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I’m going to warn you right now - if you don’t want one of these songs (or a medley of them) stuck in your head for the rest of the day (week… month… year… life…), stop reading now. Don’t say I didn’t tell you…
Rolling Stone polled readers and asked them to I.D. the most irritating songs to get stuck in the crevices of your cranium. Here they are.
1. My Humps, Black Eyed Peas
2. Macarena, Los Del Rio
3. Who Let The Dogs Out, Baja Men. Side note: My high school mascot was the bulldog, so every time the football team took the field we were all subjected to “Who Let the Dogs Out”. Ugh.
4. My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion
5. Photograph, Nickelback
6. Mambo No. 5, Lou Bega
7. You’re Beautiful, James Blunt. I could not agree more.
8. Wannabe, Spice Girls. I hate to admit this, but I rather enjoy running to this song.
9. The Thong Song, Sisqo
10. Believe, Cher
What do you think should make the list?
I’d add “My Sharona” to that list.
posted by Craig on 6-19-2008 at 2:48 pm
I have these in my iPod:
4. My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion
6. Mambo No. 5, Lou Bega
7. You’re Beautiful, James Blunt. I could not agree more.
10. Believe, Cher
And I’m not ashamed to admit it!!!
posted by Sheldon Siegel on 6-19-2008 at 2:50 pm
honestly (despite including the entire canon of most of these “artists”), that is a damn fine list. Possibly that horrific Ben Lee song “We’re all in this together” should be floating up there somewhere.
posted by Jonathan on 6-19-2008 at 2:55 pm
Don’t Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
We didn’t Start the Fire - Billy Joel
Sorry but I still want to rip my eardrums out and smash them with a hammer when I hear either of these songs.
posted by Amy on 6-19-2008 at 3:00 pm
Totally “Oh What A Night” by Frankie Valli.
Anything by Nickelback of course.
That stupid ‘Cha-Cha Slide’ song by Mr. C the Slide Man.
Last of all, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Fergie.
BARF
posted by susan on 6-19-2008 at 3:02 pm
“You’re Having My Baby” - Paul Anka. (retching noises) The absolute WORST song ever written or recorded!!!
ReCaptcha words — for monkeys
posted by Larriann on 6-19-2008 at 3:17 pm
1. any song by Journey
2. Never Gonna Give You Up (you just got text rick rolled :P) by Rick Astley
3. Come Sail Away by Styx
4. anything by Van Halen
5. Rap (complete genre)
6. Country (complete genre)
I think I need to loosen up a little bit…or not.
posted by Benjamin M. Strozykowski on 6-19-2008 at 3:22 pm
I realize this goes waaaaay back but what about crap like Feelings (Morris Albert) and a long list of similar 70’s soft rock ballads that millions of people actually paid money for?
posted by Tim on 6-19-2008 at 3:24 pm
I don’t agree with all…but agree very much with ‘You’re Beautiful’…seems to have been written with only intention of making the words sort of rhyme and sung as if its something deep!
posted by septer on 6-19-2008 at 3:26 pm
oh God why isn’t “Shiney Happy People” on this list!!!!?????
go ahead and throw in “Layala” too!!!!! i know someone who thought that was the greatest rock ‘n roll song of all time……ugh!!!!!
posted by motorkitty on 6-19-2008 at 3:26 pm
Don’t you wish your girlfriend was hot like me.
OH and anything by Fergie
posted by c.a. Marks on 6-19-2008 at 3:31 pm
I am so sorry for typing this:
“Its My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To”
posted by Scott on 6-19-2008 at 3:32 pm
ANYTHING by Wilson Phillips. Sorry ladies, being famous progeny doesn’t win you any points in my book.
Of course, we could probably start a whole new category entitled “Disappointing Progeny”.
posted by caitlen315 on 6-19-2008 at 3:32 pm
Starship’s “We Built This City”. I don’t know how that magazine editor fellow tolerated it being played repeatedly for over a day a few years ago.
posted by o-line on 6-19-2008 at 3:37 pm
This is the song that never ends; it just goes on and on, my friend!
Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was, and they’ll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that never ends…
posted by jeem on 6-19-2008 at 3:41 pm
@jeem - I can’t hear you! LA LA LA! I can’t he…d@mn.
posted by caitlen315 on 6-19-2008 at 3:45 pm
Kokomo by the Beach Boys.
posted by Debi on 6-19-2008 at 3:48 pm
Paralyzer by Finger Eleven
Stacy’s Mom by Fountains of Wayne (any song by Fountains of Wayne could qualify, but I love them anyway)
Also: I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves, everybody’s nerves, everybody’s nerves. I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerve, and this is how it goes…
posted by S on 6-19-2008 at 3:52 pm
I can’t believe Ricky Martin didn’t didn’t make the list!! But I won’t complain because I still think the “Macarena” is the worst song ever made, and this list had it in the top two. Did I mention I hate Ricky Martin?
posted by Cole on 6-19-2008 at 3:54 pm
Thank God and Sonny Jesus for inventing satellite radio because I don’t even know half of those songs. WHEE!
I will agree with whomever listed “My Sharona,” however. And I have to add “The Final Countdown” by Europe, since someone mentioned it to me today and it’s stuck in my head now. I’m thinking hard about getting a lobotomy just to stop the pain of it all.
posted by Rachel on 6-19-2008 at 3:54 pm
Add “The Final Countdown” to the list.
posted by Diego on 6-19-2008 at 4:03 pm
You know what else gets stuck in my head? That awfully catchy song in the free credit report.com commercials. F-R-E-E that spells free… credit report.com baby! STOP THE INSANITY! =P
posted by CK on 6-19-2008 at 4:04 pm
I can’t deal with “Love Shack” by the B-52s
posted by WalrusSP on 6-19-2008 at 4:04 pm
Red Red Wine!
posted by Michelle on 6-19-2008 at 4:15 pm
good list.
i put in another vote for “Big Girls don’t cry” by Fergie. i like her generally, but that song is irritating.
that song “Bad Day”, can’t remember the artist.
there’s another one that i’ve apparently successfully blocked from my memory as i can’t seem to remember what it is, but everytime i heard it i wanted to throw the radio out the window…by that Beddingfield (sp?) guy i think…
posted by the creature on 6-19-2008 at 4:16 pm
Bad Day was sung by Daniel Powter, Creature. Yeah, that song sucks.
Also, anything by Evanescence or whatever.
Just a bunch of whining.
posted by susan on 6-19-2008 at 4:23 pm
That Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love” song is Always on the radio! my god it drives me crazy!
And, yeah the free credit report dot com song annoyingness is magnified by the really bad dubbing in those commercials. its so obvious the dude isnt even singing.
Another annoying song in a commerical, that Esurance one where the cartoon lady is just sitting on a couch while someone with horrid falsetto and a cracking voice sings….. something. I don’t even know what it is, I try and tune it out.
posted by Lara on 6-19-2008 at 4:38 pm
Most of them make sense (though they’re not necessarily the ones I’d pick), but I’m surprised by #5, Nickelback’s “Photograph”…
posted by Andréa Fernandes on 6-19-2008 at 4:41 pm
I completely agree with “We Built This City”, but why has no one mentioned the most horrible of all songs, “Cotton Eye Joe”??? When the Swedish band that recorded this steaming pile of music went up for sale on ebay a few years ago, I thought about making a bid, just so I could bury that song.
posted by derek on 6-19-2008 at 4:45 pm
Oh my gosh, S, I didn’t know anybody else knew that song. And yes it does get on your nerves.
captcha word: Vandiver operation.
posted by OU812 on 6-19-2008 at 4:54 pm
MacArthur Park.
posted by Noone on 6-19-2008 at 4:55 pm
Funny you guys mentioned “The Final Countdown.” I was just watching Arrested Development. Yeah, those songs are all bad, but I can’t help but realize all of them are from the last 12 years or so. What about annoying old songs, such as “Opposites Attract” by Paula Abdul? I will admit that the only reason I despise that song so much is because my high school physics teacher used it to teach us about magnetic charges. But yeah, still annoying…
posted by Sandy on 6-19-2008 at 5:01 pm
Lots of songs stick in my head, recently “you are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make m happy, when skies are gray…”
for the last several weeks on and off.
To remove a stuck song, sing Monty Python’s Lovely Bunch of Coconuts. it’s like Musical 409 and wipes all other annoying songs out.
posted by JLM on 6-19-2008 at 5:01 pm
I have never ever listened to more than the opening refrain of “Photograph” by Nickleback - I have successfully turned off the radio or left the room before the first line “Look at this photograph” is complete. Ugh.
Worst. Song. Ever.
And I don’t even mind their other songs.
But one more to add to the list would be “Life” by Desiree, purely because of the stupid lyrics that seem to grasp at straws for a rhyme - “I’m afraid of a ghost, that’s the sight that I fear most, I’d rather have a piece of toast”…What is that!??!!
posted by dangermouse on 6-19-2008 at 5:23 pm
Out of the current genre, but…Disney World, the ride with that freaking song over and over again - “It’s a Small World” …and now that I’ve thought of it again, I’m stuck for days with it for hours.
posted by Dee on 6-19-2008 at 5:36 pm
Thank You - Dido.
Hearing this song on repeat is my own personal version of hell.
posted by jzimm on 6-19-2008 at 5:36 pm
These are all excellent choices….
The number one for me is “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega…even though I know NONE of the lyrics. I always get the “Do do do do…” part stuck in my head. ….And it’s there now. Yay me!
posted by Josh on 6-19-2008 at 5:39 pm
Anything U2 has made in the last ten years. Anything else that has been made in the last ten years, also.
posted by blarkabull on 6-19-2008 at 5:40 pm
I am proud to say I have none of those songs on my ipod :D
posted by Josiah on 6-19-2008 at 5:41 pm
Oh, these are bad! And I agree with most of the songs everyone else has added, too. But the MOST annoying song ever has got to be that one about “fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads…” let’s see, what was the name of it… Fish Heads? That has to be the stupidest song ever. Of course Disco Duck is right up there…
posted by Raven on 6-19-2008 at 5:56 pm
I forgot the most annoying song ever in Spanish: Asereje by Las Ketchup. Agh! I think it’s as bad as Macarena, worse, even.
posted by Raven on 6-19-2008 at 6:08 pm
That horrible, god-awful Black Horse and a Cherry Tree song. Or any Nickelback. Or Arms Wide Open - Creed. Spirit in the Sky. Anything that comes out of Natasha Bedingfield’s (sp?) mouth.
Oh, and We Built This City rules. Love it.
posted by Megan on 6-19-2008 at 6:12 pm
I have a new pair of roller skates by melanie.
posted by Eli on 6-19-2008 at 6:37 pm
Dizzy.
posted by Rich Beckman on 6-19-2008 at 6:44 pm
man. bunch of music haters. c’mon.
but where is snow on that list? informer, blah blah blah deedley doodlie blaah blah i lick yer boom boom down ad;lfkja;sldk
maybe even the 500 miles song when i wake up well i know i’m gonna be i’m gonna be the man who wakes up next to YOU!
and really, no chumbawamba? WTF?
really though, i want to have every one of these songs on my itunes. i don’t listen to hardly any radio though, and don’t have any music channels on my TV so maybe i’m uber-accepting i don’t know.
try out headcaseradio.com or find it on itues for absolute eclectic.
posted by michael on 6-19-2008 at 7:42 pm
How about anything by Fergie? Sexy Back is up there, too.
I actually kind of like Mambo No. 5… for some reason, I have a mad fantasy about doing the West Coast Swing to it. Hm. I also have a swing fantasy about doing the Lindy Hop to Friend Like Me from Aladdin, but that’s a different story…
posted by Allison on 6-19-2008 at 7:59 pm
“I can only imagine,” a hideous soft-rock meeting Jesus song, which leads me to strike a different radio station button with the fury of a cobra hitting a soft little bunny…
posted by Steve Hager on 6-19-2008 at 8:12 pm
I’m going to go ahead and say anything by Nikelback. At least until he learns to stop yelling.
Oh, and “Have a nice Day” by Bon Jovi. Oy! Rockers they are no longer.
I second the hate for ‘Love Shack’.
And there is some new R&B song out there - something about people don’t want to see them together. No verses to tell you why, just the chorus over and over and over and over and over. But the video shows two attractive black people, so I’m not sure why no one wants to see them together?!?
posted by Dawn on 6-19-2008 at 8:40 pm
‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ is the song I hate the most. Bar none. Leave room, throw radio out window….etc.
reCaptcha…expecting sands
a weather report from the Sahara?
posted by Owen on 6-19-2008 at 9:17 pm
Anything sung by “The Hoff”.
posted by pAUL cYOPICK on 6-19-2008 at 9:23 pm
That milkshake song.
posted by David on 6-19-2008 at 9:32 pm
Seeing “MacArthur Park” on the list made me laugh. I could stand to listen to that one again.
But how about “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by the Four Seasons and “Dawn” and “Walk Like a Man”… or “Honey” or anything else by Bobby Goldsboro… “At the Copacabana” by Professor Manilow… “Hooked on a Feeling” by B.J Thomas… Bob Dylan’s version of “The Boxer”…
posted by David H. on 6-19-2008 at 9:51 pm
all creed and nickelback songs…all of them. Also, black betty.
posted by Justin on 6-19-2008 at 10:01 pm
How about that tune from the Enzyte commercial.
posted by Jason on 6-19-2008 at 10:07 pm
stacy is hot!
recaptcha: what is a yinkow??
posted by tommy on 6-19-2008 at 10:26 pm
I have a list of more than one!
1: “Blue” by Eiffel 65
2: “Rapture” by Hurt (a song I actually enjoy, but after repeating it in your mind for DAYS it gets rather old)
3: “Boston” by Augustana
posted by Korin on 6-19-2008 at 10:33 pm
4 letters
Y M C A
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 6-19-2008 at 10:40 pm
I have to add “Honey” by Bobby Goldsboro. Most of you can thank whoever you think tht you aren’t old enough tohave ever heard this hellish bit of treacle.
posted by larriann on 6-19-2008 at 10:54 pm
Um, PANIC AT THE DISCO.
That fucking band has no talent whatsoever.
I have to just go to my happy place whenever I am forced to listen to any of those songs, though I never really knew they had different songs, they all sound EXACTLY THE SAME.
Luckily I am more of an Elliott Smith, Kimya Dawson, Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Architecture in Helsinki and Arlo Guthrie type girl. Most damn teenagers don’t bother with the old greats or the new greats, they just tune into z100 and listen to what they are told is popular. BLEH. I like being original. At the moment I am listening to Os Mutantes.
I am really surprised no one has run with Anyone Else But You yet, I mean before the Juno crazy that song was set to be my wedding vows. Then of course it became every angsty teen couples’ “song”, I gave up hope at that moment. Then I saw the beach resort commercial, I have never fully recovered. RIP Moldy Peaches, Anti-Folk and great “indie” bands never selling out.
posted by C.Bukowski. on 6-19-2008 at 10:57 pm
No Air by Jordan Sparks and Chris Brown, gets way toooooo much air play. It’s aggravating.
posted by Tessa on 6-19-2008 at 11:12 pm
That stupid “Life is a Highway” song. Everytime I hear it I want to jump in my car, find the asshats who wrote/composed/performed the song and run them over with my car. Okay, maybe not my car- I’m rather attached to it. Maybe a rental car with really good insurance…
reCaptcha: dogship selected…hmmm…
posted by Holly on 6-19-2008 at 11:26 pm
David H,
Ask and you shall receive… click my name to enjoy the late great Mr. Harris in all his singing glory.
posted by Amy on 6-19-2008 at 11:29 pm
Photograph no way. The chicken dance yes!
posted by Rob on 6-19-2008 at 11:37 pm
In no particular order:
–Anything by the following bands: Rascal Flatts; Rush; Danity Kane; Jesse McCartney; Nick Carter; Aaron Carter; New Kids on the Block; and the B-52s
–”I Kissed A Girl” (this is a preemptive entry…you will be annoyed after hearing it 1,547,208,398 times this summer)
–”Miss Independent” by Kelly Clarkson
–”Diddy” by Puff Daddy
I don’t have any of this crap on my ipod…my ipod is comprised of about 85% kick-you-in-the-teeth metal and 15% hip hop, covering both East and West Coast…you know, good stuff…
posted by Jay Nix on 6-19-2008 at 11:47 pm
I agree x10!
(+1 “stacy’s mom” is a horrible song GWAH!)
posted by blackandble on 6-20-2008 at 12:31 am
Souljia Boy has ruined hip hop for me. He’s just a gimmick.
I work at a retail store and the big bosses send DVDs of pre-approved videos to be played during business hours. That damn Superman song was on two of them. Everytime it came on teenagers felt it was their obligation to do that stupid dance.
posted by Carmen on 6-20-2008 at 1:18 am
My five year old has taken to singing the chorus of It’s a Small World over and over in various pitches/screams…
My dentist tells me my gums are receding from clenching my jaw too much.
Kudos to the oldsters, cuz:
“Honey, I miss you… and I’m feeling goooooood. I’d love to be with you… if only I could”.
and of course, one for Eli:
“Sometimes I think, you’re avoiding me. I’m okay alone, but you got somethin’ I need…”
recaptcha: Detectives items
hmm. magnifying glass, fingerprinting kit, deerstalker
posted by Mare on 6-20-2008 at 2:17 am
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” - Nirvana
“Man In The Box” - Alice In Chains. I like A.I.C. but they made more than one song, you know!
A song that starts with “I don’t practice santoria, I ain’t got no crystal ball” was played so much that I wanted to scream.
“Roxanne” by Sting was played way too much.
posted by Tdave on 6-20-2008 at 4:03 am
Oh Crap! Now I got “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in my head, and it’s my own damn fault. (haha)
posted by Tdave on 6-20-2008 at 4:09 am
Wham’s “Last Christmas”. It’s actually a very nice song, but all radio stations are so completely flooded with it every november and december, that I can hardly bear it anymore.
Any disco beat “summer hit” with “bailar/bailando” and/or “toda la noche” in it.
For Germany (where I’m from): Anything by DJ Bobo or DJ Ötzi. If you never heard of them in the US, consider yourself lucky.
posted by Marc on 6-20-2008 at 4:45 am
There’s a whole genre of annoying Christmas music - “Last Christmas”, “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day”, etc.
However, in more general things I’d have to add Robbie Williams’ “Let Me Entertain You” to the list. Poorly written, poorly sung and containing pointless bits of French which rhyme with themselves.
* shudder *
I’m going to have to listen to something else to get that out of my head now. Fortunately my iPod is about 50% folk music, a genre where people still know about musicianship and songwriting.
posted by MaW on 6-20-2008 at 5:36 am
Not sure about the situation in the states, but one song here that was (and still is because of overplaying by every radio station) incredibly annoying has to be Rhianna’s “Umbrella”, oh and “Please Don’t Stop the Music” is up there too…ack!
posted by Katie on 6-20-2008 at 6:59 am
anything by Billy Joel, The Eagles, Jellyfish, Self, The Dave Matthews Band or Jimmy Buffett.
Post Peter Gabriel Genesis and any Phil Collins
Anyone in Yacht Rock.
Jack and Diane - John “The Cougar” Mellenballs
Butterfly (so stupid) - by Crazytown
The Rednex “Cotton-Eye Joe” off the album Sex and Violins.
The Devil Went Down to Georgia
posted by Sarah on 6-20-2008 at 7:56 am
Just about anything by Bread. “Baby I’m a want you”…uh…what?
The entire catalog of the Bay City Rollers.
Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks
+ 1 for both Honey by Bobby Goldsboro and You’re Having My Baby by Paul Anka. They’ll be playing those songs in hell…
You youngin’s don’t remember the worst songs. ;)
posted by KevinS on 6-20-2008 at 8:03 am
Speaking of Yuletide cheer, how about:
- Do They Know It’s Christmas?
- Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
Ho, ho ho……
posted by Kim on 6-20-2008 at 8:04 am
Wait, I almost forgot. This will most assuredly give away my age and generation:
Back in the mid-60s (you DO remember it, right?), a former US Army Green Beret named Barry Sadler penned some prose and put it to a melody which wound up becoming “The Ballad of the Green Berets”.
Trying to drum up and maintain support for our fighting boys in ‘Nam, this tortured tune not only became a hit, but wound up in the movie, “The Green Berets” with the Duke, David Janssen, Jim Hutton and yes, George(Mr. Sulu) Takei as the ‘ethnic’ Vietnamese.
This cinematic treacle, um, treasure was filmed on location in the swamps and jungles of Southeast…..Georgia!
posted by Kim on 6-20-2008 at 8:09 am
I second the hatred of Nickelback. They’re so awful…and Creed, for that matter. Eddie Vedder is not that cool and it’s not cool to try to sound like him!
I definitely second the hatred for anything of Fergie’s as well.
I’ve got two Gwen Stefani songs that desperately need to be added (if they haven’t already and I just missed them): “If I were a Rich Girl” and “Hollaback Girl.” A song from Fiddler on the Roof and the repetitive spelling of the word “bananas.” Go Gwen.
posted by Fruppi on 6-20-2008 at 8:20 am
Maybe I missed it glancing through the post, but I can’t believe no one’s mentioned Achy, Breaky Heart by Billie Ray Cyrus.
posted by Doug Richardson on 6-20-2008 at 8:26 am
HOLLABACK girl (or whatever the name of that crap is) should DEFINITELY be on that list!!!!!!
posted by Laurie Z. on 6-20-2008 at 8:28 am
Oh Amy. Thank you! All that sweet green icing is flowing down my keyboard.
And you know, after one lives a certain number of years, one truly begins to understand the emotion behind, “And I’ll never have that recipe again. Oh no.”
posted by David H. on 6-20-2008 at 8:29 am
“Blue” by Eiffel 65
And I cannot believe someone put “Layla” on their list.
posted by Brittany on 6-20-2008 at 8:44 am
No problem, David H…
I actually just thought about that song myself yesterday, before seeing it on the post - someone had asked me when do we use the word as ’stripe-ed’ and I automatically said, “When you’re Richard Harris singing MacArthur Park!”
And that site i linked (not my personal page) has lots of songs… take off the ’sweetgreenicing’ part to get to main site, and go to vinyl diner
posted by Amy on 6-20-2008 at 8:45 am
Oh, and Tdave, that song is called “Santeria” by Sublime. And I still love it despite the overplay.
posted by Brittany on 6-20-2008 at 8:52 am
Paul Cole…I Don’t Wanna Wait
…for this song to DIE! Nails on a blackboard *shudder*.
posted by Ginger on 6-20-2008 at 9:13 am
Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss’ “Whiskey Lullaby”. The most depressing song on the books. Makes you want to kill yourself like the lovers in the song.
posted by Liz on 6-20-2008 at 9:23 am
Surprised I haven’t seen Hanson’s “mmmbop” on here…..
posted by wayne on 6-20-2008 at 9:26 am
“Shiny Happy People” and “Stand”. Hated them when they first came out, and still do to this day.
“Hollaback Girl” drives me bananas. (B.A.N.A.N.A.S.)
Anything by Creed.
“Gimme More” by Britney Spears. Horrible and incredibly hard to remove from the brain.
Must go listen to good music now….
posted by Nancy on 6-20-2008 at 9:52 am
Love in This Club by Usher, actually anything by Usher…
posted by Bridget on 6-20-2008 at 10:28 am
My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard!
I hear those words and have to forcibly resist puncturing my eardrums with knitting needles.
Also, the horrendous “Got My Mind Set On You” by George Harrison. Repetitive and uninteresting, simplistic and mind-numbing. And written by a Beatle, no less. Shameful.
posted by 8rustystaples on 6-20-2008 at 10:30 am
Baby, where’d you get your body from.
Baby, where’d you get your body from..
I got it from my mama.
Brutal.
posted by Reese on 6-20-2008 at 10:30 am
hey to the person wo said panic at the disco they rock my third favourite band
duffy -mercy is on the radio all the time and im sick of it and wiley wearing my rolex
posted by james on 6-20-2008 at 10:46 am
Dragostea Din Tei (aka the numa numa song) - O-Zone.
Gimme More - Britney Spears
Small World Song - Disney
Blue - Eiffel 65
reCAPTCHA - circles whose
posted by maggie on 6-20-2008 at 11:12 am
I WANNA BE A ROCK STAR-NICKLEBACK
posted by TIM on 6-20-2008 at 11:34 am
“Green Grass and High Tides Forever”
“Free Bird”
Most songs by John Cougar Melonhead, but particularly “Jack and Diane” and “Pink Houses”
And a special place in my heart for The Doors’ “Rider on the Storm” and Paul McCartney’s “Uncle Albert” which were the *only* two songs being played on *every* radio station the year I drove across the country in 5 days with no tape deck.
posted by ferd on 6-20-2008 at 11:35 am
Everybody Have Fun Tonight…Wang Chung!
It gets stuck in my head for weeks at a time! Make…it…stop…
posted by Kali on 6-20-2008 at 11:35 am
Anything by Daughtry. Like him at first, but OMG every time I turn the radio on, no matter what channel, they’re playing another freakin’ Daughtry song. Enough already.
I’m also a Coldplay hater. Their sound is so depressing I want to slit my wrist when they come on. I dive for the off button when I hear Clocks.
posted by Fran on 6-20-2008 at 11:43 am
Just a Friend — Biz Markie
Whoop there it is — Tag Team
Viva Viagra. if I see this jingle song one more time…
And speaking of songs in commercials, it’s in Travelocity and the movie Kill Bill, don’t know who’s responsible but it goes Woohoo hoo hoo hoo.
posted by Skunkie on 6-20-2008 at 11:43 am
Boom I Got Your Boyfriend
posted by alan on 6-20-2008 at 11:51 am
definitely “having my baby”. have you heard of the term “ear worm”? somebody coined that for these songs that get stuck in your head and won’t go away. oh, i ADORED bobby goldsboro back then. for old times sake, i recently got a cd of his “greatest hits”. omg–that guy can’t even sing!! i threw it away!!
posted by elizabeth on 6-20-2008 at 11:53 am
a) anything by Cat Stevens
b) “Ebony and Ivory” … absolutely execrable
posted by Bear on 6-20-2008 at 12:01 pm
Tom’s Diner
posted by Hummer on 6-20-2008 at 12:31 pm
99 Replies and no mention of Avril Lavigne?
Hey, Hey, You, You I don’t like your girlfriend…
and while we’re goign in that vien:
“Hey Mickey, you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind…”
AUGH
posted by Ashley on 6-20-2008 at 12:36 pm
This list will be put to shame once you listen to the song “Loving You” by Minnie Riperton. This has got to be the most shudder-inducing song ever sung.
By the way, it’s called an “ear worm” when you can’t get a song out of your head! Appropriate!
posted by Ellen on 6-20-2008 at 12:38 pm
Pink - “You and your hand.”
Uhn chick… chicka, chicka uhn Ohh.
SO freaking annoying. I’m also really not a fan of Maroon 5. The nasally-falsetto isn’t for me.
posted by Ellen on 6-20-2008 at 12:42 pm
BTW, The two Ellen’s back to back weren’t the same Ellen. Promise.
posted by Ellen on 6-20-2008 at 12:45 pm
Over 100 responses and noone has mentioned the single most obnoxious musical abomination ever?
If I ever build a time machine, it’s a toss-up who I would assassinate first — the guy who invented the leaf blower or Rupert Holmes and his mother-@#$%ing “Piña Colada Song”
posted by Troy on 6-20-2008 at 1:41 pm
I’d have to add “Birthday” by the Sugar Cubes.
posted by Vincent on 6-20-2008 at 2:12 pm
What about that horrific “Lips of an Angel” bt Hinder? It’s probably the worst song I’ve ever heard.
Oh, and anything by Rascal Flatts. The singing through the nose doesn’t do it for me.
I will just stick to the good stuff like TobyMac and Third Day. :)
posted by Fergi on 6-20-2008 at 2:36 pm
Anything by that “no-talent assclown” Michael Bolton.
posted by Karlotta on 6-20-2008 at 3:02 pm
Just heard one on XM-
“Barbie Girl” by Aqua, aka Paris Hilton’s theme song.
“Come on Barbie, let’s go party..ah ah ahhh yeah”
Are you kidding me? What a piece of crap!
posted by mrs.djs on 6-20-2008 at 3:30 pm
“8675309″ I can’t get this stupid song out of my head for at least a day when I hear it.
posted by John on 6-20-2008 at 3:45 pm
Hahahaha!! These are hilarious!! I’m just gonna pretend that I didn’t see “freebird” in the comments.
I vote for “We Built This City” mentioned earlier. Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” qualifies, too.
Also, “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and The Waves. Ugh. I get a headache just thinking about it.
I think just about any early 90’s club song fits on the list, too. Everybody Dance Now!! Give me the music!!
posted by abbasmurf on 6-20-2008 at 4:22 pm
I think,having grown up in the 80’s, Red Wine by UB40 is one of the worst songs ever, EVER recorded. A previous poster listed anything by Van Halen….unless he’s referring to trash by Sammy and Gary Cherone, he should be included on a worst list himself :) Have a nice day all
posted by NJ Italian on 6-20-2008 at 4:36 pm
Anything by Kanye West, Natalie Imbruglia and Fiona Apple. Cannot stand those singers.
I feel it worth mentioning, that out of all of the songs added to The List, none were by The Beatles (as a whole.)
posted by Melodye on 6-20-2008 at 5:01 pm
I think “Dont Worry, Be Happy” should be somewhere close to the top 10!
posted by S. Stott on 6-20-2008 at 6:20 pm
The most annoying song in recent years….Kid Rock and Cheryl Crow - Pictures. I used to turn off the jukebox if some played it (or played “Dancing Queen” by ABBA 5 times in a row.
posted by Ed on 6-20-2008 at 7:47 pm
Thanks, Amy. Chuck Barris must have been doing acid when he wrote ‘MacArthur Park’.
posted by Deb on 6-20-2008 at 7:54 pm
I must remind myself that the vast majority of you are only knowledgeable of that which is in your age range.
Most, but not all, music recorded after the early eighties is barely listenable. There are exceptions, of course. For the most part though, “quality’ is a thing of the past. “Embarassing”, is the best compliment that one could bestow upon today’s ‘popular’ music. Let’s be realistic…most of it sucks.
Don’t care for my opinion? Tough. The truth hurts.
posted by Drew on 6-20-2008 at 9:35 pm
i can only imagine - mercy me
bad day - daniel powder
every rose has its thorn - poison
viva viagra - old dudes with ed on a commercial
recaptcha - German rubber
posted by pineapplesauce on 6-20-2008 at 10:10 pm
1. R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” ruined my graduation moments.
2. Anything on mainstream radio…it doesn’t matter if it’s hip hop, Top 40, or light; moderate doses it’s okay, but overall, no. No no no no no. It’s always overplayed and there’s always bad lyrics involved. It only seems to get worse every year.
3. Any Toyota commercial that features a car sales event. Mmm, any car commercial that has a sales event for that matter.
4. Old and seemingly popular songs from the past couple of decades, i.e., Diana Ross, etc.
5. I hate Cher with a passion.
posted by Lisa on 6-21-2008 at 12:15 am
I just wanted to add, after a day or so to cool off, that I don’t understand the hate for Nickelback, the song “Photograph”, and the album that song is from. IMHO the album is a much greater contribution to the world than anything Kanye West could even imagine.
posted by Johnny Cat on 6-21-2008 at 1:28 am
“Cupid’s Chokehold” ruined “Breakfast in America” for me forever. They take a single line from “Breakfast” and repeat it over and over, even though the lyrics make no sense in the context, and they still call it a cover. Hmm.
Anything by Prince. No explanation necessary, I hope.
Does anybody remember in Lilo & Stitch when the A*Teens did that cover of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and turned it into a teen-pop-dance ’song’? If you don’t, you’re lucky.
Wow, I forgot about the Green Beret song! That definitely makes my list.
Oh my gosh, that stupid Las Ketchup song! The first time I heard that song, I thought I was going to throw up. And then I heard it another 7,323,930 times and really did.
posted by Bethany on 6-21-2008 at 2:06 am
First of all, I agree completely with the list, additionally “Bad Day,” “Cha-Cha Slide,” and anything by Miley Cyrus.
Also, I was reading through the comments on this page and noticed a lot of people saying things such as, “Any song written in the past 25 years is not worth a listen.”
Now, I am 20 years old and I agree that most popular music is just plain annoying, and up until about two years ago, I listened to only 60s and 70s stuff. Then I discovered bands like The Shins and Rogue Wave, both of which have only been around since the late 90s, and they totally changed my perspective on modern music. Their songs really have depth and meaning to them, and you might even find a few things in them that remind you of your favorite songs from 30 years earlier!
I realized that when I had talked to my friends about music, I had seemed like a complete and utter snob when I said that I d all modern stuff. After doing a little digging, I found that there is plenty of great stuff out there that is still being released, but, sadly, it is not exactly in the mainstream.
I encourage you all to try out some newer music. It definitely doesn’t have to be popular; start with The Shins or The Decemberists or The White Stripes or something like that. You might be surprised at how much you like it!
posted by Ashton on 6-21-2008 at 2:39 am
“camel toe” by fanny pack.
“chantilly lace” by the Big Bopper *cringe*
posted by Rashmi on 6-21-2008 at 7:53 am
“What I Like About You” by the Romantics gets my vote.
Ya know, the song that sounds like he’s trying to pass a bowling ball while he sings. I think it also has the loudest whispering of lyrics ever, too.
This song always drives me nuts because it’s so very obnoxious and it always gets stuck in my hea-
Oh, crap…there goes my day.
posted by PhineusQButterfat on 6-21-2008 at 8:12 am
Looks like 3 people already said it, but it is worth saying again:
“Blue” by Eiffel 65
posted by Dan on 6-22-2008 at 8:08 am
Anything by Creed.
Period.
posted by Ellen on 6-22-2008 at 9:29 pm
Cotton-Eyed Joe, Locomotion, Gimme More [Britney Spears], Achey Breaky Heart [Billy Ray Cyrus], anything by Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana
posted by Katherine on 6-22-2008 at 10:33 pm
all star by smashmouth, god do i hate that song and anything by eminem and rap in general. I wish i had the power to cancel an entire genre of music.
posted by Ryenn on 6-22-2008 at 11:47 pm
this post is pretty old by now and i don’t know if someone mentioned it already but the most AWFUL song in the whole world is definitely “Barbie Girl” by Aqua. just typing that made me want to plug my ears. ugghhhh.
posted by Leah on 6-23-2008 at 6:58 am
I’m thinking that when you are in your twenties, your brain registers really horrendous songs that forevermore hold the bar high for all others. Mine are anything by Hoodie & the Blowfish (they blow, really), and the Fabulous Thunderbirds (”Tough Enough”), but reaching back to the 70’s - the Guess Who (sang the original “American Woman” - one of THE worst songs ever), and Chicago (”Does anybody really know what time it is?” Oh, yeah “25 or 6 to 4″. Craptastic.)
Currently, kids bop acts like Miley Cirus are supremely untalented at anything other than marketing themselves. But, the Naked Brothers Band need to be silenced.
posted by Sharon on 6-23-2008 at 8:04 am
Right on, sad thing is that there is many more songs that are annoying besides these ten. The list could go on and on!
posted by Ryan Ray on 6-23-2008 at 9:47 am
Has anyone said “Umbrella” yet? That song is the most annoying song… Umbrella - ella -ella -eh -eh -eh …
I also agree with Katherine on the “Anything by Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana”.
Goodness, there are about fifty other awful stick-in-your head songs that I can think of, but “Umbrella” is just the icing on that cake. *shudders*
posted by Sylvia! on 6-23-2008 at 11:17 am
How is it possible that no one has mentioned Ashlee Simpson? I mean anything by her gets on my last nerve.
posted by Raige on 6-23-2008 at 11:52 am
girlfriend by avril lavigne?
posted by kyle on 6-23-2008 at 1:51 pm
I got you all beat with….
“Da Da Da” by Trio
“LoveFool” by The Cardigans
“Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” by Kylie Minogue
But the one that makes me want to heat knitting needles with a blowtorch and ram them in my ears is…
`Mmmm Bop` by Hanson
Captcha: la mutterings
posted by PJMurphy on 6-23-2008 at 9:55 pm
“well I been through the desert on a horse with no name”
posted by auslander on 6-24-2008 at 10:02 am
“If you like pina colada’s and getting caught in the rain…”
I HATE that song with a passion.
Anything PCD. That Music Is My Boyfriend song from the iPod commercial…
posted by Kari on 6-25-2008 at 4:30 am
“All by myself, don’t want to live, aaal-l by-y myyself, anymore!”
posted by Tdave on 6-25-2008 at 8:07 am
“All by myself, don’t want to live, aalll by-y my-selllf, anymore!”
posted by Tdave on 6-25-2008 at 8:16 am
Soulja Boy should be on there.
posted by Owen on 6-25-2008 at 4:40 pm
“What if God was one of us…”
SHOOT. Me.
PLEASE.
posted by L on 6-29-2008 at 11:12 pm
i agree on ‘love shack!’
layla is NOT awful though
what is:
‘realize’ by colbie caillat
anything by no doubt [some of it is catchy but it gets ANNOYING]
‘i kissed a girl’—it’s so stupid
anything by miley cyrus [i’m just sick of candyfloss pop]
‘all star’
the guns n’ roses version of ‘knockin on heaven’s door’
that weird guy singing ‘landslide’ [i’m not talking about fleetwood mac or the dixies chicks]
and there’s MANY more
just listen to 104.3 who plays the same songs everyday
posted by ugh on 7-23-2008 at 1:23 pm