MESS Songs | Playlist 🎧

11 Messy, Messy MESS Songs features music courtesy of AJR, Anthony Hamilton, Nick Rich, The Rolling Stones, and Tate McRae.   

MESSY! That’s write, the songs that grace 11 Messy, Messy MESS Songs are a MESS! Not just any mess, mind you, but a HOT MESS! In all seriousness, the only thing that’s a mess or messy about the song on the musical compendium is the song title, as well as how the respective musicians characterize themselves or others. 11 Messy, Messy MESS Songs features music courtesy of AJR, Anthony Hamilton, Nick Rich, The Rolling Stones, and Tate McRae among others. So, if you’re feeling messy, embrace the sheer musical messiness of 11 Messy, Messy MESS Songs with us, won’t you? 

1. AJR, “Yes I’m A Mess”  

💿 The Maybe Man • 🏷 AJR Productions LLC / Mercury / Republic • 🗓 2023

“Yes, I’m a mess with an S on my chest / Got stress fillin’ up my head.” Yup, typical lyrics from the usual suspects, AJR.  The Gen-Z/millennial spirit runs rampant in the brother trio’s work.  “Yes I’m a Mess”, a single from The Maybe Man is tried-and-true AJR. Also, undeniably catchy!  The sound of the recording is enjoyable.  “Yes I’m a Mess” is set in a minor key. Ryan Met concocts production work that is ornate but not too ornate.  It’s picturesque and rhythmic yet non troppo compared to some AJR productions.  Lyrically, the songwriting still explores those first-world problems typical of AJR – “I leave my house at three o’clock / With two hundred texts and two missed calls” – but that sort of goes with the territory, doesn’t it.  The chorus, excerpted above, is a bit schmaltzy, yet it gets easily stuck in the head.  That’s because it is so damn tuneful.  It’s one of those choruses you want to hate but you can’t stop singing!  It plays out like this:    

“Yes, I’m a mess with an S on my chest  

Got stress fillin’ up my head  

So, I spent last night blowin’ up my life  

Now you won’t see me again  

Cheers to the front and cheers to the back  

And cheers to the 2010s  

I could hate my guts when the sun comes up  

But I like myself like this  

I like myself like this.”   

There’s more, of course. In the second verse, we get a few s-bombs from Jack Met (“Why should I fix the shit I’ve done / When I could just pack my shit and run?”), as well as stinky shirts 😏. All in all, “Yes I’m a Mess” provides us some messy fun!  

2. Tate McRae, “messier” 

💿 THINK LATER • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2023

“‘Cause baby, you can talk in circles for hours / Make a good day sour.” Ugh, that’s not good, Tate McRae! The Canadian Gen-Z pop star continues singing in the first verse of “messier,” “Then you look me, look me, straight into my eyes / Say that you’re sorry / How could I not believe in you?” My, my, my! “Messier” arrives as the 10th track from THINK LATER, the breakout, sophomore album by McRae (I used to think I could fly deserved better). “Messier” was written by McRae, Thomas LaRosa, and Skyler Stonestreet, with LaRosa also producing.  The glorious sounds include warm keys, synths, and a sweet, anchoring beat. This four-minute track is a ballad, contrasting some of the more attitude-laden, up-tempo cuts from THINK LATER. Even though “messier” is kinder and gentler than some cuts from the album, McRae still brings attitude, particularly when she cusses: “You’re the only one who can boil my blood / And make that shit cut / ‘Cause you know that I’m always yours, I’m so in love.” Woo! It should come as no surprise that the titular lyric is emphasized in the chorus: 

“You say that I’m a mess  

Oh, just wait ‘til I make it hurt 

‘Cause babe, last time I checked 

The two of us were messier, -er, -er, -er” 

Whether you’re a Gen-Z-er or nah, it’s easy to find enjoyment, and perhaps, relatable relationship stuff,  in the non-mess that is “messier.”  

3. The Rolling Stones, “Mess It Up”  

💿 Hackney Diamonds • 🏷 Promotone B.V. • 📅 2023 

“You stole my numbers, you stole my codes / You took my keys and then you nicked my phone.” Damn, The Rolling Stones! That certainly sounds like some messy stuff on “Mess It Up,” which appears as the 7th track on Hackney Diamonds (2023), the first album of originals from the band since 2005. “Mess It Up” features an electrifying groove from the onset.  There’s no way you won’t move your body in some form or fashion – rock out to this major-key joint. Throw in the bluesy, dynamic guitars and the ear candy is legit.

Mick Jagger is chocked-full of energy, serving up plenty of attitude and spunk.  He’s 80 but sounds much younger than his age.  He does a fabulous job bringing the tuneful melodies of the verses, and especially the chorus, to life.  Speaking of the chorus, it’s relatively simple and encourages singing along: 

“You think I’ll mess it up, mess it up, mess it up 

All for your you  

You think I’ll dress it up, dress it up, dress it up 

All for you 

You say you really, really, really, really wanna hear the truth.”  

All told, “Mess It Up” is a fun one from the Stones. One of the highlights from Hackney Diamonds, PERIOD! Notably, there’s also Purple Disco Machine remix! Prepare to dance!

4. Reneè Rapp, “Messy”  

💿 Snow Angel • 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2023

“It’s tearing me apart ‘cause / You don’t see us like I do.” That, dear Reneé Rapp, is messy. Oh, and literally, the song is called, “Messy.” “Messy” appears as the 14th track from her 2023 album, Snow Angel. Rapp penned “Messy” alongside LOSTBOY (Peter Rycroft) and Caroline Ailin. It was produced by Ryan Tedder and Alexander 23. The record begins enigmatically, but only lasts a matter of seconds. Soon enough, the light but driving rhythm guitar gives “Messy” stability.  Accompanied by that guitar, Rapp gives us strong vocals with a clear sound – a lovely tone. Among the most tuneful moments of the song arrive in pre-chorus and chorus.  Notably, she ‘rises to the occasion’ in the chorus, showing the nuance, power, and range of her instrument.    

“I know you just met me 

And right now, you got nothing against me 

But I know how to make myself crazy 

Loving me gets messy, messy 

It gets messy 

Half of all my exes regret me 

But none of them will ever forget me 

Loving me gets really messy.”

Following the first chorus, the instrumental also gains more steam.  Thematically, it should come as no secret what fuels “Messy.”  It’s those pesky, matters of the heart, of course – love is always involved! Love the repetition by the background vocals at the end, vamping over the lyric, “Ooh, it gets messy!” Indeed!

5. Nick Rich, “Hot Mess”  

🎵 “Hot Mess” • 🏷 Big Red • 📅 2023

“I’mma breathe in, breathe out / You think you got me all figured out (Breathe in, breathe out) / I don’t even know myself right now.” Hot mess! Nick Rich is not British. However, the talented musician makes British soul music which is hella cool. Not only does he make it, but he does so superbly. A prime example is his 2023 single, the must-hear “Hot Mess”. “I’m a hot mess / I think I love you / Until my ex / Finally comes through,” he sings, magnificently.  Furthermore, those lyrics he sings are ultra-relatable.  Perhaps you seek a new relationship, and BAM, your ex enters back into the picture, in some form or fashion, and things are messed up! Rich delivers many memorable lyrics, all which capture being a hot mess: “I’d be so sad to let you go / But you can’t water something that won’t grow.” True!   

Regarding “Hot Mess,” which, musically speaking, is anything but, Rich comments, “Some days I felt like a ‘hot mess’ and the woes of the relationship were my doing.” Word. Self-awareness is important.  Beyond the sus love experiences by Nick, and his stellar voice and songwriting, the music is sweet as well on this bop. Smartly, the minor key (C minor to be precise) captures the messiness.  The music, true to Rich’s self-characterization, emulates British soul, with its dusty, soulful groove, keys, smooth, rhythmic guitar, robust bass line, and playful, background vocals that accentuate the lead. Nick Rich may be a hot mess some days, but “Hot Mess” the song is electrifying!  

Appears in 🔻:  

• Nick Rich, Hot Mess: Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 No. 2 (2024) 

6. Anthony Hamilton, “I’m a Mess” 

💿 Comin’ From Where I’m From • 🏷 RCA / Jive • 📅 2003

“Can’t believe / Oh, oh, oh, oh no, no, oh.” What I can’t believe is the fact that Grammy-winning R&B artist Anthony Hamilton has been so underrated throughout his career.  Hamilton is one of the most soulful singers in the game.  That man doesn’t just sing, he sangs! A prime example of him sangin’ is on “I’m A Mess”, one of many highlights from his 2003 album, Comin’ From Where I’m From. Despite modestly peaking at no. 33 on the Billboard 200, Comin’ From Where I’m From was eventually certified platinum. Hamilton wrote the messy fifth track alongside Jeanine Smith and Cedric Solomon, who also produces.  The backdrop sounds like it hails directly from the church – can I get an amen? It’s the organ!

So, why is Anthony Hamilton a mess? It all comes down to lost love. Hamilton sings incredibly authentically as he depicts his love pain.  In the first verse, he “Lost my best friend, my soul mate /… We’ve invested in a set of twins, a small house…” Essentially, a life built between the two has crumbled (“And empty walls can’t hold this house together”).  In the second verse, he just comes out and says it – “I’m a mess right now.” How bad is it for Anthony? “Ain’t bathed, can’t shave ‘cause my heart is so tender / Like living in a blender, I’m shaken, and I’m stirred.” Damn! The verses are incredible, even as Hamilton experiences these unfortunate circumstances. Still, they’re trumped by the chorus where, “I rather you slit me cross the throat, so I can die / Instead of leaving, no explanation as to why / You don’t want me no more,” and the epic outro, where he begs, “Call me, write me / Love me, come home.” “I’m A Mess” is a prime example of an utterly stupendous album cut that deserved to be a single. 

Appears in 🔻:  

• Anthony Hamilton, I’m a Mess: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 10 (2024) 

7. Kiiara, “Messy” 

💿 lil kiiwi • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2020 

On “Messy”, an advanced single from lil kiiwi,  Kiiara struck gold – no mess to be found here! Noah Conrad gives the pop artist a sleek backdrop to paint over.  The sound is feel-good, groovy, and minimalist – perfect fuel for this young star.  But Conrad doesn’t get all the credit as Kiiara shows why she is a pop standout.  For the most part, she keeps the vocals subtle, but appealing.  Furthermore, she’s able to use her personality to guide her. In the first verse, she sings about potentially being in a relationship – the sleepovers have progressed significantly.  In the pre-chorus, she sings, “If there’s a line, then I think that we crossed it / Second time you stay the night / If there’s a cool, then I think that I lost it / And I should take my own advice.” Ooh-wee! In the chorus, she urges, “Let’s stop before it gets m-m-m-m-messy.” The second verse is much like the first, as Kiiara tries to process and gain some perspective on the progression of things.  All told, “Messy” is a fun and catchy record.  It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but she sings about a relatable situation.  Is it profound? Nah, but a fun one. 

8. 5 Seconds of Summer, “COMPLETE MESS”  

💿 5SOS5 • 5SOS, LLC / BMG Rights Management (US) LLC • 🗓 2022  

“Caught up in heaven, but your heaven ain’t the same / And I’ve never been a saint, have I?” Despite such a messy title, Aussie pop collective 5 Seconds of Summer don’t dare serve up a “COMPLETE MESS” (5SOS5, 2022). Luke Hemmings owns his hellishness, adding another question in the first verse, “But I’m never one to change, am I?”  Hemmings handles the heavy lifting vocally. Still, all members contribute to the chorus (“You make me a complete mess”), while Calum Hood and Michael Clifford perform the second verse. Again, “COMPLETE MESS” is anything but a complete mess.  It was penned by the quartet solely with Clifford serving as producer. Even if 5SOS are no longer signed to a major label, the quality remains strong 💪.  Notably, the beginning of “COMPLETE MESS” bears similarities to past songs.  This love-driven cut is groovy and well-executed.  The chorus is #winning for sure! The Aussie band remains on the up-and-up. 

Appears in 🔻: 

• C Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2 
• Awesome Songs: March 2022 

9. Cobra Starship, “Hot Mess” 

💿 Hot Mess • 🏷 Fueled By Ramen, LLC • 📅 2009

“Stumbling but yeah, you’re still looking hella fine / Keep doing what you’re doing, I’ma make you mine.” Oh, snap 🫰! 14 years before Nick Rich asserted he was a “Hot Mess”, Gabe Saporta and the now dissolved Cobra Starship asserted their own “Hot Mess” ways. “Playing with them good girls / Naw, that ain’t your style,” Saporta sings in the first verse, continuing, “You think you’re hot shit / And ooh, I love it, I love it, yeah, yeah.” Hot mess! Speaking of hot mess, Cobra Starship named their 2009 album, Hot Mess. Woo! Was the title track the song to beat on the LP? It didn’t outshine the crème de la crème, “Good Girls Gone Bad” featuring Leighton Meester, but it was no disappointment by any means! Within the gold certified Hot Mess (😝), “Hot Mess” marks a fabulous piece of the puzzle. It’s filled with pointed, catchy lyrics, especially overt during the chorus: 

“Well, you’re a hot mess and I’m falling for you 

And I’m like hot damn! Let me make you my boo 

‘Cause you can shake it, shake it, shake it 

Yeah, you know what to do 

You’re a hot mess 

I’m loving it, hell yes!” 

Hell yes, “Hot Mess” is a hot mess – in the best way possible!  

10. Bebe Rexha, “I’m a Mess”  

💿 Expectations • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2018 

“Everything’s been so messed up here lately / Pretty sure he don’t wanna be my baby.” Oh, snap! One of the better moments from Expectations, the 2018, platinum-certified debut LP by Grammy-nominated pop artist, Bebe Rexha, is “I’m a Mess”. “I’m A Mess,” earned Rexha one of the many multiplatinum singles in her career. Instrumentally, it features electric guitar-fueled accompaniment with mostly finger snaps. Eventually, the subtler finger snaps are completely replaced with full-fledged, urban-infused drum programming.  Notably, there’s production gimmickry in the chorus – not shocking for a modern pop record. Beyond the details regarding the backdrop produced by Jussifer, Bebe delivers a solid vocal performance. She embraces her huskier, thicker tone and texture, which cuts through the production. Her assertiveness and command are selling points. The chorus, in all its catchiness, is the centerpiece of this messy record:  

“I’m a mess, I’m a loser 

I’m a hater, I’m a user 

I’m a mess for your love, it ain’t new 

I’m obsessed, I’m embarrassed 

I don’t trust no one around us 

I’m a a mess for your love, it ain’t new.” 

What more is there to say? The messiness speaks for itself!  

11. James Brown, “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” 

💿 Hell • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 📅 1974

The late, great funk icon, James Brown (1933 – 2006), makes one thing crystal clear: “Papa don’t, Papa don’t Papa don’t / Papa don’t take no mess!” Woo! “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” appears on Brown’s 1974 album, Hell – what a hell of a title, right? Right! In typical, James Brown fashion, he oozes with personality as he talks about his dad.  He’s backed by groove that’s tight and F-U-N-K-Y by his stellar band. Those horns are lit! Essentially, this no. 31 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 is constructed in minimalistic fashion – looping, vamping, etc. Brown’s approach truly earned him the nickname as the godfather of soul.

The lyrics shouldn’t be written off “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” by any means. Perhaps the most memorable, colorful lyrics arrive in the fourth verse:

“Papa didn’t cuss 

He didn’t raise a whole lotta fuss 

But when we did wrong 

Papa beat the hell out of us.”

Woo! However, besides moments like these, it’s the repetition, riffing, and showmanship that makes “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” the sugar honey iced tea. Hell, anytime James Brown says, “hit me!” it makes us gag (positively, mind you). More could be said about “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” but is there any need? Of course not! This unforgettable Brown / John Starks / Fred Wesley composed joint speaks for itself. HIT ME!  

Appears in 🔻:  

• James Brown, Papa Don’t Take No Mess: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 8 (2024) 

11 Messy, Messy MESS Songs (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; 5SOS LLC, AJR Productions LLC, Atlantic, Big Red, BMG Rights Management (US) LLC, Fueled By Ramen LLC, Interscope, Jive, Mercury, Promotone B.V., Republic, RCA, UMG Recordings Inc., Warner; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, uğur urlu from Pixabay]