Our Top 10 Elle King Songs list looks at an underrated singer and songwriter. She does a variety of genres, such as country, soul, pop, rock, and blues. She is also a talented musician. She is an actress and a television personality. She can do it all. She is the Jackie of all trades. She is an award winner and has been nominated for several awards. Her hits include “Ex’s & Oh’s,” “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” “Best of You,” “A Little Bit of Lovin’,” “The Let Go,” “Playing for Keeps,” “Shame,” “Good Girl,” “Wild Love” and “America’s Sweetheart.” She has appeared in movies such as Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999), The Benchwarmers (2006), Wild Cherry (2009) and Love, Weddings & Other Disasters (2020).
Elle King was born Tanner Elle Schneider on July 3, 1989. She is no stranger to the entertainment business. Her parents are actor/comedian Rob Schneider and model London King. She knew she wanted to sing when her stepfather gave her an album by The Donnas. She knew she wanted to be a singer after hearing that album. She learned to play the guitar as a teenager. She performed in nightclubs when she was 16. She eventually got signed to RCA Records.
Elle King released a four-song album in 2012 called The Elle King EP. It features the singles “Playing for Keeps,” “Good to Be a Man,” “No One Can Save You,” and “My Neck, My Back.” Love Stuck was released in 2015. It peaked at number three on the rock charts and number 26 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Ex’s & Oh’s,” “Under the Influence,” and “America’s Sweetheart.” The album sold over one million copies. Shake the Spirit was released in 2018. It peaked at number nine on the rock charts and number 68 on the Billboard 200. It features the singles “Shame,” “Baby Outlaw” and “Little Bit of Lovin’.”
Elle King may not have sold as many albums as other country and rock acts, but she made her mark in music. Since she is a Hollywood kid, getting her foot in the door would have been easy. It might have been hard to take her seriously as a performer since she is a Hollywood kid, but she was determined to make it in the music business. She made history with her single “Ex’s & Oh’s.” It is the second song by a female to top the Alternative Rock charts. This is quite a win for a female artist. This Top 10 Elle King Songs list will feature her best songs.
#10 – Little Bit of Lovin’
The first song on our Top 10 Elle King Songs list is “Little Bit of Lovin’” from the album Shake the Spirit. The song has a rock beat. The emotional song is about the end of a relationship. Her short-lived marriage inspired the song. This song is relatable to anyone who is dealing with a breakup. Anyone who wants to give up on relationships should listen to this track.
The song will give you hope that you don’t need anyone to make you complete. You can tell the lyrics are true to the heart because they are about her personal experience. The soulful song is a guitar and piano-friendly anthem. The music has a mixed blend of gospel and rock. The music is catchy and simple. It’s not a typical rock song because there is a gospel break. The song also features a spoken word section in the bridge. It goes on for a little while. She expresses how she doesn’t need a man in her life. It’s not needed in the song.
She could have sung the words instead of turning it into a spoken word segment. It doesn’t hurt the song, but it’s not needed. Elle King’s vocals are soulful. She makes you feel the lyrics she is singing. She has a voice with attitude and isn’t trying to sound like anyone who is currently on the radio. She has an old soul. She is a combination of Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks rolled into one. Elle King has a raspiness in her voice that gives the song a rock edge.
# 9 – Best of You – Adam Grammer ft. Elle King
The next song on our Top 10 Elle King Songs list is “Best of You” by Adam Grammer and Elle King. The song has a folk and pop beat. The sincere song is about loving someone through the good and bad times. It has a good message about unconditional love. It teaches you not to run away from love when things go wrong. It teaches you to fight for love. If you have unconditional love for anyone, this song is for you. The lyrics are powerful and meaningful.
Here is some trivia about the song. This song was initially supposed to be a solo song. Adam Grammer decided to turn it into a duet. He realized Elle King was the best choice to sing the song with him. He thought her grit and personality would have worked for the song. He was right. She displays the right amount of grit to pull off the song. Andy Grammer and Elle King have vocal chemistry with each other.
Their voices blend well together throughout the song. Andy Grammer’s voice is similar to Charlie Puth. Elle King shows versatility because she sings in a higher octave in this track. She still maintains her grit and soul but sings in a higher octave. Surprisingly, she belts and does a few runs towards the song’s end. Their voices are a match made in vocal heaven. They sing so well together that they need to record an album together.
# 8 – The Let Go
The emotional song is from the In Isolation album. The song has a pop, soul, and rock beat. The deep song is about starting over after a bad breakup. She talks about how painful it is to move on after a tumultuous relationship. Anyone who has dealt with a bad breakup can relate to the lyrics. If you remove the romantic elements from the song, it can be about a friendship ending. The song can resonate on different levels. When the song can be relatable on different levels, you know it hits close to home. The lyrics are moving and tell a story.
This song became recognized when it appeared in the series “Maid.” The sad music is simple and stripped down. It features an acoustic guitar. The only thing she needed was her vocals and the guitar. Anything else might have taken away from the message she was trying to convey. Elle King channels her inner Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks in this track. She starts the song off softly and then vocally explodes. Her vocals are passionate and soulful. She belts throughout the chorus. She took a risk belting because the raspiness in her voice might have made her voice crack. It could have been a disaster in the wrong hands, but Elle King pulled it off like a champ.
She is wearing her heart on her sleeve as she belts each note. The chorus is catchy and will stay in your head. The only minor complaint is that the song ends abruptly. If the song had a smoother finish, it would have been flawless.
# 7 – Good Girls
The empowering song is from the Ghostbusters soundtrack. The song has a rock and pop beat. The sassy song is based on the movie. The title of the song is misleading. It’s not actually about “good” girls. The song is about being bad and how it’s fun to be bad. If you are a bad girl who loves to have fun, this song is perfect for you. You don’t have to watch the movie to enjoy the song. The energetic song has a fast tempo will make you get up and dance.
The banging guitar and drum beat sell the music. The music also features handclaps that will have you clapping along. There is a guitar solo that is worth a listen. It may have you playing air guitar. Elle King’s bluesy voice is perfect with this beat. She sings in time with all of the beat changes. The music changes when she sings the verses and the chorus. The music is slow in the verses and picks up speed in the chorus. Her voice is strong enough to go up and down with the music. She has exceptional control to keep up with the different beat changes.
This song is for the movie Ghostbusters, but it could have easily been a stand-alone song. Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” is the most famous song from the movie, but this song is also worth checking out. It’s not as known as “Ghostbusters,” but it is a good song.
# 6 – Playing for Keeps
The dramatic song is from the Elle King EP album. The song has a rock beat. The reflective song is about the karma you face when you hurt someone. The song was written for the reality show Mob Wives of Chicago. It may have been written for the reality show, but anyone can relate to the lyrics.
If they have been hurt in the past, this song is definitely for you. The lyrics are heartfelt and passionate. She sounds as if she is singing this to someone in particular. You can tell she has been hurt before. She sings the song with the perfect emotion needed to convey her message. She sounds mature and soulful as she sings each word. Her voice is hauntingly sexy and sad. She turns it up a notch into a rock song in the hook.
She sounds like a combination of Adele and Amy Winehouse in this track. Elle King doesn’t lose her grittiness as she sings the song. She does an excellent job with her vocals. She will hold your attention from beginning to end. The music will captivate your heart and soul. It has an old-school vibe to it. You know you are in for a treat as soon as you hear the first piano bars. The melody is similar to the song “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals.
# 5 – Shame
The next song on our Top 10 Elle King Songs list is “Shame.” The catchy song is from the Shake the Spirit album. The song has a pop, rock, and country beat. The tenacious song is about hanging out and partying with the wrong people. Elle King has always been a bad girl, so she talked about it in a song. She wants her listeners to know just how much of a bad girl she is. If you’re a bad girl, you will be able to relate to the lyrics.
This song is unique because there aren’t many songs about being a bad girl. The music is infectious. It has a standout baseline that drives the song. The thumping drumbeat gives the song a tempo, allowing you to get up and dance. The horn section adds class to the song. The music has an old-school sound while maintaining a new-school sound. This song sounds like nothing on the radio today, making it unique.
This track has a little something for everyone. Elle King’s voice sounds boisterous and raspy. She sounds confident as she belts throughout the track. She channels her inner Beth Hart. The chorus is designed to stay in your head like an earworm. The song isn’t that long. It is a song that you will want to put on repeat so you can hear it over and over.
# 4 – Wild Love
The uplifting song is a non-album single. The song has a rock beat. The fun-filled song is about living for the moment. She is tired of being in serious relationships. She wants a man with whom she can have fun and live in the here and now. She doesn’t want to worry about what is going on in the future. This isn’t a song about a typical relationship. Most people sing songs about wanting a committed relationship.
Elle King wrote a song about a relationship with no strings. This goes along with her bad girl image. She knows how to write a unique song about love. If you are the kind of person who wants a relationship with no strings attached, you should listen to this song. It will let you know you are not alone in relationships like this. It takes a lot of confidence to sing about not wanting to be in a committed relationship. This is the kind of song that a man would write, so she broke the rules.
She proved a female can write/sing a song about a carefree relationship. This is the kind of song Sia would perform. You can tell she was the inspiration behind this track. The music is a stray from what Elle King’s fans are used to hearing from her. It doesn’t contain an electric guitar. This song features the piano and synthesizer. This will please fans of pop music. Her fans may not be used to this sound, but it’s just as good as her signature sound. This track is more radio-friendly than other songs on our Top 10 Elle King Songs list. Elle King’s voice isn’t as aggressive in this track. She doesn’t use her signature raspy voice in this song. She sounds like Adele in this track. She belts and runs throughout the song. She sings in a higher pitch than she usually does. Everything about this song works, from the melodic music to her incredible singing.
# 3 – America’s Sweetheart
The assertive song is from the Love Stuff album. The song has a country, pop and rock beat. The optimistic song is about a breakup. She wants to lose control and get wild. This will resonate with anyone who has gone through a breakup and wants to break free from the drama.
This is geared towards women, but men can also relate to it. This track aligns with her signature songs about being a bad girl. The music has different sounds. It starts off like a country song in the verses and turns into a pop and rock song in the chorus. It has a little something for everyone. When the chorus starts, the music takes a back seat to her strong vocals.
Speaking of her vocals, she uses a twang throughout the song. It gives the song a country element. When she gets to the chorus, she vocally lets go. She returns to her signature raspy and gritty vocals. She yells the chorus as she pours her heart out about not being “America’s sweetheart.” She wants everyone to know that she wants to be loved despite not being a good girl. You can feel her pouring her heart out in the lyrics. She sounds like a combination of Bette Midler and Adele. She sounds amazing as she belts in the chorus. Once she gets towards the end of the song, she has enough control to bring down the power in her voice. She ends the song softly as the song fades out.
# 2 – Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) ft. Miranda Lambert
The euphoric song is a non-album single. The song has a country, rock, and pop beat. The fun-loving song is about two women who meet at a bar. They end up having a good time together. This song will give you hope that things will work out. This song is based on their real-life friendship. It’s not meant to be taken seriously. It’s a song about having fun. You can always hear a party song on the radio, but this one is different. This song is about two women who want to have fun together.
It’s nice to hear a song about women getting along with each other instead of tearing each other down. Men usually sing songs like this, so it is a refreshing change for women to flip the script and sing a song like this. The music is upbeat and infectious. The music is country meets rock and pop. The music is dance-friendly and will have you dancing. The kicking drumbeat sells the music. The banjo and fiddle gives it a country flavor. The electric guitar gives the song a rock edge. This will please country and rock fans. Elle King and Miranda Lambert sound right at home with their vocals.
It might be a little hard to distinguish which one is which because they sound similar to each other. When they sing together, they sound like the same person. Elle King’s raspy tone is the only thing that differentiates their vocals. Other than that, they sound very similar to each other. They both do a convincing job selling this song. They sound like they are having a good time and it makes you want to have a good time too.
# 1 – Ex’s & Oh’s
The number one song on our Top 10 Elle King Songs list is “Ex’s & Oh’s” from the Love Stuff album. The song has a pop, rock and blues beat. The sassy song is about her former relationships. The relationships didn’t end well. Her ex-boyfriends weren’t thrilled that she broke up with them. She knows how to tell a story about a break up. This is a bold song to talk about her former relationships the way she does in this track.
She doesn’t care if they like what she has to say about them or not. The music will grab your attention as soon as you hear it. The music is country meets rock. The music is catchy with its hard-hitting beat. The baseline, banjo and guitar riffs create an electrifying sound. The music will stay in your head long after you hear it. Elle King’s vocals are sexy and sassy. She will not take any mess from anyone.
The rasp in her voice fits perfectly with the beat. She sounds confident as she bashes her exes. She holds nothing back as she is telling her story. She sounds soulful and passionate. She has great control over her voice. She sings the verses softly while she lets loose in the chorus. She doesn’t hold any notes, but she does belt and hold runs towards the end of the song. The only minor complaint is the way the song ends abruptly. You can get carried away singing the song and it ends out of the blue. Other than that, the song is flawless. It deserves the top spot on our Top 10 Elle King Songs list.
Updated February 15, 2024
Professional Sources, research, experience, and citations
Charting information used in the analysis and research of the commercial success of these songs comes from Billboard Magazine Charts
https://www.billboard.com/charts/
Additional sources include
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elle_King
Further analysis and original thoughts are provided by the writer Michele Johnson’s experience as an industry professional and music collector.
These articles are updated regularly.