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(6,375 posts) Wed Dec 4, 2024, 10:02 PM Dec 4

Top Ten Worst Songs Made Since 1950 [View all]

This will be something I do or will try to do every week. A top ten list of things in pop culture. The list is subjective to my opinion, but feedback and entries you list could be used in future lists as long as the feedback is relatively polite. Now, on with the list.

Music is the universal language. A good song sticks with a listener forever while a bad song sticks in your ear forever. This week, we will examine some of the worst popular songs made since 1950. To make this list, three things must exist in the song:

A: It must be a popular song from the time it was made.
B: The lyrics and/or music must be so horrifically terrible is becomes an ear-worm the second you hear it.
C: Cringe level of the song must be off the charts.

Without further ado, here is my list of the Ten Worst Songs since 1950 along with an honorable mention.

HM: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - Beatles: You know a song sucks when even bandmates claim it is the worst shit they did. John Lennon and George Harrison panned this piece of shit. Inspid, almost sexist lyrics, stupid ass music riffs that are annoying, and sound effects in the background straight out of Dr. Seuss. Sorry, this is the low point of one of the greatest bands ever. At least The Offspring did it better with “Why Don’t You Get a Job” in the late 1990s.

10. Rack City - Tyga: This song is just six words long. Lyrics written by a toddler rapped by someone who sounds like he’s sleeping through the song, and the fact that it made it all the way up the charts shows how rap has fallen from Biggie, LL Cool J, Naughty By Nature, and Tupac. The simplistic drum, bass, and finger snap music that accompanies it proves it was written by a toddler.

09. Fuck It (I Don’t Want You Back) - Eamon: I don’t know what’s worse. . .the lyrics, the terrible flow, or the whiny, high pitched vocals. Actually what made it worse was it was a smug, slick marketing ploy by the production company to make this and its female response “Fuck You Right Back” with the cringe lyric “I had better sex all alone.” Hell has places specifically for “artists” like Eamon and Frankee.

08. Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus: Overplayed, stupid, and generic, Billy Ray’s early 1990s country barf-fest made me hate county music for years. The best thing about this song was Weird Al ripping it to pieces by begging the DJ “please don’t play that stupid song no more.”

07. Christmas Shoes - Newsong: This is the definition of insipid Christmas music. Only Santa Baby (which makes the singer sound like a sex obsessed homewrecker) come close to the over-the-top mawkishness of this tripe. It wasn’t even endearing on the level of the child.

06. Shape of You - Ed Sheeran: One lyrics shows how pathetic and shallow modern music is: “I’m in love with your body.” Not your mind. Not your soul. Not your ambition, just your body. Screw you, Ed Sheeran. Most of your songs are trash, but this one takes the cake.

05. Honey - Bobby Goldsboro: This is a song’s answer to a garish jumpsuit. If one can sit through this garbage without metaphorically throwing up or turning this off, more power to you. Who cares about that stupid tree? This song is consistently considered one of the worst ever made on many lists.

04. (I Wanna Be) Bobby’s Girl - Marcie Blaine: Most songs from the 1950s and early 1960s for women are extremely cringe for modern audiences. It’s My Party, Judy’s Turn to Cry, Leader of the Pack, and Chapel of Love are a few that so that the men that wrote these songs knew nothing about women and didn’t care. But Marcie Blaine’s Bobby’s Girl is probably the worst, and it is the singer’s sole ambition to be the girlfriend of some guy’s girl because “it’s the most important thing to” her and if she was, “what a faithful, thankful girl” she “would be.” Setting feminism back decades.

03. Barbie Girl - Aqua: Life is plastic, it’s fantastic. You can fix my hair, take me anywhere. Lyrics by an airhead, sung by an airhead for airheads. Just the anthem the shallow part of the 1990s needed. It’s the 1990s answer to Madonna’s “Material Girl.”

02. Simple Simon Says - 1910 Fruitgum Company: The name of the band explains it all. This group sucked, everything they sang sucked, it was 1960s cheesy bumble gum and one needs to be stoned or loaded to enjoy it. All it is a sung version of simon sez. Perfect for the discerning five year old, but this song was meant for adults. Even the music is terrible.

01. We Built This City - Starship: How the mighty fall. They went from edgy with White Rabbit, Volunteers, and We Shall Be Together in the 1960s, to Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now and this trash. They even complain how corporation change their names all the time, but this band changed its name three times. This song is consistently #1 on most worst song lists and listening to it, with its over repeating chorus lines and really shitty music riffs, one can understand why it is #1 on this list as well.

193 replies

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Highlight:

Top Ten Worst Songs Made Since 1950 [View all] AZLD4Candidate Dec 4 OP

After that Starship debacle the Jefferson Airplane reformed AZSkiffyGeek Dec 4 #1

Everyone forgets the first Starship album "Blows Against the Empire" dwayneb Dec 6 #83

Once Mickey Thomas joined they went downhill fast AZSkiffyGeek Dec 6 #91

I had no idea Taupin wrote that. underpants Dec 16 #189

I didn't realize that either! AZSkiffyGeek Dec 16 #191

Steam room at the Y underpants Dec 16 #192

You can't have a list of worst songs without..... lastlib Dec 4 #2

Agree, debm55 Dec 4 #3

Danny's song is dumb, especially the paper cup line. AZLD4Candidate Dec 4 #4

Totally agree regarding Havin' My Baby. wnylib Dec 5 #18

You're Havin' My Baby was the first song that came to mind when Mike 03 Dec 15 #148

Having My Baby LeftInTX Dec 16 #166

Absolutely agree about the first one! ShazzieB Dec 10 #101

Yeah...I like Danny's Song. Anne Murray's version. It's about song about a little kid. LeftInTX Dec 16 #167

I just LOVED the Bee Gees! I loved disco! CTyankee Dec 16 #193

Two songs popped into my mind, unbidden sorcrow Dec 4 #5

Afternoon Delight is terrible. Take a Letter Maria I completely forgot about. Knock Two Times is another I considered. AZLD4Candidate Dec 4 #8

Afternoon Delight was so bad that Sneederbunk Dec 11 #135

It also got the group a tv show, which ran for a few weeks in 1977. Prof. Toru Tanaka Dec 15 #156

Afternoon Delight is an insipid song, but... LudwigPastorius Dec 16 #165

What? No "Muskrat Love"? Shipwack Dec 4 #6

Captain and Tennille are in a class all by themselves, like the Bay City Rollers AZLD4Candidate Dec 4 #9

Finally, someone named it! Sanity Claws Dec 5 #51

Oh god, youre so right! ShazzieB Dec 10 #104

You stole it The Madcap Dec 15 #152

This message was self-deleted by its author The Madcap Dec 15 #153

Awful! LeftInTX Dec 16 #168

This is all that remains. No video exists! LeftInTX Dec 16 #169

then there's Norman & James Hold the Ladder Steady(both by sue thompson) and msongs Dec 4 #7

The Lion Sleeps Tonight Cartoonist Dec 5 #10

I couldn't include a traditional african folksong, but the Tokens version does get tiresome quickly. AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #11

I like the Weavers version! ShazzieB Dec 10 #111

Pete Seeger is one of my idols. When my father had business in Beacon on time, I met him when I was seven in the AZLD4Candidate Dec 10 #118

Oh, wow, what a great story! ShazzieB Dec 11 #123

The parody anti-Trump version was way better jmowreader Dec 5 #61

There's an interesting story about it. I'm a liitle vague on it but... electric_blue68 Dec 6 #69

Two that deserve honorable mention sarge43 Dec 5 #12

Absolutely Macarthur Park NoRethugFriends Dec 5 #27

Must admit I liked Macarthur Park dwayneb Dec 6 #84

My husband saw Richard Harris in Camelot. Apparently there was some noise in the audience and he gave them a dirty look LeftInTX Dec 16 #171

Ghastly song. Paladin Dec 11 #125

I was wondering when MacArthur Park would show up. Scrivener7 Dec 5 #29

I kind of like McArthur Park, however the description of you & your sis singing it in a parody style, then cracking up.. electric_blue68 Dec 6 #70

MacArthur Park is brilliant! Freddie Dec 11 #129

The lyrics are pretty awful... av8rdave Dec 15 #146

Richard Harris's last word were: "It was the food!!" LeftInTX Dec 16 #181

I like MacArthur Park so much that I recorded the opening notes and they are now my ringtone. But I know there's a large NBachers Dec 16 #184

Sarge43 named the first two worst songs that popped into my head 10 Turtle Day Dec 5 #13

Look up Working My Way Back to You by the Four Seasons AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #17

I was just about to nokinate Ruby. ShazzieB Dec 10 #105

Worst That Could Happen Freddie Dec 11 #130

This one deserves at least an honorable mention True Dough Dec 5 #14

Ballad of the Green Berets justaprogressive Dec 5 #15

did you not read the first paragraph of my post? Any suggestions may be used in future lists if done politely. AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #16

I am at a complete loss as to what this post is on about. Scrivener7 Dec 5 #31

I don't get it, either. ShazzieB Dec 10 #112

Winnah! zanana1 Dec 5 #23

Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield wnylib Dec 5 #19

To be fair, in Young Girl, the girl did hide her age from the singer and at the end, he told her to get lost AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #25

Well, he claims in the song that she hid her age. wnylib Dec 5 #47

the song is about an 11 year old? prodigitalson Dec 5 #50

Song never said the girl's age, just that she's a young girl AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #59

It is about an adult man's strong attraction to and desure for wnylib Dec 6 #72

that's really gross prodigitalson Dec 6 #73

Saw Gary Puckett in concert last year Freddie Dec 11 #131

Considering lyrics of rap and hip hop, Puckett is tame. AZLD4Candidate Dec 11 #138

you could make a whole list of statutory rape songs prodigitalson Dec 5 #30

"Turn Around Look At Me" by the Vogues Ritabert Dec 5 #37

Every Breath You Take - Police prodigitalson Dec 5 #49

Great song. highplainsdem Dec 5 #62

It's ok. I got tired of hearing it. prodigitalson Dec 6 #71

That song was deliberately meant to be creepy. ShazzieB Dec 10 #113

If we're going to bring The Police into it, I want Mike 03 Dec 15 #150

is there a connection to the Bowles novel Sheltering Sky? prodigitalson Dec 15 #164

She's Sexy and 17 Coventina Dec 7 #92

that one depends on the jurisdiction prodigitalson Dec 10 #99

Stray Cats: Polybius Dec 16 #180

I hated that Jessie's Girl song. So annoying, don't know why it was a chart topper. It was sooo lame... LeftInTX Dec 16 #170

I loved that song as a kid Polybius Dec 16 #179

Thank Heaven For Little Girls Polybius Dec 16 #182

"You Light Up My Life" by Debbie Boone Submariner Dec 5 #20

Might not qualify under Rule A, because it only charted around 38 or so... malthaussen Dec 5 #21

Holy crap, I've never heard of this one. 3catwoman3 Dec 5 #48

I was going to mention this one if no one else did. Worst song ever! FuzzyRabbit Dec 5 #52

This is the worst recent one (NSFW) Mosby Dec 5 #22

How is it that there are this many comments and not one has mentioned Danascot Dec 5 #24

Again, all of these are awesome when I do another list like this. AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #26

I love it. malthaussen Dec 5 #63

My Humps by The Black Eyed Peas prodigitalson Dec 5 #28

Country Rap is what it is if you take out the letter OUNTRY. Just like Chinese Rap if you take out the HINESE AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #41

You mean you don't like the line "my lovely lady lumps?" AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #42

The ealier they are found the more treatable they are prodigitalson Dec 5 #43

I personally don't like songs that make female singers sound like vapid airheads. AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #44

Indeed it does, and somehow its even worse prodigitalson Dec 5 #45

Add Billy Joel's "For The Longest Time" to this list. lastlib Dec 5 #32

"Piano Man" is a much worse song... appmanga Dec 10 #106

He said in Howard Stern he was shocked it became a hit underpants Dec 16 #188

I ADORE "For The Longest Time"! ShazzieB Dec 10 #114

I went to a Billy Joel show in the mid 80s... av8rdave Dec 15 #147

That Honey song was so awful, even Sequoia Dec 5 #33

Yep "Honey" by Bobby Goldsboro was seriously cringeworthy dwayneb Dec 6 #75

doesn't meet any of the criteria but my friend accused me of trying to kill him The Wandering Harper Dec 5 #34

Lee Greenwood's God bless the USA tikka Dec 5 #35

I was surprised it took 35 post to mention it. jimfields33 Dec 15 #157

What about "Short People?" Jrsygrl96 Dec 5 #36

Short People was deliberately sarcastic and directed spooky3 Dec 6 #81

Yes! ShazzieB Dec 10 #115

Glad to hear that! I met Randy Newman when I volunteered spooky3 Dec 10 #120

"Escape (the Pina Colada song)" Ritabert Dec 5 #38

oh God yes AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #39

Ah Jesus Yes! Mike 03 Dec 15 #149

My friend was the sax player Henry203 Dec 15 #160

The music was good. It was the lyrics that were annoying. Ritabert Dec 15 #161

I hate that song... LeftInTX Dec 16 #172

Yup that gets a rec NBachers Dec 16 #185

Anything from the "Alvin & the Chipmunks Christmas" album bif Dec 5 #40

I like the Chipmunks...Great Armenian music! LeftInTX Dec 16 #173

Honeycomb CanonRay Dec 5 #46

Are you thinking of the song boonecreek Dec 5 #55

Yes! I guess I just remembered that stupid line. CanonRay Dec 5 #56

The first time I heard it boonecreek Dec 5 #57

Honeycomb was by Jimmy Rodgers LogDog75 Dec 6 #68

Disco Duck. Kung Fu Fighting. megahertz Dec 5 #53

Feelings by Morris Albert LookoutMtnWriter Dec 5 #54

crimson and clover and Saturday in the park lynintenn Dec 5 #58

Crimson and Clover I love for the complex musical riffs using a Mogg. AZLD4Candidate Dec 5 #60

AZLD4Candidate............. Upthevibe Dec 5 #64

"Billy" was awful! But here's a disco hit I loved: spooky3 Dec 6 #88

YOUR having MY Baby - Paul Anka BOSSHOG Dec 5 #65

American Pie Emile Dec 5 #66

Many of the songs mentioned I actually like LogDog75 Dec 6 #67

For sure everyone has different tastes dwayneb Dec 6 #85

"All of Me" by John Legend skypilot Dec 6 #74

All 10 are swift songs. Groundhawg Dec 6 #76

Katy Perry too. All sounds the same. Same beat, melody, lyric tempo, and all written by a six year old boy AZLD4Candidate Dec 7 #97

You 100% nailed number 1 Bristlecone Dec 6 #77

In the spirit of the season - "Last Christmas" by WHAM! dwayneb Dec 6 #78

Bollywood likes to copy our music..LOL Dil Mera Churaya Kyun (Song is not about Christmas) LeftInTX Dec 16 #174

"She was only sixteen" sung by Dr Hook an Klarkashton Dec 6 #79

Hey, Ringo Starr is no pervert! 😉 ShazzieB Dec 10 #109

Wives and Lovers Jack Jones 1963 Amanita Pantherina Dec 6 #80

Ugh nt spooky3 Dec 6 #87

A rare mistake by Burt Bacharach and Hal David Freddie Dec 11 #133

No one hated "Seasons in The Sun" as much as I did? spooky3 Dec 6 #82

For sure I hated that song a lot in 1974 dwayneb Dec 6 #86

Rock version of a Spanish Civil War song. I tend to give things like this a pass. AZLD4Candidate Dec 7 #95

This may not fit your standards, as it is a spoken word record... GReedDiamond Dec 6 #89

This was just as terrible as the "I was there" one the right wing put out after 9/11 AZLD4Candidate Dec 7 #96

Aw I like Barbie Girl FullySupportDems Dec 6 #90

I agree! ShazzieB Dec 10 #107

Thank you! I thought it was just me lol FullySupportDems Dec 10 #121

I like it too. LeftInTX Dec 16 #175

Let's Hear It For The Boy EuterpeThelo Dec 7 #93

Paper Roses, Ebony and Ivory, She's Sixteen (She's Beautiful and She's Mine) Midnight Writer Dec 7 #94

Johnny Preston "Running Bear" Doc_Technical Dec 7 #98

Does your chewing gum lose it's flavor on the bedpost overnight radical noodle Dec 10 #100

More, More, More BeyondGeography Dec 10 #102

Nothing like a divisive music post. Basso8vb Dec 10 #103

You're absolutely right. ShazzieB Dec 10 #116

Hungry Like the Wolf, and Your Body is Wonderland consider_this Dec 10 #108

90% of the music from the 50's and 60's. Elessar Zappa Dec 10 #110

I finally thought of one that nobody's mentioned yet! ShazzieB Dec 10 #117

Pearl Jam did a cover of this butt-awful song. Dulcinea Dec 14 #142

Yes, I mentioned that in my post. 😁 ShazzieB Dec 15 #144

I'd rather listen to "We Built This City" ten times in a row ... dawg Dec 10 #119

From my favorite artist - title track from Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970) JoseBalow Dec 10 #122

Oh come on...Chris De Burgh's "Lady in Red"? jmowreader Dec 11 #124

Nooo, now I got Achy Breaky Heart stuck in my head! Dave Bowman Dec 11 #126

All disco music, every bit of it---with one glorious exception: Paladin Dec 11 #127

Kokomo happybird Dec 11 #128

Anything by the BeeGees and Andy Gibb. Oh I forgot whatever doc03 Dec 11 #132

So the burning question is... Freddie Dec 11 #134

I just remembered boonecreek Dec 11 #136

Afternoon Delight Aviation Pro Dec 11 #137

Damn you! happybird Dec 12 #139

Timothy by The Buoys, from 1970 Ziggysmom Dec 13 #140

I don't know. I consider that a novelty song since it was on a Dr. Demento compilation. AZLD4Candidate Dec 13 #141

Sweet Caroline. Dulcinea Dec 14 #143

100 percent yes. It's a gross song. jimfields33 Dec 15 #158

It is one of the required Party Band songs Old Crank Dec 16 #177

Easy list! av8rdave Dec 15 #145

Here are a couple more ...gen X perspective JT45242 Dec 15 #151

The absence of Disco Duck invalidates the entire list Clash City Rocker Dec 15 #154

Convoy The Madcap Dec 15 #155

The Name Game by Shirley Ellis. Paper Roses Dec 15 #159

Some that I haven't seen listed Trellastic Dec 15 #162

Anything by Donny Osmond! LeftInTX Dec 16 #176

While several of you have committed blasphemy, Conjuay Dec 15 #163

... Polybius Dec 16 #178

Bad music threads are fun. LeftInTX Dec 16 #183

Tracey Ullman's performance of Bobby's Girl is sensational: NBachers Dec 16 #186

Run Joey Run (1975) David Geddes takes the cake for cheese. LeftInTX Dec 16 #187

"Dancing in the Streets" and "Beast of Burden" regardless of the artist underpants Dec 16 #190