FlourishAnyway believes there is a playlist for just about any situation and is on a mission to unite and entertain the world through song.

You're Beautiful the Way You Are

Oh, what women put themselves through in the name of beauty! There are dangerous diets, expensive cosmetic surgery, hair extensions, and false eyelashes. We beat ourselves up with negative self-talk, high heels that hurt, undergarments that pull it all in and push it up. Is this what it takes to feel good about ourselves?

When is the last time you heard a guy fret, "Do these pants make my butt look fat?" Most don't spend an excessive amount of time obsessing over balding heads, potbellies, or being too short. They just roll with with it. And as women, so should we.

That's because beauty doesn't come in the form of a jar or a pair of expensive pair of designer jeans. It emmanates from within. Rejoice in being imperfect, original, and authenitically flawed.

For those of us who need a reminder that we're beautiful inside and out, here are pop, rock, country, and R&B songs. Make yourself a playlist or give it to someone you care about who needs a confidence boost. And be sure to tell them they're beautiful.

1. "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara

There's a powerful, positive message imparted in this 2016 pop hit: you are valid, worthy, beautiful and enough—just the way you are. The woman profiled in the song is one who seeks a flawless covergirl image, but her quest for outer perfection inflicts wounds on both her body and spirit.

The narrator encourages her to look deeper to the lasting beauty that imminates within:

But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark
You should know you're beautiful just the way you are
And you don't have to change a thing
The world could change its heart
No scars to your beautiful; we're stars, and we're beautiful.

2. "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera inspires self-confidence in this 2002 song of hope and self-love. Addressing anyone who feels shame and doubt about their beauty, the song's narrator encourages others to reach deep within for what makes them beautiful:

You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down ... oh, no
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down, oh, no.

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3. "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" by Mika

This fun, upbeat 2007 song cheers on big girls by letting them know they have curves in all the right places. It was written as a shout out to both larger women and The Butterfly Lounge, the first size acceptance nightclub in the United States. Ironically, the song never charted in the U.S., but it reached the top 10 in the United Kingdom and other countries.

4. "Imperfect is the New Perfect" by Caitlin Crosby

Don't be afraid to be uniquely you. That's the message behind this 2009 pop song. Instead of trying to become the plasticized, anorexic, airbrushed beauties you see in magazines, embrace your flaws.

Don't try for an unachievable body image. Instead, live, smile, and have fun:

I don’t fit the mold
I am real
Too colorful to conceal
Imperfect is the new perfect.

5. "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars

Although the girl he loves can't take a compliment, this 2010 rock song's narrator showers her with them. He describes how amazingly beautiful she is and pleads with her not to change a thing.

6. "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison

Named one of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" by Rolling Stone magazine, this 1964 hit is about a guy who passes a gorgeous woman on the street. He flirts with her, wondering if she might be as lonely as he is. As she is walks away, the pretty woman decides to turn around and walk back towards the narrator who summoned her.

7. "Little Things" by One Direction

She squeezes into her jeans and dislikes both her freckles and eye crinkles. She also hates her stomach and her thighs. The girl in this 2012 song concentrates on the negative, but the narrator appreciates that all of these things add up to what makes her uniquely beautiful.

8. "Beautiful Soul" by Jesse McCartney

The narrator of this 2004 pop song knows there is something exceptional about his girlfriend's beauty. She isn't just a pretty face; she's gorgeous right down to the fabric of her soul. (That's a guy worth keeping.)

9. "You & I (Nobody In the World)" by John Legend

If you are overly concerned about your outward appearance, perhaps you might step back and see yourself through the eyes of those who love you best. This R&B song from 2014 describes a man's admiration for his lover as she fusses with her makeup and changes outfits for a night out. He sees the beauty that emmanates from within .. because isn't that what really counts?

10. "Lovely" by Sara Haze

Ah, self-acceptance is such a beautiful thing! In this 2010 pop song, the narrator feels perfectly lovely just the way she is. She wants that to be enough for the other people in her life as well:

I know you want the best
Yeah, only good things for me
But you have to realize
I can't be all these things you project on me
Cause I'm beautiful to me
Doesn't that mean a thing?

11. "Pretty Hurts" by Beyoncé

Women so often feel the pressure to "pageant the pain away," as Queen Bey puts it in this 2014 pop hit. At any physical or emotional cost we strive for perfection: Barbie figures, longer and lighter hair, blemish-free skin and teeth.

But beauty exacts a price, and Queen Bey wants you to be truly happy with yourself. She knows that it's what's inside that really counts.

12. "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga

This 2011 pop hit's message is clear, uplifting, and in your face: all of us can be beautiful. Each of us are born superstars, so don't be timid, hiding what makes you fabulous.

While the song is generally praised for its message, Lady Gaga received some negative blowback from Latino and Asian communities for using outdated and insensitive racial terms.

13. "Try" by Colbie Callait

Think of the time and effort that goes into your daily beauty routine, from hair, skin and nails, to calorie counting and worrying about your wardrobe. The narrator in this 2014 pop song proclaims that you don't have to try so hard to impress other people because the one who matters is the one who's looking back at you in the mirror.

"Do you like you?" she asks.

14. "F*ckin' Perfect" by Pink

Although Pink was a high profile CoverGirl spokesmodel, hawking cosmetics to accentuate outer beauty, in this earlier 2010 rock hit she champions the value of what's inside. Pink's real name is Alecia Beth Moore, and she's know for her edgy beauty.

In the song, she pleads with you to change the negative soundtrack about yourself that you have on autoreplay. Push down the fear and doubt and believe that you're perfect the way you are.

15. "Ugly" by Sugababes

The narrator in this 2005 British pop song shoots down the haters who want to destroy your confidence and make you feel ugly. Don't let others' judgments of your physical appearance impact your confidence and love of yourself. Realize that their criticism comes from their own insecurities:

People are all the same
And we only get judged by what we do
My personality reflects me
And if I'm ugly, then
So are you.

16. "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey

Every beautiful woman enjoys her youth and assumes it will last forever. But then age begins to creep in, taking its toll. She no longer garners the attention she did. She questions what the ravages of time will do, whether her lover will value her for her mind and heart.

This haunting 2013 ballad was part of the soundtrack for The Great Gatsby.

17. Beautiful to Me" by Olly Murs

Completely smitten with his lover, the narrator in this 2015 ballad describes her as wearing a protective armor to shield herself from the world. She is fragile, scarred and imperfect, but he sees her beauty and the light within.

18. "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction

Beautiful people don't always feel convinced that they are attractive. In this 2011 boy band single, the narrator gushes about how gorgeous his crush is. She's shy and insecure and doesn't see it.

Keep singing, buddy. You're making progress.

19. "Don't You Know You're Beautiful" by Kellie Pickler

This 2008 country song features a narrator who speaks to girls and women at various stages of their life who need to hear the message that they are beautiful.

She reaches out to the 15-year-old who covets the impossibly airbrushed images of fashion magazines, the homecoming queen who is being pressured to give in to lust in the backseat of a parked car, and the middle aged woman whose husband left her for a younger woman. Each one of them needs a reminder that they are beautiful (as well as strong and have a choice in their fates).

20. "Who You Are" by Jessie J

Trying to look perfect and project a flawless image, the narrator internally beats herself up for a tiny error. She stops and tells herself to quit that. This 2011 pop song encourages women everywhere to be themselves, perfectly imperfect and beautiful:

Don't lose who you are, in the blur of the stars
Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing
It's okay not to be okay.

Even More Songs About Being Beautiful Inside and Out

© 2017 FlourishAnyway

Comments

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 25, 2020:

MG - Yes, you are right. Have a good day.

MG Singh emge from Singapore on April 25, 2020:

Flourish, beauty is in the eye of the beholder but you have a lovely selection here and I will download a few of them.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 24, 2020:

Peggy - Thanks for sharing your opinion here. So many people are attractive on the outside but not on the inside.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on April 24, 2020:

It is the inside of a person (whether a woman or a man) that shines. It is so true that beauty does come from within, and that is what matters most.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on September 03, 2018:

DearEvanHansen - Thank you for such a kind comment. We each have beauty in us. Some of us come in bright, pretty packages and there may or may not be good underneath. Others of us have plain wrapping and underneath there is surprising beauty, like a geode.

DearEvanHansen on September 02, 2018:

I love all those songs. Your amazing! We are all different, and we need to see that. It doesn’t matter what others say or what they do. We are all amazing. We just have to look farther than outside.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on July 31, 2018:

ViktorF - Thank you for your kind comment. Best wishes to you and your bride at your wedding and in the future.

ViktorF on July 31, 2018:

Great post about music. I'm just looking for something for my wedding. I think your selection is perfect, I just read one post and there was a tip on how to correctly and accurately pick up music for your celebration. I hope that in general my guests will be satisfied

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on July 07, 2017:

J - Thank you for the suggestion. I have added it at #55. Stay beautiful.

j on July 07, 2017:

crooked smile by j cole ft tlc

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on March 05, 2017:

Shyron - Thank you, sweet lady, for your suggestion! I have added it at #54. Have a wonderful week!

Shyron E Shenko from Texas on March 05, 2017:

I can only think of one song that is missing and that is Marty Robbins' "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife."

Lyrics

Hands that are strong but wrinkled

Doing work that never gets done

Hair, that's lost some of the beauty

By too many hours in the sun

Eyes, that show some disappointment

And there's been quite a lot in her life

She's the foundation I lean on

My woman, my woman, my wife

*

*

Blessings my beautiful inside and out friend.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 27, 2017:

Martie - Thank you for your enthusiastic endorsement! We have to have something to keep us focused on the positive with all that is going on in this world. Have a good week.

Martie Coetser from South Africa on February 27, 2017:

Perfect list of songs about beauty inside and outside people. Listening to these songs at least once a week is highly recomended. Thanks FlourishAnyway!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 26, 2017:

Bill - Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend.

Bill De Giulio from Massachusetts on February 25, 2017:

Hi Flourish. What a great song list. These songs send a wonderful message about the true meaning of beauty. Well done as always, enjoy your weekend.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 24, 2017:

MsDora, What kind and uplifting words this afternoon, and oh, how I needed them! Thank you, sweet lady! Have a wonderful weekend!

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on February 24, 2017:

You, my dear Flourish are one beautiful woman, and you spread beauty through your excellent articles. This collection sparks our confidence. Thank you.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 24, 2017:

Nell - Thank you for taking the time to comment. I'm glad you enjoyed listening to the songs.

Nell Rose from England on February 23, 2017:

Beautiful songs and writing. I hardly know any of these songs, but loved listening to them, great hub!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 23, 2017:

Gypsy Rose - Thank you so much! Have a great rest of the week!

Gypsy Rose Lee from Daytona Beach, Florida on February 23, 2017:

A beautiful hub by a beautiful hubber with beautiful music which makes it perfect.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on February 22, 2017:

This is an important article about the true meaning of beauty. As always, thank you for sharing the message and the music, Flourish. I always enjoy looking at the map names, too!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 22, 2017:

Paula - What kind words of support. I appreciate you! Have a wonderful week, my friend.

Suzie from Carson City on February 21, 2017:

FA...Always a wonderful Hub with the most fabulous songs chosen. This one is especially.........well, simply Beautiful!! You do such an awesome job on your song hubs! I appreciate the enormous work you put into them. Bless you...I really enjoy them! Peace, Paula

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 21, 2017:

Heidi - That's one of my oldies but goodies, too. You have a terrific week, too!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 21, 2017:

Larry - Thanks a bunch. Have a great week.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 21, 2017:

Genna - That is such a nice compliment. Thank you!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 21, 2017:

Kaili - Thank you for stopping by! Glad you enjoy them. Have a beautiful day.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 21, 2017:

Jo - That's an admirable goal. Women need to value themselves, imperfect as they may be. No one is that airbrushed model in the magazine. We are richer, deeper, more three dimensional than that.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 21, 2017:

Bill - :Thank you as always for your loyal readership. I appreciate you.

Genna East from Massachusetts, USA on February 21, 2017:

You're probably getting tired of hearing this, but I always look forward to your hubs. This is one of your best! I love listening to this music...the highlight of my day. :-)

Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on February 21, 2017:

As always, a wonderful list.

Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on February 21, 2017:

The first song that came to my mind was the last song in the list: Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are." With today's emphasis on acceptance of all shapes, sizes, colors and creeds, these types of songs are definitely aligned. On that note, have a beautiful day!

Kaili Bisson from Canada on February 21, 2017:

I always look forward to these lists...thank you for another great one!

Jo Miller from Tennessee on February 21, 2017:

My daughter is a photographer and she says when she photographs families it is always the woman who is unsatisfied with her appearance. One of her goals in life is to have a studio where she specializes in photographing women at their best.

Your lists are wonderful. You've found a niche!

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on February 20, 2017:

The first one I thought of was "You Are So Beautiful" but I thought of the original Chicago cover and not Cocker's...although truthfully, I like Cocker's better. Anyway, good to see another playlist published. Keep them coming, please.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 20, 2017:

Terrielynn1 - Thank you for your kind encouragement. I'm so glad you enjoyed this.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 20, 2017:

Patricia - They warn not to judge books by their covers for a good reason. All of us are born with bright shiny covers, but the corners fray, the cover becomes worn, and and sometimes the pages are tattered. But that doesn't change the richness of the contents. Thanks for stopping by. Have a fabulous week.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 20, 2017:

Linda - What a lovely way with words you have and so true! I hope your daughter rediscovers her strength and values her beauty as a person. May she understand that she is more than a pretty face. I'm certain that she will find someone who loves her kind and courageous inner spirit when she least expects it.

Terrie Lynn from Canada on February 20, 2017:

Who would have thought you could provoke such deep feelings with an article about songs on beauty. Great job, keep it up and keep sharing. Simply amazing.

Patricia Scott from North Central Florida on February 20, 2017:

Such a seemingly endless wonderful selection of songs of beauty. How sad it is that many miss meeting truly wonderful individuals because they judge by outward appearances only.

Well done again...as usual

Angels once again are on the way ps

Linda Lum from Washington State, USA on February 20, 2017:

What an uplifting hub with such an important message. Our value is not on the external (thank goodness!) but on what beats within the heart.

I am sharing this with my beautiful younger daughter who is going through a really difficult breakup. She is an amazing young woman. When I grow up I want to be more like her.

Thank you and I hope you have a beautiful day.