Musical beefs are nothing new; one has to go back to as early as 1933, when Brazilian artist Noel Rosa recorded the samba song ‘Rapaz Folgado’ (’Easygoing Boy’), criticising the lifestyle of fellow samba musician Wilson Batista.
Others may point to Paul McCartney’s ‘Too Many People’ as the first instance of a modern pop/rock star feud, in which the former Beatle made thinly veiled jabs at both John Lennon and Yoko Ono, in particular Lennon’s perceived bossiness and hypocrisy. That led to Lennon’s response, ‘How Do You Sleep?,’ focusing on his former bandmate’s musicianship.
In recent history, the art of the musical beef has led to not only an explosion in interest for even the smallest, yet most vocal of musician, but also an incredibly lucrative means of propelling their music on streaming services and, along with it, the vast amount of royalties that come with those streams.
SeatPick conducted a study to determine the most profitable diss track released in the last 10 years by first compiling a seed list of diss tracks from Wikipedia, to which recent tracks from Lily Allen's latest album were specifically added following her public diss aimed at ex-husband David Harbour.
The current Spotify stream counts for each track were then noted, and estimated royalty earnings were calculated using the Music Gateway calculator, which allowed the tracks to be ranked from the highest to the lowest earning.
So as we close out 2025, what have been the most profitable diss tracks this year?
.png?crop=4:3&trim=&width=630)
9. Cardi B - Outside (beef: Offset)
She's back once again. While functioning as a general boast, key lyrical passages in "Outside" are interpreted as direct commentary on Cardi B’s separation from Offset. Fans see the verses as a thinly veiled address to her ex, flexing her independence and success while subtly criticising his actions and behaviour during their rocky divorce proceedings. 💰 £143,333.72 | Getty Images
.png?crop=4:3&trim=&width=630)
10. Sabrina Carpenter - Goodbye (beef: Barry Keoghan)
This track marks the emotional conclusion to Sabrina Carpenter’s public musical narrative about her relationship with Barry Keoghan. The song is a sad but firm farewell, with lyrics suggesting the relationship ended not due to malice, but due to an irreconcilable gap between her life goals and her partner's inability to meet her standard of maturity. 💰 £292,418.17 | Getty Images
.png?crop=4:3&trim=&width=630)
11. Tate McRae - TIT FOR TAT (beef: The Kid Laroi)
Tate McRae’s official, combative response to The Kid Laroi’s 'A COLD PLAY.' The track's central theme is a direct challenge and acceptance of the lyrical war, with McRae declaring, "Let's go song for song... Let's go tit for tat, boy, you asked for that," making it clear she is ready to air the details of their turbulent breakup for the public. 💰 £379,151.75 | Getty Images
.png?crop=4:3&trim=&width=630)
12. Taylor Swift - Actually Romantic (beef: Charli XCX)
This is Taylor Swift's powerful musical riposte to Charli XCX, escalating a quiet feud rooted in the dynamics of their shared social circles (particularly regarding Matty Healy). The track allegedly quotes specific criticisms Charli XCX made about Swift, turning the 'Sympathy Is a Knife' shade into a clear, direct, and high-revenue lyrical confrontation. 💰 £467,117.77 | Getty Images