【Music Archives】

In Party for One,Music Archives Mashable explores single life in 2020, from Carly Rae Jepsen’s iconic single anthems, to the beauty of alone time, and the fascinating history behind the single positivity movement.

Whether you're single, dating, in a relationship, heartbroken, in love, indifferent, or don't identify with any of these sticky labels, it's time to celebrate your original soulmate: it you.

Cranking up a giant love song for yourself is one of the healthiest, boldest ways to start and end your day, because often we forget how bloody excellent we are on our own two feet.

We've handpicked these tracks because they celebrate the power that comes with backing yourself. Dance around your living room and make like Lizzo, singing, "I'm my own soulmate, I know how to love me, I know that I'm always gonna hold me down." Give it a whirl.

1. Lizzo — "Soulmate"

Queen of no-nonsense self-love, Lizzo's back catalogue is brimming with anthems to honour one's self with — "Juice," and "Truth Hurts," are up there. But "Soulmate" loudly and proudly takes the prize, from her 2019 album Cuz I Love You, which landed itself possibly the greatest animated lyric video of all time with the stars of Netflix's Queer Eyefor 2020 Pride. Head over to Self Love Lane and scream the crap outta Lizzo's pop banger about the joy of being your own true love.

2. Carly Rae Jepsen — "Party for One"

It's the namesake of this series for a reason, so turn it up. Carly Rae Jepsen's dance-around-in-your-undies anthem "Party for One," from 2018 album Dedicatedheralds an invitation to dance for yourself and get back on your beat. Though you shouldn't need to be soothing a broken heart to air-punch your way to confidence with this enormous pop track, it canbe cathartic if you need it.

Alongside Lizzo with her self-love bangers, CRJ's quite the monarch of single anthems — more on that right here.

3. Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé — "Feeling Myself"

You don't even need to hit play on this one, just say that chorus out loud in the mirror a handful of times at midnight and you'll be haunted by your own excellence. But it's a straight-up banger from the confidence queens Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé.

4. Zedd and Kehlani — "Good Thing"

A true manifesto for those who enjoy their own company, Kehlani and Zedd's "Good Thing" is a casually large middle finger to those with all the blasted dating questions. Some people are good on their own, so cool it.

5. Mary J. Blige — "Just Fine"

Big-time positive vibes around just living your life for you in Mary J. Blige's Grammy-nominated "Just Fine," from 2007 album Growing Pains. This eternally catchy R&B uplifter is all about enjoying your life and yourself as is, not changing a thing.

6. Janelle Monáe — "Electric Lady"

Not just for ladies, but anyone who wants a little zap of self-love, try walking down a public footpath with Janelle Monáe's "Electric Lady" blaring in your ears. Featuring Solange too, the title track from Monae's 2013 album of the same name has one of the most empowering choruses around. Shock it, shake it, love it.

7. Hailee Steinfeld — "Love Myself"

It's pretty hard to miss the message in Hailee Steinfeld's instantly catchy anthem "Love Myself," a powerful pop explosion about confidence. Some have interpreted the song as a masturbation anthem, and it very well could be, amid a broader a reminder that you can "provide for yourself," according to Steinfeld.

8. Taylor Swift — "New Romantics"

Granted, Taylor Swift's bookshelf is mostly stocked with tales of falling in love and heartbreak, but her big 2014 singalong anthem "New Romantics" channels self-pride arm-in-arm with her fans. "We're too busy dancing to get knocked off our feet," Swift sings in the 1989track. "Baby we're the new romantics, the best people in life are free." Yes, she sneaks in a Swifty love reference in there but we'll let that slide.

9. RuPaul — "Sissy That Walk"

RuPaul preaches self-love every damn day of the week, can I get an amen? The only precaution I'll give you before hitting play on RuPaul's "Sissy That Walk" is that you might end up blowing the minds of passersby with the dangerous strut you've just thrown down. As Mama Ru says, "And if I fly, or if I fall, least I can say, I gave it all."

10. Beyoncé — "Flawless"

This track woke up like this in 2014, and is still flawless as ever. Queen Bey not only provided one hell of a reminder that you're marvellous as is, but invited Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to remind us of hypocritical societal expectations for women, so you can promptly throw that right in the bin and say IIIIIII look so gooooooood tooooniiiight goddamngoddamnGODDAMN.

11. Lady Gaga — "Born This Way"

Just love yourself and you're set with Lady Gaga's all-inclusive, club-level instruction manual for self pride. The lead single from Gaga's 2011 album of the same name immediately became an LGBTQ anthem, and practically explodes with freedom and self-love, however you woke up today. It is an absolutely enormous love letter to yourself.

12. BTS — "Love Myself"

BTS' track from their 2018 album quite literally called Love Yourself: Answeris less of a stomping declaration of self-love than others on this list, and more a tender, vulnerable journey of discovery — yeah, we're all still learning, even the K-pop megastars.

13. Alessia Cara — "Wild Things"

We're fine all by ourselves, says Alessia Cara in her unapologetic song "Wild Things" from 2015 album Know-It-All.It's not a testament to solitude, more a celebration of being happy and proud of yourself, whether among a group or riding solo.

14. Natasha Bedingfield — "Single"

Natasha Bedingfield's self-described "declaration of independence" from 2004 is a strong single anthem that doesn't rule out any romantic choices, just the pressure for them to be made.

15. Destiny's Child — "Independent Women, Pt. 1"

Question: Tell me how you feel about this, Destiny's Child's 2001 megasingle from the Survivoralbum is one of the all-time self-empowering tracks for all independent women buying their own shit thank you very much. "I worked hard and sacrificed to get what I get," Beyonce sings. "Ladies, it ain't easy being independent." Released for the eternally great Charlie's Angelssoundtrack, this is as literally kickass as self-love anthems get.