Contributed by Tim Brugger, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru
Taking on the daunting task of finding the Top 10 most annoying songs brings with it the potential for peril.
On the one hand, there are so many poorly written and performed, yet still overplayed songs to choose from it can be difficult to name just 10.
On the other hand, it’s virtually certain at least a few songs on the list will be considered favorites by some, so it’s sure to cause some…unease. But, we soldier on with the worst of the worst; for better or worse.
10. Do You Feel Like We Do
It should be noted that I’ve never been a big Peter Frampton fan, even at the height of his popularity sometime during the late Triassic. But this song isn’t just bad; it’s absolutely annoying beyond the unwritten boundaries observed by civilized folk the world over. This is the “tune,” for those that don’t recall, when Peter abuses the wa-wa pedal for what seems like hours on end. Ugh! Just writing about this disaster is giving me the willies, so let’s move on.
9. Freebird
Even Lynyrd Skynyrd came around and agreed this became one of the most annoying songs ever, and certainly deserves a place on our distinguished list of Top 10 Most Annoying Songs. Free Bird is not necessarily a bad song, but is symbolic of how radio can ruin a tune by playing it every 17 minutes for six months on end. For those too young to remember, do yourself a favor and don’t download this to your iPod. There’s no sense in subjecting yourself to the torture many of us are still trying to recover from.
8. Fernando
Sure to upset a few Abba fans I know, but are you kidding me? Even as a long-time, and relatively vocal, antagonist of all things Abba I can accept the occasional Dancing Queen. But this sappy tale of old war vets (I had to look it up because I can’t listen to the song long enough to actually determine what it’s about) was made even worse by the fact you couldn’t escape it in the mid to late 70’s. As an American and card-carrying member of the human race, I’m embarrassed to say it remains one of the biggest selling singles of all time.
7. Super Bowl Shuffle
For those able to successfully block this annoying song from their long-term memory I apologize in advance for bringing it to your attention. But, if we’re talking annoying songs, and we are, this disaster simply cannot be ignored. As so often happens with bad songs it was actually played over and over again, like unnecessary nails in a coffin. Then there was the painful video Super Bowl Shuffle version which highlighted a group of 500 pound guys trying to dance; ouch.
6. Achy Breaky Heart
Even those who like this song, and it must be said there are/were many, have to admit this is outstandingly annoying. There are so many things annoying about this song it’s hard to know where to begin, but I’ll try. First, saying the same four or five words over and over again for three and half or four minutes is bound to get tiresome. Then you have, yet again, proof positive there is no room on this planet for mullets.
5. MacArthur Park
Tied with Ric Dee’s Disco Duck for the dumbest song, with the most inane lyrics in the history of recorded music, Donna Summer’s version of this train wreck remains a symbol of all that’s wrong with the music industry to this day. A cake, a park; and then some more cake. Whatever.
4. Anything by Mariah Carey
I understand that Mariah Carey can hit some high note that’s supposed to be next to impossible to do, or some such rubbish. Unfortunately, someone told her about it so she does it in every song she sings. The problem is that it’s absolutely piercing to the ears and exceedingly annoying. I now know what man’s best friend must hear when their masters bust out the doggie whistle.
3. Pieces of Me
I’m not certain what her name is, other than Jessica Simpson’s little sister, but I do recall her getting caught lip syncing on Saturday Night Live. Unfortunately for her, the song wasn’t worth the time or trouble to memorize because she subsequently messed it up so bad it made the hairs on the back of the neck tingle. Then, to add insult to the injury she’d already caused the unsuspecting audience, she proceeded to blame her band, a head cold and something about the hullabaloo in the Middle East.
2. Macarena
Los Del Rio, the group responsible for this annoyingly over-played “song,” should have been arrested long ago for being a public nuisance. Unfortunately, there were too many people all too happy to place their hands on successive parts of their bodies to the beat of this accident-waiting-to-happen.
1. We Built This City
This bottoms our list of the Top 10 Most Annoying Songs for two distinct, yet inter-related reasons. One, the song itself has actually made me double over in pain while trying desperately to reach the radio to change channels. Secondly, this is the (anti) climactic moment when one of the 60’s and 70’s great bands hit rock bottom. Grace Slick and the boys went from Jefferson Airplane, to Jefferson Starship and finally; to the chagrin of music fans everywhere, plain Starship. Then they had the audacity to release this bubble gum ditty, and just when you thought they couldn’t sink any lower.