In Music History, Here Are The Most Annoying Songs
We tend to get the most annoying songs stuck in our heads. Why can’t we get some James Taylor stuck up there? But, no, we hear two chords of the opening for “Call Me Maybe,” and we’re stuck with Carly Rae Jepsen for the rest of the day.
Keep reading to learn more about some of the most annoying songs of all time. Forewarning, we are not to blame if you start singing “Barbie Girl” while driving home today.
“We Built This City” By Starship
If you’re ever confused at what Starship is trying to tell you in this song, you just have to get through the first few lines. From there, they let the listener know that they “built this city on rock an’ roll” a total of 15 times.
You know, just in case you didn’t understand what the city was built on. The repetition of the song is so annoying that, in 2011, it landed the top spot on a Rolling Stone‘s poll of the worst songs.
Styx – “Mr. Roboto”
Although Styx always had a mixed reputation at best in the rock world, there was no shortage of fans and unaffiliated listeners alike who were officially fed up by the time “Mr. Roboto” came out. Unfortunately for Dennis DeYoung’s vision for Styx’s Kilroy Was Here album, that also included the other members of the band.
“Mr. Roboto” has a fairly curious legacy in that “Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto” is still a recognizable catchphrase, and it’s gone down as one of Styx’s best-known hits. At the same time, leaving its afterlife at that would involve discounting the thousands (if not millions) of people around the world who would be very happy never to hear it again.
Brian Hyland – “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini”
The early ’60s were full of silly novelty songs, but while “Monster Mash” remains a Halloween classic and “Surfin’ Bird” had a great Ramones cover to shore up its place in history, many others grew far more irritating than charming over the years.
It’s hard to find a better example of this grating phenomenon than teen idol Brian Hyland’s 1960 hit, “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini.” When even saying the title gets obnoxious quickly, that’s a bad sign. And the number of times he sings the title phrase definitely accelerates how quickly the song wears out its welcome.
“It’s A Small World” By The Sherman Brothers
According to Time, “It’s a Small World” by the Sherman Brothers is the “most publicly performed song of all time.” Which, for the general populace, is horrible. This is probably one of the most annoying songs in the entire catalog of annoying songs.
The problem is, if you’re a Disney enthusiast, your ears are constantly assaulted by the lyrics, especially at the theme parks. Do everyone a favor, Disney, and lock the song up in the vault for all time.
“Call Me Maybe” By Carly Rae Jepsen
“Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen was the unfortunate summer song of 2012 that no one asked for. And when we say that, it’s because you couldn’t turn on the radio that summer without hearing the opening cords and knowing “I threw a wish in the well” was about to blast through the speakers.
That being said, everyone and their parents were able to sing along to this song. So the joke’s on us for not realizing how annoying it was when it came out years ago. Do we or do we not call, Carly?!
“Macarena” By Los Del Río
We have Los Del Río to thank for the ridiculous Spanish dance song “Macarena.” This song was huge in the ’90s and was played anywhere and for any age group, especially during big parties where there was a DJ.
Unfortunately for Los Del Río, it was their one-hit-wonder. So, they are now known as the band with the horribly annoying dance song that makes most people groan and roll their eyes when it comes on.
“Final Countdown” By Europe
If any song screams ’80s music, it’s “The Final Countdown” by Europe. Everything from the screaming vocals to the synth and guitars transports you back to a time of neon lights and big hair.
The “best” part of this triumphant song is that in case you forget what it’s about, Europe reminds you that it is indeed “the final countdown” at least 13 times. Yes, long story short, this song is only appropriate in Arrested Development for Gob’s magic show opener.
Rick Dees & His Cast Of Idiots – “Disco Duck”
The band isn’t some pithy criticism of veteran Memphis radio DJ Rick Dees’s short-lived novelty band; that was their actual name. Clearly, Dees didn’t take the recording and release of “Disco Duck” very seriously and was probably as surprised as anyone when it went to number one on October 16, 1976.
While that helps explain a lot about its creation, that doesn’t make the song’s bizarrely long shelf life any less pernicious or the lyric “don’t be a cluck” in the chorus any less eye-rolling. And while that Donald Duck impression may have been novel in 1976, it’s hard to be impressed in an age when anyone off the street can do a similar one.
The Hollywood Argyles – “Alley Oop”
Although there was certainly no shortage of silly novelty songs that got big during the early ’60s, many of them had either a nice rhythm, a catchy chorus, or an amusing premise that at least kind of justified their existence.
However, the Hollywood Argyles had a caveman named Alley Oop and not much else when they released “Alley Oop.” Even at the time, putting a caveman in modern times had been done before, usually without a plodding, boring rhythm and an intelligence-insulting “Alley Oop, oop, oop, oop” chorus.
“MMMBop” By Hanson
Although we would be lying if we said Hanson’s “MMMBop” wasn’t one of the ’90s anthems our boomboxes played on repeat, it’s still annoying. We mean, why have lyrics in the chorus when you can just make noises and hope people can relate?
Hanson brothers, the chorus is supposed to be the glue that holds the song together! How does singing “Mmmbop, ba duba dop” repeatedly pull anything together? We’re not even sure what it means!
“Ice Ice Baby” By Vanilla Ice
Although Vanilla Ice made history by becoming the first hip-hop artist to have a single on the Billboard Hot 100, “Ice Ice Baby” is just a bit over the top. Honestly, if you look at the lyrics, the rap is all over the place.
This song is well-known around the world, but it makes no sense and made it hard for other white rappers to want to get into the genre. Eminem said, “I felt like I didn’t want to rap anymore.”
“Achy Breaky Heart” By Billy Ray Cyrus
It’s not only the lyrics of “Achy Breaky Heart” that have us cringing but also the fact Billy Ray Cyrus thought that mullet was a good idea. This song is known to be the stereotypical annoying country song people sing when they are making fun of the genre.
The song was featured at number two on VH1’s list of “50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs Ever.” For a serious musician, that has to be a tough legacy to have.
“Friday” By Rebecca Black
If you’ve never heard Rebecca Black’s song “Friday,” you might want to keep it that way. The song first came on the scene because of the train wreck music video. The video is actually in the top ten most disliked videos on Youtube!
Even New Musical Express placed the video as number one on its “50 Worst Music Videos” list. Although the music video and lyrics are considered to be horrible, the song has since become a cult classic.
The Pipkins – “Gimme Dat Ding”
Although it was a bigger hit in the United Kingdom than the United States, it still received enough radio play stateside to ensure most listeners in 1970 were subjected to the high, silly voice at the center of “Gimme Dat Ding” at least once.
The song was intended as a lighthearted tribute to ragtime, but the execution likely would have gone down much easier if the screeching vocal tones involved were toned down a bit. As it stands, the urge to turn off whatever is playing the song is sure to become irresistible.
The Four Seasons – “Big Girls Don’t Cry”
Among classic music fans, it’s probably considered blasphemous to some degree to throw dirt on Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ name. They had a hard road to their well-earned legacy, did a lot to put New Jersey on the map, and Valli’s falsetto was impressive from a technical standpoint.
That said, it’s still hard to blame a certain subset of listeners for being relieved when Valli finally explored his lower register for songs like the theme to the film version of Grease. If he sounded like that and not like a wounded badger on “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” there would be no problem and fewer headaches.
“Blue” By Eiffel 65
The funny thing about the song “Blue” by Eiffel 65 is that the lyrics are pretty deep. They’re discussing how if everything is blue, then is anything really blue?
Luckily they give the listener an answer in the well-thought-out chorus, “I’m blue da ba dee da ba daa/Da ba dee da ba da, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa.” Yea, to say that’s annoying is a bit of an understatement.
“Barbie Girl” By Aqua
Yes, “Barbie Girl” by Aqua was a middle school jam, but the song definitely wouldn’t fly today. Considering today’s stigma behind Barbie’s “perfection,” the lyrics are a tad misogynist. Then Aqua decides to add insult to injury by making the song robotic sounding.
We weren’t the only ones upset by this annoying song. Mattel, the toy company that produces the doll, sued the band in 2000 for taking their children’s toy and turning her into a “blonde bimbo.”
“Karma Chameleon” By Culture Club
Yea, we know, just reading the title of the track has this song stuck in your head now. Throw in the weird repetitive harmonica in the background, and you’re probably rolling your eyes because your head is bopping to the beat.
So, can we agree that “karma karma karma karma karma chameleon” is annoyingly catchy and we can’t help but hate loving it? Even so, the track was well received. It’s the 38th biggest-selling single of all time in the United Kingdom.
“Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” By Wham!
Although “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” is considered to be one of the greatest songs of the ’80s, it’s obnoxious. The lyrics aren’t nearly as annoying as some of the other songs that came out of the decade, but they do get old and repetitive about half-way through.
And once you do a deep dive into the lyrics, you can’t help but shake your head. It’s about a guy who’s bummed his girl went dancing without him. Insert eye-roll here.
Elmo & Patsy – “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”
Considering how many acts passed on the Randy Brooks composition “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” before then-married couple Elmo and Patsy Shropshire recorded it, it was clear from the beginning that this song would be polarizing at best.
In addition to the chintzy rhythm and off-kilter vocal delivery, the odd morbidity of the song (remember, grandma does not survive this encounter) meant that it struck many listeners as upsetting rather than funny. Perhaps it all depends on how much a given listener loves their grandmothers.
Rupert Holmes – “Escape”
Some songs don’t really have much to get grumpy about from a sonic perspective, but contain a popular phrase that people just get sick of after it spends years getting run into the ground. Once they get sick of it, it’s not long before these listeners realize the lyric in question didn’t make much sense in the first place.
According to Rolling Stone, Rupert Holmes didn’t actually like pina coladas very much (or likely getting caught in the rain, for that matter) when he wrote this song’s famous chorus, but his instincts that it would catch on were admittedly correct. Still, even taking the mutual infidelity depicted in the song aside, who bases a whole relationship on drinking and forgetting to bring an umbrella?
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” By John Denver and Bill Danoff
The song “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is the state song of West Virginia and one of the most iconic American songs that had a way of getting everyone on their feet swaying side to side– you know, back in the 70s. The song beings, “Almost heaven, West Virginia” although ironically songwriter John Denver is from California and co-songwriter Bill Danoff hails from Massachusetts.
The song was debuted on December 30, 1970 and has been played over and over (and over and over) since then. The fact is, only a small fraction of the US call West Virginia “home” and frankly we’re tired of hearing about it.
“Message In A Bottle” By The Police
We’d be lying if we said that all of “Message in a Bottle” is annoying because it isn’t. The majority of the song is actually pretty good, both lyrically and instrumentally speaking.
The Police song starts to go downhill fast when it gets to the end, and Sting begins singing “sendin’ out an SOS” for a minute straight. Yes, a whole 60 seconds is dedicated to the four words. Pro tip: turn the song off before you get to the end.
“I Love You” By Barney
If you’re confused as to why a children’s song is on this list, just head on over to Youtube and see for yourself. Not only is a giant purple dinosaur singing this song while hugging a group of small children, but he’s also singing the same line over and over again.
The song almost seems like a way for the pudgy T-Rex to brainwash children into loving him. Which, the last time we checked, is not okay.
Phil Collins – “Sussudio”
The merits of Phil Collins’s solo career have always been the subject of intense debate among music fandom circles, but even those who would find terms like “overproduced” and “soulless” unfair descriptions of his work would likely have a tough time defending “Sussudio.”
Part of this comes from the argument that it’s hard to find a better example of Collins’s worst excesses than within the sonic elements of this song. That said, there’s always a fundamental risk that comes with basing a song around a nonsense word (“Sussudio” doesn’t actually mean anything). Sometimes it can be like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and come across as whimsical, but in this case, it’s just another annoying facet of an already-annoying song.
“Copacabana” By Barry Manilow
Sorry, fan-ilows, but just because “Copacabana” is by Barry Manilow does not make it automatically good. Yes, it has a nice beat that has you dancing and singing along, but it is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head right away. And not even the entire song.
The only part that seems to get ingrained in your mind is “Copacabana,” so that’s awesome. Here’s to hopefully never hearing this song at another tiki hut for as long as we all live.
“Seasons In The Sun” By Terry Jacks
Those who grew up during the 1970s will probably remember the one-hit wonder Terry Jacks.
His song, “Seasons in the Sun,” became a chart-topper during that era. However, that song can get annoying after hearing it more than once.
“How Long” By Ace
Ace was a British rock band who had most of their success in the 1970s.
While some may like their music, there are certain songs that can get annoying. One being “How Long.”
Paul McCartney – “Wonderful Christmastime”
Even if an annoying pop song has surprising longevity, it tends to get easier to avoid the further removed it is from its original chart run. However, that can often be far less true when it’s tied to a holiday.
For so many people, that means there’s always a risk that they’ll be stuck listening to the repetitive chorus and inept use of synthesizers in Paul McCartney’s enduring Christmas hit “Wonderful Christmastime” when the holiday season rolls around. McCartney had more great solo work than some are willing to admit, but this song isn’t in that conversation.
“Livin’ La Vida Loca” By Ricky Martin
Unfortunately for Ricky Martin’s best selling single, “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” it is beyond annoying. The song has won numerous awards, including an ASCAP Award for Song of the Year.
Regardless, that doesn’t take away from the fact that once the opening “livin’ la vida loca” happens, it’s stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Thanks, but no thanks. The song about living a crazy life just makes us beyond crazy.
“Cheerleader” By Omi
Cheerleader” by Omi has people cheering for it to get off the radio and every streaming service known to humanity. The ridiculous lyrics, auto-tuned vocals, and annoying instruments just make us want to take the track, tear it up, and throw it away.
How on Earth did a conga beat, trumpet, and piano get approved to be featured in a song together? Unfortunately, “Cheerleader” found commercial success after being re-released in 2015. So, the song most likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Sigh.
“Bread And Butter” By The Newbeats
If you enjoy songs about a woman cooking basic foods for “her man,” then this is the song for you! Yea, we didn’t think so. “Bread and Butter” by The Newbeats is a feminist’s worst nightmare.
Not only is it annoying, but it plays into gender roles in the worst way possible. This is definitely one of those songs that did not age well. Unfortunately, it keeps popping up in random commercial advertisements, including one in 2018 for Walmart.
“Photograph” By Nickleback
Take away the weird reputation the group Nickleback has in the rock world, and you’re still left with a highly annoying song in “Photograph.” Whoever allowed the lyrics to narrate the entire song should really be fired.
Instead of evoking something emotional and raw, the entire song sounds more like a parody. Throw in the gritty sound of Chad Kroeger’s vocals, and you have an annoying song that you can’t help but sing along to.
“Dominick The Donkey” By Lou Monte
We know, we know, “Dominick the Donkey” is a Christmas classic. But that doesn’t mean the song about Santa’s little donkey helper is any less annoying. Lou Monte even goes as far as making donkey sounds in the song! We’re going on record to say that was stepping way over the line.
But when it comes to annoying Christmas music, the line is fairly thin, to begin with. Take it from us; if you’ve never heard about Dominick the Donkey, you’re not missing out.
“Who Let The Dogs Out” By Baha Men
When a song’s lyrics include barking, panting, and other canine sounds, there’s no doubt that it’ll be annoyingly catchy. Somehow, in 2001, “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men went on to win a Grammy for Best Dance Recording.
We were also today days old when we learned that this song has absolutely nothing to do with dogs and everything to do with women, name-calling, and, ultimately, man-bashing. Not something you’d expect from the tune.
“Cotton Eye Joe” By Rednex
First off, this song never should have been allowed to have its own dance. And secondly, it should not have been offered as a line dance song for children. The hoedown song lyrics aren’t what they appear and are not kid-friendly. Look them up if you don’t believe us.
There’s no way around it, the “Cotton Eye Joe” by Rednex is just annoying. Everything from the singers’ vocals to the weird barnyard hoedown instrumentals needs to be left in the past.
“Whip My Hair” By Willow Smith
The good news is that Willow Smith has since learned from her mistakes and hasn’t released anything quite as annoying as “Whip My Hair.” We get it, Willow, you enjoy swinging your long hair back and forth. You’ve said it more times then we can count!
You might be seeing a pattern here. Most songs are annoying because of the repetitive nature of the lyrics, and this is no different. Tack on the auto-tune, and you might just have a mild panic attack.
“Believe” By Cher
We’re not going to hate too much on Cher’s 1998 song “Believe” because it was a pioneer song in the music industry. It is the first song to use auto-tune technology. The thing is, we’re not entirely sure if we should be thanking Cher for coming up with the “Cher effect” of vocal distortion or not.
Although the song was well received by critics, we can’t help but wonder why. She literally sings, “do you believe in life after love” a solid eight times. We call that overkill.
“Baby Shark” By An Unknown Artist Who Must Be Punished
“Baby Shark” is probably one of the most annoying songs ever to be released. The worst part, aside from the obviously headache-worthy lyrics, is that no one knows who came up with the horrific number.
Even though adults can’t seem to stand the doo-doo-dooness of the song, it is an anthem for little kids everywhere. But we would like to put on record that a petition needs to be made to put a stop to the song before it is put into any more shows or television ads.
“Do My Thang” By Miley Cyrus
We get it, Miley. You had just broken up with your fiance, and you were having a good time with your new Bangerz album. The thing is, there are some good and catchy songs on the album, so what happened with this track?
All we hear is “Imma do my thang” one thousand times over. For someone so into her lyrics, there must have been a better way for Miley to express herself and her newly-found single status.
“All About That Bass” By Meghan Trainor
That most annoying part of Meghan Trainor’s song “All About that Bass” is that while she’s trying to promote body image positivity, she’s actually dissing petite people, makeup, and plastic surgery. It’s almost like Trainor didn’t realize that everyone has their own sense of what beauty is.
Then to put the cherry on top of her annoying song cake, she decides to have the worst instrumentals to accompany the bubblegum pop vocals that are trying to be R&B.
“You’re Beautiful” By James Blunt
The big issue with James Blunt’s song “you’re Beautiful” is that the lyrics are vastly misinterpreted, which makes listening to it very aggravating. While most people believe it’s a love song, it’s the opposite. The entire song is about a guy stalking a girl in a subway station.
Yea, plot twist: it’s not romantic at all. Maybe Blunt should have put out a PSA before releasing the song, so people weren’t using it for their first dance at their wedding.
“Happy” By Pharrell Williams
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams is anything but happy. It is one of the more annoying sing-song tracks that Williams has ever released. The chorus is just way too much, elongating the note of “happy” for reasons unknown until there’s nothing left for you to do but turn the radio off.
Yes, off, just in case the song is on another station, and you accidentally flip to it. Somehow, “Happy” was the most popular song in 2014.
